Before embarking on any one of these journeys, it’s important for you to ask specific questions. Remember that the more informed you are the better decisions you can make, so if you have any questions you need to ask them for sure. Here are a few to remember.

The first is how often will you be able to find work?      

In the case of sharing expertise, how often is the site visited, and what services do customers look for?

Do you have the ability to meet those needs?

Or, do you meet the caliber of the majority of experts on the site?

For surveys, the questions should be along the lines of how often will surveys come in, how much does each survey go for, and how many do you have to do before you get paid?

You should also look for fees and red tape. Sometimes, fees and red tape are hidden well, so comb the site thoroughly before signing up. If you can, talk to anyone else participating in the programs to get ideas of what’s expected and to answer any lingering questions.

The next thing you want to look for is how you’ll be paid.

Do they want your bank’s account number?

In this case, be careful!

Do they use a third party site such as PayPal?

These payment methods are much safer, but there is always the risk that your account may be compromised by hackers and spoof companies. Read the terms and conditions of the company you are about to work with as well as those set out by any third party payment agencies in order to understand dispute policies in the event that money is stolen or your identity is compromised. Finally, look for fees associated with third party payment agencies.  A good way to answer many of these questions is to do a search on the internet to see what other consumers and participants have had to say. Also, you can check the Better Business Bureau if the company or third party payment agency seems suspicious.

Most Important of all, use your better judgment. If you feel that something is wrong then the chances are that there is something wrong.

Sharing your expertise via the internet is a form of internet marketing that’s very user friendly. It allows individuals to set their own schedule as well as deciding the circumstances under how they’ll be paid and how much they’ll be paid. The important piece in making this work is to shop around and be aware of all of the benefits and risks to free-lance marketing through the internet.

Many of these opportunities take the form of websites that serve as a third party and a meeting place for people to buy and sell services. Some of these sites are specific to a particular type of service such as ghost writing or academic tutoring. These sites operate in certain niche areas, but they offer people an opportunity to advertise their specific services, products, or other specialized abilities.      

Let us consider the idea of a third party site devoted to psychics. There are different types of psychics: there are people who read Tarot cards, numerologists, automatic writers, people who read rune stones, and a variety of psychic healers that draw from a cornucopia of traditions. In the case of a site devoted to psychics, the site allows for each psychic to advertise their expertise in one or more specific areas, and potential customers have the ability to browse through the directory of participating psychics until they have found one they want.

Some sites match people in opposite. They have the directory of participating experts, but the customer specifically lists what they need or want, and experts (dating/marriage in this case) have the opportunity to place bids on that customer. This makes it easier for customers because it immediately weeds out any disqualified candidates. Once the match has been made, the customer receives and pays for the services or recommendations the expert provides. Some of these sites have associated membership fees and some do not.

Just as there are specific niche sites for experts to share their knowledge, some sites are much larger and offer customers a variety of niches to choose from. For example, these sites may have a niche for internet marketers to advertise their abilities, but they’ll also have room for academic tutors, ghost writers, computer and tech support, legal advisors, and much more. These sites work along the same lines as the more specialized sites. The only difference is that they offer a broader range of services to potential customers.

Other sites pay people to test products and services. These sites often take the form of survey clubs that send e-mails every time there’s a survey or availability to test a product of particular interest. Similar sites allow for service on focus groups or groups for study. In this case, there is usually an on the ground component which requires you to actually work with the product or service. The major risk here is that some sites do not pay until you have taken so many surveys, and surveys may or may not be plentiful.

Studies and focus groups may pay more, but there is always some risk involved with testing products such as medications, makeup, and health products, and these tests may take more time out of your day than you thought. They may also require you to travel to some place in order to be served and/or observe in person. Therefore, these are best used not so much as a business, but as a way to supplement income.