I have been a graphic designer and writer for over 30 years. Creative Juices was born in 1981. And in spite of the changing design field with the introduction of e-lectronics and computers, starting a business of any kind takes lots of hard work and perseverance. But with that said…

Starting your own online business is as easy as starting a blog.

This will not make you rich overnight, unless you get lucky. But you can bring in extra cash with a little effort by following these 5 simple steps.

1. Start a blog in a niche you love. Make sure it is something you’re passionate about. I highly recommend using WordPress.org to create your blog. Because it’s self hosted you have complete control.
2. Create unique, killer content. By killer I mean highly relevant and helpful content that people will search out and read.
3. Sign up with Google for their free analytics, AdSense and keyword tools.
4. Apply for affiliate programs like LinkShare or Commission Junction and sell other people’s products by placing ads on your site or reviewing products.
5. Create your own products or services and sell it on your site and through affiliate programs. This could be anything from eBooks to T-shirts. Also check out Zazzle and Cafe Press to create products for sale. It’s free to sign up.

See how easy that was? Again, you will not make millions doing this. But some people have been know to make six figures a year with their online businesses.

If you have any ideas on making money online the easy way, let me know.

And don’t forget to sign up for my semi-regular newsletter for fun and helpful tips on marketing your new and small business, online or otherwise.