I’m sure you’ve seen it, and I hope you’ve managed to avoid it too.
All over the internet, people are advertising “make money online” systems and “proven business templates.” These advertisements are obviously aimed at people who want to start websites and monetize their online domains, and they tempt the target with “easy money,” “instant profits,” and “automated systems.”
If these people know the secrets to making easy money online, why are they trying so hard to sell such an expensive “informational product?”
Typically, its just a scam – marketing and hype with no real product. Here are some of the common forms it can take:
The Classic Pyramid Scheme:
Someone decides to start a business that charges new members $100. He tells new members that they will get $50 for every additional member they each sign up.
Since “membership” in the business is the only product or service being offered, it has no inherent value when there’s no left willing to pay $100 to join. The closer you are to the top of the pyramid, the more you gain. If everything goes “as planned,” the founder has flown off to a small tropical island by the time his “business associates” realize what is going on.
Get Rich Quick and Make Money Clubs
A kind of a twist on the pyramid scheme, and even a little more legitimate is the Make Money or Get Rich Quick Club. For a monthly or annual membership fee, users get access to “exclusive information.”
Chances are, thanks to the power of the internet, that information is already available elsewhere for free. And how do you know its the right information? How do you know you’ll get timely updates that make subscriptions worthwhile?
Automate Everything (aka SPAM)
Earn $1000s every month just by running a script! Automatic content creation, automatic link posting, automatic sales processing, automate everything!
That’s what the sales pitch sounds like, anyway. Even if you do get some scripts for your money, this is essentially spam. No, sorry, there’s no other way to put it -you gotta draw the line somewhere. You have to at least interact with the online communities in a legitimate way. You gotta contribute to earn your links!
This method is probably the quickest way to find yourself on every internet blacklist known to man. Maybe if you register dozens of domains each month you could try to stay one step ahead of the curve.
You Still Wanna Get Rich Quick Building Websites?
It happens. Some people do get pretty rich pretty quick building websites. The stories, however, are few and far between – and what they all have in common is that they provided great content and functionality that the users wanted.
So really, you have to realize that if the people selling these systems really know how to make quick money online, it is by selling these systems.
There are legitimate services and advice you might want to purchase as an up-front cost for your business, but invest it directly in unique content, or a customized visual design, or even a small advertising campaign!
Just avoid the false promises and ignore the hype. That’s the best you can do to protect your own money. Focus on the business fundamentals – content that sets you apart and advertising that matches your readers to useful and essential products, free services, and discounts.
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