The first year of any new career is never exactly easy. And the first year you spend working online is certainly no exception. Not only is your income a source of constant terror, you also have to deal with the fifty jackals looking to solve all of your problems with a fifty dollar e book. It’s not easy but then again nothing worth doing ever is.
The road to online riches is indeed one full of potholes and surprising twists. It’s also one that many people make it through successfully however. Should you hope to be one of them, here are nine tips that should send you moving in the right direction.
Don’t Buy Anything
It’s neither necessary nor wise to pay for information. You can learn how to make money online without spending a dime. There are endless blogs on the topic. There are endless forums on the topic. When you start paying for information, you not only start wasting money, you also open yourself up to the many make money online scams. There are many scammers online and they all charge for information.
Focus on Your Existing Skill Set
If you’re a native English speaker, you should start with freelance writing. If you’ve got web design skills, start there. The learning curve is steep in most areas of online money making, don’t make the mistake of thinking that you need to learn it all right away. Start with what you know and build your skills as you go.
Manage Your Expectations
There are no get rich quick schemes. There are many ways to get rich but they all take time. They also take patience and hard work. If you accept this fact and put in the time, you can be successful. But if you are one of the many people that head online to make a quick buck, you are heading towards nothing but disappointment. You are also likely to quit before you get anywhere.
Work Smart, Not Hard
Most freelance gigs pay by the deliverable, not by the hour. And if you choose to work for yourself, don’t expect an hourly wage either. Productivity is therefore the name of the game. Don’t focus on putting in the hours, focus on getting the most out of the hours you put in. Learn about the 80/20 principle, learn why you should never multitask, and don’t ever think about cutting back on sleep.
Network
Networking is essential when it comes to career advancement of any kind and working online is no exception. You never know where your next client is going to come from. You also never know who is going to drop that one piece of killer knowledge that changes everything. Talk to everyone, learn from everyone. Be helpful and don’t be surprised when the people you help want to do the same in return.
Be a Professional
Regardless of whether you start freelancing or working for yourself, take pride in your work. Focus on quality, set high standards and focus on meeting them every time. The internet is full of lazy people trying to make a quick buck. Differentiating yourself from such people is essential. It’s also not difficult.
Be a Sponge
There is an endless amount of different ways to make a living online. Be a sponge and learn everything you can. Regardless of what you do, there is likely to be ten different ways of doing it. And the more you know about your chosen field, the more money you can make in it. Find people who are successful in your field and read everything they write. There are few secrets to making money online. Most people just don’t read enough.
Don’t Rely on a Single Source of Income
If you’re a freelancer, don’t rely on a single client. If you’re a blogger, don’t rely on a single blog. In fact, don’t just be a freelancer or a blogger, be both. I’m a blogger, a freelance writer, an English teacher and I’m studying web design. There are endless sources of online income out there. When you limit yourself to one, you not only open yourself up to sudden unemployment, you also greatly limit your income potential. Expand, diversify, get rich.
Don’t Become a Recluse
Finally, don’t confuse working online with working from home. You can work from home but you don’t have to. Working online means that you can work anywhere with an internet connection. Look for quiet cafes and bars. And your local library is not just quiet, it’s free. Don’t become one of those pale people that spend all of their time at home. It’s not good for productivity, it’s not good for your sanity.
About the Author: Tom Koh is a blogger and an SEO expert. He loves writing about blogging and thinks that making money online can be easy provided you get the basics right. He believes that if your blog is new then you can purchase web traffic from a trusted source and change them into loyal readers.
