This Is Why 99% of People Fail in Making Money Online (And How to Fix It!)

*This blog may contain affiliate links, which help us keep She Works Smart completely free and continue providing you with free educational content.

If you’ve been trying to make money online but haven’t seen the results you hoped for, you’re not alone. In fact, the vast majority of people who start an online business never see sustainable income—not because it’s impossible, but because they’re following the wrong strategy.

They’re stuck in a cycle of chasing trends, relying on TikTok and Instagram to drive every sale, and feeling like they need to post 24/7 just to stay relevant. But there’s a smarter way to do things.

In this post, I’m going to break down the biggest reasons most people fail at making money online—and exactly what you can do instead to build a sustainable, scalable business.

Mistake 1: Relying too much on social media

Let’s start with one of the most common reasons people struggle to build consistent income online: they’re betting everything on social media.

It seems like the obvious path, right? Everyone’s on TikTok and Instagram. Influencers make it look easy. Post some content, go viral, and the sales will follow… right?

Not exactly.

Here’s the problem: social media platforms are designed to keep users scrolling—not shopping. They prioritize entertainment, engagement, and speed—not long-term business growth. Unless you already have a large, loyal following or go viral (which is unpredictable at best), it’s very difficult to drive consistent sales.

Here’s why relying solely on social media often backfires:

• Virality doesn’t equal income. Your video might get 100k views, but if the content doesn’t attract the right buyer—or if your offer isn’t clear—those views won’t convert.

• It demands constant content. To stay visible, you need to post daily (or multiple times a day). The moment you stop posting, your reach drops. That’s not sustainable for most people—especially busy moms or side hustlers.

• Your content disappears fast. A TikTok might last 24–48 hours. An Instagram reel might have a short burst of reach and then vanish. The content you spent hours creating loses steam almost instantly.

• You don’t control your audience. Algorithms decide how many people see your content, not you. One change, and your reach can be cut in half overnight. And if your account is ever flagged, hacked, or shut down, you lose your entire platform.

This doesn’t mean social media is useless. It can be great for visibility, community-building, and engagement. But if it’s your only traffic source, you’re building a business on borrowed land.

The Fix: Shift to search-based platforms

If you want sustainable, long-term traffic that works even when you’re offline, start creating content on platforms that work like search engines:

• Pinterest: Users go to Pinterest with clear intent—to plan, solve problems, or make purchases. A single well-optimized pin linking to your product or blog post can drive traffic for months (even years) after you publish it.

• Google (via blogs or affiliate sites): Writing SEO-optimized blog content helps your site rank in search results, bringing in organic traffic from people actively looking for solutions.

• YouTube: As the second largest search engine after Google, YouTube gives you the ability to create evergreen video content. Unlike social posts, videos can continue to grow your audience and generate revenue over time.

Example: One of my Pinterest pins linking to a printable meal planner I created in 2022 is still bringing in traffic (and sales) today—three years later. Meanwhile, a similar post I shared on Instagram lasted maybe 12 hours before it got buried in the feed. I haven’t touched that Pinterest pin in over two years—and it’s still working.

That’s the kind of content ROI we want: build once, and let it work for you again and again.

Rather watch the video instead of reading this blog? Watch here:

Mistake 2: Doing affiliate marketing the hard way

Affiliate marketing can be a fantastic income stream—but only when it’s done right. Too many people start by promoting affiliate links on social media, hoping someone will click and buy. The problem is, this approach is time-consuming, frustrating, and rarely effective.

Here’s why it often fails:

• You need to create a massive amount of content to generate a handful of clicks.

• Social media users are in a scroll-and-consume mindset—not a buying one.

• Algorithms are unreliable. Your best post might not even be shown to your followers.

The result? You’re putting in hours of work for minimal (and unpredictable) returns.

The Fix: Build affiliate websites instead.

Affiliate websites are one of the most sustainable and scalable ways to earn passive income online. They don’t rely on constant content production or algorithmic luck. Instead, they leverage SEO and keyword-based search to attract visitors who are already looking for the products you’re promoting.

Here’s what makes affiliate websites so powerful:

• Search-based traffic: Your blog posts or product pages can rank on Google and Pinterest, bringing in consistent, qualified visitors month after month.

• Evergreen content: Once your content is published, it can work for you around the clock without any extra effort.

• Hands-off income: With affiliate tracking links in place, commissions can roll in while you sleep—even from content you haven’t touched in over a year.

My partner and I run over 50 affiliate websites. One of our maternity clothing sites, for example, hasn’t been updated in more than 18 months—and yet it still ranks #3 on Google and earns commissions every day.

You can build:

• Product comparison blogs that help readers choose between similar options.

• Niche webshops that pull in affiliate feeds and organize them by category.

• Review-based sites that rank for terms like “best budget planner” or “top productivity apps.”

The best part? These sites can be created anonymously—no personal brand or daily content needed. They just quietly work in the background, generating income from search-based traffic that doesn’t require your constant attention.

If you’re serious about affiliate marketing, skip the hype and start building assets that will work for you long after you hit publish.

Read here: How I Make $5,000/Month with Affiliate Marketing (No Website!)

Mistake 3: Selling high-trust products without an audience

This is where many well-intentioned entrepreneurs get stuck: trying to launch high-ticket offers, courses, or coaching packages without an existing audience. While the profit margins might look attractive, these products require a significant level of trust from potential buyers—trust that takes time, credibility, and consistent content to build.

Here’s the problem:

• People don’t spend hundreds of dollars with someone they’ve never heard of.

• If you don’t already have a warm, engaged audience, sales will be an uphill battle.

• You could spend months (or even years) developing a course, only to launch it to crickets.

The harsh reality is this: people buy high-ticket offers from people they follow, trust, and believe can deliver results. If you’re brand new to online business, this trust hasn’t been built yet—no matter how good your product is.

The Fix: Start with low-trust, high-demand digital products. These are simple, solution-based products that solve specific problems and require zero brand loyalty.

Why it works:

• A $10 template doesn’t require the same level of trust as a $500 coaching program.

• Buyers are focused on the product—not who you are.

• These purchases are impulsive and problem-solving, which leads to faster conversions.

Some examples of products that sell well without requiring a personal brand:

• Printable wedding invitations that buyers can customize and download instantly.

• Resume and cover letter templates that job seekers need right now.

• Business planners and productivity tools that help busy professionals stay organized.

These types of products solve real, everyday problems. They don’t require a launch strategy, webinar funnel, or email nurture sequence. They just need to exist where people are already searching—on platforms like Pinterest, Etsy, or digital marketplaces like Temzli.

If you’re just starting out, these low-barrier offers are your best way to make money while building trust behind the scenes. Over time, as your audience grows and your content gains visibility, you can always add higher-ticket products later.

Think of it like climbing a ladder. Digital downloads are the first few rungs—they get you off the ground and earning fast, so you can scale up sustainably.

Mistake 4: Trying to build a website from scratch

Another common misstep is believing you need to build a full website before launching your digital products. While having your own site is great long-term, it’s often the slowest and most overwhelming way to start earning online.

New websites take time to rank on Google. In the meantime, you’re stuck trying to learn SEO, build out pages, design graphics, write content, set up email marketing, and more. It’s a recipe for burnout.

A faster and far more practical way to get started is to launch your digital product business on Temzli—a growing marketplace designed specifically for creators of digital products. Temzli combines the best of Etsy’s built-in traffic with the control and freedom of your own website. It’s easy to get started on Temzli: for just $9.99/month, you can set up a shop, upload your digital products, and instantly get exposure to a marketplace full of buyers who are actively searching for digital downloads.

Unlike other marketplaces, Temzli doesn’t charge commissions or hidden fees. You keep 100% of your profits. Their setup is beginner-friendly, with an intuitive dashboard where you can add your branding, manage your products, and track your sales without needing any tech experience.

What sets Temzli apart is its focus on supporting creators. The platform actively promotes vendors, curates collections, and prioritizes discoverability. That means your products don’t get buried under thousands of listings like on other platforms. You have a much higher chance of standing out, even as a beginner.

To make the process even smoother, pair Temzli with the PLR Library. This powerful resource gives you access to 10–20 new digital products every month that are ready to sell. These aren’t just random templates—they’re backed by real market data, keyword research, trend reports, and buyer demand. You’ll know exactly what to sell, who to sell it to, and how to price it.

Each product comes in customizable formats like Canva and Notion, making it incredibly easy to personalize and brand. Whether you’re creating printable planners, social media templates, wedding invitations, or educational flashcards, the PLR Library gives you a head start—no design background required. For $29/month, it’s like having a product development and market research team at your fingertips.

Together, Temzli and the PLR Library eliminate the guesswork. You don’t need to spend months designing your own products or worrying about how to get people to your website. You can launch quickly, start making sales faster, and build confidence as you grow. It’s a streamlined path to building an online income that doesn’t rely on social media, paid ads, or overwhelming tech setups.

Open your shop on Temzli for $1 the first month →

Final Thoughts: You can succeed (If you play smart)

Making money online isn’t about luck. It’s about strategy. Most people fail because they’re following outdated advice, chasing viral content, and trying to sell products that aren’t aligned with where they are in their journey.

But you don’t have to make the same mistakes. You can start with simple, sustainable steps that generate real results. Focus on search-based platforms. Sell low-risk products. Launch on marketplaces. Use tools that reduce your workload instead of increasing it.

Ready to start? Take the quiz to find out which digital product fits your passion, or head to the PLR Library to get ready-to-sell products right now. The sooner you begin, the faster you’ll build momentum.

Let’s make 2025 the year you finally succeed at making money online—without the hustle, burnout, or guesswork.