If you have decided to create your own website as a way to publish your online writing, I’m sure you might be a bit interested in how to make that site earn you some money. Well, there are a few tried-and-true methods to make your site into an income earning project. This is just a basic list. Watch for details on each method in weeks to come.

Google Adsense - Ok, this one is likely the best of the bunch. Best because it’s easy to do, best because it works and best because it can and will really earn you money. Adsense allows you to add Google ads to your pages (you can seen mine over there in the right hand column) that are specifically targeted to your content. Google checks out your page, sees what keywords are present, and gives you ads to match. When readers click on an ad, you earn a few cents (depending on what the advertiser has bid for their ads in the first place). Pennies may not seem like much, but they DO add up and with a popular site, they can add up fast.

Affiliate Ads - Affiliates are the latest wave of advertising, and is a great feature for small-time web site owners. When you sign up for an affiliate account with a company, you will earn a commission with each sale your site generates. They will supply you with ads, and you just have to supply the viewers. Unlike Adsense that earns you money with only a click from a reader, most affiliates will only pay a commission when something is purchased. More money earned, but less often. Still works great, especially if you can find an affiliate that matches your topic area. Some places like Commission Junction gather many affiliate programs together, making it easier for you to manage.

Direct Advertising - Unlike the forms listed already, by “direct” I mean that you have gotten in touch with a company or another site and sell them ad space directly. This kind of advertising is pretty lucrative, if you can find it. Most large companies can’t/won’t try to manage a zillion little ad campaigns. You can control the income a bit more, by offering ad space on a monthly basis, or for a certain number of times the ad is displayed. You can earn your money regardless of who buys anything, or even clicks.

Subscription - This isn’t a great method, especially for a new site. With so much free information on the internet these days, people are much less likely to pay to just read your work. Nothing personal. You can try to offer special articles, information or resources for a fee, but it had better be something special.

Selling E-books - One last way to earn money from your writing, publish an e-Book. Again, like the subscription method, you need to have something great to offer. Putting all your written work together in a single format (an e-Book) can give your readers a very convenient way to download and store all that you have to offer. You don’t need to charge a lot either, but a small amount may start to add up if people want your articles.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 5th, 2007 at 7:11 am and is filed under Earning From Your Website. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.