Making money on the internet

Ever wanted to make your own website? With this article, you'll be able to develop your own little corner of Internet real estate and show the world what you're made of!

Steps

1. Brainstorm. Think of ideas for your new website. Make note of those moments when you think to yourself "I wish there was a website that..." Whenever you see a friend with any kind of problem or frustration, try and think of a website that would help him/her. Write down all of your ideas, no matter how ridiculous they may seem. There's no better place than the Internet to turn a quirky idea into gold.
   
2. Identify your market. What kinds of people would each of your website ideas serve? Some websites, like Yahoo! or Google are as general as it gets, while other sites, like ILoveAlpacas.com serve a very specific bunch. Write down the target market next to each of the ideas on your list.
   
3. Figure out how much time and money you're willing to put into your website. You can start and run a website for free, but the more money you want to make from your site, the more time and money you'll have to invest. If you don't care too much about making money (like if you're just interested in showing off your dried bug collection) you can get away with free webhosting and sporadic maintenance.
   
4. Narrow down your list. Which ideas stand to make the most profits? Which ideas require the most commitment? Which ideas look like they'd be fun to pursue?
   
5. Register a domain name (one that's easy to remember and spell) and get a webhost. GoDaddy.com seems to be the cheapest reputable domain registrar, and they'll forward your visitors to your web space for free. Doteasy.com offers to register your domain and host your site for $25 a year. For more complicated websites, be willing to shell out the extra bucks; or, you can opt for a free webhosting, which will probably mean having a URL like www.yourdomain.webhostname.com and ads plastered all over your webpage.
   
6. Build your website. Here you have a few different options.
   
   
   1. Get a website-building program like FrontPage and do it yourself. While this might work for your dried bug page, it's not the best choice if you're trying to make a sharp, professional impression, especially if you're trying to get people to part with their money.
      
   2. Learn HTML and build a website from scratch. HTML is probably the easiest programming language to learn, and if you're up to it, you'll be able to tweak your web design any way you want, and you won't have to pay anybody else to update or change your site.
      
   3. Hire a professional. This is the best option for more advanced sites, especially e-commerce sites. Visit an IT site like RentaCoder.com to find a designer.
      
   4. Use an online website builder such as SiteDX.com or Netuna.com. Remember to choose a builder that would allow you to build a professional image, have ample features (such as marketing tools etc.) and allow for a low cost or free trial to make sure the system will work for your skill level and meet your website goals.
      
7. Use keywords that your target audience would search for. Sprinkle them throughout your text, but not to the extent that it hurts the quality of your content. Check your spelling and grammar. Remember that quality is in the details.
   
8. Upload your website. Your webhost may have an FTP feature, or you can download your own FTP program, like FTP Explorer, which is free and has an easy drag-and-drop interface.
   
9. Advertise. Submit your site to major search engines. Tell your friends. Use an e-mail address with your domain. Visit other websites that complament (not compete with) yours, and offer to exchange links. Post on blogs, and put your URL in your signature.
   
10. Provide quality content and service. This is what will ultimately make your website awesome. Be sensitive to feedback - take it seriously. Think about your target market: their needs, their frustrations, their circumstances, and seek to make their lives easier. Strive for a win-win situation for you and your visitors. Most of all, remember to have fun!

Tips

• If you intend to sell products on your website, you'll need to be able to accept secure credit card payments. You can apply for a merchant account, which charges a per-transaction fee, or use a free payment service like PayPal.
• Find other popular websites, even if they don't have much to do with yours, and use them as models. What are they doing right? Incorporate what you learn from the big shots into your own website. Don't be a copycat, but don't re-invent the wheel.

Warnings

• Never, ever violate your visitors' trust. Respect their privacy. Spam, annoying pop-ups, and irrelevant ads will hurt your credibility. If you need to use ads on your website, explain to your visitors why, and show them that you're doing your best to accomodate their visit. And mean it.