Direct Banner Advertising

Selling your own advertising space is one of the most lucrative monetization methods. First and foremost because it enables you to cut out the middleman commissions and to determine your own rates. The most popular banner formats on the web are the 728×90 leaderboard, the 120×600 skyscraper, the 300×250 rectangle and the 125×125 button.
The downside of direct banner advertising is that you need to have a big audience to get qualified advertisers, and you will need to spend time managing the sales process, the banners and the payments.
Related links:
How to Find Advertisers for Your Website
Finding Advertisers for Your Blog
Direct Advertising Sales for Beginners
Openads Ad Server
OIO Publisher Ad Platform

Instructions

1   **Read this, just for a bit of inspiration**
I make about $3,500 a month on the internet. Not quite enough for me and my family to live on, but a nice addition to my income just the same. It's pretty easy, and pretty quick, to get a SMALL income stream started. It takes time and effort to build it up. Might as well get started today.
2
**Take stock of what you have to offer**
If you are a writer, programmer, designer, or photographer, there are oodles of opportunities for you. If you have a speciality of any sort -- carpentry, raising kids, planning vacations or weddings, playing Guitar Hero 3 -- you can get paid for your expertise.
Even if you think all you can offer is time, there are plenty of opportunities for you as well.

3
**Scan the available steps**
I've listed a lot of options in the steps that follow, all of them legitimate. Pick the one that seems the best fit for you and your skills, and start exploring.
4
**Freelance Work**
If you have a skill to offer, check out the various freelance sites (sometimes called "personal outsourcing"), like elance.com and guru.com (see the Resources section for the links I mention).
You can post your skills at these sites, so potential customers can check you out, and you can also look around for freelance projects that others have posted.
There are tons of opportunities for freelancers, in very varied fields. Common projects, though, are writing, computer or graphics design work, creating web pages, programming, writing brochures or reports, illustration, photography, and so on.
Pay can be pretty good, especially after you've earned a quality rating at one or more of the freelancing sites. At the same time, though, keep in mind that you're competing with freelancers from around the world.
Take a look at the "How Elance Works" video on their main page to get a quick overview.
5
**Try Writing Web Content**
There are a quite a number of ways to take your skill as a writer and turn it into cash.
One of them is right here at eHow. Write brief "How to" articles on any topic of your choosing, and get paid for the article. The more popular the article, the more income you can expect. A good article will bring in $50 per year or more. Write 10 top-notch articles, and that's $500. A hundred articles...you get the picture.
I can't say enough good things about eHow. To my mind, it is the best income generating opportunity available. Google the term 'ehow101' to learn more about how to make it work.
UPDATE: eHow is now run through its parent company, Demand Media Studios (DMS). If you want to apply to write for eHow or other DMS properties, or to be an editor, check out the freelancer's application at demandmedia.com.
6
**Write Product Review**
ConsumerSearch.com, a site owned by the N.Y. Times, pays freelance writers a minimum of $350 per article for product reviews. While that sounds like good money (and it is...and you can earn even more than that!), their particular brand of reviews requires good research and writing skills, and takes a lot of work. Check 'em out at consumersearch.com/jobs.
7
**More writing opportunities**
--At SoftwareJudge.com, write reviews of select software products...top reviews earn up to $50 each.
--Product Reviews. You may be familiar with epinions.com, but did you know they pay cash for good quality reviews. You won't get rich, but you can get started.
--Suggest domain names according to site descriptions at Pickydomains.com Get $25 for each name that is chosen.
--At Xomba.com, write anything you feel like, and collect 50% of any advertising income from Adsense clicks on your page.
--Become a fledgling journalist at examiner.com, and cover a special topic area in your neck of the woods...they pay pretty well.
--Other writing sites include associatedcontent.com, firehow.com, helium.com, and Squidoo. In fact, one of my eHow colleagues has put together a very nice Squidoo 'lens' with 101 sites where you can get paid to provide content...check it out in the Resources section.
8
**Check out Q&A Sites**
I earn much of my income as an online researcher, answering folks questions on everything under the sun: investments, market research, divorce law, homework help...you name it. If this sounds like your cup of tea, here are some resources to explore:
--The Association of Independent Information Professionals (aiip.org) can help you build you own Q&A website and business. I've built my research business at xooxleanswers.com, and it is a steadily growing source of income for me.
--I also work with Uclue.com Though they are not accepting new researchers right now, it's worth a look to see how a well-developed Q&A site works.
--Another Q&A site is JustAnswer, and they offer small payments for answers to questions.
9
**Earn money from your own blog or website**
The key is to generate as much traffic as you can, and to have your visitors click on ads and affiliate links. The more people visiting your site, clicking on ads, and buying affiliate products, the more income you can earn. As good as this sounds, income is generally more a trickle than a flood. But again, steadily building your site (or sites), and building traffic, is the key to generating a steadily growing stream of income.
Google Adsense is the most commonly used service for placing banner and text ads on blogs and websites. As I've learned to maximize Adsense income over the years, I've come to recognize this as one of the best income-generating opportunities available.
You can also incorporate in-text ads (the colored, underlined text with small pop-up ads). I like InfoLinks.com for this, and Kontera.com is another commonly used service.
Affiliate ads usually pay whenever a sale is made for a product. Amazon.com has one of the most well-known affiliate programs that all you to sell books or other Amazon products on your site or blog, and earn a cut of the sale.
Other good affiliate resources are Commission Junction at cj.com, LinkShare.com, and AssociatePrograms.com.
10
**Blog With the Best of Them**
If you don't have a site of your own, starting a blog is pretty easy at sites like Blogger.com, and Wordpress.com. Blogs make money through online advertising and affiliate sales, such as through the Amazon.com affiliates program. Blogger makes it very simple to automatically place Google Adsense ads on your blog.
Also, at Orble.com, you can take ownership of an abandoned blog with a specific focus, like Film, or Travel, and collect a portion of the ad revenues. The advantage of this is that the blog is already well-represented in search engines, and can often generate much more traffic than a new blog of your own. See Orble under the Resource links for more information.
11
**Sell your photos**
At sites like istockphoto.com and shutterpoint.com you can upload still photos or videos for sale, and receive a royalty payment every time someone makes use of your content.
12
**Take Online Surveys**
I mention survey work with a good deal of trepidation...the surveys are tedious, the pay is meager, and there are many sites that are dubious, or out and out scams.
The most legitimate operation I know is GlobalTestMarket.com. They offer real surveys, and they pay real money. Again...tedious, and earning takes a long, long time.
CashCrate.com also pays users to take online surveys. They strike me as legitimate, but I confess, I don't have any first-hand experience with it, so approach with caution...
SurveyScout.com is another possibility, but unlike CashCrate, they charge a membership fee before you can get started (Boo!). I've also heard some negative feedback from users of this site, so proceed with caution (if you proceed at all!).
13
**Teaching and Tutoring**
Search on [ Online tutoring ] and you'll uncover dozens of sites in this booming corner of the internet. Many accept applications for online tutors, with variable rates and topic areas. Two to consider are tutor.com and ehomeworkhelp.com
14
**Check into online "Jury Duty"**
Here's an odd one. Lawyers looking for feedback on how a case will play before a jury can make use of online e-jury sites to solicit input from the type of average citizens that show up on juries. Yes, you get paid. Fees for complex cases can run over $50, though $20 is more typical. To serve as an online juror, check out onlineverdict.com, or trialpractice.com.
Be aware, though, that none of the sites I've registered at has ever actually contacted me for a jury case, so I'm not sure just how active these services are. If anyone knows more about them, please leave a remark in the Comments.
15
**Become a virtual office assistant**
At TeamDoubleClick, you can sign on for temporary jobs as an office assistant, handling correspondence, emails, bookkeeping, data entry, and other office jobs. Think of it as an online temp agency for virtual work. Pay is varied, but you are not obliged to take jobs that don't meet your financial needs.
16
**Play games**
At moola.com, you can get paid to play.
This is probably the strangest one yet, and I can't personally vouch for it (I've only tinkered with the site), but it looks legitimate. Moola starts you off by giving you a penny, which you can then double, and double again, through a variety of games and activities.
Presumably, they make oodles of money through ads, and are willing to throw some of it your way by participating in their zany set of games and marketing gimmicks. They call themselves a "Massively Multiplayer Rewards Game". It's too complicated to explain here, but worth a look.
17
**Participate in crowdsource design**
"Crowdsourcing" is the buzzword for getting a lot of people to do your work for you. If you're good at designing things like t-shirts, logos, fancy fonts, and other graphics, take a look at the challenges at 99designs.com and threadless.com.
If your design is chosen, you can collect hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
18
**More blogging opportunities**
How does $100 a month sound for writing a few blog posts every week? That's what you can be paid (actual range is $84-140) if you get accepted as a blogger at Creative Weblogging. They are a large blog network, and seem to have mastered the art of monetizing their many sites. All they need are people to write them, and keep the content fresh.
UPDATE: Creative Weblogging has changed hands and is changing how -- or if -- it pays bloggers. Stay tuned for additional updates.
19
**Earn with any type of content**
Blogging, articles, photos, video, you name it. Flixya offers 100% of ad revenue to anyone who posts at their website (you need to have your own Google Adsense account to participate). Words, pictures, videos, whatever ya got. Post it, bring in some traffic, and collect some ad clicks. (Haven't tried it yet myself, but Flixya has a good reputation).
20
**Just Visit**
Another site that pays for content is mylot.com, but they also promise earnings everytime you use the site!. They also pay for referrals. Haven't given them a test run yet, so use them with caution, but they seem worth exploring, at least. If you have experience with them, please post a comment, below.
21
**Listen to music**
At slicethepie.com, you can get paid for listening to music.
Say what!!! Yep, listen to upcoming artists, and review their music. The more reviews you write -- and the better you are at spotting new talent -- the more you can get paid. Some folks are pulling in several dollars per review.
22
**Typing and Dictation**
If you have good typing skills, consider Speak-Write.com, an online dictation service.
23
**Stay focused**
You can participate in online focus groups at 2020research.com, where you review a product you've used, or discuss an issue of interest to you. Payment ranges from about $50-150 per session. Participants are typically asked to join a group once or twice a year.
24
**Work for Google**
Ha, ha...couldn't resist. But you can earn through Google by posting content at Google Knol.
This online encylopedia-like site is a place where anyone can contribute content, and you can "monetize" your efforts by placing Adsense ads on your article to generate revenue. I wrote a Knol about eHow. You can see it by searching on the term ehow101.
25
**Review websites for usability**
You can get paid for reviewing websites. Usertesting.com pays $10 per website review, where you provide feedback on quality and usability. It's not open-ended...you have to be selected to test, based on your demographic profile.
26
**Earn money reading emails**
Really! Of course, there are ads involved, and you might be asked to click a few things, but it's not difficult. Expect to get 5-10 emails a day (more, if you register multiple email addresses), and earn a few pennies per email. Check out InboxDollars.com.
27
**Try a little bit of everything**
Genuinejobs.com is a legitimate work-at-home (telecommuting) site that lists hundreds of jobs, none of which require a fee, and many of which can be done online. Registration is simple...worth checking out.
28
**Write for the NY Times**
Really! The Times owns two sites that regularly hire writers.
I already mentioned ConsumerSearch.com up above, a site that uses freelance writers to create detailed reviews of common consumer products...minimum pay is $350 per write-up, and they do a lot of hiring.
About.com, another Times property, hires writers as guides. These positions, paying $725/month or more, are tough to get, but worth looking into.
29
**And don't forget...**
At the risk of repeating myself, eHow is just about the best opportunity out there. Although getting on board through Demand Media Studios takes more work than at the eHow of old, it's still worth the effort.


Read more: How to Make Money on the Internet | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2254361_make-money-internet.html#ixzz1t7TQyJy3

Make Money on the Internet

Unless you're a freegan and have found a way to live entirely off the grid, you probably need some sort of steady income in order to survive. The traditional way to earn money, of course, is by having a job. You work for a company or start your own, and the work you do earns you money, which you spend on things like a mortgage, rent, food, clothing, utilities and entertainment.
Most people typically work from their company's central location, a physical space where everyone from that organization gathers to exchange ideas and organize their efforts.
But a few lucky souls have found ways to make money within the comfort of their own home. With the Internet, an ever-changing arena for businesses, some people looking to earn money are finding ways to do so. Some forms are best for part-time endeavors for those looking to make a little extra money on the side, while others can lead to full-time jobs and Internet success stories.

How to lift TITs and PR of your site?

Many beginning web designers have such question: how to lift TITs and PR? We read further...


For a start it is necessary to learn that such TITs and with what it eat.

What is such
Citing index (or ITs) — the measure of "importance" of works of any scientist accepted in the scientific world. The size of an index is defined by number of references to this work (or a surname) in other sources. However for really exact determination of the importance of scientific works important not only number of references to them, but also quality of these references. So, the authoritative academic publication, the popular brochure or the entertainment magazine can refer to work. The importance at such references the different.
Our thematic index of citing (TITs) defines "authoritativeness" of Internet resources taking into account the qualitative characteristic of references to them from other sites. We call this qualitative characteristic reference "weight". It pays off on specially developed algorithm. The big role is played by thematic proximity of a resource and sites referring to it. The in itself number of references to a resource also influences value of its TITs, but TITs is defined not by number of references, and the sum of their scales.

According to what data TITs is measured
At measurement of TITs references only from those resources which Yandex indexed and on which he looks for, that is only the "Russian" Internet undertake. It means that references to Russian resources, for example, from the Yahoo catalog!, aren't considered by Yandex at TITs measurement.

For what resources it is possible to measure TITs
TITs can measure for all resources to which someone from the resources scanned by Yandex at least time refers. That is for the Yahoo catalog! TITs is measured, in spite of the fact that the resource yahoo.com isn't indexed by Yandex.

What references aren't considered in an index
At calculation of TITs of a site references with web бордов, forums, network conferences, nemoderiruyemy catalogs and other resources in which everybody can add references without control from the owner of a resource aren't considered. Also at calculation of CY references from the sites located on free hostings in case they aren't described in Yandex aren't considered. Catalog. Differently, all such references have for us zero weight.

As it is considered TITs of mirrors
Indexes of citing of so-called mirrors unite, that is weight of all not repeating references to mirror addresses are summarized for calculation of TITs of the main address. The main address is defined automatically and can't be changed.
Thus the sites which are absolutely identical on structure and the contents are considered as mirrors only. If on the Internet there is an address on which there is a redirect, its TITs won't participate in any way at calculation of an index of citing of the main site.

© Yandex
How to learn resource TITs
http://www.dinews.ru/seo/
http://pr-cy.ru/
How to lift TITs

Way 1. purchase of notes and eternal contextual exile
To receive permanent links from good sites it is possible effectively and quickly by means of GoGetLinks


Way 2. purchase of references
One of the most effective tools for building of reference weight are the so-called exchanges of references.

Way 3. exchange of references
Some the web designer exchange references with another sites, "related" subject. They create at themselves on a site the separate block, in which from 5 to 15 friendly references. Not so effective TITs in a raising, but it has this way the plus. The person who came on a site can see this block, and press the reference. And it is +1 visitor, and such in a day can be much. To change with sites which have no domain it is not desirable.

Way 4. site addition in catalogs
The majority of web designers add in the sites in catalogs - the simplest way to lift a few TITs. You can adjust a type of your reference, that is it is possible to write simply keywords that will well be reflected in results. It is desirable, that the catalog didn't demand a back link. And that the reference to your site was a straight line. To add sites in catalogs it is possible manually, and long. And it is possible and for money - 1PS.RU - registration of sites in catalogs and searchers (more than 10000).

And now about Google PageRank (PR)

Google Pagerank (PR is sometimes simple) — algorithm of calculation of authoritativeness of the page, used by a Google search engine.

PageRank — is the numerical size characterizing "importance" of page in Google. Than more than references to page, that it becomes more important". Besides, "weight" of page A is defined by weight of the reference transferred by page B. Thus, PageRank — is a method of calculation of weight of page by calculation of importance of references to it. PageRank is one of auxiliary factors when ranging sites in search results. PageRank not unique, but very important way of definition of provision of a site in Google search results.

Google considers not all references. The search engine filters references from the sites which have been specially intended for a congestion of references. Some references can not only not be considered, but also negatively affect ranging of a referring site (such effect назвается a search pessimizatsiya). In Google understand that the web designer unable to affect entering external references, but completely supervises proceeding references from the site. Therefore references to a site can't damage to it, but references from a site — can. It is necessary to show consideration for sites to which you refer.

Google uses an indicator of PageRank found on demand of pages to define an order of delivery of these pages to the visitor in search results.


It means that search in Google works as follows:

1. all pages in which there are words from inquiry of the user are looked for;
2. the found pages are ranged on the basis of text criteria;
3. the text of references to a site is considered;
4. results are corrected taking into account PageRank of each page.
The scale of PageRank can change from 0 to 10. Division into units on a scale is based on logarithmic dependence or on something very similar, but only not on uniform division. Recalculation of the importance of pages occurs during so-called «Google Dance». It is possible to adhere approximately to such gradation: PageRank from 4 to 5 — the most typical for the majority of sites of average "raskruchennost". 6 — the very well "untwisted" site. 7 — the size which is almost unattainable for a set of sites, but sometimes meets. Values 8, 9, 10 have exclusively popular and significant projects.

How to learn a PR resource
http://www.dinews.ru/seo/
http://pr-cy.ru/
© Wikipedia
How to lift PR
Formula of calculation of PR: PR value is proportional to quantity of pages of a site, it increases a reference number by your site, placed on other sites, and decreases the references leaving from your site. Or, than above PR of a site referring to you and such sites becomes more, PR of your resource becomes that more.
Conclusion from above written formula:
1. To reduce number of direct proceeding references.
2. To make so that there were as much as possible references to your site (for example to buy them at the exchanges of references)
How to reduce number of direct proceeding references:
1. We create the out.php file
2. We insert into it such code:

if ((isset ($ _GET ['link'])) AND (preg_match ('/^ (http|https):\/\/[a-z0-9] + ([\-\.] { 1 } [a-z0-9] +) *\. [a-z] { 2,5 } '.' ((: [0-9]] { 1,5 })? \/. *) $/i', $ _GET ['link'])))
{
header ("Location:". $ _GET ['link']. "");
}
?>
3. We keep and fill in in a site root.
4. We replace all proceeding references:
Was http://site.com/ for example for this site we replace on http://depositfiles.od.ua/out.php?link=http://site.com/
In such a way you reduced number of proceeding references.

If not to be lazy and seriously to approach to business of increase in PR, to make necessary calculations, always it is possible to achieve positive result and to lift your PR the resource Internet. There are many interesting articles on this subject and consequently their deep studying and judgment can help to avoid the undesirable problems caused by simple incompetence, and on the contrary, will help to deduce a site on the advanced positions in a Google search engine.


One more important characteristic of a site is Alexa rank

Alexa rank is a rating system from alexa.com (subsidiary amazon.com), based on calculation of frequency of visits and viewing of pages of a site. The algorithm of calculation of a rating of Alexa turns out by averaging of number of viewings of pages of sites within three months and on the basis of this number to distribution of places to all sites of a network. Thus the value of this parameter less, the site is more popular. For example, value 100 means that the site is on the 100th place on attendance among all other sites in the Internet.
To learn site Alexa rank, it is possible to establish Alexa Toolbar.

Site promotion

Site promotion - the activity directed on increase in attendance of a site. Attraction on a site of target audience of users, promoting of services, the goods and services presented on a site, increase in sales and profit.

Advance of a site are continuous (monthly) works on achievement of certain positions in search engines by certain inquiries.

The most visited sites around the world are search engines, thus they give the chance to receive target audience as users of a search engine independently and obviously formulate own interests. For attraction of target audience it is necessary to provide to a site the highest positions in search engines according to phrases which potential clients or partners can use for search. At advance of a site there is no negative "advertizing" effect - the user doesn't suspect that show it advertizing - he perceives a search engine as the expert who will always come to the rescue with a valuable advice. Advance of a site differs long-playing effect, the result remains and after the completion of works.

Major factor of ranging of sites in search engines is - the text of the entering reference (the text in the tag) Than more than such references to your site from other sites, subjects the highest a position in search engines according to this search phrase.

SAPE is a system of purchase of references on the main and internal pages of sites with ample opportunities on automation of processes from optimizers.

There is no desire to spend the time for a choice of the suitable spaces, want to automate and this process? Or on the contrary, want to choose each platform independently? – Our system allows to do both that and another. As it was already noted, at desire, you can carry out selection of the spaces manually. Having picked up an interesting platform, you send the demand for purchase of references. After your demand will be approved by the owner of a platform, the reference automatically takes place on the platform chosen by you. If you want to use an automatic mode of purchase of references, from you it is required to adjust once only necessary filters (on PR, TITs, number of external references and all references, and not just what are placed through system on page, domain level, level of an enclosure of rather obverse page, the price for placement) and to set restriction on number of bought references or on their total cost then the system itself will pick up suitable platforms, will send demands and will place your references. The third option differs from previous only that after the system will carry out selection of suitable platforms and will send demands, you can see the list of the picked-up platforms and to refuse purchase of references on platforms which don't suit you.

Selling Handmade Goods

Earlier, we considered using sites like eBay to sell stuff that you don't need. You can also use Web sites to sell your original creations. Certain Web sites like Etsy.com andArtFire.com are dedicated to matching the artists who create things by hand with the customers who appreciate and want to purchase their handmade goods.

If you're like most people, the word handmade probably brings to mind some traditional crafts like knitting, crochet, needlework, quilting, painting and sculpting. Handmade items don't stop there, though. You can also market woodworking, glasswork, metalwork and anything else you're capable of building at home. Be sure to focus on projects that you're already good at or that you have apassion for so you don't burn out producing each new item.

Existing Web sites like we mentioned before usually let you set up your own shop for free or for a very small fee for each item you list there. If you have a small home-based operation, this could be a better deal than setting up your own site. For many people, hosting and managing an entire Web site might be a full-time job by itself.

The biggest challenge for selling homemade goods is making back the cost of what you put into it. Not only do you want to be reimbursed for materials, but you also want to be paid proportional to the time you put into it. Keep track of your sales and purchases carefully in the first few months, and make adjustments as necessary to maximize your profit.

Now that you have our 10 ideas, click on over to the next page for even more information on ways to make money on the Internet.

Tutoring

With each passing year, there seems to be increasing pressure for elementary, middle and high school students to make good grades and prepare for a path to higher education. For some kids, this means getting help from a tutor to bridge any gaps in understanding in certain subjects.

Since more families often have reliable high-speed Internet connections at home, too, Internet-based tutoring services are growing. When you apply for these jobs, you usually have to take tests in your selected subject areas and submit to background checks. Though you could start your own online tutoring service, sites like Tutor.com have already done the legwork for you in terms of marketing. These sites match thousands of kids with tutors each week.

While many Internet-based jobs offer flexible hours or multiple shifts, tutoring services might require you to be online during a specific block of time or reward you for doing so. This encourages tutors to be available during the heaviest demand. For example, when Tutor.com has more tutors than tutoring requests, it places tutors on a waitlist and gives preference to tutors who work at least five of hours per week in the 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. EST time slot Sunday through Thursday [source: Tutor.com].

SEO Reviewing

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a growing area for Internet-based employment. SEO is a means of improving the results from a search engine so that they represent the closest matches and most reliable resources for the user's desired results.

As a contract SEO reviewer, working through a company likeLeapforce, you can aid in this optimization. You start each evaluation task by judging a user's intent based on the key word combinations provided and your own knowledge of popular culture in the user's locale. Then, you use a set of given guidelines to evaluate how particular search results match that user's intent.

SEO reviewing can offer a steady income from home, but there are some risks. First, an SEO reviewer has to run reliable antivirus software and have a good, strong defense against malware. That's because viewing certain Web sites during evaluation tasks could introduce malware to the computer. Second, an SEO reviewer must be willing to view potentially offensive material, such as pornography. As a reviewer, you may be asked to check whether a given site contains malware or pornography, so you're putting your computer at risk as part of the job description.

Customer Service

Many businesses support their products through a customer service department. In many cases, this means people who answer phone calls from customers. A growing number of businesses also offer customer service electronically through their Web sites and by e-mail.

At a Web site, customer service might include live chat sales and support. To use this, a customer clicks a link requesting to chat with a live person, and a customer service representative answers the request and speaks with the customer through a chat window. For e-mail customer service, the customer fills out a form at the Web site or sends e-mail directly to a particular address.

Since the live chat and e-mail depends only on having a reliable Internet connection and Web browser, businesses have looked increasingly at hiring home-based workers for these services. As a result, customer service contracting firms like Talk2Rep cover e-mail and live chat support in addition to inbound and outbound phone calls. While the pay rate is often minimal or commission-based, the growing demand for online customer service makes it a reliable source of income if you have a knack for it.

Financial Services

Financial services include accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll processing. Today, you can accomplish most of these services using specialized software. For businesses, this means hiring fewer people to handle these tasks. For individuals, it means doing it on their own and hiring a consultant online when necessary.

These cost-saving opportunities for consumers mean money-making opportunities for you. You can create a Web site on your own or work with an existing Web-based services group. Then, you can correspond with clients through that Web site and via e-mail.

If you want to offer financial services over the Internet, first make sure you're either trained or experienced in the services you're planning to provide. For example, you're probably not an expert on preparing taxes for a small family farm unless you've done so before or had training in farm-related accounting. In addition, make sure you know whether you'll need government licenses to offer certain services, and refrain from misrepresenting yourself or working illegally to avoid getting sued for fraud.

Domain Name Flipping

    Based on luck, strategy and business savvy, domain name flipping can be one of the more lucrative ways to earn a living online. The term comes from the real estate trick that involves buying old, undervalued houses, fixing them up to make them more attractive and modern-looking and selling them for a much higher prices.

   In this case, the old and outdated place is not a house, but rather a domain name -- the main address for a Web page. With a little bit of searching, dedicated domain flippers locate unused, poorly maintained Web sites that have generic and recognizable identifiers and buy them. They usually pay a few hundred or even a few thousand dollars, but after extensive updates that make the site more business- and user-friendly, the domain name can fetch several times more than it was originally worth. The domain bird-cage.com, for instance, was bought for a mere $1,800 in 2005 -- after a redesign two years later, the site was sold for $173,000 to a bird cage vendor [source: Bhattarai].

Freelancing

Freelancing is similar in some ways to blogging. For one thing, you get to work from your own home or office most of the time. But there are a few important distinctions. First, if you're thinking about freelance writing, chances are you need to have more experience than the average blogger. Many freelance writing positions cover specialized topics for online publications and many require expert knowledge on the subject. However, if you're passionate about things like travel or food and know how to write, a freelancing job can provide you with a good income.

Along a similar line, you might also consider self-publishing your original work rather than working on contract-driven tasks. Self-publishing offers many of the same benefits as freelance writing. This additional step is risky, though, because it requires marketing work to your target audience so they'll buy your work.

Writing's not the only way to make money freelancing, of course -- anyone with graphic design or programming experience can find contract jobs that pay well and provide challenging work, too.

Designing and Selling T-shirts

    A you walk around most high school and college campuses, you're likely to come into contact with lots of words. But it won't be material from textbooks or term papers -- those are probably in backpacks or sitting unfinished at home. Instead, they're the simple phrases or logos -- most of which are ironic or amusing -- printed on the T-shirts on the backs of the students.

    Usually, the more unique and offbeat the design is, the more desirable the T-shirt is. The growth of the Internet has made it possible for vendors to sell T-shirts all over the world. In fact, sites likeCafePress.com and SpreadShirt.com allow you to set up your own store, create your own designs and sell them yourself. If you can create your own shirt design with a clever catchphrase or come up with your own unique statement and people like it, you can start making money.