Have you been considering setting up your own website to make money on the internet? Perhaps you already have a work at home business or a business idea and want your own presence on the web. Or maybe you just know that you want to make money on the internet but have no idea what is involved. This article explains the steps involved in starting up your own money making website - including finding and researching a business idea and setting up your website.
To give you an idea of what is involved I will outline the 7 steps you need to take to set up your own money making website. This will give you the basics of what is involved and allow you to do further research and make progress in each of these seven areas.
Step 1 - Your business idea
If you already have a business or a business idea, you can skip this step. If not, then spend some time writing a list of all the things that interest you. The chances of succeeding in your new business are far greater if you are doing something that you are passionate about. This way it won’t feel like you are doing a job when you start spending time on this. Don’t worry too much about a product at this point, just think about the things you like to do - perhaps you like cooking, or playing football, or foreign travel. Try to write down at least 5 things that you enjoy.
Step 2 - Research your Market and Analyse the Competition
Once you have completed step 1, you need to find out if there is a market in the areas that you are interested in. At the same time you may want to avoid entering a market that is highly competitive. From my experience the best way to analyse this is by using a tool called Wordtracker. You can try this for free at http://www.homebiz-direct.com/wordtracker.html Note that the trial version is a cut down version of the much more powerful full version and only includes statistics from one search engine rather than multiple engines.
Use this software as a brainstorming tool and type in your interests that you came up with in step 1 (or your original business idea). Wordtracker will return related keywords, which you can then select and add to your “basket”. At this stage it is best to keep an open mind and fill your basket with around 1000 keyword phrases. Finally you can do a “competitive analysis” on the keywords that you have chosen. This will allow you to see how many searches a day are done on a per search engine basis for each keyword phrase.
In addition to this you will also see the number of competing websites and a value called a “KEI” which is a “Keyword Effectiveness Index”. You have a better chance of succeeding if you choose keywords that have a KEI above 100. If the KEI is above 400, then you have an excellent chance of success.
Ensure that you spend sufficient time in this planning phase, repeating the above process again and again until you have a good set of related keywords with good KEIs. once you have chosen your keywords you should check out your competition by typing the keywords into Google and looking at top websites for each keyword phrase that you have selected. The Google and Alexa toolbars can help you with your analysis of competing websites
Step 3 - Choose a Product
If you don’t already have a product in mind, the next step is to decide on your product or group of products. Before you do this, try to do some research and find out exactly what your potential customers are looking for. What sort of questions are they asking? Google Groups are an excellent place for doing this sort of research.
One solution is to join some affiliate programs (related to your chosen keywords of course). Affiliate programs are usually free to join and pay you a commission for directing customers from your site via a special affiliate link. You can find a lot of information about affiliate programs by searching for “Affiliate Programs” on Google.
Another alternative is to sell your own product. This could be something that you have made yourself such as a craft item or an informative e-book, or a product that you dispatch using a drop shipping service. It is also possible to buy resell rights to e-books and software written by other people.
Before you make a final decision, work out what your profit margin will be and do a rough calculation of how much money you will make based on the estimated traffic from Wordtracker.
Step 4 - Choose and Register a Domain name
The next stage is to decide on and register a domain name. There are many websites selling domain names and you should be able to get one easily for less than $10 per year. There is no need to sign up for a domain name with your web hosting company if they are charging more than this as domain names can be transferred easily between hosting companies.
Try to choose a domain name that has some of your keywords in it. It’s also an advantage to have a name that is relatively short and easy to remember.
Step 5 - Find a Web Hosting Company
There are hundreds of web hosting companies available. Some even provide hosting for free. I advise against using the free services if you are setting up a business, as this can look unprofessional, especially since most of them use advertising on your site as a way to recoup the cost. This is fine for a personal website, but if you are serious about making money you need to choose a reputable web hosting company.
Ensure that you are happy with the disk space and bandwidth allowances that your hosting company provides. Other things to consider are the customer support services, reliability in terms of the percentage of down time expected and the interface for uploading files. There are many websites that offer reviews and comparisons of different hosting packages.
Step 6 - Build your Website
At last, you are now ready to start building your website. Many people skip the research stage and dive straight into this part, but your chances of success are much higher if you spend time on the research part first.
Depending on your knowledge and experience in this area you may decide to do this yourself, or pay for a web designer to do this for you. If you are doing it yourself, it helps to know HTML, but there are also many web page editors such as Front Page and Dreamweaver which you can use to construct your website with little or no knowledge of HTML.
Try to ensure that your site is clean, uncluttered and easy to navigate and that it looks professional. Have someone proofread your copy to ensure that there are no mistakes. Also ensure that you use your keywords from your Wordtracker research in the title of your page, the headings and throughout your copy. Use one or two of your chosen keyword phrases per page and don’t overdo the use of your keywords as search engines may consider this as SPAM.
Step 7 - Market your Website
Finally you need to market your webpage. It is simply not true that you can just build a website and wait for visitors to come without doing any form of internet marketing.
Internet marketing is a huge topic, out with the scope of this article. The sort of techniques that you may want to consider include reciprocal linking, writing and publishing articles, pay per click (PPC) advertising such as Google Adwords and Overture, classified and solo ads, participating in discussion forums that allow a signature in your postings and advertising on related (but not competing) websites.
These 7 steps take time and effort, but if you do your research and persevere you are likely to see excellent results.
Don’t forget, that once you have been through this process once, you can repeat it again and again until you have multiple websites making an income for you while you sleep, or relax on the beach!
Monday, July 16, 2007
Earning Money With Affiliate Programs and Google Explained
Starting a business has never been cheaper, quicker, or easier… you don’t even need your own product…
…Because with the search engine Google and a commission for every sale of somebody else’s product you generate, you can get your first sale for under $30 in mere hours worth of work.
Compare this to other businesses that take months of intense work to start-up and thousands of dollars in investment.
Let me explain how it works:
The search engine Google has millions of searches taking place at every moment. Each one is by a searcher looking for information or a solution to a problem that is troubling him or her.
For example, thousands upon thousands of people search on Google each day for a way to train their dogs, typing in terms such as, “How to train dog” or “Dog training tips.”
With Google Adwords advertising program, you can make your ad show-up when somebody types in these terms… and you don’t even need your own product. There are thousands of retailers that offer you up to 70% commission for every product you sell.
Most notably, http://www.ClickBank.com has thousands of hot products you can sell for 40-70% commissions.
All you have to do to make a quick commission is pick a product from the Clickbank database, set-up a Google Adwords’ campaign and watch the sales flow-in!
Of course, to get the most out of it, it is best to set-up your own website and pre-sell the customer as to why they need a product, but is not required to start earning sales.
So, in as little as 1 hour from now and as little as a $28 start-up budget you can gain your first sale! Then, as the money starts rolling in you can expand to start generating thousands of dollars of income a month…
…For probably the world’s quickest, easiest, and cheapest business to start!
…Because with the search engine Google and a commission for every sale of somebody else’s product you generate, you can get your first sale for under $30 in mere hours worth of work.
Compare this to other businesses that take months of intense work to start-up and thousands of dollars in investment.
Let me explain how it works:
The search engine Google has millions of searches taking place at every moment. Each one is by a searcher looking for information or a solution to a problem that is troubling him or her.
For example, thousands upon thousands of people search on Google each day for a way to train their dogs, typing in terms such as, “How to train dog” or “Dog training tips.”
With Google Adwords advertising program, you can make your ad show-up when somebody types in these terms… and you don’t even need your own product. There are thousands of retailers that offer you up to 70% commission for every product you sell.
Most notably, http://www.ClickBank.com has thousands of hot products you can sell for 40-70% commissions.
All you have to do to make a quick commission is pick a product from the Clickbank database, set-up a Google Adwords’ campaign and watch the sales flow-in!
Of course, to get the most out of it, it is best to set-up your own website and pre-sell the customer as to why they need a product, but is not required to start earning sales.
So, in as little as 1 hour from now and as little as a $28 start-up budget you can gain your first sale! Then, as the money starts rolling in you can expand to start generating thousands of dollars of income a month…
…For probably the world’s quickest, easiest, and cheapest business to start!
5 Easy Steps To Making Money Online
It seems everyone is trying to make a living working from home on the internet now a days. It’s kind of like the starving artist syndrome. I am one of those people.
I have been dabbling in different ventures on an off for about 3 years now and I figured I would share with the world what I found works and doesn’t work. I’m no expert, just a regular girl from the South trying to be a stay at home mom.
I will tell you that I do make enough, FINALLY, every month to compensate for what I would make at a regular 40 hour a week job. This pleases me and my family because it is also eliminates a $1000 a month daycare bill. (Sound familiar)
In the beginning, which is probably where you are now, I worked my regular job and then came home and did more work for another 4 or 5 hours every night trying different things.
That is how I started and it was grueling. There is no magic wand and work is work, regardless of where and how it is done. Working from home is no different.
There are several main goals to achieve to make a decent living from home.
Find you niche. What are you going to sell? If you don’t have a product, sell a service. If you don’t have a service, sell somebody else’s service. Affiliate marketing might be a way for you to go if you don’t have your own product or service to sell. This is the way I went.
Own your own website. If you know nothing about building a website, which I didn’t visit, my home page for help on building a FREE website.
Market that website. (This is part of the “real work”) If you built a Wal-Mart the middle of the West Texas desert, which is hundreds of miles of nothing, how many customers would you get. Not many, because nobody would know the store was there. I equalize a website to the same thing. If you build it, they will NOT come, unless they can find you. You must be willing to learn marketing skills if you are going to survive on the internet, plain and simple. I learned from the best.
This is the most important. Multiple streams of income! In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I get checks every month from 10-15 sources on the web. 2 or 3 hundred dollars a month from 10-15 different sources adds up and that is the key. Sell a product or service, feature Google ads on your website for a small string of income, build a mailing list, and offer Amazon books on your site relating to your product and/or service. These are just a few examples of multiple streams of income.
Read everything you can get your hands on, (free articles and e-books)
Good Luck!
I have been dabbling in different ventures on an off for about 3 years now and I figured I would share with the world what I found works and doesn’t work. I’m no expert, just a regular girl from the South trying to be a stay at home mom.
I will tell you that I do make enough, FINALLY, every month to compensate for what I would make at a regular 40 hour a week job. This pleases me and my family because it is also eliminates a $1000 a month daycare bill. (Sound familiar)
In the beginning, which is probably where you are now, I worked my regular job and then came home and did more work for another 4 or 5 hours every night trying different things.
That is how I started and it was grueling. There is no magic wand and work is work, regardless of where and how it is done. Working from home is no different.
There are several main goals to achieve to make a decent living from home.
Find you niche. What are you going to sell? If you don’t have a product, sell a service. If you don’t have a service, sell somebody else’s service. Affiliate marketing might be a way for you to go if you don’t have your own product or service to sell. This is the way I went.
Own your own website. If you know nothing about building a website, which I didn’t visit, my home page for help on building a FREE website.
Market that website. (This is part of the “real work”) If you built a Wal-Mart the middle of the West Texas desert, which is hundreds of miles of nothing, how many customers would you get. Not many, because nobody would know the store was there. I equalize a website to the same thing. If you build it, they will NOT come, unless they can find you. You must be willing to learn marketing skills if you are going to survive on the internet, plain and simple. I learned from the best.
This is the most important. Multiple streams of income! In other words, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. I get checks every month from 10-15 sources on the web. 2 or 3 hundred dollars a month from 10-15 different sources adds up and that is the key. Sell a product or service, feature Google ads on your website for a small string of income, build a mailing list, and offer Amazon books on your site relating to your product and/or service. These are just a few examples of multiple streams of income.
Read everything you can get your hands on, (free articles and e-books)
Good Luck!
The Truth about Making Money Overnight!
I feel like a toddler throwing a tantrum in the middle of the store sometimes. It's just that I get so frustrated. My personality is such that I want it all - and I want it now. The only reason I admit such a thing is this - I know I'm not the only one out there feeling this way. Just so you know, you'll feel this way with many aspects of starting and running your home business. Let me explain.
What Type Of Home Business Should I Start?
You'd think you should know this right? You should be able to wake up one morning, decide to work for yourself and boom - you know the type of business you should start. If only it were so easy. It took me about two years before I finally figured out what I wanted to do. I talk with other home biz owners that have several businesses going on or they change their business every once in a while. So this could very well be an ongoing process for you.
To figure out what type of business you should start will take some real soul searching on your part. Think about the jobs you had that you really liked. What about your hobbies, could you turn it into a business. Are you already doing something for family and friends that you could start charging for?
Read lots of books. Like books on home businesses and your other favorite fiction or nonfiction reads. Take walks by yourself and think. It's sad how little time we have to ourselves. Those quiet times are great for thinking up new ideas and ventures.
What Do I Charge?
This should be easy to come up with right? Wrong, this will be an area you may have to play around with. That is after you figure in your cost of time and making the product. You may have to lower or raise your prices because of comments like, "You're charging how much?"
I Started My Business, Now Where's the Money?
Because of all the business opportunity ads out there that state you can make hundreds of dollars doing nothing, you start to think this whole self-employed venture is just easy money. Think again, making money on your own takes time. Prepare yourself for the fact that your business will take a year or longer before you start to make any money.
I Thought Droves Of Customers Would Be Knocking On My Door!
Finding and keeping customers is a venture in itself. Often we make the mistake of putting all of our energy into finding new customers and not keeping up a relationship with the clients we already have.
Finding that first customer is not easy. Be sure you tell everyone you know that you've officially started your biz. Word of mouth is the best, cheapest and slowest form of advertising around today. Stay away from costly advertising if possible. Use free forms of advertising like press releases and flyers!
Just the Facts!
The impatient side of me always wants things NOW, however the reality of being self-employed has taught me a lot, like patience. Don't get sucked in to believing that you can have it all - right now! Self-Employment is a journey, not a destination
What Type Of Home Business Should I Start?
You'd think you should know this right? You should be able to wake up one morning, decide to work for yourself and boom - you know the type of business you should start. If only it were so easy. It took me about two years before I finally figured out what I wanted to do. I talk with other home biz owners that have several businesses going on or they change their business every once in a while. So this could very well be an ongoing process for you.
To figure out what type of business you should start will take some real soul searching on your part. Think about the jobs you had that you really liked. What about your hobbies, could you turn it into a business. Are you already doing something for family and friends that you could start charging for?
Read lots of books. Like books on home businesses and your other favorite fiction or nonfiction reads. Take walks by yourself and think. It's sad how little time we have to ourselves. Those quiet times are great for thinking up new ideas and ventures.
What Do I Charge?
This should be easy to come up with right? Wrong, this will be an area you may have to play around with. That is after you figure in your cost of time and making the product. You may have to lower or raise your prices because of comments like, "You're charging how much?"
I Started My Business, Now Where's the Money?
Because of all the business opportunity ads out there that state you can make hundreds of dollars doing nothing, you start to think this whole self-employed venture is just easy money. Think again, making money on your own takes time. Prepare yourself for the fact that your business will take a year or longer before you start to make any money.
I Thought Droves Of Customers Would Be Knocking On My Door!
Finding and keeping customers is a venture in itself. Often we make the mistake of putting all of our energy into finding new customers and not keeping up a relationship with the clients we already have.
Finding that first customer is not easy. Be sure you tell everyone you know that you've officially started your biz. Word of mouth is the best, cheapest and slowest form of advertising around today. Stay away from costly advertising if possible. Use free forms of advertising like press releases and flyers!
Just the Facts!
The impatient side of me always wants things NOW, however the reality of being self-employed has taught me a lot, like patience. Don't get sucked in to believing that you can have it all - right now! Self-Employment is a journey, not a destination
Are you ready to start making money on the Internet
Are you ready to start making money on the Internet but don't know where to start? If you are, let me give you some free advice that will make it easy while providing you with tips that you may not know or haven't heard about.
One of the first things you will need is a money-making website. Without a functional website, it is extremely difficult to have a successful Internet Business.
You can get your own e-commerce website set up for free and usually within 24-48 hours. Avoid companies that offer to set your website up, furnish training, guarantee success, all for the low cost of $3,000.00. There is absolutely no reason to invest that much money to start your Internet Business. As I said, there are ways to get a money-making website for free and start your own business within 24 hours.
Once you get your website, you will need a hosting company which is the company that stores the data that makes up your website, on their servers. The company that builds your website will direct you to a hosting company. The fees for hosting your information are usually about $19.95-$20.95 per month.
What are you going to sell on your website? This may be a very difficult decision for many people. Your product or service should be something you are interested in. If you are interested in gardening, focus on garden tools, plants, gardening tips, etc. If you are interested in Internet Marketing, make your focus on e-books, websign, marketing tips, or technology. Focusing on areas of your interest will be beneficial to both you and your customers.
After you have set up the basics of your website, you will want customers to be able to view information and make purchases. In order for them to make purchases, it is very important that you are able to accept credit cards.
Probably the best way to do this is setting up a merchant account through your local. DO NOT get affiliated with a clearing house or other company who agrees to service your credit cards (for a fee) and then requires you to do business with THEIR bank. If that company and bank are out-of-state or not easily accessible, it is too difficult to develop a business relationship. Problems may occur that need your immediate attention and that is hard to accomplish when you are 500 miles away.
You should be aware that your credit card servicing company or clearing house will more than likely have access to your bank account. This is important to know just in case of a chargeback. In the event of a chargeback, funds are taken immediately from your bank account. A charge back can occur up to 120 days after the sale.
A local bank allows you to deal with such matters in a timely fashion. There are many good servicing companies. However, there are also several that will actually cost you money in the long-run.
Just remember, very little money should be invested to start your own home-based business. There is definitely money to be made on the Internet. Knowing the pros and cons before your start can save you a lot of time and money.
One of the first things you will need is a money-making website. Without a functional website, it is extremely difficult to have a successful Internet Business.
You can get your own e-commerce website set up for free and usually within 24-48 hours. Avoid companies that offer to set your website up, furnish training, guarantee success, all for the low cost of $3,000.00. There is absolutely no reason to invest that much money to start your Internet Business. As I said, there are ways to get a money-making website for free and start your own business within 24 hours.
Once you get your website, you will need a hosting company which is the company that stores the data that makes up your website, on their servers. The company that builds your website will direct you to a hosting company. The fees for hosting your information are usually about $19.95-$20.95 per month.
What are you going to sell on your website? This may be a very difficult decision for many people. Your product or service should be something you are interested in. If you are interested in gardening, focus on garden tools, plants, gardening tips, etc. If you are interested in Internet Marketing, make your focus on e-books, websign, marketing tips, or technology. Focusing on areas of your interest will be beneficial to both you and your customers.
After you have set up the basics of your website, you will want customers to be able to view information and make purchases. In order for them to make purchases, it is very important that you are able to accept credit cards.
Probably the best way to do this is setting up a merchant account through your local. DO NOT get affiliated with a clearing house or other company who agrees to service your credit cards (for a fee) and then requires you to do business with THEIR bank. If that company and bank are out-of-state or not easily accessible, it is too difficult to develop a business relationship. Problems may occur that need your immediate attention and that is hard to accomplish when you are 500 miles away.
You should be aware that your credit card servicing company or clearing house will more than likely have access to your bank account. This is important to know just in case of a chargeback. In the event of a chargeback, funds are taken immediately from your bank account. A charge back can occur up to 120 days after the sale.
A local bank allows you to deal with such matters in a timely fashion. There are many good servicing companies. However, there are also several that will actually cost you money in the long-run.
Just remember, very little money should be invested to start your own home-based business. There is definitely money to be made on the Internet. Knowing the pros and cons before your start can save you a lot of time and money.
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