I’ve noticed from reading other blogs, readers seem to enjoy learning how other sites make money. So I’ve developed a “Top 7″ list of my top income generators based on nothing more than monthly income earned.
Note: This list is from all my sites combined.
—————-
1. Domain and Web Hosting Reselling
This program is a great example of why you should look for affiliate or reseller programs in your niche that pay residual commissions.
If my site got wiped out today, I would still be able to live off the residual income I’ve generated since joining this program in 2002. If you have a site that targets Webmasters, reselling domains and web hosting is a great way to build a long-term income that continues to grow and grow.
As a reseller, you receive your own customizable website that allows you to set your prices and determine your profit. The parent company handles all the customer and technical support, so all you do is promote your own reseller store.
It would be hard for any other affiliate program to bump this from the #1 spot.
2. SiteSell
I’ve been receiving checks from SiteSell’s affiliate program since 1999, but nothing like the ones I started getting when I bought Site Build It! and displayed my own success story.
(See the post about my February 2008 check)
This was my biggest lesson in the importance of knowing and actually using products you refer from your site.
SiteSell’s affiliate program pays a generous $75 per Site Build It! sale, plus residuals on all yearly renewals. I really wish more affiliate programs would put the same amount of time and energy SiteSell does into helping affiliates.
I’ve never known another company to offer so many tools to help their affiliates make sales. From videos with your affiliate links embedded in them to over 60 audience-relevant landing pages, this program has it all.
3. Affiliate Networks (CJ.com, ShareASale.com, etc.)
I promote a variety of products that I find on some of the larger affiliate networks. From web software, web hosting, HTML editors, to anything I can find that’s useful and related to my audience.
Belonging to an affiliate network has its advantages…
1) If you’re looking for a specific product to promote, you can do a search to see if there are any relevant affiliate programs that offer the product.
2) You can join multiple programs with a few mouse clicks.
3) All of your earnings are tracked in one place, so you have one-stop reporting instead of multiple affiliate account logins.
The downside is that many companies who run their affiliate programs through large networks tend to have sub-par customer support.
There have been many occasions where I’ve sent an email to a company I’m affiliated with through CJ and never received a response. Companies that run their own in-house affiliate programs seem to have better customer support over all.
Nevertheless, large affiliate networks are definitely worth exploring, particularly if you’re looking for a specific product to promote on your site or blog.
4. AdSense
I hate using the term “easy money”, but if you have enough traffic, AdSense has got to be one of the easiest ways to generate an income from your site or blog.
AdSense performs much better on my sites not targeted to Webmasters and Bloggers – which is a big reason why you don’t see many AdSense units on this blog.
Bloggers and Webmasters tend to be immune to Google ads so they ignore them. However on my fitness site, my click-thru ratio has been much higher.
Even though my main site, 2CreateAWebSite.com targets Webmasters, it does OK with AdSense because it gets enough traffic to make displaying the ads worthwhile.
Watch a video about my record Google AdSense Earnings.
5. Thesis (DIYThemes)
This program just bumped Amazon.com off the list and beat out Clickbank and Adbrite. So in August, 2009 I had to update this post.
I make most of my money from affiliate programs that are tied to products and services I own. It’s so important to build credibility and trust as an affiliate, and one way to start is to buy and use what you recommend.
As soon as I learned how to use Thesis and realized the sheer power, I added a page here that illustrates how it works. Since this site gets a lot of traffic from Bloggers, it’s a perfect fit and the earnings started coming in right away.
Thesis has a very generous affiliate program and if a person buys the Developer’s option, you can earn over $50 for one sale.
6. ClickBank
With ClickBank, you really have to feel it out and see what works for you. Even though it’s on my Top 7 list, I must admit there is a lot of garbage on ClickBank.
Many of the eBooks you can sell are a bunch of recycled facts you can find anywhere on the Web.
They are usually promoted by an over-hyped landing page with a loud sales pitch that promises you to either get rich quick, lose weight tomorrow, or get out of debt in seconds.
However, if you really comb through the ClickBank marketplace, you can find some winners. I was able to find a few good e-books to promote that convert very well on my sites.
The great thing about ClickBank is that the commissions are extremely high since product development and delivery costs are low. You could earn up to $75 on certain products in their marketplace.
7. AdBrite
Many people use AdBrite’s cost per click program (similar to AdSense). However, I use them to manage my own flat-rate ads.
I have various advertising spots on 2CreateAWebSite.com where I charge a flat fee for the week, month, etc. and AdBrite manages the payments, ad rotation, etc.
If you’re looking to offer advertising on your site, but don’t want to deal with collecting the payments and setting up an ad rotation script, you may want to check into AdBrite.
They still have some kinks to work out (support response time, ad rotation options, better targeting for network ads, etc.) but they are getting better with time.
Note: OIO Publisher is a much better ad management program because you keep all your earnings. However, you cannot install OIO Publisher on static/HTML websites. It only runs on dynamic websites (blogs, forums, etc.). I own it and used it on my forum.
————————-
These aren’t the only programs I earn money from, but these are the highest paying by far. The rest of my income comes from a collection of other affiliate programs.
This post was not created to encourage you to join all these programs. Quite frankly, if your site does not target the same people and does not have the same kind of traffic, your income will be drastically less.
But hopefully this shows you what is possible if you build a website that allows you to become the “expert” in your niche, and you recommend quality products that you use and are relevant to your audience. You can apply this strategy to any niche.
{ 70 comments… read them below or add one }
The idea of buying your own domain for your Myspace page and joining an affiliate program to sell to friends is a splendid idea! Just need to make more friends.
Can you do that with Wild West Domains?
Sure, you would just promote your WWD affiliate URL to your friends and when they buy their domains from your store they would just set it up to redirect to their MySpace pages.
Thank you for giving top 7 tips about the internet marketing and how to gain the more money from the internet marketing.
When I read how you did it on another article of yours and was like why didn’t I think of that lol?;) Need more friends though.
I had ruled Amazon out as an affiliate because of the low commission, but I may try it out on a few pages where I recommend books. I’m considering another book seller as well, but Amazon has more brand recognition than the other one. I’ll have to think on it a bit.
Thank you for sharing your top money makers!
Follow on Twitter: @http://www.twitter.com/organicbabyreso
Thanks for sharing the great info. I’d heard so many people knock Amazon, but you’re right it never hurts to diversify. I didn’t know about the widgets. I will be investigating all of these in due time:)
I too am an SBI lover. I am building and developing my site and growing it on a daily basis. It makes me a little money on adsense, but I haven’t optimized it fully yet.
I am not having the same success as Lisa with the SBI affiliate scheme. I discovered another easier way to get a profitable website up and running easily. It is Niches In A Box. I have made reference to it on my website. It is fully built and ready to market. I have also discovered a way to get new websites indexed in Google within 24 hours.
I think success on the internet has to be built up over time. There is no such thing as get-rich-quick!
Thanks for the information. I like to join programs I believe in some way. I was a long time Amazon customer before I decided to join their program. I have researched the Site Sell program extensively, and really feel it has some great attributes. I think when you relate to the affiliate programs you choose to join, it’s easier to genuinely promote them.
Thank you, this article is very helpful for me as a beginner, as I don’t know much about the whole picture.
For a beginner it is hard to get some sort of orientation and ideas about things that can be done in a website. I was very confused when i started, but now everything seems to fall in it’s right place.(mentally)
thanks
I like your writing without the technical jargon some advice givers online usually do. I understand the advice you give so now I can go think about it and decide what to do next.
Hi Lisa (Addsense) ….i forgott to write the name of the afiliated program.
It was quite great reading your ideas and as a free style writer i think i have a clue now on how to get things around
Nice post. I agree with you not using adsense to target webmasters and bloggers. All of them knows that if they click on the ad, the site owner earns.
thank you lisa , to your informations i haven’t read or seen your vedios but i willdo it , cause i think you are right cause you have many people watching you !!!!
and i think to make some deals with you soon
w3arab team.
Hi Lisa, i need your help, one if i signup with ultimatedomainreseller will i have the same page as of the above site to promote. i know u own this very domain and set the price yourself. so i want to be sure that if i signup under this very domain can i have something the same where i can also put the price and sell out.
Hi Riches,
Yes you can. If you sign up with that link you can resell domain names and hosting just like me.
thank you lisa for great work you are doing.
Hey lisa, just wanted to let you know that you are awesome!!!! There are not many people out there who take the time to do what you have done with the videos. You are offering such good advice, I have even given it some thought, “What am I doing” thats what I have been telling myself, I am starting to learn a lot off of you.
Thanks for all the great info.
hi,
Excellent work
What about TextLinksAds?
Yoyo,
They would probably be 8th on my list.
I have reade many “old” articles saying that using TextLiksAds result in a Google penalization, is it true?
I am a text link ads publisher so I don’t advertise using Text Link Ads. I allow people to advertise on my site through TLA. I personally think if you buy one link it’s not going to hurt you but if you purchase hundreds of text link ads then I could see Google ignoring those links from an SEO perspective.
how to make money with clickbank if i am in outside of US?
Follow on Twitter: @tonicliffin
No problem – I live in the South Pacific and I use ClickBank. I just have it in my currency – there’s an option to tell them where you are. There’s not many countries that it doesn’t support. BUT you have to make sure that the product you’re promoting can be sold in your country – again not a huge issue as ClickBank handles the sales for you.
Lisa, this is a dynamite list.
Word of caution to all readers:
Do NOT try selling a product or join an affiliate program because “everybody else” is doing it to make money.
Do your research to find the products that fit you as Lisa said, because if you don’t, you’ll just end up burning yourself out stressing trying to sell 20 products at a time.
I sell no more than 10, but they are ALL specifically target to my niche these are products and affiliate programs I’ve tested and tried out myself.
– Josef Benjamin –
Lisa, I am a 71yr old DWM who had just about given up on ever doing anything with the computer. I had decided this high tech world had passed me by. Then, perhaps by the grace of God, I stumbled across one of your videos on youtube.com. I have viewed most of them at least once and a few many times. I was discussing your videos with my stepson recently. He said to me, “so that’s what has you so excited now”. When I showed him the one on clickbank, he became just as excited as I am, so we are now beginning to work together to develop something along the same line as you have. I can’t tell you what a blessing you have been to us. I’m surprised someone hasn’t tried to stop you because you’re definitely “stepping on the toes” of some of the rip-off artists out there. I’ve learned more from you in the last few weeks than I ever learned from some of those— “guantee you can make $93,762 within the first 90 days” con-sites. Keep up the good work——–you’re doing a great service.
Lisa,
I’m thinking of getting into affiliate marketing and I have a niche that may be able to sell well. I would like to use Clickbank, but there have been so many bad reviews about them all across the internet; ranging from not updating their hop data to not giving affiliates their well deserved commissions. Is this true about Clickbank?
Hi Lisa, I am so inspired with your YouTube videos! I am 54yrs old, and though I get around the internet, I never thought I could do what you are doing, but now after watching your videos and reading your blog I have signed up for a blog!Do you believe that?! You really are a Blessing! Keep up the good work! (TycoonBob)
hi, you have great site and skill. are you selling domain name? i plan to sell this my domain name paidperreview dot com.
what do you think?( feel free to email me)
I seen you YouTube Vid about ClickBank and decided to check out your site. Nice!
Since you like checking out Ebook’s and give Reviews, Here is Mine, 2 yrs in the making!
50% payout to Affiliates, Just Activated
Affiliate Tools Section: http://www.onlinemarketingbooks.info/AFtools.php
ClickBank Hoplink:
http://yourid.cuimine.hop.clickbank.net
I have a very good idea you will love it!
Alot of time and Heart went into it!!!!
I need to meet someone who lives in New York, to teach me how to do this job.
thank you
Follow on Twitter: @joselina9
Me too. I’ve been registered with clickbank a long time ago and haven’t done anything with it because I don’t have it all down packed. I know some stuff, but some other stuff just gets me lost. I have my own website because I do medical billing from home. Any help will be appreciated.
Hey Lisa!
Great job with your YouTube vids and your blog is SUPER informative! Clickbank is a winner! There are so many ways to make money online it makes my head spin.
The key is finding good work from home information. I looked out several years ago…I got to learn from Jim Edwards.
My focus right now is helping people find odd jobs. I search through everything from cleaning headstones in a cemetery…to making money with old books!
Keep up the great work!
Follow on Twitter: @jwall777
Rubbish, nonsense, all talk.
Please could you give me a short tutorial on the use of these seven top money programs, which is the best to start with?
I would like to pick them one after the other.
Thanks
I’m in agreement with Lisa about Clickbank and 200% junk.
However, that being said, as an Expert and Author on the subject of planning bar/bat/b’nai mitzvahs – my book needs the spotlight and face-time with is potential readers. For this reason, I have listed on ClickBank.com.
What you haven’t addressed yet Lisa – is how to sell a product/service when you have something yourself.
Thanks for the feedback, Robert. I guess one reason I didn’t approach it from that angle is I have no experience with that side of ClickBank. I’ve never sold anything on ClickBank, so my advice would be very generic. One strategy I use with my blog posts, videos, etc. is I talk about subjects that I have experience with so that’s why I took that approach with this video.
Hi Lisa,
I am new to the world of website.
I wanted to develop a website purely for social use within our family network. Not expecting any money.
Need your help to throw some light.
thanks in advance,
Rao
Just put my website online new to the game and thought maybe you could help out look at my site and tell me which way to go with it and mybe what i need to make it successful. I liked your approach on youtube thought you we’re pretty smart. Nelson
I have serious challenges joining ClickBank because my country is not listed and that is because of the stereotype that everything from Nigeria is a scam, which is NOT true.
A lot of us who want to do business online cannot just because of a few people in our country that causes big problem. What do you think is the way out? A few years ago I wrote to clickbank about this but I got no response from them.
Can anyone help me out with joining clickbank? I really want to do affiliate program with clickbank. I like the site and they pay good commission too. Not all Nigerians are scammers a lot of us have conscience and are God fearing.
Follow on Twitter: @goodraja
hi amir here i watching to you video at youtube i also find many days at net about clickbank infor but i try today youtube so i’m lucky here got your video i now i know way hot use clickbank thanks i hop i do it any pro i sendind to email you thanks lot
use amir
Interesting website, i have bookmarked your site for future referrence
hey lisa you look so cute
do you marry me and i will watch the dishes?
i have been long time try make income online and i lost in this web but after i saw your videos
im still dont know nothing
just you look cute
Follow on Twitter: @MoneyBlast
It is an awesome thing youe are doing durring a recession, to show that you DO NOT have to be a victom of the economy!
hi lisa,
my nickname is lisa too. i just love your videos. im new to the affiliate marketing game, and im having a small problem building my website with adsense. im very good with posting on adwords and have made a few sales but, my question to you is this, can you use the same ads on adwords and adsense? How long have you been in the business? I plan to learn alot from you. keep up the good work, and keep those videos coming. Thanks for the info!
fbp2009
Thank you, Felicia. I’m not sure I understand your question. AdSense and AdWords are two different programs. AdWords is for advertisers who bid on keyword phrases to rank their sites in Google’s “Sponsored Ads.” As an AdSense publisher (like me), we earn money by displaying these AdWords ads on our sites. I don’t use AdWords. I am only an AdSense publisher.
Dear: Lisa
I thank you for being honest in all your videos. I became interested in online business, after I started listening to your videos, but I’m still having problems because I don’t kknow where to start. if there’s a way you can help me, please let me know because I do value your opinions.
Topic of your article is very interesting, i have bookmarked your blog
regards
fluflaken
Follow on Twitter: @hishaman
Nice job Lisa, I have watched some of your videos, I like the information you give on your blog!
Hesham´s last blog … 24 pages e-book on How To Do Email Marketing To Make Money Online – Zebida Fridays
Hi Lisa,
I have been researching the internet for several months trying to get legitimate information regarding making money online. About a week ago, I was frustrated and just about to give up. Then I came across your youtube video and started yelling…..”Hallelujah.” It is nice to know that there are still a few good people in the world.
I just wanted to say, “Thank you!!”
Thanks a lot Lisa. I appreciate all the information, recommendations and suggestions. Your site is definitely among the best.
Lisa thanks for the tips on affiliates. I do have affiliates related to my blog on selling concert tickets. I usually ask my visitors what they are looking for and provide the products they need in addition to concert tickets.
Anna´s last blog … Buy Madonna Concert tickets online now
Well ,
I Am Totally Newbie and just need you to tell me the place i can start from .
i hope i can make first sale from clickbank
Thank You
Omar´s last blog … TV Trigger 1.0
thanks for all the infos.
Follow on Twitter: @jokesforyou
Good Morning
I just looked at your youtube video on click bank. I just started using clickbank on one of my sites as a affilate page. I have gotten quite a few views so far but reading this blog and viewing your clip made me think a little harder on what is good and bad. I thank you for taking your time to do that for many of us publisher’s. I am also using adsense and adbrite for over six months now and each month I am making double the amount than the month before. Again thank you
joe kadin´s last blog … Meta Tag Analyzer
Follow on Twitter: @bumblogger
Your videos are great! Thanks.
can i ues this toles in the german market?
Follow on Twitter: @teresaschultz
I’ve saved this page to my Stumble Upon favourites. You have absolutely fantastic advice for beginner bloggers like myself. Thanks a stack!
Lisa… Thanks for the tips on these affiliates. I do not use any right now but I have given it some serious thought. Maybe after some more quality posts like this I will be better armed to make a decision.
Sam Tables´s last blog … Lift Table Safety Skirt
Follow on Twitter: @takyar
Hi,
An excellent article. I’ve been working with Adsense quite successfully but the time it has taken to reach a ‘decent’ level of earning is large.
Personally I wouldn’t advise people to make money through the programs you’ve mentioned unless they have absolutely nothing in hand. I would advise people to either run an offline small business or take up a job because you can definitely make better money by working much less.
All the best!
Follow on Twitter: @carolinamomof3
Hey Lisa you are WONDERFUL. All your advice, tips, and suggestions are so informative and clear. I am a SAHM mommy blogger, looking for a way to earn some extra income from home, and just enough to help contribute to our monthly bills. The whole affiliate aspect still not completely sure on. I do have adsense on my blog and slowly earning from that. I have great ideas of what I want to do with my blog and eventually make a site where moms/parents can come and get great, fashion, beauty, parenting advice an etc. but not sure where to even begin, like finding experts to contribute to the site when people write in with questions etc. I guess basically I am asking you what are your tips on getting a site built and popular. Also, what are your opinions on the best way to make taht extra income each month. Right now My blog is basically just about my everyday life. Sorry if this sounds so jumbled…lol!
April´s last blog … Quotable Sunday
Follow on Twitter: @lasbenols
Yeah good information thank you It’s hard to find something that sells and even harder to know what to sell I would like to hear your comment on that aspect.
Follow on Twitter: @krenee76
As always, I appreciate the honest information Lisa tirelessly provides. Doug, you’re absolutely right, about how hard it is to find something that sells and that worth promoting. Because there are so many possibilities on the internet (it’s a good and a bad thing) it’s easy to get bombarded with everything screaming for your attention all at once.
I’ve learned to slow down a bit and do a bit of research first. (I get excited about learning something new – it really gets the creative juices flowing.) Then I decide how I’ll plan my promotional strategies.
The Affiliate Marketer’s Help Desk´s last blog … Get Real Help With Starting Your Affiliate Marketing Business
I was interested in using clickbank, and after reading this post that I found on your youtube video I’ve decided to sign up. I’ll also check out a few of the others you linked to, they look interesting.
Free Microsoft Points´s last blog … Xbox Live Arcade: Games of the Week
Follow on Twitter: @capidomeexpress
Hi,
My name is Moses and I will like to let you know that I like you and I enjoy what you are doing.
Please check out my site and kindly give me a positive criticism. http://capidomeexpress.ws
Thank a million lisa.
Moses.
sound is good, …..
tedy´s last blog … Noordin M.Top Tewas
Dear Lisa,
I honestly appreciated your video and check all of them I really liked it , I also want to make a website like you and start earning please suggest, Do you Google AdSence really pay.
Thanks Lisa
Nishan
Follow on Twitter: @tonicliffin
“It’s so important to build credibility and trust as an affiliate, and one way to start is to buy and use what you recommend.”
So true. I only promote what I use. That way I actually know how it works – and whether it even works. The website I’ve put here is based around a product I use all the time. I’m only interested in promoting things that I like. I don’t know what my next project will be, but I have a few ideas – and a few more now I’ve read your page.
Lisa
You have a wonderful write up on opportunities to make some earnings online.
Please I would like you to elaborate on two things:
1)How to make the best out of Clickbank as an affiliate?
2)How can I monetize and optimise my blog?
Thanks for your support.
Sammy´s last blog … MAKING MONEY ONLINE