By Bill Pirraglia
GOBankingRates.com.
You have no doubt heard or read about making money online. You may also realize that many of these ads, whether online or tacked to a telephone pole, are bogus.
However, there are legitimate websites and organizations that will pay you fairly for your work. Most of these sites offer low compensation but are also low-investment, so at least your bank account does not start in the hole before you have earned a dime. Here are 10 ideas to start making money online.
GET PAID TO TAKE SURVEYS
Do you enjoy taking surveys? Some companies will pay people to take surveys so that they can gather valuable consumer and user data. It might not be the most interesting way to make a buck, but you can find websites like CashbackResearch.com that offer cash for your opinions.
CREATE A WINNING BLOG
Writing entertaining, interesting blog posts can generate cash through ads, affiliate links and other revenue options. Your blogging success will depend on your writing talent, whether your blog covers a popular subject and the popularity of the links you include (whether backlinks or pay-per-click links, like Google AdWords).
SELL YOUR STUFF ON EBAY OR A SIMILAR OUTLET
The dramatic growth and success of eBay has spawned many competitors featuring auctions or online marketplaces for diverse items. Whether you want to clean out your closet and sell your designer clothing online, or develop a high-volume online store, you can make extra money or big dollars on these sites.
SIGN UP FOR AMAZON MECHANICAL TURK
You probably will not get rich completing typical tasks for the “Turk,” but you can make extra income if you are willing to perform simple tasks for clients.
SELL OLDER ELECTRONICS
Do you have a computer, laptop or cellphone you no longer use? These and other tech items, although built with former generation features, often have value to others.
LIST HOUSEHOLD ITEMS ON CRAIGSLIST
Free to join and devoid of listing or selling fees, Craigslist sales can be local or national. From kitchenware to baby furniture to jobs, you can list almost anything for sale on this site.
SELF-PUBLISH KINDLE DIGITAL BOOKS
If you love to write and believe you can write an entertaining fiction or non-fiction book, consider authoring and publishing a digital book through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing platform.
CREATE NICHE WEBSITES FEATURING GOOGLE ADSENSE ADS
Creating popular niche sites can grab visitors looking for specialized information, and adding Google AdSense advertising links can be a great way to monetize the site.
UPLOAD YOUTUBE VIDEOS AND GET PAID FOR AD VIEWS
You don’t need to invest in expensive video equipment. Just learn how to use your smartphone’s video capability to upload entertaining or informative videos and opt to have ads play before your videos to get a bit of cash for each video view, that’s how YouTube star PewDiePie earned $4 million in one year.
DESIGN USEFUL APPS FOR MOBILE DEVICES
If you design a wildly popular app (which is harder than it sounds), you might be pleasantly surprised with the income they generate. Offering one or more apps at the iTunes or Android app store gives your creations wide exposure to prospects, and income can be generated by charging for the app, displaying in-app ads, or charging for in-app features and upgrades.
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Bill Pirraglia writes for GOBankingRates.com, (<http://www.gobankingrates.com>) a leading portal for personal finance news and features, offering visitors the latest information on everything from interest rates to strategies on saving money, managing a budget and getting out of debt.
