If you've ever seen a movie or TV show, then one of its characters has probably used text messaging or emailing their friends. The character types in an individual's first and last name (or sometimes just "Mike") and presses send -- all without saying anything else. It seems magical that someone could be earning income this way, but they are. It turns out there are dozens of legitimate ways to earn extra cash from home using only your computer. One method even allows you to type people’s names and receive payment each time someone searches Google using those specific terms.
In fact, some companies will actually pay you to do things like fill out surveys or participate in focus groups. In other words, if you're interested in learning more about what it takes to become successful in today's world economy, read on. We'll tell you everything you need to know about making money by typing.
Pay-per-click advertising programs allow merchants to display contextual ads based upon search queries submitted via a browser such as Internet Explorer or Firefox. This results in increased exposure to potential customers and provides revenue through affiliate marketing. When visitors click on these links, which can include sponsored advertisements, merchants pay a fee known as a bid price to the program owner.
The amount of money earned goes up depending on the popularity of the keyword searched. For example, let's say you decide to create an account at eBay Partner Network and start bidding on keywords related to golf equipment. You don't have any experience in the field, so you set bids low enough that you won't end up paying too much. You also join several different forums where members discuss various golf products on sale over the next few months. Over time you notice that certain threads pop up more often than others. At this point you begin setting higher bids and eventually find yourself winning auctions left and right. As long as your sales stay above a certain threshold, you continue receiving checks every two weeks. How does that work exactly?
When searching for items on auction sites like eBay, shoppers enter keywords into the site's search bar. These keywords relate directly to the product being sold. If you happen to bid on a particular item, the merchant hosting the auction will notify you when your bid reaches the maximum level. Once you win the bid, you'll receive an e-mail stating the final selling price along with instructions regarding shipping. Since you were bidding on the same product, the seller pays you directly.
So far we've discussed traditional forms of direct commerce between businesses and consumers. However, many individuals now utilize affiliate marketing strategies to build passive streams of income. Instead of spending hours trying to sell something directly, most affiliates sign up as representatives of merchants who offer goods and services. After registering as an affiliate, you place links on your website or blog leading to merchants' products. Each time somebody clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you receive credit toward commissions worth anywhere from 10% to 75%. To qualify for commission payments, you must meet a number of requirements including having registered with the company offering the product and completing at least one transaction within 90 days.
Affiliates earn money each time somebody purchases a product after clicking on their links. Depending on the nature of the product and the market, commissions can range widely. Some may provide monthly residual incomes while others require frequent transactions. Regardless of whether you want to invest time or not, there are plenty of opportunities available for anyone willing to learn basic web design skills. Here are four popular methods to consider:
1) Selling information products - Information products are typically downloadable resources designed to help solve problems associated with daily living. Examples include software applications, videos, eBooks, audio files, etc. They come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from extremely simple to complex. Most importantly, however, they tend to appeal to very broad categories of buyers. Because of this, you can easily promote multiple different information products simultaneously. Many marketers enjoy producing content specifically targeted towards niche markets. By doing so, they increase the likelihood that users looking for solutions to similar issues will stumble across their offers. This technique helps establish trust among potential clients because they feel confident that you truly care about solving their problems.
2) Blogging/SEO - Both blogging and SEO involve writing articles intended to draw traffic to a website. While both techniques serve similar purposes, bloggers usually use them together to maximize visibility. Generally speaking, the more frequently updated a blog becomes, the greater chance that viewers will visit regularly. Search engines rely heavily on backlinks -- or hyperlinks pointing to outside sources -- to determine relevance. Therefore, quality blogs containing relevant, informative material attract lots of interest from readers. Readership leads to backlinks, and ultimately increases search engine rankings. That means the better your reputation grows on social media platforms, the easier it will be to rank highly on major search engines.
3) Reviewing products - Today's consumer demand requires quick access to reliable reviews. Fortunately, review sites abound with reviews written by actual users detailing experiences with products. Consumers seeking information pertaining to a wide variety of topics turn to review directories before making decisions. Although most people assume that everyone reading reviews is already familiar with a given brand, the truth is quite contrary. People unfamiliar with brands often seek additional information before purchasing the advertised product. Thus, reviewing products gives advertisers another opportunity to reach new audiences. Furthermore, since most reviewers remain anonymous, companies benefit from positive feedback without worrying about negative press.
4) Freelancing jobs - Whether you choose to pursue freelance careers full-time or part-time, there are numerous benefits involved. First off, you should never stop growing professionally. Second, working for oneself keeps expenses lower since you aren't relying on other people to cover costs. Finally, freelancers generally enjoy flexible schedules since they control the exact length of projects. With the proper training, however, you can quickly develop expertise in almost any area imaginable.
Now that you understand how you can profit from typing, keep in mind that you shouldn't expect instant success. Even though millions of dollars change hands online each day, it doesn't mean that everybody wins. There are still risks involved when participating in affiliate marketing. On top of that, competition exists everywhere. Allowing competitors to steal away potential profits isn't wise unless you plan to retire soon. Sooner rather than later, you ought to take advantage of tools that guarantee fast growth. Thankfully, our favorite solution happens to be the easiest one of all.
Yes, they do! And no, they don't. Unfortunately, this misconception stems from the lack of knowledge surrounding pay-per-clicks. Let us explain further.
Every advertiser wants to see high conversion rates. Conversion rate refers to a percentage indicating the ratio of unique page views to total impressions served by a campaign. A higher number indicates that more eyeballs ended up landing on ads displayed on your site. Obviously, advertisers prefer promoting products and services that generate the highest possible conversions. Pay-per-click campaigns fall under this category because they reward publishers for attracting more attention to ad banners.
Unfortunately, although increasing the size of banner ads tends to improve overall performance, it also reduces profitability. Why? Simply put, larger banners cost more money. Advertisers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars creating eye catching graphics meant to grab attention. As such, they expect to reap rewards whenever visitors interact with their posts. But here comes the catch...how many times have you clicked on an advertisement without realizing it? Chances are good that you did, especially if you browse the Web casually.
By contrast, small banners don't look nearly as attractive. Consequently, advertisers must spend less to acquire the same results. Of course, the opposite holds true as well. Since smaller banners represent fewer impressions compared to large ones, they carry a relatively low payout.
To avoid falling victim to this trap, remember that advertisers always place bids for prime locations near the top of search listings. Unless you own a prominent location, chances are slim that anybody visiting your site will encounter an advert. In addition, the average person spends approximately five seconds glancing at an internet advertisement. What follows are statistics showing why people rarely bother interacting with banners placed below organic search listings.
First off, most people use browsers like Chrome and Safari. According to Statcounter research conducted in 2015, roughly 65 percent of all visits occur via desktop computers. Meanwhile, tablets comprise around 22 percent of all traffic. Lastly, smartphones account for the remaining 13 percent. Now imagine that you're browsing the Web on your smartphone. Are you going to waste precious moments scrolling down pages merely to view banner ads? Not likely. Moreover, mobile devices feature tiny screens that discourage interaction. Hence, advertisers face decreased visibility despite the huge rise in traffic generated by smart phones.
If you've ever been stuck at an airport, or in line at Starbucks, then you know that there are plenty of opportunities to make money on your smartphone. The key is knowing where and when they're available. If you have extra time on your hands, but nothing better to do than type words into apps, then this article's for you. It'll show you how you can make some spare cash from anywhere using simple websites. Let's take a look.
We should start our search with something quick and simple. The best place to begin is probably Google AdSense. This site lets you display ads based on what people click on while browsing the web. They don't require any special skills (other than clicking), so anyone who has access to their phone can tap away without much effort. You just need to sign up as a member, select one of the many topics offered, and wait. When someone clicks on one of those links, you receive a commission. As long as you keep them coming back to the page containing the ad unit, you will continue to earn income. And if you ever want to stop displaying ads, all you have to do is remove the code. There aren't even any requirements regarding how often users must visit the website.
Another option would be Amazon Mechanical Turk. With MTurk, you won't actually see actual text -- instead, you will find yourself completing various tasks such as data entry, image annotation, proofreading, etc. Again, these jobs pay well, though the rates vary depending upon which task you choose to complete. For example, you could earn around $1/minute for transcribing audio files. Or perhaps try taking surveys through Survey Monkey. These tend to pay more because they ask questions about things other than products. Just remember that these types of jobs are not suitable for everyone due to lack of training, possible language barriers, etc. But if you have little else going on in life, they may help supplement your income.
Now we come to the most interesting question. How does making money work when you are doing something completely free? In order to answer this, let's first consider what makes a good job. A job that pays well requires three basic elements: skill, demand, and opportunity. Obviously being skilled enough to perform a certain task isn't always required. However, few individuals possess every skill necessary to provide services worth paying for. So in order for us to create value for others, we must rely on having a unique set of talents. Once again, however, finding demand falls under the "opportunity" category. Who wants a doctor whose only talent is looking over your shoulder? People might prefer a nurse who checks your blood pressure once a week rather than one who never leaves your side.
So now let's apply this theory to earning money online via typing. What kind of service(s) can we offer that doesn't involve direct involvement? Well, here are two possibilities. First, imagine buying a ticket to go somewhere faraway. Now think about how annoying it'd be if your flight was delayed constantly, right? That's exactly why airlines use automated check-in systems and kiosks -- people standing in front of screens waiting for machines to process their tickets hardly seem valuable anymore. Second, imagine buying fast food. Most customers wouldn't mind getting served quickly, since they usually spend less time sitting behind counters eating anyway. To maximize efficiency, restaurants employ hosts who ensure that orders are processed properly. Why not automate customer support?
It seems obvious, therefore, that any company offering a product or service shouldn't necessarily focus solely on selling it themselves. Instead, they should seek to eliminate obstacles associated with obtaining whatever their clientele desire. By eliminating unnecessary steps, they also allow clients to save money while improving productivity. Therefore, companies seeking to increase profits via automation should aim to streamline processes whenever possible. Unfortunately, this means that no matter what field you end up working in, you'll need to learn how computers operate. Some fields benefit far more from automation than others. Let's examine several examples.
I'm sure you've heard stories before about telemarketers calling potential buyers immediately after they call businesses' answering machines. After leaving messages, they typically hang up and dial another number. While this practice annoys consumers, it ensures that salespeople remain busy. If you were a telemarketing representative, would you still bother returning calls to businesses that answered your own voicemail? Of course not, yet countless telephone agents fail to realize this fact.
Other industries suffer similar problems. Consider how hard it is to book flights online. Even if you find a great deal, unless you purchase directly from the airline itself, you risk losing out on discounts offered to frequent flyers. Furthermore, booking flights involves navigating multiple pages and entering numerous details. Wouldn't it be easier if you could enter all relevant information onto one single screen? It certainly would. Thankfully, travel agencies employ representatives called reservationists. Their sole purpose is to assist customers in creating reservations. Reservationists handle everything from processing credit card payments to helping travelers arrange itineraries. Since they don't interact directly with clients, they generally enjoy higher levels of satisfaction than telephone operators.
Captchas prevent spam bots from submitting forms. Sites requiring Captchas include forums, comment sections, blogs, e-mail newsletters, social networking profiles, and discussion boards. Here's how it works. Every time you post a new message, whether it contains content or merely a link, you will encounter a captcha box. Your goal is to fill in each letter correctly within the allotted space. Sometimes letters appear mixed together and you must decipher what they mean. But sometimes they appear in separate boxes and you must locate corresponding letters in the same row. Either way, captchas serve to verify your humanity. Without them, spammers could flood inboxes and chat rooms with junk mail, advertisements, viruses, spyware, botnets, forum trolls, and porn.
To summarize, we've seen that making money doesn't necessarily entail direct interaction with clients. Rather, it involves automating processes and providing additional value to existing business relationships. One final thought: the world today revolves around technology. We use gadgets and devices almost daily, yet most people have very little idea of how their functions truly work. Do you understand how an ATM machine operates? Perhaps you've read books detailing how different computer components function, but would you feel comfortable repairing them? Think of how difficult it would be to fix your car engine if you had absolutely zero knowledge of cars or engines. Automation provides a solution to this dilemma. All you really have to know is how to navigate a computer interface, which can easily be learned by reading articles.
As you can tell, making money online doesn't necessarily involve trading hours for dollars. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Companies often hire employees to improve efficiency. Although workers initially contribute by performing menial labor, overtime eventually allows them to advance technologically and gain greater control over operations. Eventually, they acquire responsibilities beyond their initial expectations. Thus, you too may experience growth in future employment opportunities.
Have you tried any of these methods to make money online? Are there any ideas you'd add to the list? Please share your thoughts below.
If you've ever been in a public place, like the grocery store or your local Starbucks, then you probably noticed that there were people doing something strange. They would type their own name into an app on their phone, which appeared to be connected to some kind of service or device. It looked weird but also kind of cool. How did they do this? Where did these apps come from? And could you somehow use them yourself to generate income? Well, here's what you need to know about this trend called "typing-for-cash" (or TFC) — including where you can find services like SquadHelp so you too can start earning today. In short, yes, you CAN actually earn money by typing your name. Here's how...
The basic idea behind TFC is simple enough. There are websites that allow anyone who wants to join to create their own account, fill out some information, and then upload a photo of themselves. Then the site will send someone else interested buyers personalized messages containing their username. The buyer has to click "Yes," agree to receive text messages at certain times, and pay a small fee for each message sent. For example, if you joined SquadHelp we'd say hello back to our members when they sign up and confirm their first payment. You could also ask users for feedback after using our service and tell them more about SquadHelp. If someone likes that, they'll give us positive reviews. We want happy customers!
Here's another way to think about it: Let's say you're standing outside a coffee shop waiting for a friend. Instead of looking around and hoping to see her approach because it might take awhile, why not look at your smartphone screen instead? That's exactly what many TFC companies do. When someone signs up through one of these websites, they input all kinds of personal data such as age, gender, location, etc., and wait to hear back from potential clients. So long as those individuals are willing to provide their social security numbers, bank accounts, credit cards, etc., along with other sensitive financial info, TFC companies have access to millions of dollars worth of spending power. By joining a website like SquadHelp, anyone who visits a participating establishment (like a restaurant, bar, movie theater, mall, airport, etc.) can learn more about a specific business, check out menus and prices, reserve tables, buy tickets, and even book rooms. What could be easier than that?
Many businesses don't mind letting others promote their products via SMS marketing since it helps them attract new customers while saving on advertising costs. Others choose to work directly with consumers rather than going through brokers/advertisers. This means that businesses won't necessarily lose any profits when someone joins a TFC company. In fact, depending on the transaction size, TFC companies may end up making money without charging fees to either party involved. Some examples include Groupon -- which charges both merchants AND consumers -- and LivingSocial -- which only charges consumers.
So far, most TFC platforms rely heavily upon mobile devices, especially smartphones. However, some companies like TextPayMe are working hard to bring their services to computers so everyone can participate in the wealth revolution. These days, you can even download free applications that let you perform similar tasks. One popular option is Twilio, which allows developers to build software that interacts with cell phones. Another popular choice is PayPal Mobile, which lets its customers accept payments anywhere they go.
While reading emails does sometimes feel like a job itself, posting your writings onto websites like Medium, Reddit, Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+, StumbleUpon, and Digg can help expand your audience beyond family and friends. Also, remember that if you post things publicly, they appear on your profile page. While this isn't always ideal, if you prefer privacy then you should consider creating private profiles on different networks.
Another thing to keep in mind is that no matter which platform you decide to post on, readers must trust you before they can interact with you. Therefore, quality content is key. Don't worry though, once you become familiar with the process of submitting articles and stories, you can pretty much write anything and everything under the sun. Just try to stay away from profanity or illegal activities, please.
As mentioned earlier, some popular TFC sites include:
SquadHelp - A messaging app designed specifically to connect busy professionals with possible employers, co-workers, partners, acquaintances, and random strangers.
TextPayMe - An application used mostly for sending texts to existing customer base, affiliates, sponsorships, and partnerships.
Living Social - Offering deals for food, entertainment, shopping, travel, and more. Customers select offers based on interests, locations, and dates.
Medium - A blogging network aimed at professional writers, artists, designers, students, entrepreneurs, activists, and startups.
Reddit - A community comprised mainly of individual users' posts, comments, discussions, links, images, videos, podcasts, groups, communities, and memes.
Tumblr - Popular among bloggers and creators. Users can easily customize themes and layouts.
Facebook - Great for connecting with old friends and finding new ones.
Twitter - Allows you to share news updates, pictures, thoughts, opinions, and more.
Instagram - Has gained popularity recently due to celebrities sharing photos to their followers.
Snapchat - Appealing to younger generations thanks to its fun filters and lenses. Also great for staying up-to-date on current events.
Digg - Originally launched in 2004, now includes articles, blogs, photos, GIFs, video clips, music albums, and more.
LinkedIn - Business networking tool made for professionals.
Pinterest - Visual bookmarking site geared towards women.
Google Plus - Has gone through several changes over time. Now primarily focuses on helping users manage their circles and feeds.
Stumble Upon - Can be used for discovering interesting web pages, articles, videos and more.
And don't forget about niche publications that cater to particular audiences. Sites like Bustle offer advice and inspiration for fashion conscious females, Men's Health provides nutrition tips and recipes, Women's World Magazine gives life guidance and inspirational quotes, Teen Vogue encourages teens to follow careers in modeling and design, Cosmopolitan offers lifestyle options and trends, and Seventeen teaches teenagers about health, beauty, relationships, and culture.
One final tip: Don't spam! Keep your postings relevant and useful. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility and respect from fellow posters. Remember, this is still America, and nobody likes being sold to.
Of course! But you'll need to put in effort to really succeed. Most TFC platforms require little effort from the user side. All you need to do is open an account, enter your details, pick a password, add a picture, and that's basically it. On average, you shouldn't spend more than five minutes getting set up. Once you begin receiving requests for leads, however, you'll likely have to research and respond to prospective clients. As mentioned above, many sites recommend keeping conversations brief and avoid discussing topics unrelated to your field, lest you waste peoples' time.
Just follow our battle-tested guidelines and rake in the profits.