Making money online has been the dream of many, including myself. No long commutes, no office politics, It’s just you, a laptop, and the freedom to earn.
If you’ve ever tried to make money online, you probably know it’s not as easy as some make it sound. When I started my online journey in 2016, I thought I had it all figured out. I started a blog, and guess what? It was a disaster.
My first blog didn’t make a single cent. Worse still, I was pouring money into hosting, internet bundles, and Facebook ads, only to get nothing in return. Mmm… Maybe you’ve experienced that too.
To cut the story short, I eventually cracked the code. It wasn’t overnight, but by 2018, I’d gone from earning pennies to pulling in over $7,000 a month in pure profits. In this guide, I’ll share the steps that turned things around for me.
Let’s get started.
What to Need to Make Money Online
Making money online requires more than just enthusiasm, It demands the right mindset and action. Before jumping into any strategy, these two foundational steps are essential:
1. Develop the Right Mindset
To succeed online, you must believe it’s possible to make money legitimately. Many people doubt the internet’s potential because they’ve seen scams or followed poor advice.
Let’s be honest—there are scams out there. But allowing that fear to hold you back guarantees failure before you even begin.
For years, I struggled to believe in the process. I wasted money on courses and ad campaigns that didn’t deliver. But I didn’t quit. That belief kept me going, and eventually, things turned around.
I got to understand that persistence is key in everything we do. If you go in expecting overnight success, you’re setting yourself up for disappointment. So, treat online income as a journey that requires patience, learning, and consistent effort.
2. Take Action
Dreaming doesn’t pay the bills—taking action does. This doesn’t mean blindly diving into every online business idea. Instead, learn, plan, and execute. Start small, test what works, and adjust as you go.
Many profitable online businesses don’t require a huge upfront investment. Some even cost nothing to start. The trick is finding a model that aligns with your skills and interests.
In fact, to properly get started, you should:
- Commit to learning. Research strategies or take free online courses.
- Choose a realistic goal, like earning your first $100.
- Avoid “get rich quick” schemes; they rarely deliver long-term results.
Once your mindset is solid and you’re ready to act, you’ll be on the path to earning your first dollar online.
How I Made My First $1,000 in Two Weeks
Towards the end of December 2021, I discovered an eBook on Amazon that promised to teach me how to make over $10,000 in three months. While the claim seemed almost impossible to me at the time, curiosity pushed me to buy it and find out how such results could be achieved.
You can also purchase this eBook directly from here…
After thoroughly studying the eBook, I realized I had been approaching things the wrong way. For instance, I was spending about $200 weekly on Facebook ads to drive traffic to my blog, but I wasn’t converting that traffic into email subscribers. Instead, I was essentially throwing my money away without any lasting benefits.
In January 2022, I decided to apply what I had learned from the eBook, and the results came quickly. My first $1,000 came from affiliate sales—not from the popular Amazon Associates program but through an affiliate marketplace I hadn’t heard much about: JVZoo.com.
Why JVZoo Worked for Me
JVZoo is an affiliate marketplace similar to platforms like ClickBank. What made it a perfect fit for me was that most of its products aligned with my niche—digital marketing tools and resources.
The platform was super easy to navigate, plus product owners provided almost every marketing material I needed to promote their products. This includes email swipes, banners, videos, and even blog and social media posts.
This should help you start from somewhere.
My Process…
Making money online doesn’t just happen. You will need to get a product and sell it to an existing audience through a platform.
And here’s a summary of what I did;
- Get a product from JVzoo
- Drive traffic and generate email lead
- Promote the product.
Let’s break down the process…
How to find products on JVZoo
JVZoo is an easy-to-use affiliate platform. Finding products here is super easy, and pretty straightforward. All you have to do is log in to your JVZoo account (create an account if you don’t have one).
Once you are logged in, navigate to the affiliate section and click “find products”.
JVZoo has over five thousand products that anyone can promote. But what I usually do is sort these products based on relevance, release date, sold number, average price, and commission.
For example, if your blog, YouTube or social media contents are focused around video editing, you can search for video editing software.
You can easily sort the table. If you want to view a recently released product, just click on the column header to sort the column.
How I made my first affiliate sale
If you are a beginner, traffic is the most important part of the journey because, without traffic, there will be no sales and no profit. And you might just be wasting another year.
So, in 2021, I decided to kill two birds with one stone.
First, I started a blog for less than a cup of coffee and wrote a lot of relevant articles that promotes the affiliate offer. Although this blog was new, and the traffic wasn’t impressive, It managed to bring in $730.96 after three months of hard work.
I utilized several free methods to drive traffic to my blog, including social media, forums, guest posts, etc. However all the methods were slow in getting results, so I decided to try paid traffic methods, which worked.
My first PPC ad campaign resulted in over 3,000 email subscribers, 2720 clicks on my affiliate link, and 82 sales that made me $8,528 in just a few weeks.
Before I ran this campaign, I set up a landing page with an enticing lead magnet. The landing page builder I used was Systeme.io. This builder not only allowed me to build landing pages but also allowed me to build a complete sales funnel.
How you can replicate my success
Making money online isn’t about quick fixes or get-rich-quick schemes. It takes consistent effort, learning, and smart strategies.
If you’re looking to build a real online income, here’s a clear roadmap to help you get started:
1. Find Your Niche
To make money online, you need to focus on a specific niche that aligns with your interests, expertise, and the needs of your audience. A niche basically helps you stand out and attract the right audience, which is crucial for building trust and offering value.
One obvious mistake most beginners make when trying to make money online is to target so many audiences on one platform. This will not only waste your time, but also cost you money.
To help you find your niche, think about topics you are passionate about and areas where you can provide solutions to common problems. The more specific you are, the easier it will be to connect with your audience and sell the products or services they need.
2. Start a Blog or Website
Blogging is one of the easiest ways to make money online without investing in advertisements. Your blog gives you a platform to share your knowledge, promote products, and build your brand.
Starting a blog is relatively simple and inexpensive. Platforms like Hostinger make it easy to get started with a WordPress blog without breaking the bank.
Once your blog is set up, start creating valuable content that speaks to your audience’s needs. This content will not only drive traffic but also establish you as an authority in your niche, helping you build trust with your readers.
If your blog starts seeing organic traffic, it becomes digital real estate. You can promote affiliate links, sponsored posts, display ads, etc. to make money.
3. Monetize with Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money online, especially if you have a blog. You can promote products or services and earn a commission for each sale made through your referral link.
The key to success with affiliate marketing is to promote products that align with your audience’s interests and needs. You don’t want to promote just anything – choose products you genuinely believe in. This authenticity will help you build trust with your audience and increase your conversions.
Start by joining affiliate programs like Amazon Associates, JVZoo, or ClickBank. Once accepted, you can start promoting products through blog posts, reviews, or email campaigns. As your traffic grows, so will your earnings.
4. Build an Email List
Have you heard? Money is in the list!
An email list is one of your most valuable assets when it comes to making money online. It allows you to communicate directly with your audience, build relationships, and promote your products or affiliate offers.
Offer something of value as a lead magnet, like a free eBook or a checklist, in exchange for visitors’ email addresses. In my case, I offered a free course and it worked.
Once you have a list, nurture your subscribers with helpful content, promotions, and personalized offers. A strong email list can drive sales and boost your revenue consistently.
5. Leverage Social Media ads
Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube offer a great way to connect with your audience and drive traffic to your blog or sales pages.
But instead of relying on organic social media traffic (which usually takes time), try paid promotions and drive traffic faster.
As your audience grows, you can monetize your social media presence through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or by promoting your own products or services.
Conclusion
Making money online is not a quick fix, but it is entirely possible with the right strategies and mindset. It requires dedication, learning, and consistent effort.
As I’ve shared in this journey, the key steps, including finding your niche, building a blog, driving traffic, growing an email list, and leveraging affiliate marketing are all critical in creating a profitable online business.
Don’t be discouraged by setbacks or slow progress. Every successful online entrepreneur started at the beginning, just like you. Stay focused on your goals, continually improve your skills, and be patient as you build your business.
Remember, the internet offers countless opportunities, but success depends on your ability to take action, apply what you learn, and keep pushing forward.
Thanks for reading this, and don’t forget to share your own story!
