The 4 Best Ways to Make Money Online

Making money by working at home on the computer is a dream for many adults. Chances are you spend hours day on your computer — wouldn’t it be great if you could earn money during that time? There are many different ways to earn money online; however, some are better than others, and some “golden opportunities” are just scammers trying to steal your money

Anytime you’re looking for a way to make money from your computer, you have to watch out for scams. If it seems too good to be true it probably is — whatever you do, never click the link that tells you to be like the stay-at-home mom who earns $500 a day. Here are some of the best — and safe — ways to make money from your home computer.

1. Owning a Blog

Blogs can be a lot of work for only a little money, but if you love what you’re writing about you’re really getting paid to have fun. The easiest and most common way to make money from a blog is to host advertisements. Pricing plans for ads differ from agency to agency, but be sure to know how different types of ads work before you get in contact with an advertiser.

Two of the most common types of online ads are Pay-Per-Click (PPC) and Pay-Per-Impression (PPI). With Pay-Per-Click ads, you’ll only earn money when one of your readers actually clicks on an ad. In contrast, with a Pay-Per-Impression ad you’ll be paid each time the ad loads on a user’s page. That doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll make more with PPI ads, though. You need to compare prices and make the best decision for you and your blog. The advertiser you’re working with may also favor one type of ad over another.

2. Freelance Writing

If you don’t have the time and energy to manage your own blog, you could also make money by writing for someone else. As a freelance writer, you can write about anything from solar energy projects financing initiatives to SEO companies. News websites, businesses and some blogs are happy and willing to pay for high-quality content.

Remember: you’ll probably be asked to provide samples of your work before you can start writing; higher paying gigs may also for a resume and application. Some freelance writing positions are also quite competitive. If you don’t have much experience, you might have to take some unpaid work to beef up your resume.

3. Data Entry

Although you have to watch out for scams, there are a fair number of data entry jobs available online. To get started, you have to register on a website’s database. Then, you’ll start to receive freelance assignments via e-mail. Some sites pay more than others, and pay can vary depending on the types of projects you’re doing. If possible, discuss the rates and payment schedule with the company upfront.

4. Selling Products or Services

These days, just about anyone can go online and sell something. Websites like Ebay and Amazon have long been popular for selling products to customers around the world. Due to their success, more and more online merchant sites are popping up all the time. If you love arts and crafts, you’re in luck — you can market and sell your creations on Etsy. In addition, what you sell online doesn’t have to be a physical item. Fiverr allows you to sell any kind of good or service imaginable — you’ll see everything from haircuts to home repair assistance for sale.

-Guest post by Courtney Gordner. Courtney is a journalist/blogger with a passion for…everything! Read more from her on her own blog, www.talkviral.com