Ways to generate passive income from your website

There are a lot of ways to generate passive income or make money from your website. Those revenues can come from banner/links advertising or affiliate programs.

So how to get started? Traffic!!. That's what we are talking about. The more traffics you have, the better click through rate you will have and a great chance that advertisers will be interested to place banners on your site. For more details on how to bring traffic to your site, check out our other article on how to generate or bring traffics to your website or blog.

Let's get started with the list of methods you can use:

1. Google Adsense

Google Adsense is completely free to join. Online publishers can earn passive revenues by displaying relevant banners (either in images or text ads) on their web pages.

Click here to register your free Google Adsense.

Once you register on the site, you will need to submit your website url, here are some basic requirements that you will need to know as a Google Adsense Publisher.

• Your site cannot contains some adult, racial or violent content
• You must be over 18 years to join.
• You cannot click your own ads

If you need more details please check the Google Adsense Guidelines online.

2. Text-Link-Ads

Text-Link-Ads provide a service to sell text based ads. The way how it works is you register an account with them and your site profile will be reviewed, once approved, you will need to install a script on your site. This is a must, otherwise you will get an email reminder to let you know that you haven't completed the process. Once installed, your site profile be placed on their market place. If an advertiser interested and purchase the text link space, you will get notified via email. This text link space will be only a single line and usually the location of the text link ads is preferred to be added on your home page.

Click here to join Text Link Ads

3. Your own Banner Advertisement space

Those are basically the banner spaces on your website. This method will work well if you have a huge traffic on your site, if you have less traffic, you can place some affiliate banners to keep them attractive. Usually these types of banners located on the header page or on the left or right hand sides. You give a list of banner sizes to your advertiser for them to choose. See our banners located on the right hand side for example.

4. Promoting other company products or services

Some affiliate programs provide a percentage of commission if you do successfully bring a customer to their site and they purchase some products or services. What you need basically is to register on their affiliate program website and started promoting their products or services. The most affiliates program website is likeAmazon or Commision Junction.

5. InfoLinks

With InfoLinks you basically do not need to allocate any space for it, as they will crawl your site content, look for specific keywords and automatically create links to those keywords with double green liner. By default, there will be 15 links applied to your site. It is recommended that you reduce those to minimum as possible as some visitors may find it a bit annoying. Try to blend the color of the links to suit to your site, so it can increase the click through rate.

6. Premium Content

If your website provides a good premium content, you can start applying a subscription monthly fee for your subscribers to access your website. You may only do this once your site get a lot of visitors. The first initial start up is to bring traffics first and you should provide the access for free.

More ways to make money online!

1. Flip domain names. Domain names are valuable internet real estate and some people actually make a nice living off of buying and selling them. One strategy is to use Google Adwords to find keywords that are trending and use that information to buy domain names that you think may soon be in demand. However, since short, snappy, or straightforward domain names have already been mostly snatched up, you can also get lucky buying domain names that are random acronyms, as you never know when a person or company with those exact initials will decide to set up a website. (CPC.com, for example, sold for over $200,000 when Contract Pharmaceutical Corporation decided to go online.[1] Not bad for three letters.) For more advice, read How to Buy a Cheap Domain Name.
   
   
   
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   Do online surveys. Online surveys won’t earn you much apiece, but they don’t eat up much time either and can add up when you need cash in a pinch. Read How to Make Money with Free Online Surveys for more advice.
   
   
   
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   Transcribe audio. Websites are getting better and better about providing written transcripts for the hearing impaired, meaning that transcriber jobs pop up fairly regularly. Transcribing is generally low paying but is also easy, fast, and doesn’t require much commitment. Check eLance or oDesk for current transcription postings.
   
   
   
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   Edit audio. If you have and know how to use sound-editing software, you can clean up webcasts and interviews before they go online. Again, look at a site like eLance or oDesk for opportunities.
   
   
   
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   Enter contests. Since you won’t get paid unless your entry wins, search for a wide range of free contests in a field where you’re already have a lot of possible entries (ex. photos, logo-making, background design) and submit your work to as many places as will have you. It might take a day to get through all of them, but even a few small successes (or, preferably, a great big one) will make up for it. The experience might even steer you in a new creative direction.
   
   
   

Make Money through Online Marketing

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   Become an affiliate marketer. This is a great way to make money for promoting someone else’s products or services without having to carry any inventory. Affiliate advertisements are usually incorporated into your website/blog/page via linked articles (great when your content is strong and compelling, but must be done carefully to avoid looking spammy), product-placement videos (great if you’re funny or have performance talent), or, less and less commonly, banner ads (pretty ineffective, as most people avoid these like the plague). If necessary, you can also become an affiliate marketer without a website (by posting videos on YouTube containing links to the product, for example). Check out a site like Commission Junction for possible products and services.
   
   
   
   • If you have a lot of traffic, you might want to do cost-per-click advertising, which doesn’t earn you much per click but banks on the fact that the sheer number of visitors will build your revenue.
   • If you have very strong content, you might want to do cost-per-acquisition advertising, which makes you a decent commission (either a fixed amount or a commission, depending on what you’ve pre-agreed to) every time someone on your site makes a purchase with your affiliate company.
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   Become an online mystery shopper. Most people have heard of mystery shoppers in the real world, but with the shift to virtual business, it’s becoming more and more common to send mystery shoppers online-hunting. If you’re just starting out, be prepared to front the cost of your purchases, as your reimbursement will depend on whether or not you are a capable mystery shopper.
   
   
   
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   Do webinar marketing. This is simply seminar marketing done online – except that it’s much cheaper than doing actual seminars and doesn’t require repeat performances. If you’re an authority on a subject that others would be willing to pay to learn more about, record yourself giving a talk about it in a professional location (traditionally a conference room, though this may change depending on your subject), post it on your website, and advertise.
   
   
   
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   Refer other professionals for jobs. If you know somebody whose skill and work ethic you’re willing to stand behind, consider referring them to a prospective employer. If that person gets hired, you stand to make anywhere between fifty and a few thousand dollars depending on the position. Check out a site like ReferEarns or WhoDoYouKnowForDough for more information.
   
   
   

Make Money through Online Content

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   Sell your music. A few years ago, Radiohead made headlines by selling its latest album via its own website and raking in the dough – for donations, no less. Though your act might not have Radiohead status (yet), many small, independent, and even big-name acts have followed suit: as it turns out, a handful of sales with no middleman adds up to a lot more than what most artists end up with once the record industry has gotten its “dues.”
   
   
   
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   Become a freelance designer. Create a website showcasing your portfolio and build a client list by finding work in the online classifieds. Though it takes more time to get established doing business this way, you can set your own prices and won’t have to share your profits with the graphic design house.
   
   
   
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   Sell stock photos. This is a good way to make money while pursuing a fun hobby. Since people search for stock photos by keyword, your work will be on the same playing field as everyone else’s, meaning you should submit any photo you think is decent. Once it has posted, your work is done, and while you won’t generally make much per sale, having a good number of photos can mean accumulating a nice monthly side income with virtually no upkeep. iStockphoto, ShutterStock, and Fotolia are a few good places to shop around.
   
   
   
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   Sell an ebook. eBooks are not for everyone, but if you’ve ever found an innovative solution to a desperate situation and wished you could have simply paid someone to give you the answer sooner, it’s likely there’s a market out there for an ebook on the subject. Shop around to see what else is available and look for people posting in forums with similar issues. Don’t waste your time writing an ebook about something someone can readily find answers to; it’s something you want to reserve for people who are at their wit’s end.
   
   
   
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   Sell an app. In a multi-million-person marketplace, $1 or 2 per sale can go a long way. If you have a great concept but no programming know-how, it might even be worth it to hire a programmer. Just make sure you shop around for similar ideas, find ways to one-up your competition, and comply with the rules of the company on whose devices you’d sell the apps.
   
   
   
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   Sell articles. Lots of small businesses, websites, and marketers need good written content and smooth keyword integration to help them get more traffic. Though you won’t make much to start with, most articles will only be 200 to 300 words, which are a snap to crank out. As you prove yourself to be capable, you can start charging more for your services. If you’re a skilled writer, you might even try submitting your work to formal publications.
   
   
   

Make Money through Online Sales

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   Create an online store. Selling online is especially useful if you have a niche item that can’t attract enough business to survive in a physical location, but of course online stores for everyday items aren’t going anywhere, either. If you aren’t particularly web-savvy or can be bothered to maintain a website, you can set up shop on a site like eBay or CafePress (for a fee). Otherwise, you can hire someone to design a website for you or even make your own.
   
   
   
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   Create a virtual store. Believe it or not, vendors selling virtual items from within online games can make money in the real world. By creating an avatar of yourself and setting up shop, you can do business with other players (or even just advertise your real-world business). Of course, you must first find a game that allows it and pay to set it up, but once you’re in, you can reach a huge range of people in various age groups and locations around the world. MMORPGs (massive, multiplayer online role-playing games) are especially good places to do this.
   
   
   

Pointers when Working Online

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   Make a good first impression no matter which type of online endeavor you attempt. As with any business, your brand (web site, store, virtual portfolio etc.) must grab the prospects attention, enticing and encouraging him/her to learn more. A strong brand should include intelligently and insightfully written copy, a description of your offering, product overview, news and information and numerous opportunities to respond (call to action).
   
   
   
   • Differentiate your product/service from the competition. Consider what makes your business unique by focusing on the brand, the specific suite of services and how the product or service will solve the customer’s problem. Punctuate these differentiating factors in order to set your brand apart from the rest.
   • Maintain a friendly, approachable tone. You want to invite your customer to interact with you so be sure that while the copy on your site or portfolio should be informative, it should also communicate a friendly tone that will motivate communication and interaction with your customers.
   • Have a solid contract with your partner company. Enlist the assistance of an attorney or have a lawyer review your partner company’s contract so you know how you will be paid and the basis for payment (for example if it based on produced work, solid sales, sign ups, conversions, referrals, etc.).
   • Follow up with clients after an initial interaction. Because you haven’t had the benefit of face-to-face meeting, you will need to be proactive (but not a stalker) online. After an initial meeting with a client, send a thank you email a few days later to remind the client about your meeting. Open the floor to additional questions and let your prospective client know you are excited about the possibility of serving him/her.
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   Optimize your skills and knowledge in order to create a strong online presence. Although you may be a talented salesperson or graphic designer, you may not know how those talents will translate online.
   
   
   
   • Take an search engine optimization course. Either online or possibly offered at your local community college, learning about search engine optimization (SEO) is an important component to a successful online career. SEO training will teach you how to position your brand or store higher on Google search engine rankings so your business is hit first when potential clients are performing a search.
   • Write a business plan. Even if the business plan will never leave your computer, creating a plan will give you specific direction and goals, which will help you stay on track and focused.
   • Consult with experts. If you have a friend or colleague who has had success making money online, tap into his/her knowledge and experience. Find out what has worked well or what he/she has tried that bombed. Extract as much knowledge and insight to help guide you in how you will create your online business.
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   Make sure you have the dedication and focus to work independently. If you plan to make your online money making endeavor a success, you must have what it takes to manage your time and be dedicated to your craft.
   
   
   
   • Examine your financial needs. Do you need to make a large income or are you interested in making money online just to have some mad money? The level of required income will most likely dictate the amount of time and effort you’ll need to spend making your online business a success.
   • Evaluate the amount of time you can dedicate to your online business. Are you a stay-at-home mom with two small children and a demanding school and housekeeping schedule or are you single with no strings attached (or somewhere in between)? Identify the hours during the day you can commit to your business and compare those hours to the amount of money you need to make. Typically, especially with some businesses, the earlier months and years are considerably more time consuming, especially if you are building a client list.
   • Be honest about your work habits. Are you a self starter, motivated enough to stay on task and work without having a boss check on you, or are you easily distracted by the phone, kids or other environmental disturbances? Working online takes a tremendous amount of motivation and focus in order to reach your cash generating goals.

Forex Trading

Trading in foreign currencies are one of the most popular and lucrative smart passive income generators available. But do not let the possibility of earning huge sums of money daze you. There is a lot of work that goes into becoming successful at Forex trading. You’ll need to have the foresight for predicting the direction where foreign currencies are going, and it never hurts to have a little luck on your side as well.

The three examples mentioned above are just a few of the many passive income opportunitiesthat you can find online. If you find one that suits your needs, you could potentially make a full time income online. Working from home can be extremely rewarding when you consider the amount of time you will gain from it.

No more commuting or wasting time sitting in meetings which do not pertain to you. You decide your own work schedule, and with the right smart passive income ideas, you can dramatically reduce the number of hours you’ll need to work.

Currency Trading For Dummies

From Currency Trading For Dummies, 2nd Edition by Brian Dolan

Foreign exchange (or forex) markets are one of the fastest and most volatile financial markets to trade. Money can be made or lost in a matter of seconds; at the same time, currencies can display significant trends lasting several days, weeks, even years. Most importantly, forex markets are always moving, providing an accessible and target-rich trading environment.

Choosing a Broker for Currency Trading

Online currency trading is offered by dozens of different retail trading brokerage firms operating from all over the world, so you have many options to choose from. Here are some key questions to ask when you’re choosing a broker:

• How good are trading executions? The key to evaluating any brokers is the speed and reliability of your trade executions. Are you consistently able to trade at the price you’re trying for? If you’re trying to sell, and your trade request fails, and you’re offered a lower price, you’re probably being requoted. (Requoting effectively means you’re trading on a wider spread than you bargained for.) Does your broker offer price improvement on limit orders? For stop-loss orders, the brokerage’s execution quality comes down to the amount of slippage experienced when prices gap following data or news announcements. You should expect some slippage on stop-loss order executions — the question is, “How much?”
• How are orders filled? Find out exactly how your stop-loss or take-profit orders are filled. Is a stop-loss sell order filled when the bid price matches the stop price, such as a selling stop at 10 triggered by a price quote of 10/13? Are stops guaranteed? If so, are there any exceptions to such guarantees? What’s the policy for filling limit orders? Does the market bid price need to match the price of the limit order to sell, for example? A reputable broker will have clearly defined order execution policies on their website.
• Are dealing spreads stable in all market conditions? Most forex brokers offer variable spreads these days. When market liquidity is high, the spreads will be tightest. During volatile market conditions and around major news events, spreads will naturally widen. However, the amount of variability can really differ among brokers, so make sure you understand how wide spreads can go when the market’s really moving.
• Look on a broker’s website to see if they publish their execution statistics, which can give you more insight into their execution quality — including speed, the percent of trade requests that are successfully executed, and the opportunity for price improvement. Remember: Tight spreads are only as good as the execution that goes along with them.
• What is the commission structure? Most online forex brokerages provide trade executions without charging trade commissions. Instead, the broker is compensated by the price spread between the bid and the offer. A few brokers offer a commission-based pricing structure coupled with narrower trading spreads. If the brokerage charges a per-trade commission, you need to factor that cost into your calculations to see if it’s really a better deal than a spread-based commission.
• How much leverage does the firm offer? Too much of a good thing? In the case of leverage, yes. Over the past several years, the maximum leverage available to retail traders has been reduced by regulators. For example, in the United States, the maximum available leverage is 50:1. In some markets outside the United States, such as the United Kingdom and Australia, 200:1 leverage is available. Generally speaking, firms offering excessively high leverage (higher than 200:1) are not looking out for the best interest of their customers and, more often than not, are not registered with a major regulatory body.
• What trading resources are available? Evaluate all the tools and resources offered by the firm. Is the trading platform intuitive and easy to use? What charting tools are available? What newsfeeds are available? Do they provide live market commentary on a regular basis? What type of research does the firm provide? Do they offer mobile trading? Are you able to receive rate alerts via e-mail, text message, or Twitter? Are there iPhone/iPad apps? Does the firm support automated trading? Does the platform offer robust reporting capabilities, including transaction detail, monthly statements, profit-and-loss (P&L) reports, and so on?
• Is 24-hour customer support available? Forex is a 24-hour market, so 24-hour support is a must. Can you access customer service firm by phone, e-mail, and chat? Are the firm’s representatives licensed? Knowledgeable? The quality of support can vary drastically from firm to firm, so be sure to experience it firsthand before opening an account.
• Is the firm regulated, with solid financials? In the United States, online currency brokerages are regulated by the National Futures Association (NFA), which is the self-regulatory body subject to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) oversight. Other geographies with solid regulatory frameworks include the United Kingdom/Europe, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, and Singapore — ideally you should trade with a broker that is regulated by at least one of these regulatory agencies.
• Who runs the firm? Management expertise is a key factor, because a trader’s end-user experience is dictated from the top and will be reflected in the firm’s dealing practices, execution quality, and so on. Review staff bios to evaluate the level of management and trading experience at the firm. If the brokerage doesn’t tell you who is running the show, it may be for a reason.

Grasping the Fundamentals of Currency Rates

Knowing the fundamental drivers of currency rates is the foundation of understanding price movements. This is very important to understand if you want to trade currency as an investment. Here are some suggestions:

• Get to know the major economic data reports from all the major economies.
• Understand the importance of expectations versus actual outcomes. Anticipate alternative outcomes to better gauge how the market is really reacting.
• Stay aware of the pricing in and pricing out of market expectations that occurs in advance of data and events.
• Factor incoming data and news into the major fundamental themes of interest-rate expectations, economic-growth prospects, inflation, and structural developments.
• Be aware that technical and position-related themes can overwhelm the fundamentals.

Identifying Currency Trading Opportunities and Creating Trading Plans

Identifying trading opportunities and planning each trade from start to finish is essential to success in currency trading. When you trade currency as an investment tool, remember to:

• Maintain trading discipline by formulating — and sticking to — a complete trading plan: position size, entry and exit (stop loss and take profit) before you enter a trade.
• Always trade with a stop-loss order. Decide on the stop loss before you’re in the trade and don’t move it unless it’s to protect profits.
• Identify trade entry and exit levels in advance through technical analysis.
• Understand how each currency pair’s prices move and what drives the prices.
• Determine position size based on the trade setup and your financial risk-management plan.
• Be patient — currencies move around a lot. Wait for the market to allow you to enter your trade strategy.

After you’ve invested your time, energy, and risk capital in a trade, your work has only just begun. Managing your trade while it’s active is just as important to a successful outcome. Stay alert, be flexible, but stick to your trading plan.