How To Make Money On Google
How I Make Money On Google For Free
If I’ve been asked once, I’ve been asked a thousand times – “Jennifer, How do you make money on Google?”. When I first started making money online, no one really paid much attention to what I was doing (or they thought it was a scam…or it wouldn’t work…etc, etc), but now that things are really kickin’ for me and we have enjoyed a serious positive life-style change, suddenly people want to know what I do, how it works, and how they can make money on Google, too. So, I decided it is time for this post to explain the basics of how I make money on Google for free.
Table Of Contents
Below are “quick links” to the info on this page about how to make money on Google:
2 Main Ways to Make Money On Google
There are two main ways to make money on Google. One is free, the other is not.
If you’ve ever done a search on Google you may have noticed two main parts to page that is returned to you after you click “search”. Let’s take a look at that page so I can show you what you’re looking at.
As I noted in the above picture of a Google search for the phrase make money online, there are two main/basic parts of a Google search result page (also called the Google SERPs which stands for Search Engine Result Pages).
The Left Side
The listings that are returned on the left side are the free side of a Google search result page. These web pages (not webSITES, but web PAGES) are returned in an order based on how relevant Google thinks they are to a search that is requested.
The process of making your web page more relevant to a search in Googles “eyes” is called Search Engine Optimization (or SEO for short). The basics of SEO are fairly simple and straight-forward to learn and to implement.
Keep in mind that Google is an algorithm….a computer program…that runs on a patented formula to rank pages in order of relevance based on what Google thinks a web page is about. Your job when you optimize a page is to help Google understand what your web page is about so Google can rank you well in the search engine result pages.
If you consider the fact that about 80% (or more) of the world uses Google to find things online, you can bet that being in the top 5 places on the free side (also called the “organic listings”) of Google can bring good traffic to your web page. It has been reported that a web page with a #1 listing in a Google search result will get 40% of the clicks for that specific search.
Based on that, it is pretty amazing to think that 80% or more of the WORLD that is looking for a certain something in Google will click that #1 listing – and if it’s YOUR web page there….well, that’s a really, really good thing =)
The Right Side
The Right Side of a Google search result is paid advertising. These are advertisers who deliberately create ads that will only show up when a certain phrase is searched for on Google. These ads are charged each time they are clicked. How much they are charged can range from 5 cents all the way to $10 -$15 or even more. The amount is decided based on the competition of the phrase being searched for (that phrase is also called a “keyword” or a “keyword phrase”).
This type of advertising on Google is called PPC (or Pay Per Click) and Google’s program for this is called AdWords. PPC is a whole ‘nother can of worms that I am not going to get into today.
What I want to talk about is how to make money on Google for FREE.
How To Make Money On Google For Free – The Basic Concept
Here is the short version of how this all works – or at least as short as I can make it…lol.
The majority of people who make money on Google for free are doing something called “affiliate marketing”. Affiliate marketing is similar to a “real job” in the sales industry where you are paid a commission when you sell something for a company.
Being an “affiliate” for an online company like Amazon.com is completely free to do. There are HUNDREDS, if not THOUSANDS of companies that will allow you to be an affiliate for them for absolutely no cost.
Once you sign up to become an affiliate with a company online, you will be given special links that you put on your web page. These links are coded so that is someone clicks those links, the users activity is tracked and if a sale is made, the commission goes to you.
Commission amounts can be anywhere from 4% of the purchase price all the way to 75% or more (the higher commissions are usually for things like ebooks – digital products). People buy all kinds of things online – and each year their online spending increases. Believe it or not, I have actually sold gas grills, furniture, and other things online as an affiliate.
In order to be an affiliate and make money on Google for free, you will need to use sites that allow you to make free web pages. There are many sites like that out there on the internet. Just always make sure that the site you want to use allows “affiliate links” so you don’t break any terms of service.
So that’s the short of it – you make a free web page, put your free affiliate link on it along with some great content (a good article….not a sales pitch), then – repeat and make another.
The concept is simple, but people tend to really complicate it.
What You MUST Have To Make Money On Google For Free
Want to know what you MUST have in order to make money on Google for free? Ready?
Yup, that’s it….and for most of us, we already have those two things so why not make them work for YOU?
How I Started Making Money On Google For Free
When I started trying to make money online I was pretty much broke. I had no money to invest into making my own web sites or to pay for PPC advertising so I had to find a way to use all free resources to bring money in.
I ended up using a site called Squidoo (squidoo.com). This site allows you to make a free web page (or hundreds of free web pages) on just about any topic you’d like. Now, they do have rules so be SURE to read their terms of service before making a page to be certain that you aren’t going to break one of their rules.
Squidoo calls their free web pages a “lens”. Think like the lens on a camera….how it will focus in on one very specific topic. That’s how a Squidoo lens web page works best, too. A Squidoo page will do best when it is about one very specific topic or product. For example, a lens will do best when it is about purple rhinestone dog collars as opposed to dog collars or dog products or worse… about dogs in general.
When I started out, I would make a free page (a lens) about a specific product or topic and put my free affiliate links on it. When people came to my lens, clicked my links, and then made a purchase, I made a commission. I made a LOT of these free web pages on all sorts of topics.
Here is an example of a basic Squidoo lens (web page) that I have – go ahead and click here to see it (it will open in a new window) It is about Vizio TV’s. The links on that page are my affiliate links. When someone comes to that page, clicks thru via my links, and buys something, I make a commission.
Go ahead, take a good long look at it. It’s doesn’t LOOK difficult, does it? That’s because it’s not.
Keep in mind that ONE free web page will most likely not make you rich overnight. However, a bunch of free web pages mixed with some time can make a very definite positive impact on your income.
If you like having extra money, this is a great FREE way to make money on Google from the comfort of your home when YOU have time to work on it. Plus, once the web pages are up and in Google, those pages will work FOR you even when you are not working. That whole “make money while you sleep” thing is very real IF you work it.
I have a free guide that walks you through the process of making a web page on Squidoo that has helped a lot of people get started. If you’d like to read it, you can get my free Squidoo guide here (just click – it will open in a new tab/window so you don’t lose your place here).
Over time, my free web pages on Squidoo were making me some nice extra money so I decided to amp up my efforts and turn it into a full-time income. It was the best decision I ever made.
What To Watch Out For
As I’ve just explained, making money on Google can be totally free. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some “make money on Google” sites out there that want to charge you for their information. While not all of these sites and systems are bad, there are definitely some “bad apples” out there so be careful.
Before you pay for any “make money on Google” type program, be sure you know WHAT you are getting, how much you will be charged, and how OFTEN you will be charged. I’ve heard of some horrible situations from my readers where they signed up for some program and were getting charged ridiculous amounts each month – and had to go thru hell and high water to get the charges to stop. Naturally, those details were somewhere at the bottom of the site in very small, and very light, print….so be sure to read.
As with all things, if it sounds too good to be true…. well, just trust your instinct. Or, join an online marketing forum and ask others their opinion and feedback. Trust me, if there is negative, they’ll tell you =)
I know what I am showing now about making money on Google might just sound too good to be true, but at least it’s free to try it and find out for yourself.
Where To Learn More About Making Money On Google
As I said, I started out the free way doing what I teach in my free Squidoo guide. Once I got that rolling, I wanted to learn how to make really great free web pages that did better in Google….and better for ME. That’s when I really kicked it in to learn how to better my efforts and started plowing thru the internet for little tips and advice. I slowly worked out a system that works awesome for me. My readers here at PotPieGirl.com wanted to know how I was doing it – they actually TOLD me to get it all in an ebook and sell it – so I did. That process is now a series of 5 ebooks that is called One Week Marketing.
Now, if you are TOTALLY new to all this, don’t go buying One Week Marketing yet – it will totally confuse you. Get your basics first with my free Squidoo guide….see if it’s something you’d like to continue doing and do better….THEN think about One Week Marketing.
After getting my One Week Marketing Action Plan working for me, I wanted to learn more about all the ways to make money online so I joined an affiliate marketing training site called Wealthy Affiliate University. It was also a great decision for me and really helped me accelerate my success online.
Wealthy Affiliate can teach all about free ways to make money online, PPC, making your own web sites, creating your own products, and so on and so on. They also have all the tools you need to get each type of technique rolling.
The best part tho, to me, is the forum. Whenever you have a question, you just post in their private forum and there are hundreds or more people in there who can answer you.
That forum has been a “sanity-saver” for me many, many times!
There are also tons of member-shared tutorials in WA. I have many tutorials in there that I only share with other Wealthy Affiliate members. For example, that example Vizio TV lens I showed you earlier (click here in case you didn’t see it ) – I have a complete step-by-step tutorial inside Wealthy Affiliate that shows exactly how I made it. It’s in the training resources section and it’s titled “Fast Action Quick Start” (not to brag, but it’s currently the #1 rated tutorial. Ok, I guess that WAS bragging….lol!)
It’s funny to me now, but a year and a half ago when I was trying to decide if I should join Wealthy Affiliate or not, it was a really tough decision. Everything they have is included for a whopping $39.99 a month – that’s just a little over $1 a day! Now, I can’t believe I hesitated for even a second – it was the best decision I’ve made to help me turn my part-time online income into a real live full-time online business that I run from the comfort of my own home (and many times in the comfort of my own pajamas too! lol).
I have met the two owners of Wealthy Affiliate, Kyle and Carson, face-to-face. They are the real deal. That entire community is founded on their solid integrity and principles. They both started with nothing like I did, and now are very successful internet marketers. They could charge SO much more for all they offer, but they want to keep the rate in reach for everyone. Wealthy Affiliate is changing peoples lives – I see it in there every single day.
I recommend keeping Wealthy Affiliate in your mind as you move along with making money on Google – or just click here to learn more about their community, training, supports, and tools. They also offer a free guide that is definitely worth the read.
Summing Up
Ok, that’s my “quick” overview of how to make money on Google for free. Well, maybe not so quick- it’s about 2500 words or so – but I felt it was important to explain the basics of what I do the very best that I can (and hopefully not confuse the heck out of anyone).
I’ve been doing this for over 3 years now – and I LOVE it! I started out not knowing much more about the internet than the basic skills that are needed to send an email – things most people know these days. However, by sticking with it, taking action every day, and working hard, I have managed to turn this into an income that I have never made before in any “real job”.
Best part of all – *I* am my own boss.
I decide when I hang with the kids or my hubby, when we go on vacation (which we do a LOT more of these days), and when I work. It’s also kinda cool having a business you can run from anywhere you have internet connection – the beach, your couch….anywhere. There is no more stress and struggle over bills, or holidays, and as a former broke single mom I can tell you that I won’t go back to living that stressful broke life ever again – not ever.
Now, don’t misunderstand me, this all did not happen overnight, but this is something that over time, will snowball and potentially become the best income YOU ever made, too.
I wish I could promise that, but we all know I can’t. The biggest determining factor in your success is YOU. You are starting your own business and just like in the real world – you only get out of it what YOU put into it.
If you have any questions, please ask here in the comments section. While I tend to be extremely busy these days, I do the best I can to balance my time and help as many as I possibly can.
Best of luck to you!
Jennifer
~PotPieGirl
I am just starting to use Google traffic as a main source of my online income and it is amazing cause it is so much more consistent then having to reply on my most current blog post.
Hi there,
Read this info via my google reader. It is so refreshing to have someone just say it like it is.
Your info has been a great help to me over the last year or so. I have been slowly learning what I need to do in order to make money online.
It is such a great sense of achievement when you see your webpages ranked on the first page of google. It is a bit of a learning curve but I am glad that I stuck with it.
I look forward to being able to make this my “full-time” job so that I can one day choose when I work and for how long.
Thanks for all the words of wisdom.
PPC advertising used to be a viable option about 5 years ago. That was before they changed the rules. Now it seems that you have to pay so much just for your link to be found.
Organic traffic is definitely the way to go. Yes, it will take a lot more work up front, but it is worth it in the end. You can make so much more money this way than you ever could with PPC advertising.
Thanks for the post.
I have been in the business (making money online) for almost a year now and I just realized now ALL the privileges I have. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this important fact for other online marketers like us.
I’ve tried PPC advertising once and it was so confusing for me that I gave up. Now I’d rather make money than spend it. Squidoo is such a great site and I’m glad that I’ve stuck with it.
Hi, pot pie girl..
what impressing me is that you’re always totally Honest with your readers about how you make money online..
including of this one..
I had no Idea about what I have to say…
I’ve learned more from you,.
I wish I could be like you, who always want to share with other people. That make you different then the other million marketers out there..
THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
Sumarwan
Hi Jennifer,
I use Squidoo too but I have been achieving better SEO results in Hubpages and EzineArticles. Squidoo seems to be loosing some power, maybe too much spam…
Haven´t you felt this on your lenses?
its not to much easy earn money on google but if serious guyz want to make money follow google rules, like joined adsense, and adbrite make free blogs and post ads then ads will apear on your blogs mean start online making money great way and easy way make money online by google 🙂
nice tutorial about google adsense, I use it when I have to explain what is it to friends
In fact there are a lot of things not right with the world today, and not just with the world of business and finance, and the more people wake up to this fact, the better it is for the world. It’s like the squeeze is also being put around internet marketers, around the little guy, etc….
Could you tell me how you made the red square boxes on your Squidoo lens? I tried to find the module for it, but I can’t.
Great post, and helpful.
Thanks
As always nothing but good, down-to-earth, c’mon-you-can-do-it stuff. You are one in a million! God bless you.
I do belong to WA but I never seem to be able to log in. Kyle and Carson send me emails and ask me to sign up but I have been paying them every month for about 8 months now. I have emailed them on several occasions but no response. I just wish they would know that I am already a member. I use to be able to login at the bottom of the page but now when they email me there is no place to log in. Sorry if this sounds confusing but can you help? and thanks for the google bit that was good info. Take Care
I created one Squidoo Lens so far, a couple of months ago. I actually have your courses, but need to apply the info. I didn’t do it right though; I offer a number of products instead of one per lens. It’s the time thing; I just can’t seem to get to every thing.
I also read The Dam Way. You offer a tremendous amount of info in it. Thanks so much!
My only question is why the click for each new page? Why not create an ebook format? Is this a particular marketing thing?
Dearest Jeniffer,
I’m really a great fan of yours.I enrolled myself at the WA and got my self de-enrolled as I didn’t have any progress.
Going through your post gave me a very clear picture as to how to go through the process step by step.
However the webpages referd to is it already made and available or have I got to make it?
please clarify.
“use sites that allow you to make free web pages.”
Honestly you are a role model for me.I want to be the next success story and want to join the WA after I generate some money from the free systems.
I defenietly will make it big pretty soon,Never will I give untill I succeed.
thank you jenifer. you gave me hope and courage to start all over again.
Rush786
Read more: https://www.potpiegirl.com/2010/03/how-to-make-money-on-google/#ixzz0i552uT7D
Everyone should have one thing in mind – Internet is changing every day. What works today, may not work tomorrow. Google is changing its algorithms a few times a day, trying to serve only the best results.
One thing stays the same, though. If you offer something of value, to both your visitors and community, rewards will come. Make great, unique and interesting content, clean and simple website and acquire tons of relative, high-quality links, and your website WILL be #1.
Hello PotPieGirl,
True, it would be absolutely fabulous to be No. ! on Google for a highly searched keyword. ~SIGH~ 🙂
Anyway, you have done it again! The DAM Way is so straight forward and well laid out. I JUST HAVE TO DO IT, there is no excuse.
I have realized that I choke ALL the time. So now, I’ll just do the DAM thing and see how it goes.
One question though, is there no possibility of one’s affiliate link being hijacked and commissions stolen? You know it’s possible with conventional affiliate marketing, but I don’t know if it can happen with this.
Thanks!!!!
Ade.
I do belong to WA but I never seem to be able to log in. Kyle and Carson send me emails and ask me to sign up but I have been paying them every month for about 8 months now. I have emailed them on several occasions but no response. I just wish they would know that I am already a member. I use to be able to login at the bottom of the page but now when they email me there is no place to log in. Sorry if this sounds confusing but can you help? and thanks for the google bit that was good info. Thank youi
still feel like a lost kitten calling for MOMMMMMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE……lol, but the internet is not just the wave of the future. It is HOW things get done TODAY. I have survived floods, fires, bad roommates, hospitalizations, dead computers, lack of money,….a home being destroyed by a falling tree and yet my phone rang a few weeks ago. Some nice people googled painting, got my number and called. Yup, while the rest of the country was buried in snow, I was graced with enough good weather to paint the outside of that house. Still trying to figure out how to make money without climbing up ladders, but I will. You have truly been an inspiration, a teacher and a friend, even though we have never actually met. Thank You and God Bless. Rich Hoeh, owner, BargainBoyPainting.com
You write in such a way that is easy to understand and interesting enough to follow to the end.
You remind me that it is not only possible, it is real – to make money online. That now, I can start. Forget the past or worries of the future – now is here and I can start.
This makes me all the more motivated to take action on my goals and pursue Affiliate Marketing like never before.
Love the DAM Way – strong will and unbreakable spirit is a sure must in IM!
Thanks Jennifer!
Cheers – Happy St. Pats Day – March 17th!
I find the challenge of the internet to be really intriguing. I’m still learning and absorbing as much as I can and thanks to Jennifer and Squidoo I’m able to make a little bit of money to keep me motivated.
Thanks Jennifer!
I just wanted to say that I love your blog, you are honest and open and that you tell it as it is.
I’m new to internet marketing and I’m using the low cost way to get traffic to my site. I can’t say it’s free cos my time is my most valuable asset I have.
The most difficult thing I find is focusing on only two or three diferent sorts of marketing, it’s all to easy to get bogged down with thinking you have got to tackle everything there is to know out there. I will be looking at Squidoo very soon though and adding that to my repetoire. Thanks again Sharon
Thank you very much for this post, the info in it is priceless and will come in very handy for when i start afiliate programs on my new website.
thanks alot!
Your Integrity shines through each and every article that I have read of yours.I commend you on your contributions to your profession.
Thank you again, as a WA member I do feel lost and lose my drive because of lack of understanding what to do. Jennifer, I refer to your articles every time I need to get back on track and remove the confusion. You just reminded me it is my lack of direction, not the system, that keeps me from going forward. Thanks again…
just a stupid question…from where do u get the web show options link under Google search pls. many thanks
Hi Jennifer,
I thank you once again for the education you share…you are a living doll. The fact that you are unselfish in your wisdom is key to your success!
If that was the ONLY thing I walked away with, I would be rich indeed. But you keep giving. I am positive many would throw in the towel and pull their hair out if not for your dedication! I have come close to tossing my machine in the wood stove many times…
Your calm voice pulled me through. This stuff is not easy, (Thank God) If it were, everyone on earth would be sellin’ and buying from their own links!
I digress. I checked my adsense out of the blue the other day, and Shazam, I am raking on some blogger blogs that I forgot about!
I am not alone in my search for the magic bullet, so I was blind to the potential of Adsense…Why try for pennies etc., etc. I had another AHA!
Peace and Love,
Brett
how can you prove this system?
Hi Jennifer,
I can’t tell you how you have inspired me. I discovered WA by chance (was really not looking for it) and you have stuck out as the mentor that I cherish. NO one else gives the answers in the format that you do, they don’t even come close in clarity. I will press on into my third month at WA with all super impressive tools and support they have to offer; I am particularly pleased that your info is available and adds considerable and understandable value to the over all package. I tend not to trust humans, especially the ones offering Free money online. You have my trust and a loyal fan in me…If you were a rock star I would be a groupie. Thank you so much.
Hi Jennifer,
I’ve been reading through as many of your tutorials as I can because I haven’t found a bad apple yet! I’ve also been keeping up with Mike and Pete (from WA) as best I can for the same reason.
I just wanted to say thank you so much! Between the three of you, I think I’m finally getting the hang of all this!
Just so you know, I have a disability (different-ability?) that makes it rather difficult for me to remember things and to put what’s in my head to use in the “real” world, so you three have made more of an accomplishment than you realize!
Anyway, thanks again and happy marketing from a true “fan.”
Thanks for this. I will definitely try it 🙂