Photo by D. Sharon Pruitt

Making money online with freelance writing is a the new dream of many stay-at-home-moms and people who want to work at home. Some go into the whole thing with way too much gusto, or not enough. There are five major tips for making it work.

Don't Drive Your Friends Crazy

It is a great idea to use social networking sites to make contacts with people in your target market. Don't use these sites to send an endless stream of ads to friends and family, though. It's tacky and could even drive away potential customers.

Get a Blog

No matter if you are trying to sell products or make money with Google AdSense, a blog will help you gain attention, share your perspective and build your brand.

Join Forums

Forums in your niche is an invaluable well of information. Spend hours pouring over forum posts and absorbing the information you find there. Once you are an established member, add a link to your blog or website to your forum signature.

Diversify

To make money online you need to diversify. Have several eggs in your basket so you can find what works best for you. Plus, if one venture goes bad, you still have your other projects to fall back on.

Market Wisely

Market. Market. Market. Add a link to your website or blog in your email signature. Join LinkedIn and Plaxo. Write articles on your specialty or offer your services as an expert in news or magazine articles.