| Make money with your website |
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Looking for a way to generate revenue with your website?
There are so many different ways to make money that it can be dizzying!
Here's a quick guide to some of the most popular ways to increase your website revenue.
Even a personal website can take advantage of these programs to bring in extra money.
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- Set up e-commerce features to sell your own merchandise
- Affiliates Programs let you sell someone else's merchandise from your website.
They ship the product, collect the money, and give you a commission.
- Host Paid Ads on your pages
- Host AdSense ads (by Google) on your pages. You get paid when somebody clicks on an advertisement
- Accept pay per click or banner advertisements on your site - directly from other websites
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| E-commerce |
If you have a product to sell, there are ecommerce tools that can make it very easy to set up
you own ecommerce website. Often called Store Front packages, they include features that make
it easy to accept credit cards, provide shopping cart features, and create invoices.
Some packages also include features that let you export information to your accounting
software so that it's easy to keep track of your revenues
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Here are some questions to consider when choosing Store Front or ECommerce software
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- Do you need to install special software, or can you manage everything on the Internet
- Does the company provide best practice information to help you start making money quickly
- How long does it take to get an account set up, and incorporate the features into your website
- Are the tools easy to use, or will the require help from a web design expert
- What features are offered? Popular features include wish lists, email to a friend, and gift wrap
- Does the software let your customers create profiles that remember their information the next time
they visit your site?
- Do the provided templates look professional and give you the flexibility you need in order to
demonstrate your brand?
- Can you export data to your accounting software?
- What kind of reports can you run?
- Are the fees one-time, or ongoing?
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| Hosting paid ads on your website |
When you host paid internet advertisements (of which AdSense ads are one type) on your website,
you get paid each time someone clicks on an ad or each time an ad is shown depending on your agreement
with the advertiser. There is no cost to you for hosting the ads, but in order to maximize your revenues,
you do need to learn some best practices and tips and tricks for working with online advertisements.
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There are a number of companies that help match websites with advertisers and make it easy to embed
ads in your pages. Most will not disclose how much you can expect to make up front, so you'll have
to experiment a little to find the one that is best for you. Make sure that you understand the terms
of the service, what types of ads can be shown, and how and when you will be paid before you sign up.
Tips for hosting ads:
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- Show the ads on "above the fold" - i.e. where the user can see them without scrolling down
- Create pages that are visually simple and text rich
- Experiment with different ad placements and colors
- Organize your site so that customers can easily find the information they're looking for
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