| I am making two assumptions here. First, that | | | | There are some pitfalls. First, you have to |
| you're a writer and second that you are at | | | | do some marketing. Your magazine site or |
| least vaguely or theoretically interested in | | | | sales site has to be something that interests |
| making money as a writer online. So what do | | | | people. You need customers! |
| you do next? | | | | |
| | | | If you choose advertising as your business |
| It's important first to understand business | | | | model, you need to be sure there are |
| models. | | | | advertisers in your niche. To be sure there |
| | | | are advertisers, you need to pick site topics |
| So many writers are reluctant to think of | | | | that relate well to something that people buy |
| writing as anything but a noble art. It's | | | | online. You could do a site about why you |
| really a business, or at least it can be. | | | | love Fred Astaire but there are not that many |
| Remember this: artists starve and business | | | | advertisers with Fred-Astaire-related |
| people get rich. Think of your writing as a | | | | merchandise. That would be tough to market. |
| business. So think of your writing as a | | | | |
| business if that's how you want it to support | | | | But you could do a site about air purifiers |
| you. | | | | and clean air and allergies. There would |
| | | | likely be dozens of advertisers for related |
| Online, writers have two main ways to make | | | | products and services and these are things |
| money, with plenty of variations in between. | | | | that are frequently sold online. |
| | | | |
| The first way is to build a blog or website | | | | If you want to sell an information product, |
| and try to monetize it. The easiest way to | | | | such as an ebook, you need to be sure that |
| monetize a website is to think of your | | | | there are people who want that information. |
| website as a magazine and sell advertising | | | | There are lots of ways to research this, but |
| space. | | | | it basically involves supply and demand. Does |
| | | | anyone care about your topic? Here's a hint: |
| It's basically the magazine model taken into | | | | if it's about making money, dieting, |
| cyberspace. Your website targets a specific | | | | self-improvement, investments, love and |
| demographic. Advertisers want to be where the | | | | dating, home improvement or spirituality, |
| customers are. In the print world, you would | | | | answer is probably yes. |
| have to find advertisers, sell space, and | | | | |
| then get their art work (or help produce it | | | | The second step in both models is to get |
| for them) to get into print. | | | | traffic, that is, people coming to your |
| | | | site(s). This is a whole subject unto itself. |
| Online publishing is way easier. You can sign | | | | There are several proven ways to accomplish |
| up with advertising programs through Google, | | | | this and a few more unproven ways, but all of |
| Yahoo, or other services and just set aside | | | | them are going to cost you something. You can |
| some space on your website. The search engine | | | | get traffic by investing time or money or |
| finds the appropriate ads, plugs them in | | | | both. Are they tricks to getting traffic? You |
| automatically, and pays you when somebody | | | | bet. But there's also a lot of plain |
| clicks on them. It's as easy as it gets. | | | | old-fashioned work. |
| | | | |
| Now I would be disingenuous to say that you | | | | Beyond that, you need to know the mechanics |
| can easily become a millionaire overnight | | | | of your online business (building and |
| with this method. That's just the principle | | | | maintaining a site) and pricing. |
| and there are a lot of pitfalls. What I just | | | | |
| described is the general business model. | | | | It's not easy, but it's not all that hard, |
| | | | either. But now for the really good news. |
| Another way to make money online is to sell | | | | |
| something yourself. You can sell physical | | | | If you decide to venture into this kind of |
| product, but you can also sell digital | | | | business, you will be in complete control of |
| products (ebooks) or membership to a website. | | | | your business. You have no censors, no |
| In this case, you publish a book or sell a | | | | editors, no review committee. You don't have |
| product; you market yourself, get customers, | | | | to change the wording to please somebody |
| sell product, deliver product, and handle | | | | else. You can write as much as you want. You |
| customer service all online. | | | | can allow your personality to shine through! |
| | | | |
| Those are the two main models. They actually | | | | If you do this, you get to keep all of the |
| don't mix well. Here's why. If you go the | | | | money. Now if you set up business deals where |
| magazine model, you have ads on your site. | | | | you buy services or have a partner, |
| You only get paid when somebody clicks on the | | | | obviously, you have to share with them. But |
| ad. You are essentially trying to get people | | | | you own the business and if it takes off, the |
| to click OFF your site. If you're selling | | | | profits are yours. |
| something on that site, you don't want them | | | | |
| to leave. While both of these models work and | | | | Last but not least, it's fun. You'll be on |
| work quite well, don't mix them. They don't | | | | the cutting edge of a revolutionary new way |
| work together. | | | | of writing for a living. |
| | | | |