How I made my first 50,000 dollars online

Ranked #3,845 in Business & Work, #131,885 overall

Can you really earn a fortune on the Internet?

They say earning the first million is the hardest so I hope that's also true for the first 50,000 bucks. Certainly I want to earn my second $50,000 much quicker and easier. In fact earning the first 50k was even harder than earning it with a J-O-B.

I know all the things I did right and the many things I did wrong. This time round I've got to be more targeted and focused and can you guess what I think is the secret of online success ? ... Well I'm certain it's SEO . So I'm dedicating 2012 to eating, breathing and sleeping SEO not just knowing it but understanding it intuitively. Read below why SEO is so vital ...

>>>> Read below for all they ways I earned money online :-

>>>> Read below for all the mistakes I made, that you can avoid :-

>>>> Learn how to earn your first $10, $100, $1000, $10,000 online

Start the adventure now!

ONE ) eBay Best "Free" Business Training on the Planet

I bought the resale rights for a pittance for an ebook called something like "404 Home Businesses". I was delighted with my first sale of this for 99p.
I was soon reselling dozens of eBooks and wrote a few myself. Eventually became a PowerSeller with a perfect feedback of over 2000. Sold many other things including a car! I imported Shrek DVDs from Australia, "The Secret" from the USA. One day I realized my profits levels did not justify the time I spent. I was selling too many "onesies" i.e. things where I only had one item in stock. To make money on eBay you must buy in bulk from say China.

When eBay discontinued eBooks I gradually lost interest. I will however always be grateful to eBay as it got me going. What do you learn with eBay? How to write good copy, how to create a Title which will attract interest, how to post & pack things, how to deal with customer inquiries etc. How to spot bargains, how to think business.
Loading

Have you been an eBay Seller Poll

Loading poll. Please Wait...

TWO) Second Business Selling Books on Amazon

One day I bought a best-seller book something similar to "The Secret". I read it that day thought it rubbish annoyed that I'd wasted my money I decided to resell it on Amazon (why I cannot remember) it sold within the hour. I started buying up second hand books from thrift shops I was only interested in turnover and was up to 7 books a day. I had a scoop when I bought a lot of new books from a charity shop for a song they were from an "Esoteric Shop" which had closed down they absolutely hot-caked. One of them sold for about $150 but only cost 20 cents. I then sought to buy more of these and eventually found some in a warehouse in Cambodia. Actually I didn't realize it was Cambodia until I'd bought a consignment which was lucky, anyway the books arrived safely and once again sold like hot cakes but unfortunately I couldn't get any more stock. Getting stock of in demand products is always a frustration. I have a lens "I love Amazon" which details my buying and selling methods.

I've changed my business model now because I've maxed my storage. I now will only buy a book if I can make a minimum of $10 in any case a lower profit margin wouldn't really be justified.

How to Sell Anything on Amazon...and Make a Fortune!

Amazon Price: $10.97 (as of 06/01/2012)Buy Now

THREE) Google Adsense

I have a number of blogs and websites all carry Adsense Adverts. I make a few dollars a day average not very exciting but I can't bring myself to replace Adsense with something else or invest the time to become an Adsense expert (impatience is probably a key factor in my failure to make even more money). Nevertheless Adsense is steady and sure income. Some people do very well with Adsense I've heard that clicks for certain types of Mortgages can earn a $100 a throw. One warning never cheat with Adsense Google can detect cheating patterns very easily.

The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense

Amazon Price: $4.20 (as of 06/01/2012)Buy Now

FOUR) Arbitrage : Buy cheap in one market sell high in another

Make money with ArbitrageThe Internet gives you fantastic search abilities, find things selling cheaply on eBay and resell them on Amazon.
I've bought cheaply from Amazon and sold on eBay. So how you find things that you can buy cheap and sell dear? Well there are many blogs that inform you of goods that are in short supply, in demand or no longer made. Newspapers often have such articles. Often I've wanted to purchase something and not been able to easily find it, once I do I see if I can get more and then try to resell them!

I use eBay's search alerts service to send me an email every time someone puts an item on eBay that I'm looking for . (When you search for anything on eBay you will see an option to "save" the search and turn it into an email alert.

I've made steady income from arbitrage but not a fortune. Once again you'd probably need to specialize in arbitrage to make it big.

FIVE) Clickbank

Clickbank is the Holy Grail for Internet Marketers

I've earned a few hundred dollars with Clickbank which is pretty pathetic. On Clickbank you get up to 70% commission if someone buys a Clickbank product via your blog or website. Promoting Clickbank is an art and specialization all on its own. Now if you are surprised that I'm disappointed that I've only earned $50k online it's because if you do things right on Clickbank you can earn that much in a night, that's serious and not exaggerated.
Loading

SIX:) Recommending Good Products on my Blogs

Affiliate Fees

On my blogs I occasionally promote products, books, eBooks, physical products that I believe are of interest and that I can give a heart-felt endorsement of. These bring me the occasional affiliate fee and are usually a pleasant surprise, you know "PayPal has just sent you". In fact they sometimes come from pages I've forgotten about. That's what they call "Long Tail" and it's great except it's hard to learn what you've done right or wrong when you make just one sale a year!

This is still however the area I'd like to expand. Affiliate Sales no stock, no inventory, no packing and posting, no dealing with customers what a dream!

SEVEN) Squidoo Growing Income

Like so many I took to Squidoo like a duck to water. I loved being able to prototype an idea in just a few minutes. It took a few months before I made a sale through an Amazon link. Now I have a steady and most important growing income. 62 out of a 140 lenses made money last month from 5 cents to $43. See below for the surprising top earner.
Hot Water Bottles Ideal Gift
Hot Water Bottles have moved on since you were a kid, heart shaped hot water bottles, animal-shaped ones that kids love to hug come and see the fabulous range below. Everything Hot Water Bottles, Modern ones, Historical ones, Furry ones, Weird Shape ones, Animal ones, Microwaveable Ones, Wheat grain

How I made my money Lenses

Loading

Internet Marketing Methods Revealed

Have you made any Money on the Internet Poll

My first earnings were 95 cents or so, and I found that really exciting, I still do find it exhilarating when I get an unexpected payment. The only frustration is that my expectations have grown I get despondent if I don't make a sale everyday. Still waiting to do well enough to impress my wife!

Loading poll. Please Wait...

Why I've taken so long to earn $50k

All my mistakes

  • 1Rush to Market
    I've always been quick to launch new websites and schemes, that's a virtue so long as you eventually complete them , polish them. I haven't as soon as something is working and earning a little money I've moved on , attracted by the next big thing. This is fatal
  • 2Trying too many things
    That's obviously fatal, it's partly down to impatience, partly down to the fact that starting a new project is always more fun than completing an existing.
  • 3I'm too cheap
    Although I've spent plenty in dribs and drabs I've been to cautious to invest in really good system, of course telling what a good system is rather tricky
  • 4Unlucky?
    What I mean by that I haven't yet found a golden unexploited niche that would just take off all on its own! I've had several that have done well for a while.
  • 5I haven't mastered Niche and Keyword Research
    I've chosen a lot of my projects on gut feeling or because they were my hobbies or interests they usually earned some income, but not enough to get excited about. Not doing my niche/keyword research properly is like a Gold Prospector starting digging without even checking if the geology of the rocks is even capable of bearing Gold.
  • 6Not targeting high value products
    I've got to $50,000 in cents and low number dollars, people who really make it chose a niche with high-value products or high commissions. Sometimes with no more sweat that it took me to earn a few dollars. Someone has recently made it big virtually overnight because he decided to blog 3D Televisions just when Avatar made interest in them surge.

Making Money What have I done right?

  1. I've joined Squidoo
    That's allowed me to experiment, try things out and does seem to be an ever growing passive income. I do worry about the time I spend on Squidoo though!
  2. I keep learning, keep trying things out
  3. I model various successful people
    I have good relations with a variety of bloggers and Squidoo Lensmasters I learn a lot from them and also get advice.

Stepping Stones to Becoming Rich Online

How to measure your progress

I've had all of the following but am still awaiting the really big break through!
  • 1You receive a PayPal Payment for something you forgot you'd set up!
    Getting payments in your Payments in your mail box is always sweet more so when you don't immediately realize why.
  • 2You get Affiliates who earn you money every time they make a sale
  • 3You get mentioned by a WEB VIP
    Suddenly you get a boost of traffic to your blog because an important blogger has liked (or disliked) something you've written.
  • 4Something you blog about becomes big news
    This happened to me when Dr Oz featured Salt Pipe Inhalers on his TV show for ten days or more my sales rocketed.

When are you going to Earn your first $50,000

Are you are still seeking proof that you can earn money online?

Well I sure have proved to myself that you can make money online, in fact the problem is rather there are too many ways. I now plan to go back to basics concentrate on my best sites, really understand keyword research and SEO and start creating real passive income streams which have potential for leverage and organic growth. If you've always been a wage-earner it can be difficult to adapt to the thinking required to earn big on the Internet. It is more like being a gold miner who has to work away day after day seeing little or no results, never knowing if he is just one more blow of his pick away from striking it big!

I've actually now earned $60,000 (this is turnover not profit and has all been declared to the Tax Authorities)

  • RomanticMe Feb 15, 2012 @ 4:37 pm | delete
    Wow really great lens! I wish I was an angel so I could bless it!
  • thesuccess Feb 24, 2012 @ 3:28 pm | delete
    Please come back when you are!
  • Hypersapien Jan 30, 2012 @ 6:15 pm | delete
    This is great - very inspiring. can't wait until I'm at your level - if ever!
  • mary_lighthouse15 Jan 30, 2012 @ 2:33 pm | delete
    Thanks for sharing, it is very informative!
  • WNJ631 Jan 13, 2012 @ 12:01 pm | delete
    Having put in the time researching, setting up a game plan, and figured out where I want to invest my time, I've finally gotten to the "actually-doing-work" phase... and I also tend to find myself more excited to start something new rather then going back to maintain or finish old(-er) projects. An inspiring lens though, thanks for your insight : )
  • Load More

About Me TheSuccess

Loading

Angel Blessings for this lens

by

thesuccess

> 101 Keyword Research Tips

> 101 SEO Tips to get more Traffic

> 101 Handy Tips

> 101 Success Tips

> 101 Fun Quizzes
more »

Feeling creative? Create a Lens!