Does anyone actually make money online?

Without appearing to be rude, do you know anything about making money online?

People spend years at college learning to be a "specialist" at something and when they finish they go and get a job or start their own companies - after studying.

And if someone walked up to you and said "if you read this book you can make millions running a shop" none of us would find them credible.

If you didn't have skills in marketing, inventory control and retail your shop probably not work.

But for some reason everyone seems to think that if you go online for 5 minutes you can make a boat load of money.

The "gurus" have mostly been online for years studying the different techniques and have extensive training and more importantly they have invested in their business with things like outsourcing and other techniques.

Unless you are prepared to learn how the internet works, prepared to treat it like a real business and invest in it and the techniques it needs to be a success, then don't expect to have any real success.

Just like any other business it takes system and product knowledge, a lot of time and money investment and a team of people behind you to make it work.

All that being said, if you do those things you can make money online.

I have been working online for 2 years and do not consider myself a master, but I am learning a lot and I am now slowly starting to make some reasonable amounts of money.

It took 2 years though!

 

I would say that making money online is very frustrating.
In the beginning you will make couple bucks a month, and most of the people will give up because they couldn't pass by this discouragement.

But if you could get thru this state, then you do can make some real money on the web.

As a result, I recommend people do something that interest them. Do it as a hobby in the beginning. Then, if you work hard enough and with some luck, it might replace your full time job.

Good Luck.

 

Most of my income come from clickbank

 

Of course there are people making money online. How much is another question though.

I find that there are a lot that overexaggerate their earnings, and the ways they make the money.

 

This is really true - alot of people given up on internet-related business because it is not easy as they think...

When my friends tell me that they'll leave the company to work online because it looks like an easy money, I was like "yeah sure - go ahead" but I know they're likely fail due to the wrong attitude toward the business.

And yes, I've made a monthly income online which are more than most of my friend's salary here, but it's nothing special - yet.

 

Yes my 1st pay check is from adsense.
But its too much hassle.
I turn to forex trading.
Now its my full time job already

 

Just to add proof that it can be done...

In June 2009, I was working as a Paint Sprayer and the only writing I did was a few contributions to a couple of football (soccer) forums to help out some friends running the sites. I enjoyed writing the occasional match report or player review but probably spent about two hours a month on it. It was fun. Nothing else.

When the company I was working with had to let me go, I spent the first three weeks trying to find painting jobs and exhausted every possibility. Unfortunately, the current recession has seen the motor trade suffer more than it ever did in the late 1980's and there was no work to be had anywhere.

At my wits end, I asked myself if there was anything else I could do but as a 44-years-old, it's difficult to start afresh as employers see you as being a bit 'past it'. Thankfully, one of the lads I'd been writing for said he thought I had a bit of a talent and why not try some writing? I had no idea where to start but within two or three days I picked up my first two gigs and, after putting in about 30 hours work, made a grand total of around $40. However, it was still $40 I wouldn't have made by sitting around watching TV and feeling sorry for myself.

Since then, I've picked up new (and better paid) gigs and last month, I actually exceeded what I used to make in the motor trade for the first time. It's been 7 really tough months and I'm still only a relative newcomer to my newly-found trade but I'm optimistic that things will get even better as this year goes on.

The secret? I didn't buy a single e-book or take a single course. I simply grafted, made my mistakes and learned from them. Discovering forums has been a blessing as it gives you the chance to actually hear about the mistakes others make. Some posts have saved me a small fortune.

There are no secrets as far as I'm concerned. Tenacity, determination, sweat and just a tiny amount of natural talent are the only tools needed. Cheap and easy residual incomes don't exist in my world. Twelve, fourteen and sixteen hour days do but as I've always said: It's much better being a struggling writer than it ever was being a struggling paint sprayer!

 

Yep, I make $$ online as well. I've been doing this thing since 1999 promoting various products off and on.

But, I didn't find real success until I focused on one thing, something that I liked doing and promoted it. I mean, its like a writer, you can't write with authority if you've never done it. So find out what it is you love to do, and then just do it.

Buying a bunch of ebooks didn't make you wealthy (as you've found out), it made the people who wrote them rich though didn't it?

I work 100% online...haven't graced the doors of corporate america since 2008.

Most important, have fun doing what it is you do. That makes the journey tolerable. Good luck.

 

I've read some really good answers here.
I'm glad to see that most of you say that it takes basically "time, patience,effort and money" and not saying "go 100% on ebooks etc"

My wise words at the end will be: "To earn money online - you have to spend money wisely"

- kenny

 

What exactly do you do?

 

I only make around $100 a month but hopefully going to expand during the summer when im out of college for a few months.

 

way to go!!!!!!

 

I did forum posting, i got the jobs here in DP..it's not much..but i worked towards it..and i have reached $150.00 usd,( a month and a half work)..it's not much but..it's money rite?

 

Yeah I make money online maybe just $100 a week or so but its not bad

 

Thanks everyone for the tips and thoughts so far.

Here are some more thoughts about it on my end:

I am technologically adept. I have 2 degrees in IT and have worked as a web application developer for a few years now. I never thought that buying ebooks would give a step by step method for making tons of money. I would've liked to see some valid wisdom on how to get your foot in the door and some concepts I would need to succeed. After reading a few, I realize most are garbage.

I was just curious as to if it was even realistic to expect to earn some moderate income from online activities. By the looks of this thread, it is feasible with some hard work and effort. That's great news!

 

Are you kidding me?

Here, if you wanna check out some crazy proof that I do make money online,
check out my sig link below. It might just blow your mind!

 

There is a third of the world makin money online.. about an eighth of those people who make a living.. So i would say a lot of people make money online. Pretty crazy, but it will resort to everyone working virtually in about 10 years.

 

Good to see some realism in the discussion of this topic, after almost a decade-and-a-half of hype. It almost got to the point of 'group think', where those that didn't conform to the prevailing wisdom were seen as infidels.

The regrettable reality is that for the individual the prospects for earning a viable income, particularly selling information (unless it's utterly unique or utterly essential), are very low. (Note: this also applies to email Newsletters.)
Prospects for a physical product though are slightly better.
Quite simply, this is the "inconvient truth".
This is an issue that I have recently been thinkng through.

I see some of the factors influencing this:
1) Perceptions created by the Media.
The media more often reports bad news about the Internet than good news. As far back as the late 1990s an interesting (anecdotal) observation was made by one of the the contributors to John Audette's I-Sales discussion group that when the media was reporting negative news they referred to the Internet, but on the occasions they reported positive news they referred to the Information Super Highway.
2) I've been involved with the Internet since 1995 when it was relatively easy to get 'noticed' and trusted.
Fifteen years later with 200+ million web sites and a zillions shonks spoiling it for everyone it is infinitely harder for the independent to be noticed and trusted.
3) Unfortunately online transactions were not technically possible in that earlier time and there was no option but to give information away - unless you could pursuade customers to post you a cheque(check). This was compounded by the Banks and Credit Card companies who at that time didn't want to know the Internet.

Hence the 'for free' mind set of the 'Net was fostered.

The Long Tail
This is the concept describing how some products sell in large numbers, with most selling in very small numbers and it is usually represented as a graph. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Tail for a detailed description).
Nearly all small businesses and indepentents attempting to sell directly online are at the shallow end of the Long Tail (see illustration in the Wikipedia description).
For example, in research done by Harvard Business Review they quote an example from music sales through Apple iTunes: in 2007 91% of digital music tracks sold fewer than 100 copies and 24% sold only one copy. This, unfortunately, is where most independents are at - for reasons outlined above.
You can download their Report (pdf) at http://hbr.org/2008/07/should-you-invest-in-the-long-tail/ar/1 - and yes, there is a small charge of $us6·50. (Note: I am not connected with this in any way)

Advertising and Affiliate Programmes
These are slated as being the answer for income generation for small businesses and independents.
Advertising
If your site attracts very large numbers of visitors then advertising can generate some income. The issue is attracting very large numbers, as the revenue per impression is only cents. You need to be certain your site will have sufficient interest to attract those large numbers. That is a research project in itself.
Affiliate Programmes
Again, you need the numbers. And, an Affiliate Principal with a product/service that is a good fit with your business. Plus you need a Principal with integrity, both in their dealings with you and the customers referred by you (you're known by the company you keep).

The answer?
I think independents could explore any possible benefits of 'piggy backing' with an established popular site, as a paid contributor - and only paid contributor. Don't be an Information Slave for anyone's benefit. Possibly a site that accepts content from Independent Producers and handles both the marketing as well as the transaction. This would be of particular relevance to information content providers.
One of the issues that get in the way of many independents making such a move is what is called the 'Dog and Bone syndrome', where we naturally want to do our own thing. Maybe some should re-think this?
For example, an analogy from print media: a paid contributor to a magazine or other media outlet.
I think I prefer 10% of something to 100% of nothing.

Conclusion
The Internet is not a 'magic pudding' for business - it really is just another communications medium. And, communication skills are essential for success.
As well, a little business acumen helps ...

What do you think ?

David Berghouse.

 

Of course people are making huge bucks online. You just have to have a game plan and follow a method that works for you. As a experienced marketer, I would suggest on building a list. Brand yourself, if people trust you and like what you have to offer, than you can sell to them again and again.

Of course having a well written product of your own, you can make a ton of money by recruiting affiliates to promote it for you. I see this time and time again, you just have to take action. Good luck.

 

Yes people are making money online and even if you make $10 from online it your credit that at least you getting that much of money but this money won't help you survive because you are investing your time and energy into online so you need to understand first how the things works and how you can you do it.

I used to be frustrated like you but now I making money online not huge and I believe I will be successful from online and I believe that I can't work outside except online. So you need to first believe yourself and ask yourself that will you be successful like others do and understand what they teach and how they works. Does it took them 1 month to understand or even years to be successful so you need to understand first this internet marketing industry because there are plenty of people working from base and making money.

It is not easy task but it is simple and you need to give effort and learn as you are learning a course or like degree. If you can spend 3 - 5 yrs to get degree and this all stuff you can expect to make million online just in one month.

Read, Understand and Apply. You will be definitely successful grow confidences inside you.

I hope this is not too long to read but might be helpful to you to understand how this internet world works.

Thanks
Alam