Making a website and earning money is achievable by building a platform for your business or creating sites for clients, and money-central.com can help. Did you know that the top 1% of earners in the U.S. are 6.41 times more likely to have business-based income than those in the bottom 80%? money-central.com provides comprehensive guidance and resources. Explore website monetization strategies, utilize website ad management tools, and find opportunities to sell digital products.
1. Why Is It Smart to Make Money Online?
Owning a business is one of the most effective ways to increase income and net worth. According to IRS data analyzed by Brookings, as someone’s adjusted gross income (AGI) increases, they are more likely to own a business. This is particularly evident when comparing the highest income groups to those in the 0-80% AGI category. The advantage of living in the 21st century is being able to create an online business, offering reduced overhead, complexity, and capital needs. According to Payoneer’s 2024 survey of SMBs, 36% of SMBs say the cost of doing business is a barrier, and 29% say securing capital is a barrier as well.
Sources of Income by AGI Percentile – Owning a Business Pays
Income Source Data from the IRS indicates that business ownership is correlated with higher income percentiles.
2. How to Make a Website That Makes Money
There are no quick hacks or guaranteed ways of becoming a millionaire, but sticking to a course, doing the hard things, and constantly iterating and adapting can lead to success. The first step is having a website ready to go. Here’s how to have a custom website up and running in less than an hour.
2.1. Step 1: Choose A WordPress Hosting Provider + Domain Registrar
Choosing the right hosting provider is critical for making a website that makes money. Siteground is recommended for its excellent customer service, robust security features, and WordPress-optimized hosting capabilities.
Siteground gives all users access to essential tools like auto-updates, staging, and backups. Its custom-built Site Tools make managing DNS records, WordPress installations, and performance improvements accessible and easy. For detailed instructions on setting up hosting and a domain, refer to a full hosting and domain setup guide.
2.2. Step 2: Pick a Customizable WordPress Theme
Many WordPress themes exist, but only a handful are flexible and powerful enough for a morphing (and growing) business venture. Divi is a multi-purpose theme with a no-code Visual Builder that makes building websites fun again. It gives site owners over 200 customizable elements (modules) and over 2200 professionally designed layouts for you to choose from.
Divi by Elegant Themes
Divi is a versatile WordPress theme known for its user-friendly Visual Builder and extensive customization options.
For a website up within the hour, check out Quick Sites by Divi, which starts with a choose-your-own-adventure decision: 1) use a starter site (premade designs that you can update with your content) or 2) use Divi AI to create a custom design (every page you need with content and theme builder templates).
Here’s a look at how the AI website generation works with Divi AI (every Divi member gets enough free credits for four (4) website generations without purchasing Divi AI). If you feel a little unsteady on your feet, Divi also offers Divi VIP, which brings peace of mind by connecting you directly with a support team with the shortest wait times available.
divi vip
Divi VIP provides expedited customer support, ensuring users receive timely assistance.
Online entrepreneurs can stay nimble by using Divi AI to create more web pages (after their initial setup, if needed), write custom-coded solutions, and generate new content sections for their sites. Divi AI makes creating and expanding a website easy. Website owners deserve the best website-building framework, and Divi offers just that. There’s no better theme to trust your online venture with, both now and into the future.
Divi Layouts AI
Divi Layouts AI simplifies website creation by generating custom layouts with AI.
2.2.1. Divi Pricing (Yearly and Lifetime)
Divi offers two membership choices that give full access to the Theme: yearly for $89/year or lifetime for a one-time payment of $249. By far, the best deal is the lifetime option (usable on unlimited websites). Divi Pro bundles the Divi Theme with several amazing products, including:
- Divi AI: Unlimited Layout, Text, Image, & Code Generation, AI Website Builder
- Divi Cloud: Unlimited Cloud Storage for Building Websites
- Divi VIP: 24/7 Premium Support in 30min or less AND 10% Off in the Divi Marketplace
- Divi Teams: Invite 4 Team Members
- Divi Marketplace Credit: $50 Divi Marketplace Credit to Spend on Custom Tools Built for Divi
Divi Price Comparison to Other Page Builders
Divi offers competitive pricing compared to other page builders, providing excellent value for its features.
2.2.2. How to Install Divi
To install the Divi Theme, follow a quick installation tutorial. It’s just a few steps between your Elegant Themes Membership dashboard and your WordPress website.
2.3. Step 3: Build a Free Quick Site with Divi
Once your Divi Site is installed, things start moving fast. Divi will immediately put you into an Onboarding flow where you can fill out some simple details about your website. If this is a brand-new website, you can (and should) use Quick Sites (either a Starter Site or an AI-generated site).
If this is an existing website with existing content (pages in particular), you’ll probably want to recreate those pages one by one with Divi—starting with Global Styles and then premade or AI layouts. Assuming this is a new site, this is the initial screen for onboarding with Divi. Go ahead and Generate a New Site.
A screenshot of Divi
Divi’s dashboard provides an option to generate a new site, simplifying the initial setup.
You’ll see two options. Unless you have Divi AI (or unused Divi AI credits; everyone starts with enough for ~4 website creations), you’ll want to start with a Starter Site. This is how you can have fully designed pages for your website in about a minute. Divi AI can be purchased on a monthly basis, so you can grab it and use it to build this website and get it later when you have another project. Very flexible.
After selecting to build with a Starter Site, you’ll see several options. Each Starter Site has a demo that should help you narrow in on what each offers. The design will be exactly as you see in the demo (from header/footer to page content). When you see one you like, select it to start spinning up your new site.
divi starter sites
Divi starter sites offer a variety of pre-designed templates to quickly launch your website.
You’ll be asked for information to populate basic details across your site. You’ll also be asked about the pages you want to create (importing those page’s designs of course). Generate & Publish My Website will get you off to the races. Divi will take about a minute or two to create each page, menu, theme builder template, and theme customizer setting. From top to bottom, your site will have a cohesive design with global styles.
Starter Website to Make Money – Steps 4
Divi creates pages and theme templates for a cohesive design.
If you were to go the AI route, you’d provide extra details for the AI to run with. It’ll use these to write text, choose fonts and colors, and create a custom layout for each page.
Starter Website to Make Money – Steps 5
Divi AI creates Shop, Product, and Cart pages by installing WooCommerce.
You’ll have a nice list of pages created (again, with content) to check out. You’ll want to update text, images, and other elements, but you’re not starting from a blank screen for each page. You have something workable.
Now that you have a website created and are editing pages, you’ll want to start integrating your monetization strategy. Let’s focus on that next.
2.4. Step 4: Monetize Your Site
This is the point where you’ll start to forge your own path. No two sites are going to be monetized exactly the same way.
3. Website Monetization Strategies to Make Money Online
Let’s explain each monetization strategy and what it takes to make it work. Some are hard but can become quite successful. Others are easier, but you might find that the crowd of others doing the same thing is thick. Lean on your skills, existing knowledge, and passion to find a unique path forward.
Here are some free and paid tools that will work perfectly with your WordPress/Divi website for each monetization method. 3rd party services and plugins will make your website poised to capture the demand you hope to create soon.
3.1. Paid Newsletter
Paid newsletters can provide exclusive content to subscribers willing to pay for premium information. You can do something similar with your favorite email marketing tool and WordPress.
Example – The Rundown AI – Freemium Paid Newsletter
The Rundown AI offers a freemium paid newsletter providing subscribers with premium AI insights.
Using WordPress and beehiiv to create newsletters with multiple potential income sources, you can write content that your subscribers love and beehiiv takes care of most of the monetization. It even integrates with WordPress so that you can effectively capture leads on your site and display your paid content on it. money-central.com recommends platforms like ConvertKit and Substack.
3.2. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services on your website using affiliate links and earning a commission for each sale made through that referral. This sounds like a passive way to make money, but it takes a lot of content creation and optimization. Luckily, plenty of affiliate marketing plugins are out there to help you with some of those tasks. Pick up Pretty Links to help you manage your affiliate products and track clicks.
Affiliate Marketing Strategy Example
Affiliate marketing strategies involve promoting products and earning commissions on sales.
Chances are, you’ll be creating content for affiliate products that hundreds of other creators are trying to do the same for. Luckily, the internet is a big place, and if you establish yourself on social and in organic SEO, you can steadily bring in commissions. Join affiliate programs like Amazon Associates for physical products or any digital products you know and love to start earning. Become a Divi affiliate and show others how easy it is to make a website.
3.3. Sell Courses
If you have specialized knowledge and experience, monetize that by creating and selling online courses. Instead of just working a job in your field, you can also help teach others how to approach it and learn the ropes.
Example – seotistics – Niche Expert Productizing Skills via a High Value Course
seotistics productizes its SEO knowledge into a valuable online course.
It may require moonlighting a few nights a week, but you can create a solid course that will start working for you. WordPress is the best platform to run an eCommerce/LMS website. Most LMS plugins have decent yearly pricing and take no percentage cut of your sales (unlike most proprietary LMSs). Look into LearnDash or LifterLMS.
3.4. Sell Ad Space
If you can build a niche website that’s a destination for dedicated readers, chances are you can pull in some advertising money. The manual way is to work with companies of interest to your target audience/niche. If you work out a good deal, you could dedicate some ad space (across your site or on particular pages) and get guaranteed money for the strategic placement.
All you have to do is keep on fueling your audience with creative/informative/newsworthy content and maintain relationships with key advertisers. There’s also the possibility of selling ads in a more generic fashion. Something like Google AdSense is easy to set up and will post ads to your website as they see fit. Adding ads to your website is easy with a plugin like AdSanity.
3.5. Private Community
Creating a well-guarded and beneficial community for members is a good way to capture a premium.
Example – The Finance Bar – Online Membership
The Finance Bar provides an online membership with exclusive content and a dedicated community.
Build a private community with exclusive access to premium content, discussion boards, live Q&As, and bonus resources to become a known expert in your field. You can charge a membership fee to monetize your little community and create a slowly building waterfall of earned income. WordPress is ideal for building these communities. money-central.com recommends looking at some of the top membership plugins and identifying features you want to utilize. Start your search with MemberPress, HivePress, or Restrict Content Pro, depending on the complexity of your needs.
3.6. Accept Donations
Whether you’re a citizen journalist, indie hacker, or an artist, there could be many sympathetic supporters out there who appreciate your work. All you have to do is find out who they are and ask. You see this with a lot of software developers who create side projects that are freely available to others.
Example – Buy Me a Coffee – Raise Support with Generous Donations
Buy Me a Coffee allows creators to raise support through generous donations.
Some people get support via third-party services like BuyMeACoffee, Patreon, and Kickstarter, but you can easily (and with more control) set up your website to collect donations.
3.7. Sell Professional Services
Selling services is one of the easiest ways to start making money with a website. By moonlighting or creating a side hustle, you allow yourself to work on interesting projects, diversify your skill set, and gain broader exposure.
According to Payoneer’s 2024 SMB Survey, small businesses are increasingly interested in AI-specific tasks.
As you succeed with your services, many freelancers also begin to offer consulting, paid newsletters, and courses by virtue of the trust and expertise they’ve demonstrated. Selling services is a great stepping stone to more income streams.
Based on service websites I’ve helped create or run myself, here are some categories of WordPress toolage you can use to create your website:
Sales/Project Management/CRM Plugins
money-central.com provides the tools and resources to help you succeed in your chosen service industry.
3.8. Sell Digital or Physical Products
Selling digital products is a much broader way to think about online commerce. Here are things that people sell on their websites every day:
- Canva templates for social media
- CAD designs for CND machines or 3d printers
- Custom software, plugins, and Chrome extensions
- Guides and workbooks
- Data visualization templates in Looker Studio, Frontly, and PowerBI
- Digital art, writing, and music
You can easily set up a WordPress website with WooCommerce to create an online store fit for selling digital products. Using Divi will make designing faster (remember to use Quick Sites to launch fast).
3.9. Sponsored Posts
If you have a good thing going on your website, you might start to get interest from third parties asking to add some of their content. You’ll have to be discerning with how you approach this (you don’t want to dilute your website with low-quality content), but this can be an excellent way to earn more from your website.
Example – WP Reset – Accept Sponsored Posts on Blog
WP Reset accepts sponsored posts on its blog, providing businesses with exposure.
Businesses are willing to pay for exposure and, often, a backlink to their website. It’s the way of the internet, and you can cash in with this simple technique if you can moderate incoming content and run a site that gets consistent traffic. All you need to do is write out detailed guidelines for sponsored posts—what do you accept, what do you reject, what are your rules, and what are your costs?
3.10. Sell Your Website
Sometimes you build something up and are ready to move on. People do this all the time, whether they want to cash in on their hard work or literally can’t stand running the show anymore. And there are tons of services out there that help people buy and sell websites. With good metrics and a business plan in place, you can have vetted buyers looking at your website with keen eyes and open wallets. Try out Flippa or Empire Flippers.
4. Building Monetizable Websites
As you think about your monetization, consider all your options. You can probably even monetize your website in multiple ways and not just one. money-central.com is your partner in achieving financial success by providing information and resources to optimize your website. Here are all the tools, plugins, and products mentioned throughout and what each does for you.
| Tools that Make Websites that Make Money | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Divi Theme |
| 2 | Divi Layout Packs |
| 3 | Divi VIP |
| 4 | Divi AI |
| 5 | Siteground |
| 6 | Siteground Domains |
| 7 | Namecheap |
| 8 | ConvertKit |
| 9 | Pretty Links |
| 10 | LearnDash |
| 11 | LifterLMS |
| 12 | AdSanity |
| 13 | MemberPress |
| 14 | HivePress |
| 15 | Restrict Content Pro |
| 16 | Propovoice |
| 17 | FluentCRM |
| 18 | Amelia |
| 19 | WooCommerce |
| 20 | Flippa |
| 21 | Empire Flippers |
For expert guidance and resources to maximize your online earnings, visit money-central.com today. Contact us at Address: 44 West Fourth Street, New York, NY 10012, United States. Phone: +1 (212) 998-0000.
5. Frequently Asked Questions
5.1. How can I create a website and earn money?
Creating a website and earning money involves either building a site for your business or designing websites for clients. Leverage Divi AI to create a website for your offline business, opening up new revenue streams and markets. Invest in a domain name, hosting, and the Divi theme, costing around $150 for the first year (not including Divi AI). Divi AI can generate entire websites, pages, layouts, content, and images quickly, streamlining your web design process. As a web designer or developer, using Divi AI can increase your earnings by reducing the time and effort required to deliver high-quality websites.
5.2. How do you get paid if you own a website?
Here are the key ways to earn money from owning a website:
- Advertising:
- Display ads via networks like Google AdSense.
- Sell ad space directly to advertisers.
- Affiliate Marketing:
- Promote products/services and earn commissions on sales via unique affiliate links.
- Selling Products or Services:
- Sell digital products (e.g., ebooks, courses).
- Sell physical merchandise.
- Offer consulting or coaching services.
- Sponsored Content:
- Create paid content for brands.
- Memberships/Subscriptions:
- Offer premium content or features to paying members.
- Donations:
- Accept donations from readers.
- Lead Generation:
- Collect and sell qualified leads.
- Flipping Websites:
- Build and sell websites for profit.
5.3. What type of website can make money?
Types of websites used to make money are:
- eCommerce Websites:
- Sell products online without a physical store.
- Use dropshipping or sell your own products.
- Blog Websites:
- Monetize through advertising, affiliate marketing, and sponsored content.
- Ideal for content creators passionate about a specific niche.
- Business Websites:
- Promote your business and expand brand awareness.
- Forum Websites:
- Provide interaction spaces for specific topics.
- Profitable examples include job boards and product discussion forums.
- Portfolio Websites:
- Showcase your work to attract clients and employers.
- Especially useful for freelancers and creatives.
5.4. How to earn money from website visits?
To earn money from website visits, you can use several effective strategies. Start with advertising by displaying ads through networks like Google AdSense or selling ad space directly to advertisers. Affiliate marketing is another option: promote products or services and earn commissions on sales through your affiliate links, using tools like Skimlinks to convert regular links to affiliate links automatically. Additionally, you can accept sponsored content by posting paid articles or posts from brands.
5.5. What are the key steps to setting up a website for making money?
The key steps include:
- Choose a Niche: Identify a specific topic or industry to focus on.
- Select a Domain Name: Choose a memorable and relevant domain name.
- Choose a Hosting Provider: Select a reliable hosting provider like SiteGround.
- Install WordPress: Set up WordPress for its flexibility and extensive plugin options.
- Pick a Customizable Theme: Use a theme like Divi for easy customization.
- Create Content: Develop high-quality, engaging content that attracts visitors.
- Implement Monetization Strategies: Choose methods like advertising, affiliate marketing, or selling products/services.
- Promote Your Website: Use SEO, social media, and other marketing techniques to drive traffic.
5.6. How can I use affiliate marketing to monetize my website?
To effectively use affiliate marketing:
- Choose Relevant Products: Promote products that align with your website’s content and audience.
- Join Affiliate Programs: Sign up for affiliate programs like Amazon Associates.
- Create High-Quality Content: Write reviews, tutorials, and comparisons that incorporate affiliate links.
- Use Affiliate Marketing Plugins: Utilize tools like Pretty Links to manage and track your links.
- Disclose Affiliate Relationships: Be transparent with your audience about your affiliate partnerships.
5.7. What are the best WordPress plugins for monetizing a website?
Some of the best WordPress plugins for monetization include:
- WooCommerce: For selling physical or digital products.
- LearnDash: For creating and selling online courses.
- MemberPress: For building membership sites with exclusive content.
- AdSanity: For managing and displaying ads on your site.
- Pretty Links: For managing and tracking affiliate links.
5.8. How can I drive traffic to my website to increase earnings?
To increase traffic:
- Optimize for SEO: Use relevant keywords, create high-quality content, and build backlinks.
- Use Social Media: Share your content on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
- Email Marketing: Build an email list and send regular newsletters to engage your audience.
- Guest Blogging: Contribute articles to other websites in your niche to reach new audiences.
- Paid Advertising: Consider using Google Ads or social media ads to drive targeted traffic.
5.9. What are the legal considerations when monetizing a website?
Key legal considerations include:
- Privacy Policy: Disclose how you collect, use, and protect user data.
- Terms of Service: Outline the rules and regulations for using your website.
- Disclosure of Affiliate Relationships: Be transparent about any affiliate partnerships.
- Copyright Compliance: Ensure you have the rights to use any content on your site.
- Accessibility: Make sure your website is accessible to people with disabilities, complying with ADA guidelines.
5.10. How can I create and sell online courses on my website?
To create and sell online courses:
- Choose a Topic: Select a subject you are knowledgeable and passionate about.
- Create High-Quality Content: Develop engaging video lessons, written materials, and quizzes.
- Use an LMS Plugin: Install a plugin like LearnDash or LifterLMS to manage your courses.
- Set Pricing: Determine a price that reflects the value of your content.
- Market Your Course: Promote your course through your website, email list, and social media channels.
