Applying Internet Marketing Basics To Earn Money Online

There must be over a million marketing and advertising sites on the internet who promise that if you purchase their product or services, that your website will will be optimized for the search engines and enable you to earn money online!  If it were that easy, wouldn't everyone be  rich by now?  Exactly... 
So what does it really take to have a chance at online success?  Are you wondering what are the basics and what really works?  And which programs and platforms are really worth the investment of time and money?