Five different ways websites can generate revenue. While this simple economic aphorism seems to have been forgotten in the world of cyberspace, it holds true as much today as it ever has.
First lets establish the fact that no site is free - every web site costs money.
The web site is stored on a computer, uses web server software, accesses telecommunication resources, and must be maintained. Someone must pay for the computers, software, telecommunication charges, and time. The omnipresent cost either comes from your pocket or some benevolent benefactor. The cost and potential revenue constitutes a business model. A public site offered by a library, school, or university has a business model.