10 ways to make money online

The Internet has opened up a wealth of opportunities for people to earn extra income or start a business online. Here are 10 ways you can start making money online today:

1. Ebay. If you’re anything like me then you have plenty of items around your home that you no longer need or use. Why not sell them on eBay and make some money. Taking it a step further you might consider setting up an eBay shop, you just need to find some products to sell which you could make or sell other people’s items through buying wholesale or drop shipping.
2. Drop Shipping. Rather than outlaying a large amount of money on stock, if you want to start an online shop, drop shipping is a great low cost way to start selling products.  It can also give you a wider range of products to offer.
3. Online Shop. This can take some time an effort to start and build up but is a great way to earn money even when you are not actively working. As mentioned before drop shipping is an option if you haven’t got any products to sell, alternatively you can sell your own products such as crafts, clothing or baked items.
4. Affiliate Marketing. If you have a large audience you can make good money through affiliate sales. You are simply promoting someone else’s products or services and when they click on your link, you will get a percentage back from their purchase. You need to have a large database of contacts from an email list to make lots of money but if you target your audience either through social media or blogging, you can still make some money through this.
5. Blogging. Bloggers have found multiple ways to monetise their sites and sell their services.  You can start by selling advertising or offering your blogging services to businesses. Both can be very profitable.
6. Social Media. Do you use social media a lot? Know what a RT and twitter hash tag is? Well why not offer your services to help small businesses harness the power of social media for their business. Social media is a huge area and a lot of small businesses are scared or put off from using social media to grow their business. You can either offer to manage their social media profiles or train them to use it themselves.
7. Etsy. If you are an artist or crafter you will no doubt have come across Etsy. It is a great way to show off your products without having to create a shop of your own. You will need to draw traffic to your items through social media etc but once you have a following it will earn you money even as you sleep.
8. Write an eBook. Ebooks are becoming very popular and a great way to become an author. Do you have a good knowledge of a niche area?   Enough to write a book on it? If the answer is yes then get started! Ebooks can lead onto other things such as a published book or becoming a speaker at conferences.  They are a great way to show people you are an authority in that area.
9. Create videos. Are you a whizz with YouTube and programs such as Camtasia or Windows Movie Maker? Why not offer to create videos for businesses that do not have the time or knowhow to utilise this great promotional medium.
10. Become a freelance writer. If you love writing and enjoy researching topics to write about then why not offer your services as a freelance writer. This can be for magazines and newspapers or online sites such as parenting sites or other blogs. Professional training is desirable but lots have made it without formal training. Another option is to offer copy writing services too.