The internet is something the average American uses everyday and has become a huge part of communication, shopping, and daily needs. There is a lot of money to be made online, not only through digital merchants, but through the actual internet itself. If you're looking for ways to make money and own a piece of the internet pie, then there are four different options you can look into.

Like any investment, the following four options come with some risks, but they also give you the opportunity for ownership possibilities of the online world.

Domain Name Purchases

Domain names often have a lot of value. When the internet was first started, savvy users were able to purchase a variety of online domains and cash in big time when companies wanted to claim them. For example, the domain FB.com was sold to Facebook for $8.5 million. Beer.com ended up selling for around $7 million dollars. With some research and ability, you can turn domain ownership into investment gold.

• Future Trends: Being able to predict future trends can help you own domains that will be highly sought-out in the future. For example, a new trend like the "selfie" could lead to a big sale for websites like Selfies.com.
• Pop-Culture Items: Future movies, television shows, and music artists could rely on domain names that you own. Consider movies coming out in the next five or six years and possible domains that could draw a large purchase.
• Random Names: It may be a gamble, but you could turn random phrases and words into a domain heaven. Examples of hit domains with random names include Yahoo! and Zappos.

Purchase IPV4 Addresses

A lot of internet companies, domain names, and businesses operate using IP addresses. These addresses are the gateway to the internet and have a lot of value to them. This makes them a huge investment option not unlike gold or silver.

When you buy IPV4 addresses, you are purchasing a bulk section of IP addresses at a set price. When a buyer is interested, you will work with your broker to determine the final price for the addresses that the buyer wants. Once this process is started, you can begin a cycle of investing, researching, and making profits on every IPV4 address that you sell. Not only are these addresses available in America, but they can be purchased internationally to help expand profits too.

Internet Stock Options

Own a piece of the online world by purchasing shares of Internet companies. When an internet company goes public, they make stock options available to the general stock market. By purchasing shares you can own a piece of the company and gain money when the stocks rise.

When purchasing internet stocks, there are multiple options. The first is a credible company. This is an internet company that has been around for several years. The initial cost of the stock will be more expensive, but the value can rise over time. The second option is to purchase stock in a newer company. These companies will have cheaper stocks, but could hold more risk. Follow tips and complete research before making any kind of large investment.

Investing in Start-Up Companies

Instead of purchasing stock with a company, you can invest directly with a start-up company. Along with possible stock options, an early investment in a company can give you equity in the company and the potential to earn your investment back quickly. If you do not know any start-up companies personally, you can find a variety of start-ups looking for investments online.

Crowd funding websites offer a lot of information and showcase new companies, but they also rely a lot on angel investors instead of giving out equity for the investment. Complete your research, set budget goals, and determine what online companies could have the most success.

Everything with money has a risk, but the rewards can also be worth it in the end. Do as much research as possible and seek financial advice to complete deals as needed.