While it is not always possible to quit your day job, or at least not right away, internet marketing can be a great way to generate some extra income. In a tough economy every source of income should be explored, as traditional jobs can be very volatile and unrewarding. By using some basic techniques you can create an online income source that you can rely on to help you through tough times.

The first step is creating a great website. However, that doesn't mean your site has to be complicated or expensive. In fact, a simple, clean site that is easy to navigate will serve you much better. Keeping things simple will be less expensive for you, and refreshing to your customers. That doesn't mean you should skimp on great content, just that the content should be easy to find and easy to view. Have a close friend you can trust preview your website to get an idea of what a potential viewer sees when they first visit your site.

Especially if you are looking to earn some money on a budget, SEO is extremely important for your site. SEO stands for search engine optimization, and includes all of your efforts to improve your rankings on the major search engines. Do your research and remember that this is an ever-changing field. Don't feel you need to hire an expensive guru to do your optimization for you. All you need to do is follow some basic rules and fill your site with meaningful, targeted content.

Consumers have developed an extremely accurate bull detector, so outlandish claims about your product may net you a few customers, but it is not really worth the effort. Besides which, the internet is full of people who are far more experienced at making a quick buck than you are, and you are unlikely to see any real success trying to pull one over on people. Worse, you will ruin your online reputation which will damage your ability to market an authentic product in the future.

Once you start getting a few customers it is important to listen to anything you have to say. Repeat business is extremely valuable, and even better, a satisfied customer can turn into multiple customers through word-of-mouth promotion. If a customer lets you know about an issue, or even just wants to ask a question about your product, then it is in your best interest to help them. The internet is a brutal place, and staying silent will only ruin your reputation with potential customers.

Using internet marketing can be a great way to make a small income, but only if you're prepared to do it right. You need to do your research before you take the plunge and start spending your money on the project. With time and a great product you can start to see amazing profits from your efforts. Furthermore, you get the satisfaction of knowing that the money you earn is yours alone, with no company stamping your paycheck and taking a share of what you have earned.