Online Business Ideas: Which of Them Takes Your Fancy?

19th December 2019

Starting an online business is a good idea for many reasons. For example:

You may be a stay-at-home mom looking for something to do, especially if it’s profitable.
You may be unemployed, so running an online business will take you out of that rut and give you a solid income base.
You may have a hobby you can turn into a profitable side-business, doing something you love while generating an income from it.

However, you do need to be prepared, so it is worth doing a little research beforehand. There are articles online that will give you advice on how to start your business, how to learn to use AdWords (PPC) Management, giving you marketing tips, and lessons in how to expand your small business using KPIs for business growth. It’s also worth talking to other people in business, gaining a few useful tips here and there from the benefit of their experience.

It’s also important that you also know about all of the tax laws in your country and if your not up to date with your knowledge then it’s important that you research it until you are. For example, do you know what wayfair Nexus is all about? It’s so important that you know exactly what you are legally accountable for so that it doesn’t come back to haunt you. Make sure you know all you need to know on sales tax compliance as soon as you are making money from any products.

Then ask yourself these two questions:

Do I have time to run a business?
What kind of online business should I start?

You will have to answer the first question yourself, taking into account your current family and work situation. For the second question, we have some ideas we think you will find useful. Here are our suggestions for an online business.

Bake cakes! Consider yourself a whiz in the kitchen, then beginning an online bakery is cheaper than setting up in retail. You will need a website (as you will with any online business), to enable you to showcase the culinary delights on offer. These folks did it, so why not follow their example.

Sell your craft. There are literally thousands of things you can sell online. We have covered cakes, but your skills may land in other directions. Sites such as Shopify, Amazon, and eBay are perfect places to sell your product, be it a t-shirt, woollen jumper, or wooden furniture. Again, your own website is a must as well, though you can link back and forth between the other retail sellers you use to sell your craft.

Become a published author. Remember that novel you were meaning to write but never had the time? Perhaps now is the time to give it a go. Now, while you could do down the publishing route, getting an agent and trying to find a publishing house to accept your work, you may take the easier route of self-publishing. It doesn’t have to be a novel, either, as short stories, tutorial guides, and other types of written work can all be published online using Amazon’s self-publishing tools (other eBook sellers are available). You will need to market yourself, but this is fairly easy when you have a social media account.

Start blogging. Now, you could blog for the sake of it, as you may love blogging as much as we do. You can write what you want, share your content with those who share similar interests as you, and enjoy the interaction with your readership. However, you can easily make money from blogging as well, be that from passive or active income. You probably have something to teach the world, so set up an account on Wix.com or WordPress and start your own blog today!

Design websites. If you have some skill with HTML code and have a fine eye for detail, you could be just what other businesses need. Provided your website cuts the proverbial mustard (don’t bother otherwise), you will have a glowing example of what you are able to produce. Contact other website owners directly (especially if it’s clear they need a bit of help), and advertise your services to business you know of in your local area. In time, you will have an impressive portfolio of businesses you have been able to help, giving your further credibility in the world of web design.

Write reviews! If you’re somebody who is forever leaving feedback on Amazon, and you enjoy writing about products you have bought, then affiliate marketing may be for you. Online and retail sellers benefit from people like yourself, and rely on the positive word of mouth you can provide. Now, you may need to be overly generous in your reviews when asked to promote a product (even if you hate the product in question), but if you have a creative way with words, and are looking for some extra cash, this is a great way to do it. You can probably keep the product too!

Become a YouTube celeb. You probably have a favourite YouTube channel yourself, and you may have posed the question, could I do what they do? The answer may be yes, provided you aren’t camera shy and you do have a way with words on screen. Now, you aren’t guaranteed to become as rich and famous as some modern YouTube celebs, but you will never know until you try. Start a vlog, review products (see above), talk about your cats, sing, or just waffle on incessantly and still make money! Check out these YouTube money-making basics to give you an idea on getting started.

Consider copywriting. Hire your services on sites such as Upwork, and make money from in a variety of ways, including writing articles for other people’s blogs, creating sales pitches, and formulating creative emails. You will need a compelling way with words, have some understanding of SEO practices, and have the stamina to write about subjects that don’t necessarily give you much of a buzz! However, this is an effective way to make money if you have the talent, and, considering the various subjects you are writing about, you will vastly improve your knowledge as well.

Coach others. Using Skype (or Facetime if you’re an Apple fan), you can coach others in a vast array of subjects. If you’re versed in a foreign language, you may be able to teach English to students studying in your country. If you have a particular skill with craft, you can take a class right from your very own living room. If you have a counselling qualification, you can help those in need from your armchair. You will need to set yourself up online, work out a payment system (PayPal is often the best method), and advertise your services so you build up a number of clients. You will also need time on your hands – your clients won’t appreciate it if you are offline at your designated appointment time.

Buy and sell. Using sites such as eBay and Amazon, you can sell virtually everything. You can also buy virtually anything as well, so you could make a profit by buying something cheaply, and selling it on at a higher price. Of course, you will be in competition with others, but you may source a real collector’s item that is unwittingly being sold at a cheap price, and benefit from the profit you make. Be sure to scout charity stores, warehouse clearances, and other retailers to grab that useful bargain.

Source

Offer your services. You can literally set yourself up to do anything. Clean houses, walk dogs, become a childminder, tend to gardens… the list is endless. By simply setting up a website (and marketing yourself), you can sell your services to others. Provided you are good at what you do, and reliable with your time, you can also get others to write testimonials to plaster over your website to inspire confidence in new customers.

So… what do you think? Do any of those online business ideas take your fancy? Some of them require time and patience; others are little more than a profitable side-hustle. And if you have any ideas of your own, please let us know in the comments!

This is a collaborative post.