Best online business ideas match your skills, strengths, and expertise.
Consulting, e-commerce, web design, and blogging are popular online businesses.
E-commerce is expected to grow as more consumers use digital platforms for personal and business needs.
This article inspires online business startups ideas.
Many aspiring entrepreneurs want to start a business, but finding an business idea and getting started can be difficult. Selling products and services online can offer startup entrepreneurs unique, affordable options. Matching your interests, strengths, and skills to a market need and a profitable online business idea is key.
Your product or service should meet a consumer need, whether you want to become a full-time entrepreneur or start a side business online. We’ve listed profitable online businesses with low startup costs that you can start quickly.
Tip:
Research your competitors, target customers, and business purpose before starting.
Quick-start online businesses
Online businesses allow entrepreneurs to make money anywhere. Online business ideas to get you started.
1. Consult online.
Consultants advise companies and individuals on business issues. Online consulting offers unlimited client reach and quick startup.
Small business like SEO, and social media consultants are popular online consultant opportunities.
Small-business consultants. Small business consultants help startups, and experienced entrepreneurs overcome challenges. Focusing on a business consulting niche increases your chances of success as a small business consultant.
SEO experts. Search engine optimization (SEO) consultants can make good money if they understand search engines and can use Google Ads and Analytics. Many small business owners need to pay more attention to SEO’s impact. Start your online SEO consulting business by teaching clients how SEO can improve their websites and conversion rates. Next, demonstrate to business owners how analytics data, strategic keywords, and content structure can increase organic web traffic.
Social media experts. As business uses social media more, social media consultants are in demand. Small businesses must manage social media marketing, while larger companies can hire an agency or full-time employee. As a social media consultant, you can help small businesses create content calendars, strategies, and tactics to reach their target audience. Their followers increase your business.
2. Niche-market e-commerce.
Even dollhouse furniture and organic dog food have an audience. Niche e-commerce sites reach customers looking for your products. Finding a business niche can help you stand out and establish your expertise. Develop an online store product using social media or consumer needs.
E-commerce businesses require web hosting with a shopping cart or e-commerce software. Worked with vendors to ship products to customers to simplify shipping. This reduces inventory.
3. Web design/development business.
Freelance website design may be right for creative digital professionals who love designing layouts, visual themes, font sets, and color palettes. Beginners can learn web design basics and tools.
Freelance web development may be your thing if you like coding. If you know HTML, CSS, or JavaScript and can think creatively, you can start a business by building attractive, easy-to-use websites for small businesses. Before starting your full-stack career, take a beginner’s web development course.
Help business owners improve their online presence with your technical and creative skills. Create a portfolio and website to attract clients.
4. Blog online.
Blogging can be profitable if you love writing or have important information.
Weebly and WordPress make business blogging easy. Success requires consistency and quality. You must write high-quality, useful content to build a following. Readers follow you if your content educates, informs, or entertains.
After mastering consistent content, you can sell online courses, digital coaching, e-books, and webinars on your blog. Sell ads or sponsored posts. It takes time to monetize this business strategy, but it’s profitable.
5. Virtually assist.
Do you manage tasks and organize well? Become a virtual assistant and use those skills. VA services usually involve data entry, travel arrangements, and phone calls. This field experience is ideal but optional.
TaskRabbit and Zirtual help VAs find work. They let you create an online profile, sign up for tasks like data research, virtual assistance, and basic errands, and build a clientele.
6. Affiliate marketer.
If you enjoy writing Amazon reviews, consider affiliate marketing. Many companies still get leads from word-of-mouth. Many companies will pay persuasive people to promote their products.
Affiliate programs vary in involvement:
Affiliate marketing. Unattached affiliate marketing is a pay-per-click campaign with little product involvement.
Affiliate marketing-related. Related affiliate marketing requires authority and content on the product, but you don’t need to use it.
Affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is most effective when you market a product you use and like.
Affiliate programs may be profitable if you have a popular website or social media account. PR reps always seek brand advocates and influencers to send free samples.
7. Remote tech support business.
Many small businesses need help to afford full-time IT staff. They call a computer-savvy friend or relative when their systems break. If you’re tech-savvy and have experience with computers and networks, you can offer immediate technical assistance via remote desktop software to avoid calling in a favor.
Many employers prefer experience and knowledge over technical degrees. Contact friends, family, and local businesses about their tech support needs to build your remote tech support business. Use Upwork for freelance tech support jobs.
8. Online handicraft sales.
Etsy and other handmade marketplaces make selling online easy for artisans. This is an option if you can make enough crocheted blankets or hand-painted glassware to sell online. Selling your unique craft on an e-commerce site is a good way to make money doing what you love at home.
This business idea has low startup costs business if you buy craft supplies in bulk. You can make money quickly by creating and selling your art online. Social media promotion helps local artisans succeed.
9. Develop apps.
People are paying more for smartphone apps to manage their lives. If you can code and have a great app idea, make one. You can also develop proprietary mobile apps for businesses.
SQL, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby on Rails, or iOS are required for both options.
Many software developers want to work with non-coders to create apps. App development may be profitable depending on your skills and situation.
10. Start an SEO company.
Google and Bing are ubiquitous, but they may only satisfy some users. Build a search engine for novices if you’re an expert in a field. You may have better luck if your search engine lets users specify subtopics and source types.
11. Start dropshipping.
Inventory management and storage may concern e-commerce site owners. You can dropship customer orders from an online store to a third-party retailer. Your dropshipping business will succeed if you sell items for more than the third-party retailer charges.
12. Online education or training.
Tutoring, creating and selling digital courses, and using YouTube for video-based education are all viable online education businesses.
Online tutoring. Classes don’t guarantee comprehension. Start an online tutoring business if you’re good at explaining things one-on-one and know a subject well. You can tutor remotely using Zoom or Skype. Consider budgeting for Craigslist and Fiverr ads in your business model.
Online training. Like tutoring, sharing your knowledge may benefit people worldwide. Starting an online business that sells written materials or other downloadable content for digital courses can be profitable.
YouTube tutorials. YouTube simplifies online education business startups. Upload videos of yourself teaching beginners or advanced subjects and promote your channel on social media. Monetize your videos as your audience grows.
13. Telecoaching business.
Telecoaching offers one-on-one instruction. One-on-one help may require more than lessons. Zoom or Skype coaching could help people improve their careers, diets, and lives.
Telecoaches give advice, guidelines, and support instead of exercises and grades. Your business blog or LinkedIn posts about coaching will make you seem more trustworthy and knowledgeable.
14. Online podcast network.
People starting podcasts and listening to their favorites have exploded in recent years. Start a podcast network to capitalize on this trend. You can populate the network with any podcasts you record, but if you allow others—friends or strangers from the internet—to contribute, your network will likely grow faster. Increase podcast download prices as your network grows.
15. Write tech.
Hired copywriters abound online. Still, few copywriters have the technical background to write an instruction manual for a large machine or accurately convey scientific results. Start an online technical writing business if you have a science background. To attract customers, advertise on LinkedIn, Fiverr, and others.
16. Write resumes.
Most people get resumes or cover letter help. Help job seekers with resumes and cover letters. To demonstrate your expertise, share your successful resumes, cover letters, and examples of others you’ve helped.
17. Online corporate counsel.
Lawyers advise and defend corporations. If you start an online corporate counsel consulting firm, you can help corporate employees manage their legal affairs without traditional lawyers’ high fees and time commitments.
To gain clients, you must show bar exam results. Make it clear that your business is entirely online. Your client will need a local lawyer if they go to court.
18. Startup advisor.
Many successful tech companies started as small startups that found the right business model. You can advise startups today. Help new businesses succeed with your corporate finance, software development, and other expertise. These startups will boost your business.
Online business startup advice
An online business startup is exciting but difficult. Choose a business name, get a federal employer identification number (FEIN), choose a legal structure, and insure your business.
To start an online business, follow these steps.
Choose a business or industry that matches your skills and interests.
Find a market gap-based business niche.
Market research and competitive analysis will determine product viability.
Learn online business laws.
Compare online store-building software before choosing one.
Create a comprehensive marketing strategy (website, email, SEO, social media, and local marketing).
2023 online business statistics
Online business has exploded worldwide. This trend is expected to continue as consumers connect with B2C and B2B providers online.
The pandemic promoted remote work and online businesses. Per U.S. According to the Census Bureau, e-commerce sales rose 43% in 2020 from $571.2 billion to $815.4 billion during the pandemic. In the second quarter of 2022, the Census Bureau reported that e-commerce made up 14.8% of sales.
This is global. Digital technology lets companies sell worldwide. According to the International Trade Administration, retail consumer goods sold via e-commerce accounted for 18% of global retail sales in 2020 and will reach 22% by 2024.
Online businesses can thrive with this growth.
Launch your online business.
Many profitable online businesses can replace or supplement other work for aspiring entrepreneurs. Successful online business owners must also master administrative tasks. Online businesses must choose a top credit card processor to accept multiple payment methods and satisfy customers.
Online retail and service demand is rising. Online entrepreneurs have many options.
