The rate at which the word “Autopilot” is thrown about on the web is sickening.

You see things like Autopilot Facebook Cash, Autopilot Affiliate Formula, Autopilot Online Wealth Secrets, and so on.

And when you follow such links, you’ll mostly end up being asked to part with some money to get access to the “secret information” on how to set up your autopilot system for making money online even in your sleep or when you’re away on vacation.

Who doesn’t want that?

But before you click the next autopilot ad that pops in your face, read this post to the end to understand what making money on Autopilot really entails.

What the heck is autopilot?

In the online business world, autopilot refers to any strategy or system set up to automatically generate money for you with little or no effort on your part.

The term was borrowed from the aviation world, where it refers to a system used to steer an aircraft automatically without constant control by the pilot.

Though it’s sounds quite logical to liken an online business that makes money on its own to an aircraft that flies on its own, the truth is, the word has been ravished by most snake oil internet marketers.

autopilot

The myth

Making money online on autopilot is very easy. You need to invest very little effort. And you don’t need to invest one Naira (except for probably the money you spent on the e-book).

Once you’re ready to get started, just get your PC and connected to the internet, and follow the step-by-step instructions for setting up your autopilot system.

Don’t worry, it’s so easy that even a dummy can do it without help. And the whole process doesn’t take more than 2 hours at most.

After setting up the system, just sit back and watch as cash starts flowing into your account — even when you’re asleep. It’s really a set-it-and-forget-it-system. You don’t have to get back to it again, but it keeps fetching you money for life!

One popular system is the Adsense Magic System. Setting it up is very easy. Just create a new blog on Blogger.com. Then copy 10 to 20 posts from other blogs or from article directories. After two weeks, apply for your Google Adsense account.

Once you’re approved for Adsense, generate your ad codes and place them on the blog. And that’s it! Just sit back to watch your Adsense earnings soar. At the end of each month, you can receive your earnings via check or directly into your bank account.

If you think Adsense earnings are too meager, then set up the Autopilot Facebook Cash System, instead. This requires more steps, but it’s actually simple, too.

First, create a Facebook page and get people to like it. Once you have up to 100 likes, register with an affiliate program such as Amazon or Commission Junction. Then find a product that pays high commissions and generate your affiliate link for that product. Add the link to your updates on the Facebook page. Then sit back and watch your commissions soar as people buy the product through your links.

There are many other ways to make money online on Autopilot. It’s just a matter of having the right information and taking action.

Setting up autopilot systems can help you join the league of people like John Chow, Ewen Chia, Darren Rowse, Tom Ewer, and others. I mean, people who have attained financial independence and are lining the life of their dreams.

The bitter truth

Making money online on autopilot is quite possible. Yes, possible. But it’s not as easy as you might think.

Just so you know, the autopilot system in an aircraft won’t work on its own. So, it doesn’t replace a human pilot. It only assists the pilot in controlling the aircraft, allowing him to focus on other aspects of operation, such as communicating with the airport and monitoring the weather.

For an aircraft to fly on autopilot, you must have put in all the effort required to get it off the ground and stable in the air. And even after that, you need to monitor it closely to ensure that nothing goes wrong.

So, if you thought an aircraft’s autopilot system can fly the aircraft without a pilot or just by sensing that a pilot is seated in the cockpit, you’re dead wrong!

Similarly, no online business will fetch you money on its own without you having invested much time and effort. Your Adsense-monetized blog or Facebook page affiliate thing won’t earn jack if you’re not getting traffic — targeted traffic. And you can’t get that if you’re lazy.

Case 1

For a couple of months, I earned a decent commission each time someone buys Miracet (a quit smoking product) through the link on the niche blog I set up for the product. It was all fun while it lasted.

I always got the email titled “Markethealth sales notification” when I wasn’t expecting it. And each time, I earn either $25 or $50 depending on the quantity purchased. And at the end of the month, I get the commissions for that month on my Payoneer card.

But the truth is, I never started making money on that micro niche blog until after 2 months of setting it up. So, it wasn’t an overnight success; I had to be patient.

In addition, installing WordPress, setting up the blog, conducting keyword research, writing the two review articles on the blog, and optimizing those articles for relevant keywords all took me a few days. And I spent money, too; the domain name cost $10.

However, I never had to add anything to the blog after it started earning money. I just sat back and took my commissions each time they came in. That’s autopilot money-making in action. But it happened only after I invested time, hard work, and money.

Click here to read more about the micro-niche case study.

Case 2

Since I launched my e-book (How to Get Your Dream Job in Nigeria) in November 2013, I’ve made a lot of sales. In fact, I can’t remember how many copies I’ve sold. The current price of N1,500 is the least price I ever sold the e-book for. At first, I sold it for N3,000. I later reduced the price to N2,000, and then N1,500.

I smile each time I get a credit alert notification from my bank when someone pays for the e-book. Why shouldn’t I? I love money, and I want more of it (I don’t know about you). Though the e-book isn’t fetching me up to N100,000 per month, it’s consistently contributing its own quota to my monthly income.

Now, to the hard part: That e-book is a product of five weeks of research, writing, editing, formatting, and tweaking. And even after its launch, I spent several hours to days on marketing.

Financially, I invested as well. The cover design cost me N4,000. And I spent some money on advertising, too — N10,000 on Nairaland ads, N1,500 on Facebook ads, and around N5,000 on Google Adwords.

But since launching the book, I just did a minor editing that took me a few hours. Aside that, I’ve practically “forgotten about it.” I only get reminded of it when someone buys a copy. Selling the e-book has been cool. But I really invested a lot in order to make that happen.

Case 3

Before I started this blog, I never knew Ife Oluwatuyi. The first time he contacted me was when he requested that I help him review his make money online blog. I discouraged him from carrying on with that niche because I felt he’s not experienced enough to make headway in it. He heeded my advice and set up a natural health blog.

A few months after implementing some tactics I revealed on this blog, Ife was able to make his first affiliate commission — a whopping $90 from the sale of just one product through a blog that had less than 10 posts.

And since then, Ife had been earning affiliate commissions consistently from his blog. In fact, two months ago, Ife gave me $60 (N9,500) to show his appreciation for everything he has learned from me on this blog.

When Ife informed me of his first affiliate sale, I checked out his blog. He did his keyword research well. His posts were detailed, unique, and valuable. His blog’s design was simple and cool. And considering that it’s a WordPress blog, he must have spent some money on domain registration and hosting.

So, Ife’s consistent autopilot income is a result of heavy investment of time, money, and effort.

Bottom line

From the three examples, you can see that making money online on autopilot is quite possible. But it’s not as easy as many people describe it. If you really want to set up your own autopilot “cash machine”, you need invest money, effort, and time.

If you’re looking for a money-spinning autopilot online income system that takes just four hours or less to set up, you’re in for big disappointment. Even though such exists in the e-books of those desperate strugglers who are out to steal your money, it doesn’t exist in reality.

The guidelines for making money online have not changed: Find the right information. And take action the right way. Do otherwise … and you’re off track!