by Deon Melchior

Have you been thinking about breaking into the online business world? Don’t yet have a product and aren’t sure what products you should carry? Have you thought about becoming an information publisher on the Web?

Maybe you're wondering what the heck an information publisher is. It’s exactly what it says. It’s a Website that publishes information, quality information that is a valuable resource for your readers.

The problem with starting a product site is that they require a great deal of your time and the investment can be rather high since you will need secure checkouts, and a method of processing credit cards. The learning curve for this type of site is also rather steep. It can be difficult to choose a product that will do well online. You're going to have to spend some time doing your research if you take the physical product route.

It is generally believed that the products that do best online are products that consumers do not need to see, touch, or smell in order to make a purchase. So -- products such as books, CD’s, or DVD’s will usually do better than clothing.

But why not skip the whole hassle of product Web pages and become an information publisher? But you might be wondering how you choose a topic and how you're going to make any money.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what you are an expert in. By expert, I don’t mean you need to be a doctor or an engineer. I mean what subject do you know lots about? Do you have a hobby that you are a real pro at -- perhaps your job or career has made you an expert on a specific topic.

If you are an expert in more than one area, then you have options and you should do some research to see which topic generates the most traffic or interest. To make money, you need targeted traffic and, in a minute, I’m going to explain how you're going to make money.

Once you’ve decided what your site is going to be about, you need to design it. The layout you choose should be easy for your readers to navigate and it should use colors that are easy on the eyes. You’ve probably come across those psychedelic sites that make your eyes hurt and quickly hit the back button. Your Web site needs to provide an environment that is inviting and comfortable for the reader.

If you have no Website experience, that’s okay. Most Web hosts offer a range of templates that you can use to design your site and they also do not require you to have any html programming skill. You type it like you want it and the software converts it to a language that computers can read. It’s really quite simple.

You still could be wondering -- what the point of information publishing is and how you are actually make any money. After all, that’s what this venture is all about right?

The answer to your question lies in two words – Google and Affiliates.

Providing you design a site that is rich in content and keywords, you’ll be able to make money using both Google and affiliate programs. Of course, you’ll need to be patient. It takes some time to earn your page rank and to get traffic to your site, but once you're rolling, you’ll be generating income.

Google offers a program called Adsense. You need to sign up for the program and then you need to place some code on your Website that will allow Google to display ads that are related to the topics on your site. When visitors arrive at your site, if they click on one of the ads being displayed, you get paid.

You’ll want to take some time to learn what ads work best, what type of flexibility you have, and how to earn the most income. There are some excellent free resources online and there are some very good E-books available.

Affiliate programs are a little different. You need to look for companies that offer affiliate programs that you think would do well on your Web site. Each affiliate program offers its own set of rules and commissions that it pays. When you find an affiliate program that you think would do well, you need to apply to their program. There are Web sites like Linkshare or Commission Junction that host many companies that offer affiliate programs. They are a good place to start.

Make sure you read all the terms and conditions that the affiliate program has set out. Once accepted, you will be provided with both text and banner links that you display on your Website. If a reader clicks one of your affiliate links and purchases a product from that company, you earn a commission.

An information site is a lot less work than a product site. Don’t get me wrong -- an information site still needs your time and attention. Contrary to what you may have heard, you don’t get rich on the Web just by putting a Web site up.

But -- why not work smarter rather than harder? An information site allows you to do just that.

Before you begin, you should also take some time to understand how keywords work and their relevance to your site. The result will be success in generating good ad placements and income. You’ll be a pro in no time.

Deon Melchior is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - http://www.articleclick.com .