Ever had a question you didn’t know the answer to?

What was your next step?

If you’re like most people, you’re reaching for your smartphone.

Tap your Web browser app, type in your question or search term, and Boom Goes the Dynamite.

You are fed page after page of relevant search results that may or may not contain the answer to your question.

All this Web content and potentially useful knowledge is yours in mere seconds.

If the Internet is that powerful in providing information, imagine what it can do to help you achieve your goals in life?

What do I mean by that?

Keep reading, because I’m about to drop some serious revenue-generating knowledge that will help you remove the obstacles blocking your path to success.

But first, let’s start things off with a brief history lesson that some of us may be old enough to have lived through.

What Was Life Like Before The Internet?

If you’re old enough, then you probably remember the days before the Internet existed.

It was a tough time, but somehow we got by with what we knew (or failed to know).

When we had a question, we asked somebody.

Or we looked it up in the encyclopedia (imagine Wikipedia in hard copy format).

Or we simply just didn’t know and grew up not learning new things like song lyrics to popular rap songs. We thought that’s just the way it is...things will never be the same.

Fast forward to present day. The World Wide Web has given us instant ways of gaining new knowledge and learning new, potentially life-changing news and information in seconds.

Also, before the Internet, their were limited ways I could share pictures of interesting events and places I’ve experienced in life. If I wanted to show somebody a picture, I actually had to hand it to them or display it for them to see.

But now, thanks to the Internet, I can simply post up pictures I’ve taken on my Instagram for the world to see.

Here are a few recent examples of new experiences I’ve documented and shared.

My college reunion this past weekend:

Boston College Reunion! #GoBC #Boston

A photo posted by Jim Kim (@theideahunters) on May 30, 2015 at 5:16pm PDT

Playing in a wooden bat fastpitch pickup baseball game.

It’s a great day for wooden bat fast pitch baseball! #Framingham #Massachusetts #Baseball #America #MemorialDay A photo posted by Jim Kim (@theideahunters) on May 24, 2015 at 9:31am PDT

Or starting a new career working in sales for a dental lab.

Lunch room at work. My office is next to it.

A photo posted by Jim Kim (@theideahunters) on May 31, 2015 at 6:29pm PDT

There’s no doubt that the Internet has dramatically altered the course of human evolution as we know it.

And now, you can use the Internet to help you secure an improved financial position.

All it takes is an Internet connection, some time, and the will to push past your fears to find success. Sounds easy enough, right?

Are You Ready To Learn What It Takes to Make Extra Money Online?

Before we get into learning the proven and legitimate ways for making extra money online, I want to ask you this one simple question:

Are you ready to gain the knowledge on making extra money online to help you achieve your financial dreams and life goals?

If your answer is “Yes!” or even, “Maybe, but I’m curious to learn more about ways to make extra money online when I’m already working full-time and busy”, then I have good news for you:

You’re in the right place.

That’s because, I am about to share with you my proven ways for making extra money online that I’ve personally tested and seen myself.

In my experience working as a freelance sales and marketing consultant in Boston, I’ve tried nearly every imaginable way of making extra money online to pay my bills in the early days of running my own business.

I’ve invested a lot of time, energy, and money into learning what it truly takes to succeed in securing the financial stability and growth ambitious entrepreneurs must have to create a thriving business and multiple sources of income.

Well, I am here to help you get started today. And it’s all right here in this useful guide to making extra money online:

5 Proven Ways to Use the Internet to Make Extra Money Online

1. Take online surveys

Do you have opinions about the products and services you use on a regular basis?

Then taking online services could be your golden ticket to a life of riches beyond your wildest belief.

Or at least making a few extra bucks for a few relatively easy minutes of your time to share your opinion.

Why Taking Online Surveys Can Be A Surefire And Effective Way of Making Extra Money Online

Companies and market research consultants will pay you (in the form of a check or gift cards) to share your valuable insights and opinions that are then used to make products that meet your demands.

The companies that usually sell the most products and does the best revenue-generating is more times than not, the company that best meets the customer expectations of value compared to quality and price.

To put it simply, the companies rely on YOU to tell THEM what to do in order to sell more of those things you want back to you.

And one of the best ways to learn what potential consumers want is by asking for their opinions in the form of an online survey.

What Are Online Surveys and How Can I Make Extra Money Online From Them?

I used to work in online market research as an online survey programmer. Every day, I would receive a written Word document of a survey that market research companies and marketing departments put together.

My job was to turn this “paper” survey into an online survey that would then be administered to the appropriate audience for data collection and analysis.

One of the things I learned about online surveys is the fact that in exchange for your valuable time and feedback, you’d be compensated for it.

And in some cases, you might actually get paid a fairly decent sum, as much as $500 or more depending on factors like time it takes to complete the online survey.

I programmed some online surveys that took maybe 5-10 minutes tops to complete.

And other times, a survey may take hours or even days, with multiple surveys planned for multiple time periods. These big online money-makers usually involve a market research study where a new type of food, drug, or clothing material is being tested.

If a company is going to make an important decision that will mean the difference between expanding a workforce or shutting down operations in a non-profitable sector, then you know they are willing to invest in sound research before making a move.

And YOU will reap all the benefit by being compensated handsomely for your opinion.

What Happens When You Sign Up To Take Online Surveys To Make Extra Money Online

When you take an online survey, you may be asked a series of specific questions about a variety of topics, from food to electronics and pretty much everything in between.

All it takes is signing up on the online survey website, answering a few “screening” questions to see if you qualify, then sharing your thoughts on how you use certain products and your opinions on how they can be improved.

What Are Some Examples of Reputable and Non-Scam Online Survey Websites That Will Pay Me Money To Take Online Surveys

Here are just a few websites where you can sign up to take online surveys and get paid to share your opinion:

• FocusGroup.com
• Schlesigner Associates
• iPoll
• MySurvey.com
• Swag Bucks

2. Earn passive income with affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing (like the Amazon banner above) is a very popular way to make extra money online.

That’s because it is relatively easy to get started and does not involve a lot of work on your part as an affiliate, since you are in essence promoting the products of someone else.

How Does Affiliate Marketing Work and Help Me Make Extra Money Online?

In a nutshell, here’s how affiliate marketing works:

1. A business (not yours) sells a product. It can be anything from a physical item to a digital product, like an online course or eBook.
2. You promote the product either on your blog, social media, email, or anywhere else where people can click your unique affiliate link. This link contains an identifying code that designates you as the initial source for the sale of the product.
3. Typically when someone purchases a product that you are promoting via affiliate marketing, you will then receive a percentage of the purchase price as your referral fee.

Affiliate marketing is a very effective method for creating passive income, which is basically money you earn without doing anything beyond the initial setup and maintenance of the income source.

In other words, passive income allows you to make money while you sleep.

How great is that?

Below are some links to affiliate marketing programs I am using to generate passive income from affiliate sales on this website:

• Bluehost Web Hosting
• Amazon.com Associates
• Google AdSense
• ClickBank
• CJ Affiliate by Conversant (formerly known as Commission Junction)

An Interesting Fact You May Not Know About Making Extra Money Online with Affiliate Marketing

Many different online retailers offer an affiliate marketing program where you can earn money, discounts, and free merchandise simply by promoting their site.

Check your favorite online retailer’s website (usually found in the bottom of the homepage under “Affiliates”) to see if you can sign up as an affiliate and start earning extra money online today.

3. Sell your product online

This is another classic method for making extra money online used by thousands of people worldwide everyday.

The premise is simple: you create a website or blog, then promote your product, expertise, or knowledge for sale to others.

As a sales and marketing consultant, I specialize in helping small businesses and startups increase sales and get more customers. I sell these services on my business website Jim-Kim.net.

When it comes to selling online, there are virtually millions of different things you can offer for sale to potential buyers worldwide.

Here are some popular ideas for selling a product or service online:

• Musical instrument or foreign language lessons via Skype or Google Hangout
• Online courses that help people overcome rejection in life
• Self-published eBooks that share your knowledge about your expertise or passion to help others interested in learning more about it
• Sell art, handy craft items , unique gifts, and pretty much anything else of value that somebody would be willing to pay you for

That’s why sites like eBay and Craigslist are examples of online companies helping make it easier for busy people like you and me make extra money online.

If you’re new to the world of making extra money online by selling products on the Internet, then these two grampas of the online money making game are a good place to start.

4. Be a freelance writer or graphic designer

If you have a talent for writing online content like blog posts or if you have a knack for creating visual graphics like logos, artwork, websites, then the Internet is a fantastic source for making extra money.

There are many websites that connect freelancers with companies that need services but may not have the budget or need to hire a full-time person for the role.

Below are just a few reputable websites to get your started on your freelance career:

• Fiverr
• eLance
• The Write Life
• Crowd Content

BONUS: For more awesome paid freelance writing opportunities, check out this in-depth article from The Work At Home Woman’s blog: 75+ Paid Writing Opportunities.

5. User beta testing for online and smartphone apps

There are many websites that will pay testers to try out new apps and website user interfaces and provide valuable feedback.

Many times, you’ll be testing for bugs and other glitches before the app goes “live” and is released to the general public.

By acting in this “quality assurance” advisory role, you’ll be relaying critical insights and feedback the developers need to perfect their app. And of course, you’ll be getting paid for providing such an valuable service that can make-or-break a new startup or company.

Here are two very extensive articles on where to go to get paid to become an app tester:

• Make Money Online by Reviewing Websites and Mobile Apps
• 11 Sites That Will Pay You to Test Out Websites

Conclusion

Let me ask you this simple question:

Are you open to new ideas on generating passive income?

If so, then try out these ideas for making extra money online for yourself.

Afterall, you really have nothing to lose…and some extra money to gain just from helping others with your services, talents, and knowledge.

And who wouldn’t want that?

Try it. Or at least take a closer look before deciding this isn’t for you and someone else can follow these tips and make extra money online.

Even if you’re only slightly curious to learn some simple and easy ways to generate a potentially significant and growing source of income to support yourself and your family, then it’ll be time well invested, believe me.

I hope these tips will help you achieve your goals like they’ve helped me.

How do you make extra money online?

Have you tried other ways to make extra money online that have resulted in huge profits?

Please share your comments, questions, and feedback below!

 

photo credit: Searching the Google Search Engine via photopin (license)