How to Make Money Online: 10 Proven Ways to Make Money Online
How to Make Money Online: 10 Proven Ways to Make Money OnlineNeed to know how to make money online as a side gig or new career? Check out this breakdown of the 10 top online money-making methods.
BY ENTREPRENEUR STAFF •
For many, the Internet is the perfect opportunity to make a little extra cash. But there's more than one way to make money online, and some are faster and more accessible.
Today, look at how to make money online by examining 10 different business ideas, ventures and other entrepreneurial enterprises you can undertake.
1. Start affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is a great way to make money online, partially because it's so accessible. All you need is a blog and a handful of affiliate marketing agreements with known brands whose products and services you want to sell.
In a nutshell, with affiliate marketing, you write blog posts, then advertise or link to products that are part of your affiliate program. Each time one of your blog readers purchases after clicking to a product from one of your links, you'll get a commission for your effort.
Affiliate marketing is one of the top ways to make money if you are an online blogger or have a brand blog for your ecommerce store. While it's not always best for beginners, freelance writers with a knack for SEO can develop a robust income stream by partnering with high-quality brands and digital products.
Note that you can also use affiliate marketing as a great way to make some side income online to complement your other ecommerce income.
Remember, affiliate marketing is easier if you already have a loyal reader base for your blog. For this reason, while affiliate marketing doesn't cost a lot of money, it may take some time before you have enough people consuming your content to make it worthwhile.
- Requirements: Computer, WordPress or other blog platform and an affiliate marketing partnership.
- Time to earn money: 4+ weeks.
- How to set up: Set up a blog, join an affiliate marketing program and write content that links to affiliate products.
2. Build a dropshipping business
Dropshipping is a unique business model where you partner with product suppliers, manufacturers and shipping companies. Here's how it works:
- You advertise products a third party makes, like a product manufacturer, under your store brand. You can use a platform like Amazon to do this or practice dropshipping on your own ecommerce website.
- When a customer orders a product, you send the order to a fulfillment specialist company, like a shipping company, to handle delivery and shipping.
- You take home a percentage of the profits without having to store inventory, make products or do anything else.
It might sound too good to be true, but dropshipping is a viable business model and a great way to make money online. It's also a stellar way to make money online if you don't have the infrastructure to run a traditional ecommerce brand.
However, dropshipping requires you to have a brand and strike up partnerships with product suppliers. Be prepared to do a lot of research to see what products will be most profitable and worth your time to bring to the market.
Eventually, you can make extra cash and passive income through this "side hustle."
- Requirements: Computer and research materials.
- Time to earn money: 4+ weeks.
- How to set up: Build a brand website, join a platform that allows dropshipping, get partnerships with product suppliers and fulfillment companies and sell products.
3. Do freelance work
Freelance work is more popular than ever, and for good reason. It's an excellent way to make some side income or work as a new full-time job.
If you have an in-demand skill set, like graphic design or freelance writing, you can potentially make enough money to pay for all of your bills and then some without having to work for a traditional company or agency.
Freelance work, however, does require you to hustle and get most of your clients using sites and mobile apps like Fiverr or Upwork. These freelance job boards have clients post jobs that they need to be completed.
You'll then compete with other freelancers to complete the required work. Many entrepreneurs start this business to earn extra income, but you can make money from home consistently this way.
At first, you may not earn a lot of money and you'll have to build up a reputation from scratch. But in time, and if you keep with it, you can become an in-demand freelancer and raise your prices, truly elevating your potential success to the next level.
Freelance work is rewarding and allows you to work on your own schedule without worrying about being "on the clock," too.
- Requirements: Computer, specialized software, webcam and microphone.
- Time to earn money: 24+ hours.
- How to set up: Join freelance job boards, seek out clients and complete work.
Related: 9 New Ways to Make Money Online
4. Fill out online surveys
Online surveys are readily available and accessible on sites like Surveyjunkie and Swagbucks. On this site and others, you can complete online surveys for marketing brands and agencies seeking to take the public's pulse on various issues, like what kinds of products you enjoy and what your opinions are on certain topics.
Filling out online surveys often gives you small cash rewards (sometimes through gift cards). Through this work, you can earn money online slowly but surely — it's a great way to make some extra side cash while doing something else, like surfing the Internet or watching TV.
Some sites may have you test websites, complete tutorials or do small tasks other than answer survey questions.
Of course, you won't get rich by filling out online surveys. Still, this could be an excellent way to add to your gift card collection or make money semi-passively without wasting too much effort.
For the best results, research which survey companies and websites are available and what they pay you for your answers.
- Requirements: Computer.
- Time to earn money: 1+ hours.
- How to set up: Join a survey site, answer surveys and get gift cards or cash.
5. Work as a virtual assistant
Virtual assistants are knowledgeable professionals who act as digital secretaries for CEOs, managers and others.
As a virtual assistant, you'll complete a wide range of different responsibilities and tasks, such as:
- Assisting with scheduling.
- Notifying your clients about appointments.
- Organizing your clients' data or spreadsheets.
- Speaking to customers (in some cases).
- Data entry.
You can work as a virtual assistant with barely any set-up time and don't need a degree. However, depending on who you work for, you may need to be at your client's beck and call, which could limit your freedom and flexibility.
Still, working as a virtual assistant could be a stellar way to make money online, especially if you can't leave the house or otherwise cannot earn money in other ways. Many virtual assistants make decent part-time income.
As you build up your reputation and expand your clientele, you could also charge more money for your services.
- Requirements: Computer, microphone and headset, webcam, Microsoft Office software and other software tools.
- Time to earn money: Days to weeks.
- How to set up: Make a resume, apply to virtual assistant positions, join a virtual assistant agency and start working.

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