Websites can be used as a money-making tool.
For some people, starting a website is a way to promote a cause or provide information to interested people. For others, a website can be a way to generate revenue. Ways to make money with a website include selling advertising space, selling products or making your expertise available to the public. A website can be used to support an existing off-line business or can stand alone as a separate entity.
Sell Products
Place pictures and descriptions of the products on your site and provide potential customers access to an order page with a "shopping cart" where they can buy with a credit card or through an online payment service such as PayPal. Website owners can also participate in affiliate programs that sell the merchandise of other companies through a link on your site in return for a percentage of the sale. Sites that are more of an informational vehicle can sell merchandise that relates to a certain topic. For example, a site that provides information about the environment can sell "green" products.
Charge a Fee for Information
If you possess specialized knowledge or expertise that is in high demand, set up a site in which users have access to the information for a fee. One good method of dispensing the information is in the form of an e-book, in which consumers purchase the right to purchase and download books on the website. Website owners who don't feel comfortable charging others for information can place a "Tip Jar" button on the site. This allows people to make donations without feeling pressured or the obligation to buy something.
Write a Blog
Another way to market expertise is to start a blog and update it several times a week. While the information to readers won't be sold, pay-per-click ads from services such as Google AdSense can be placed on sites in which the owners are paid based on how frequently visitors click on the ads. The more visitors to a site, the more advertising revenue generated. Draw traffic to your blog by participating in chat rooms that pertain to written topics. Once a blog has developed a sizable following, the writer may even be able to get paid for posting on other blogs.
