ALT-1 Free Ways to Make Money Online
Is it truly possible to earn money without investing money first? On the Internet, the possibilities are endless. In fact, one of the greatest advantages of the Internet for freelancers is that there are a myriad of ways to make money without investing anything more than your time and skills.
Below are some of the best ways to make money online, which require no monetary investment:
1. Providing valuable web content for websites and blogs.
If you are a talented writer, graphic designer, programmer or translator, the Internet is your gold mine. You can work as a freelancer using your knowledge and experience in order to create quality web content.
For example, as a writer, you could be writing blog posts or articles for independent clients or major writing websites such as Helium, Associated Content or Suite 101.
As a graphic designer or programmer, the possibilities are even more attractive. You can find work online through networking, registering on freelance websites or by selling your work on marketplaces such as GraphicRiver . You can also set up a free online portfolio/blog showcasing your work to a global audience.
As a translator, you can find work online by registering on freelance websites such as Elance, PeoplePerHour or EmergingCast.
2. Setting up your own blog and monetizing it.
If you have interesting insights about a specific topic that is in great demand, why not share them with the world? You can set up a free blog on platforms such as Blogger and Wordpress, and then monetize it by using advertising networks like Adsense or Clicksor. If you regularly update your blog and take your time to garner a loyal audience, in time your blog can become a valuable income source. You can use affiliate marketing and earn money by recommending products and services on your blog, sell ad space or sell your own products (ebooks, webinars).
3. Selling stock photography.
Assuming you already have an excellent camera and you know a fair bit about photography, you can put these to a better use by creating stock photography and uploading your work to websites such as iStockphoto, Fotolia or ShutterStock. By researching what types of images are in demand and learning how to meet the requirements of these websites, you can create a large quantity of stock photos that can in turn, earn you a steady stream of monthly income.
4. Becoming an affiliate marketer.
Though affiliate marketing is a difficult field to master, you can start off by promoting others’ products and services free of cost by posting reviews on your own blog, forums or social networks. You will need sharp marketing skills and an acute awareness of how people respond to your promotion efforts; however, affiliate marketing is a worthwhile field where you can earn high commissions and, if you’re one of the few that become successful, it can become your top earning online activity. For beginners, a reputable website like Clickbank is a good way of starting off and learning the best practices for free.
The methods presented above are completely free ways of earning an income online that may someday replace your day job or at least, offer a safety net to fall back on in times of need. Though you may not earn as much as when using methods that require an initial investment, these are a great way of getting started on your way of becoming self-employed on the Internet and shifting your focus towards more profitable opportunities.
