The Truth About Making Money Online: Myths vs. Reality

It’s everyone’s dream to work from the comfort of their home while wearing pajamas all day and earning a six-figure salary. 

Is this possible? 

You’ll be in for a big surprise if you think that’s how making money online works. However, if you’re doubtful and think it’s impossible to make genuine money online, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn otherwise.

Unfortunately, there is a lot of false information floating around online. Having worked exclusively in the digital realm for the last five years, I would like to dispel more pervasive misconceptions. It’s nothing like you imagine it to be.

Statistical Analysis

The numbers don’t look good. While reliable numbers are elusive, at least one estimate puts the number of websites at over 1.88 billion. The ratio of websites to internet users is thus close to 1:2.

That’s nearly ten times as many sites as there were just ten years ago for some context.

The exponential increase in websites has made it harder to create one that will succeed financially. The saturation of the market speaks against it. This market has a lot of competition, so you’ll have to offer something remarkable to stand out.

The Myths and Facts of Making Money Online

Let’s dive deeper into some of the most well-known ways to make money online and the myths surrounding them. 

1. Create a Blog 

Common misconceptions about monetizing a blog:

• Put in the effort, and people will come. Perhaps, but most likely not. Approximately 600 million of the roughly two billion websites on the Internet are blogs.
• People are interested in reading about your life experience, thoughts, and opinions. Not at all; that’s why we have social media platforms. To generate income from blogging, you must give readers something valuable.
• You can monetize your blog by writing about your area of expertise. While this may be the case at times, there are certainly more popular topics for blogs than others. For instance, blogs devoted to personal finance tend to be more profitable than relationship blogs.
• Blogging can bring in a yearly income of $100,000. Only 5 percent of the total number of bloggers can support themselves entirely through their blogs.

The truth about blogging:

To generate revenue from your blog, it’s essential to treat it like a business. However, as it may not yield immediate returns, you could pursue it as a side business. It requires significant hard work before any financial rewards become visible, and success isn’t guaranteed.

Maintaining a blog demands significant time and dedication, so you must genuinely be interested in your selected subject. It’s not a shortcut to quick riches — achieving reasonable outcomes requires substantial initial effort. While earning a full-time income through blogging is possible, you must be willing to put in considerable hard work to attain your desired lifestyle.

You’ll spend half of your time creating content for your blog and the other half promoting content already created. There are many ways to promote your content — from social media, email lists, guest posting on other blogs, and linking to your content are a few methods you could leverage. 

2. Create an Online Store

Some common misconceptions about managing an online store:

• Having an online shop is a simple method of making money. The online retail landscape is crowded, with an estimated 12 million – 24 million stores competing with powerhouses like Walmart, Target, and Amazon. 
• Online stores make excellent passive income generators. With today’s cutthroat industry, that’s not the case. Your hope lies in developing a highly unique product. Money is not passive. Promoting your shop requires constant participation and effort.
• Online courses can teach you everything about launching your online store. This is partially true, but it’s more of a myth. A course can lay out the groundwork and reveal the author’s methodology. But it won’t guarantee success unless you implement everything laid out in the course. 

The truth about creating an online store:

Running a profitable online store from home is an excellent opportunity to earn money. However, it operates on a pyramid system, with a small percentage of individuals earning the bulk of the profits while the majority make minimal or no earnings.

The key to a successful online store is offering something truly unique. You’d have to create that yourself or have special access to acquire it from a third party. You will also need excellent marketing skills — the success of your online shop will depend on how well you market it.

3. Create a YouTube Channel

Some common misconceptions about YouTube:

• People make millions of dollars on YouTube. This is partially correct; a couple hundred most definitely are. Most, however, are earning very little to nothing at all. According to a report on Inc.com, the annual salary of a YouTube star with 1.4 million monthly views is less than $17000.
• It’s easy to come up with YouTube topics. This is partially correct — you can discover new topics by analyzing the successful strategies of similar YouTube channels. The competition, however, will be fierce because everyone else has the same business idea.
• It takes only a few attempts to create a viral video. This might be the case, but there are some problems. First, over 31 million channels are on YouTube, making the competition extremely fierce. Second, success with one viral video is no assurance of future success. Thirdly, your reputation in the industry will never rise above your most recent clip. Although making a viral video could catapult you to the top, it wouldn’t keep you there.

The truth about YouTube:

Making money on YouTube was simpler ten years ago because there was less competition. In recent years, however, the number of videos and channels has skyrocketed, making it significantly more challenging to stand out and succeed monetarily.

While experience is essential, marketing skills are more crucial for YouTube — you must publicize every video you produce. Many people will fail to get noticed, no matter how good they are.

Creating professionally made and highly entertaining videos is crucial to increase your chances of becoming a sensation on YouTube. While many viewers use YouTube as an information source, the entertainment factor holds greater value. By producing videos that viewers enjoy watching, you can enhance your likelihood of success on the platform.

4. Start Working as a Freelance Writer

Some common misconceptions about Freelance writing:

• There are an infinite number of online writing jobs available. Opportunity exists only in highly successful websites, blogs, and even a small subset of fields.
• If you are a good writer, you can easily earn six figures. Numerous freelance writers operate online, with the vast majority earning less than $1,000 monthly — only some people make six figures.
• Clients are easy to come by. It’s not easy to find clients. This is only the case for exceptionally well-known authors regularly featured in equally reputable online publications.
• You must major in journalism. All you need is the ability to write interesting articles about subjects that interest your target audience.

The truth about making a living through freelance writing:

Online freelance writing is a great way for creatives to make extra cash on the side writing for blogs. However, an audience may not be interested in the kinds of writing that excite you most.

Monetizable content typically focuses on the highest-paying, most-reliable topics — finance, insurance, travel, and technical topics (such as healthcare and IT) are some examples. Poetry, short stories, and accounts of individual successes and failures have difficulty finding paying audiences.

Freelance writers often favor gig marketplaces like Fiverr. However, composing articles for such projects typically generates a modest income. Launching an online writing business is comparable to starting any other online venture, requiring significant time and effort.

5. Look for other Freelance Opportunities

Some common misconceptions about online freelance work

• Anyone can now work as a video editor, virtual assistant, freelance graphic designer, app developer, etc. While anyone can attempt it, succeeding in this field requires considerable experience and training. Building an online portfolio or acquiring references may be necessary at times.
• The results you get on sites like Fiverr, Freelancer, and UpWork are assured. Although making a living through these channels is possible, beginners often undercut their rates to break into the market.
• You can find plenty of employment opportunities. This statement is partially accurate. Available work is abundant, but there’s also a significant pool of potential candidates.

The reality of making money freelancing online:

You can make a living as a freelancer online — it’s a lucrative profession, and many people rely on it as their primary source of income. Nonetheless, achieving wealth through such means demands considerable effort, and only a few succeed. Various options include graphic design, web development, office work, and English tutoring via sites like VIPkid.

Freelancing online is successful if your skill set is well-suited to being provided digitally. While the job market is robust, most open positions require specialized training or education. 

You will need to put in a lot of work to develop these skills if you don’t already have them. You’ll also have to learn the ins and outs of the industry’s operations and use standard workflow management and communication software.

The majority of online skilled jobs still ask for references or a portfolio. If you’re just starting in your field and don’t have much experience, you may need to create an online portfolio and actively promote products. It’s a cutthroat world, so you’ll need to find ways to distinguish yourself.

6. Create an Online Course or eBook

Some common misconceptions about monetizing eBooks and Online Courses

• You can write an online course or ebook on any subject you are knowledgeable about. You certainly can, but there is no guarantee of financial success. Competition is high regardless of how knowledgeable you are in your field. Once again, success depends on savvy advertising and promotion.
• An online course or ebook is an excellent source of passive income. Yes, if the course or book is popular. Even if this is the case, the excitement will only last so long before you need to publish another book or teach another course.
• Online courses and e-books have an endless market. This isn’t the case. There is a cap on the number of ebooks people buy, just as there is for print books. Online courses have a cap on the number of ebooks people buy.

The truth behind ebook and course creation:

Creating a successful ebook or online course is only about 20% of the battle. You will spend 70-80% of your time promoting your online course or e-book. 

Affiliate marketing is a powerful tool for promoting and increasing sales of your ebooks and online courses. This method involves advertising and selling your course or ebook on the web pages of other bloggers and website owners, who earn a commission for each sale. This approach saves you from spending high upfront costs on advertising. 

You will dedicate most of your time to seeking out and incorporating new affiliate sites since affiliate posts typically lose relevance after a few weeks. To sustain your sales, continually adding new sites is necessary.

7. Begin a Part-Time Business

Some common misconceptions about a Part-Time Business

• Make some extra cash in your free time. This is feasible, though it will be contingent on your availability and the other demands on your time.
• A part-time job is easier than a full-time job. Once it’s operational, getting it off the ground is challenging. There is a significant time commitment with little financial reward.
• It’s possible to make money from just about anything. In theory, yes, but in practice, no. The truth is that some services will command higher pay than others, while others will attract no payment at all.
• You can make six figures with a side business. This is the most widespread fallacy, but it makes for a compelling advertisement. Very few people can make that much money from their side gigs.

The Truth About a Part-Time Business:

The ultimate goal is for your part-time business to generate a full-time income. Indeed, some have succeeded in doing just that! However, many people never see any profit from a side business because of the massive time commitment needed to get started — they give up after realizing how much work is required.

If you want to make more money from a side business and quit your day job, you’ll need to devote yourself to it full-time. Many people just aren’t interested in taking on extra work like that.

Online Moneymaking: The Cold, Hard Facts

Our conversation thus far has centered on the truths and myths surrounding online financial success. However, there are broader truths to keep in mind. These apply to the techniques mentioned earlier and many others.

You should approach online businesses like any other — it can not be a side project if the goal is to make money.

It will not be easy. The pay for tasks like online surveys and web searching that seem simple enough for anyone to do is usually too low to justify the time spent. No one will pay you a lot to do (almost) nothing.

It is best to disregard the idea of overnight success because it is extremely rare. Give yourself at least a few months, and more likely several years, before you see any real money from an online business you start.

There is always a challenging “launch phase” for any new online venture. If you want to see the business become profitable, you must invest time and energy into it. Between launching your online business and reaching profitability, it’s possible that you’ll need to spend a minimum of 40 hours a week.

Unfortunately, not every online business ends up being profitable. Your online venture has the same potential for eventual financial failure as a traditional storefront business. Determining how much work you can put into the task is up to you.

If the endeavor is related to your expertise, you can succeed better. A professional auto mechanic has a better shot at selling a course on repairing car brakes than a complete novice.

Marketing is crucial and more important than technical know-how if you want to succeed in business online. You need the ability to promote your website, writing skills, online store, side business, YouTube videos, and digital products like e-books and online courses through various platforms. That calls for an excellent command of social media, especially Facebook, and a firm understanding of search engine optimization (SEO).

There is no foolproof method. If there were a surefire way to make online money, the person who claims to know it would already be making money, not trying to scam you out of $29.99. Think twice before buying into anyone’s promises of easy money online.

Earning money online is very similar to earning money offline. Making money requires offering value to those prepared to pay for it. Finding those people takes time, money, and a lot of knowledge. It’s essential to offer high-quality goods and services to earn customers’ hard-earned money. You will also face intense competition as you try to introduce them to the right market.

Your pajamas are the ideal outfit. Can you imagine a YouTube star attending a meeting in their workout attire? The less attractive aspect of online work is that you don’t have to wear uniforms or a suit to the office. Usually, you’re a complete mess.

No two months or days are the same. It’s a fact that making money online won’t be a steady stream of routine workdays and regular paychecks every month. You’ll have profitable days, months, weeks, or even days where you make nothing. Your income could fluctuate wildly, from six figures in one month to zero in the next. The latter situation can leave you feeling vulnerable and anxious. However, you should know that this applies to everyone.

Other Common Myths

Anybody Can Make Money on the Internet

Attempting to make a living online with the mistaken belief that it’s an easy feat and failing can be a humbling experience. Realizing that it’s not possible for everyone can be enlightening.

Nonetheless, anyone can make money online in today’s interconnected world. 

However, you must possess the necessary skills to maximize the benefit of the opportunity. You’ll need to put in some effort to acquire or develop a skill that’s in demand on the job market and can earn you money for the work you intend to do.

Online Income Opportunities Are Fraudulent

People believe it’s all a scam. 

While it’s true that many scams exist under the guise of legitimate online income opportunities, that doesn’t mean there aren’t any legitimate opportunities out there. You need to exercise extreme caution throughout pursuing such work to guarantee its integrity and the subsequent receipt of payment.

Luck Plays a Massive Role in How Much Money You Can Make Online

Making money online can be a matter of luck sometimes, but success is rarely the result of a single stroke of fortune. Perseverance and patience are essential to finish what you’ve started. 

You’ll have to get good at what you do to sell it to others for money. In addition, you must come to terms with the unreliability of the new source of income, so you’ll need to practice prudent time and money management if you want to make the most of it.

The Expected Outcomes Are Far Too Good to Be True

Online income is proportional to the time and effort spent developing and marketing marketable skills. Your income from one source is unlikely to be the same as someone else’s. 

However, this does not disprove the success of those who have found a way to profit from it. If you put the time and effort into your chosen field, you can achieve the same success as others.

There Is Only One Way to Earn Money Online

As previously mentioned, there are many ways to make money online. 

You can make money by offering your services to others and getting paid for the value you add to their lives by providing blogging, web design, tutoring, photography, data analytics, transcription services, etc. 

You can accomplish this by taking on freelance projects, working for companies temporarily, etc. 

Alternatively, you can increase your income by putting your money into the stock market, a mutual fund, or some other asset that will give you a return. The world is ripe with possibilities. It’s just a matter of figuring out what will benefit you the most and acting accordingly.

Bottom Line

Making money online is fraught with both good and bad aspects. If you’re not afraid of taking chances, it’s a career option that can be both challenging and rewarding.

This article is not intended to dissuade you from exploring online moneymaking opportunities. If you have a few ideas and go about them correctly, you can use your online side hustle to supplement your income or even start a new line of work.

But you can’t get anywhere without first understanding the truth about making money online. That way, you can treat your business like a serious endeavor and won’t get down on yourself if it doesn’t succeed instantly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do People Really Make Money Online?

Yes, many people make money online. It is becoming increasingly common to supplement or replace traditional employment. About 30% of 18-29-year-olds have used an online gig platform to make money, according to Research.

Why Is Making Money Online So Difficult?

Most people fail to make money online because they spend too much time planning their strategy and not enough time putting it into action. Online success is determined by taking action, not by having the “perfect” content, business model, people, marketing, product, or other “tools.”

What Draws People to Online Income?

Online income is attractive to many people because it offers many benefits and financial freedom. Working online allows you to enjoy your spare time without constantly pursuing leads, as countless people actively seek out your services. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with influential people and gain new knowledge.

Why Should You Never Be Worried About Money?

Worrying about money can have adverse effects on your health. Financial stress can lead to various medical problems, including incapacity for work. Financial difficulties often exacerbate mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and stress.

What Is a Poor Financial Mindset?

Toxic money habits have less to do with how much money you have than with how you spend that money. Many people engage in harmful practices, but three of the most common are using credit cards excessively, exaggerating the size of their bank account, shopping & spending on unnecessary purchases, and lying about their financial situation.