Some people would like to make money online, but either don’t have the expertise or desire to launch their own website. Is it possible to use the Internet to develop a sideline business that does not require the use of a business site and online marketing skills?

The answer is yes. In this article I’d like to deal with four of these ideas that can allow you to derive income from the web without requiring you to learn Internet marketing.

1) Become a freelancer. Whether you are a writer, photographer or an expert at computer code there are many sites designed to assist you in finding work you can bid on and produce without a personal website of any kind. These sites are generally ultra competitive, but many individuals have found success in making money online by utilizing existing skills by completing freelance assignments. Some of the better-known freelance sites include elance and guru.

2) Blogger and forum poster for hire. Many business and even personal blogs are hard for the owner to maintain on their own. Many blogs are ghost written by people just like you who have some time and expertise or are willing to research a subject. Business owners will pay to have original content written for their blog that can help attract new customers. Similarly there are sites that will pay you to post in forums to help give them a jumpstart. Some of the companies that offer this service include Inbox, Kickstart Your Forums and Paid Forum Posts.

3) Write for cash. If you have an aptitude for writing there are specific avenues for you to earn cash online. Companies like Associated Content and Constant Content allow you to sell your articles. With Associated Content you will be paid by the company for every article they accept. With Constant Content you are paid a percentage of the sale of your article from site visitors. Also with Constant Content you get to set the prices you are willing to accept for articles. There are other sources for this kind of service, but these are two of the better-known online locations.

4) Paid surveys, emails and games. With this one you have to be very careful because not every paid survey organization will actually pay you in cash. Sometimes you will be offered prizes or a lottery based method of winning prizes based on the total number of surveys you complete. Some companies will pay you to test online games and to read emails. I placed this suggestion last because it is my least favorite method of making money online and it can fill your email service with spam if you find some of the hundreds of less than reputable ‘paid’ survey sources. You will also notice I am not passing along a recommended site.

There are other sources for making money online for those who are not interested in developing and maintaining a business website. Most of these involve creative works that you can sell through a third party site. You may not get rich following any of these suggestions, but you can earn money online this way and you may find it gives you more freedom than accepting part time work outside your home.