One of the most successful online business models is the membership business model. Before internet marketers began to use Wordpress, they were using membership scripts on static webpages. Some marketers began to make big bucks, others achieved minor success but you don’t have to be a Wall Street Investor to know that monthly recurring income will beat the pants off a single sale any day!

If you’ve been marketing online for a number of years then you know of the mass pilgrimage from static websites over to the Wordpress platform. Most memberships have stuck with their static sites and membership scripts….simply because it works. Plus migrating a membership over to a new platform could end up costing big bucks, be full of bugs and cause you to lose your members….so why bother. Just keep cashing those checks>:)

Well, there have been membership plugins for almost the last 2 years. These plugins were clunky, odd to use and often times just didn’t work. Thankfully it looks like today’s wordpress membership plugins are caught up to their old static membership scripts. These new plugins do some amazing things.

I memtioned in another post about the Wishlist Membership Plugin, a wordpress membership plugin that is probably one of the most powerful plugins I’ve seen to date, because it can do everything short of bake a cake, it can become a little awkward and difficult to use…..especially for the newbie. Another negative about Wishlist is the cost, by far one of the most expensive out there. If you’re in need of everything Wishelist does and your pocket book is stuffed with cash, I invite you to check it out. Seriously, I condone the investment of the best tools possible to build your business, however, often times, finances dictate what type of tools you can invest in.  I’m sure the competition will cause a rethinking of their pricing. But, it you want a membership plugin that can do just about everything under the sun, give the Wishlist Membership Plugin a look.

I started this post because I was excited and wanted to tell you about one very inclusive and affordable wordpress membership plugins called Wordpress eMember Membership Plugin. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been searching for a preferably free membership plugin, however, I found those to be generally lacking in more than one category. In specific I want the membership plugin to add the new member to one of my Aweber Autoresponder Lists. I couldn’t find a free one to do that. In fact, the less expensive ones won’t touch that function.

Once I started reading about all the functions Wordpress eMember membership plugin would do I really got excited….too many to list here, but it does handle the Autoresponder dilema. It’s super affordable at $27 dollars and I’m so excited to see that it will add new members to my selected Aweber Autoresponder list. We all know that building a list is one of the most important aspects of internet marketing. Once a visitor becomes a customer or a member, they will develop a  relationship and trust with you and consequently they are much more likely make a purchase, join another membership or take your advise. That’s why starting a free or $1 membership to access some type of valued content could be the beginning or your own online riches…..keep in mind, your list is a valued asset and don’t blast them with some offer every other day but deliver quality content or suggest they purchase a product only if you’ve had experience and can honestly recommend it.

What’s really cool is that the folks at www.tipsandtricks-hq.com have put together a series of related plugins that integrate with each other. This is so exciting, I can’t wait to give it them a try, they have an estore plugin….take all those ebooks and set up a store….or deliver your products, they have an affiliate plugin and a handfull of other plugins that all seem to be able to be integrated. I want to be upfront with you, I haven’t purchased any of these yet, but have done the research and as soon as I finish writing this post I plan on ordering the membership plugin…although I really would like to try the estore plugin but then again….the affiliate plugin looks like it would be of big help to me. Anyway, this plugin is integrated with other plugins these folks product….let me tell you just a few of the things that the Wordpress eMember Membership Plugin can do:

1. You can create various membership levels including a free
2. Selectively protect the full or a section of an article. Create different membership levels and select what content (eg. posts, pages) can be viewed by each membership level.
3. Very easy to use and it integrates nicely into your existing site. No site redesign or any changes necessary.
4. It is pre-integrated with the WordPress Affiliate Software Plugin. So if you decide to boost your membership signups by introducing an Affiliate Program (award affiliates that redirect visitors who become your member) later then all you have to do it activate the other plugin.
5. Fully Integrated with WP eStore Fully integrated with the WordPress eStore (WordPress Shopping Cart) plugin.

There appears to be a few negatives depending on your viewpoint. Although the plugins are very affordable, they appear to be single user license which means only one site per plugin, there is a multi-site license but I couldn’t find a developers license. I’m only guessing on this one, but I haven’t seen this company around until now which means they are fairly new to the plugin scene and there’s probably not enough history to determine whether their support is going to exist and exactly how good it will be….correct me on this if I’m wrong.

Despite those small negatives, these guys have put together an awesome group of plugins….if they work as good as they say, you can greatly expand they use of any wordpress site…..from membership site to complete ecommerce site! Just imagine what you could do with all the eproducts you’ve stashed away all these years….if setting up an estore or estore/membership site is as easy as they say,  you’ll be able to make good use of the products you have and get good materials into hands of those that need it.

Don’t forget, if you develop sites for others of offline markets such as brick and mortar stores, you now have the ability to easily set up an estore for your clients. Better yet, introduce them to the concept of online memberships and the benefits these have for promoting and distributing their products!

Once more, you can find the plugins at these links:

1. Wordpress eMember Membership Plugin
2. Wordpress Affiliate Platform Plugin
3. Wordpress eStore Plugin

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Although there are hundreds even thousands of different methods or ways to make money online it becomes very easy to be suspicious or ever think that all these methods of making money online are scams. Unfortunately some internet marketers get caught up into promoting their products and services by using hype, they might even exaggerate the money making powers of their websites. But overall, being able to make money relatively quickly and easily online is not some unattainable goal . . .more and more people are doing it every day. Before I go too much further, you should consider checking out an internet marketing forum that teaches a variety of different internet marketing business models such as the Earn1KaDay.com forum. I’ll use the rest of this article to discuss some of the more realistic ways of making money online.

Online Jobs:
Surprisingly you can find a lot of jobs online that actually pay by the hour. The better paid ones are considered to be contract jobs. Just a few examples of jobs you can find online are copywriting and editing/proofreading of web content/ebooks/newsletters, etc. Take a look at

1. Elance.com
2. Guru.com
3. RentACoder.com
4. GraphicDesign.com

Most of these hourly online jobs are typically boring jobs like sorting, but what the heck…money is money. This is one of the least exciting make money ideas but the jobs do exist if you look in the right places. It’s important to ask questions so you can eliminate getting scammed, consider asking the following questions:

1. Who will pay me?
2. When will I get my first paycheck?
3. Will I be paid a salary or will my pay be based on commission?
4. What tasks will I have to perform?
5. What is the total cost (if any) of the program?
6. What will I get for my money?

It may also help to check out the company with your local consumer protection agency, state attorney general, and the Better Business Bureau in the community where the company is located, as well as in the community where you live.

Posting in Forums: If you’re the type that likes chatting to other people, giving advice, asking advice, etc., you could get paid for this within certain forums. Owners of new forums have a problem if there aren’t a lot of conversations going on. They resolve this by paying for posts. If this idea appeals to you, jump in, share your ideas and get paid for it! To find forum posting jobs, just type “How to Find Forum Posting Jobs” in any of the major search engines.

Affiliate Programs: You’ve probably already heard of affiliate programs and the fact that they are one of the easiest ways to start making money online, some affiliate marketers make big bucks! The key with selling affiliate products/services is learning to generate traffic which you can then funnel to your merchant. Affiliate marketing is very popular and there is a learning curve involved but it has made millionaires out of many regular people. Consider joining an affiliate internet marketing membership that specializes in teaching affiliate marketing….one such affiliate marketing membership is Affilorama!

Gaming: Are you a gamer and your passion is gaming? Believe it or not, you can make some good money by gaming online. Top players get paid handsomely for participating in tournaments, attending gaming fests and endorsing products. And it’s not just for the big timers. Pretty much anybody can make a couple hundred dollars a week with this.

As an internet marketer, you will have to distinguish yourself from the competition if you want to succeed. You should know your target audience and know your competition even better. Do not let self-doubt stop you from accomplishing your goals. Every successful internet marketer gives their business the very best effort possible. Hard work and determination will make your home-based business a success and provide you with a steady stream of income.

Starting a home-based business is one of the most exciting and challenging endeavors you will ever undertake. A sound business plan and the will to succeed will set you apart from the competition. Choose the products or services you provide carefully. Make certain your services will be needed over the long term and make customer service your top priority. A loyal customer base is the key to the success or failure of your home-based business. A home-based business is an excellent way to gain independence and financial freedom. A sound business plan and a strong work ethic are all it takes to succeed.

Resources:

http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/jan2007/sb20070110_343896.htm

http://www.sba.gov/

http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Organized

As you might guess, I’ve only just touched to topic of making and income online, so be encouraged because the internet is still the wild west of income producing ideas and methods.  For a more comprehensive list, I suggest you check out the article entitled 101 Ways to Make Money online.

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The advent of today’s economy has caused many people to research the reality of making money at home.  And many of you are ending your search with online jobs that generally pay a relatively low wage or salary in exchange for the benefits you receive by working out of the comfort of your own home. When it comes to considering a better income with an actual home business, it should be a natural defense to be a little timid and cautious about the many opportunities available today.  Always ask yourself, “How much money do I need to invest?” How much technical and/or marketing knowledge do you need? How can you distinguish the scams from the legitimate methods to make money from online business opportunities?

It’s only natural to have these thoughts and reservations and you really need to get the answers.  But the freedom and financial rewards that you can have with an online business, as opposed to working an online job, definitely make it worth your while to at least consider these options.

1. The easiest way to start is by developing a business that features your passions and expertise.  Ask yourself some questions such as:

• Are you a good writer or designer?
• Do you have a flair for cooking?
• Do you love gardening?
• Do you know a lot about a specific subject?
• Do your friends and family come to you for advice about certain things?
• Could you turn your knowledge into a consulting business?

Do some deep thinking about what you are good at and passionate about. Once you’ve figured that out, do some research on who would want and need your product/service. You’ll then want to set up your own website or blog based on what you’re selling and target it towards who you’re selling it to. Don’t be intimidated by this step! Creating your own site is extremely easy these days and it doesn’t have to be expensive. The next step is to get traffic to your site. And this is a topic for a whole other article because there are so many ways to do this, and many of them are free.

2. If you don’t feel comfortable coming up with your own products or services to market, you can make money from online business products or services that belong to other people. One way to do this is through affiliate marketing.

There are many places you can start to look for things to market, but the most popular sites are ClickBank and Commission Junction. Anytime you make a sale on the products you promote, you are paid commissions. Network Marketing is another route to go if you don’t have your own merchandise.

There are hundreds of Network Marketing companies to choose from and they offer all kinds of products and services. With network marketing, you pay a relatively low fee (this varies from company to company) to get started and then you earn commissions on products/services that you sell as well as on the people you recruit into the company as part of your sales team. The right type of “coaching” mentality is required if you do want to get into network marketing since much of your success will depend on how well you can lead your team. One word of caution, beware of Network Marketing businesses…..my experience tells me most are scams, sure people make money but it’s only the people on the top. Study the company you’re interested in, call actual members to ask questions….be blunt, ask if they’re making any money, if they are, ask them how much! If they won’t answer, then move on to the next one.

There really and truly are ways to make money online. Most people working online businesses are good hard working people. As in any profession there are scammers….so follow your gut. If you’re not feeling  right about one method, simply move on to the next. Believe me, there are plenty of business models to follow and try out if you are really interested in makeing money online. Here are some resources that will help you, I use these and recommend them highly:

Earn1KaDay…..get exposed to many different business models for making money online. Teacher is top notch. Forum is one of the most friendly and helpful I’ve ever been part of.

Niche Profit Classroom ……you are supplied with 2 niche products a month. You’re given most of the materials along with a schedule of what to do next each month. You’ll learn niche marketing in Earn1KaDay as a business model, but with NicheProfitClassroom you’ll dive deeply in depth into one type of online niche marketing. The guys on products from Niche Profit Classroom are top notch and I would highly recommend either of these two memberships if you want to start making money online.

Affiliate Marketing ……learn the basics of affiliate marketing and then learn the advanced techniques. One of the most powerful and easiest methods to start making money online. Affiliorama is a top notch membership with good strong teaching.

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Wouldn’t you like to find the best ClickBank affiliate program? This is the goal of every new and experienced affiliate marketer and guess what, there really isn’t just one perfect affiliate program, but there are many good affiliate products just waiting for someone to step up and start promoting!  The correct way to start with affiliate marketing is to pick one of these “correct” affiliate products and stick with it until you learn some of the basics of affiliate marketing.  In the next couple of paragraphs we will take a look at some of the best ways to pick a product and start developing your affiliate marketing business.

One mistake most new affiliate marketers make is to look at hundreds of products/services all at once and try to figure out which ones are the best. This can bring a dangerous end to your affiliate marketing career. In the end, you can become overwhelmed and can’t make any decision at all so all of their time and effort has been wasted. Or. . .you start hopping around like a bunny rabbit and choose one affiliate program and don’t give it time before switching to another. You’ll quickly find this to become one of the biggest wastes of time and money.

Consider some of these ideas and guidelines for helping you find a Clickbank affiliate program that will work for you.

The first thing you want to do is to choose which niche you want to work in and look for a product/service  in Clickbank that would be appropriate for that niche. I suggest starting with  Clickbank because it is extremely easy and popular – you can search more affiliate marketplaces later on. There are many books available online that teach affiliate marketing and you should consider investing in a few of these to further your education at a level that will eliminate possible mistakes you might make, here’s a few to choose from:

Affiliate Marketing
Affiliorama #1 Afilliate Marketing Portal
Affiliate Elite: Affiliate Marketing Software

Pick one program that interests you and that is doing well in terms of popularity and gravity. Study and learn everything about the product. Find reviews about the product from many different sources if possible.

To start, it’s best to choose just one traffic-driving method to get people to this product and stick to it. Here are some of the more popular methods:
- Social media (i.e. MySpace.com, Facebook.com, Twitter)
- PPC – Pay Per Click Advertising
- Article marketing
- Web 2.0 (i.e. EzineArticles, Squidoo.com, HubPages.com GoArticles, etc.)
- Press releases
- Blogging

If you’re fairly new to affiliate marketing it’s a good idea to pick a product that has a built-in membership program which shows you how to market the product. It might cost you something to be a member, but you can evaluate it if you think the training offered will help you to make more profits or not. One of the best ways to promote any affiliate product or service is to buy, use and study the product. There is no substitute to actually having and knowing the product or service you are selling. Sometimes you’ll luck out if you ask the affiliate owner for review copy of the product…..just ask!

Look for programs that offer:
- insight into some “secret” niche markets
- Specific keywords of the niche market
- a product/service which can be customized to you (your name)
- Website banners that can be uploaded to your website or blog
- Ready-Made articles that you can change slightly and send to the various article directories
- Pre-prepared PPC campaign and emails for your list.

These membership programs can save you some time and money and help you start to generate profits more quickly.

Although picking a good product to promote is important, it isn’t as important as a consistent effort on your part. Pick a product and follow through the entire process of marketing and promoting that product. Understand that website traffic doesn’t happen overnight and you’ll have to work hard at understanding the process. It can be extremely frustrating and profitable at the same time…..just never, never give up!

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So, you don’t just want to make money online. . .you need to make quick money online! You don’t have the time to read some e-book or the money to join any systems or programs. You need money. . .and fast. Here are just a few ideas that you can turn to if you’re truly desperate. . .

Something like an online yardsale, CraigsList is a great internet site for buying and selling almost anything legal — housewares, bikes, furniture, musical equipment, art, and and anything that you may even consider junk. Over 40 million people use CraigsList every month. It’s free and localized, so you shouldn’t have to worry about shipping anything.

Read emails and take online surveys: some companies receive thousands of emails every day that need to be read. And some of them actually outsource the reading of these emails as well as other tedious, time consuming chores such as product testing, online surveys, online mystery shopping, etc. You can sign up and get paid on a per assignment completed basis. The pay varies by what type of assignment you choose and you can choose where you want to make money.

Get serious about Ebay. There are just so many ways to make quick money online with Ebay. You can buy stuff at garage sales or Estate auctions and turn around and sell it for a profit on Ebay. You must have a good idea what something is worth in order for this to work. You can sell your own things or make things to sell. The possibilities with Ebay are limitless.

Sell your images. You can actually sell non-professional images to a number of different sites that need stock photos. All you need to do is make sure that the image isn’t vulgar and doesn’t include any brand names or famous people. Be creative. . .you’d be surprised what sort of images people are looking for. iStockphoto, it is one of the most popular sites. Big Stock Photo is huge with more than 1.5 million images available. Dreamstime is also a top player in this industry – they pay photographers 50 – 60% of the amount of each photograph sold. Shutterstock is subscription-based and offers more than 2.5 million images for sale.

Become a Freelance Writer. This may intimidate a lot of people but it’s really easier than you might think. In fact, it’s probably better if you’re not a “professional” writer since people want to read things from other “real” people! You can sell your articles at the marketplaces of certain forums like DigitalPoint and SitePoint. Don’t expect to make a killing here but you can make some extra cash and you can do it very quickly. There are many more opportunities for writers online, such as Freelance Home Writers, which is a job board where you can log in to see what kind of Writing Jobs are available and possibly, how much they pay.

These are some of the easiest and most immediate ways that you can make quick money online.

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Hey Josh….I appreciate your post but think your logic is a bit faulty.

Josh basically said that too many people have fallen for the general consensus that wordpress is the best platform for building websites and selling good and services online, he goes on to say its a matter of what wordpress does…..you can read more about it here.

The water is hot and I burn my hand. However, you say not all water burns your hand. Exactly, only hot water!

Thus you say, Google doesn’t prefer wordpress sites but because wordpress has plugins, rss, pings, blah blah blah…it gets indexed first and quicker! If this is true…isn’t WP better?

So is it a matter of symantics or are you just stating the obvious? The point is, you burn your hand because the water is hot…..or wordpress blogs get indexed quicker and can be construed as being favored by Google simply because they have all these gadgets that attract Google and Google likes. Bottom line, Wordpress blogs are better than static sites!

I think I understand what you’re trying to say and I agree with you. If you take a static site and make it do all the things that a wordpress site does, Google will notice it faster and it will get indexed and ranked quicker.

Personally, I prefer using Dreamweaver to build sites and have been using it for 6 or 7 years. Recently (2+ years ago) I’ve been introduced to Xsitepro. I really didn’t want to have anything to do with Xsitepro, however, I was creating graphics and minisites for a plr membership and they required Xsitepro for the minisite platform. After using it for a year, I began to get attached to it simply because you could make a site get spidered, indexed and in the SERPS within 24 hours, often times sooner.

Like Wordpress, Xsitepro automatically does things to the site structure and pages to create an seo optimized website and webpage. However, you use other features such as create an xml feed (rss feed) sitemaps (standard and xml). I’ve found that doing just these 2 additional things and then submitting the feed to rss directories will get a webpage or site spidered and indexed in Goolge in less than 24 hours.

Yep, an Xsitepro site in the serps in under 24 hours. Often times the same time or less than a wordpress site, if I don’t use my Auto Social Poster plugin, the wordpress site does not get indexed in less than 24 hours.

So….in many words and in many ways I completely agree with you. Wordpress sites don’t experience the quick ratings simply because they are Wordpress sites, but because of all the processes involved when creating wordpress sites. Apply those same processes to any static site and you should experience the same results as any wordpress site!

Thanks again,

Scott

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