10 Easy Ideas for an Online Business Startup

Running and maintaining an online business successfully can never be easier, especially today, where many people are connected to the internet and own smartphones. Indeed, starting a business online comes with the added advantage of being able to reach more potential customers.

Additionally, an online business carries fewer risks and lower overheads than a brick-and-mortar store, which requires heavy capital investment in rent or lease payments, maintenance, and utility fees.

As the owner, you will also gain from the freedom to work the online business from anywhere across the globe, something that surpasses the constraints of working an 8-hr shift in an office setting. 

Given that the smartphone market is increasingly driving the eCommerce business, there is no other better time to start an online business than today – learn more on how to start one.

Here are easy ideas to get you started.

1. Ad management business

If you are a pro in understanding the mechanics of paid advertising, you can start an ad management business.

Many businesses lack the expertise or even the time to understand how to drive traffic to their websites, re-target their sales funnel, or optimize their conversions.

An ad manager’s services will continue to be on-demand, especially now that many businesses are using ads on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Google to drive sales. eMarketer reports that between 2019 and 2023, digital ad spend in the US will increase by 19% to $129.34 billion. Given the dominance of mobile phone usage, digital ad spending will account for more than two-thirds of the total media spending.

If you understand how you can help businesses manage digital ads to improve customer engagement, attraction, and lead conversion, then you should study and learn all the intricacies of the ad market. You can then start an online business on the same and market your services. 

2. Coaching business

If you’re an expert in a given area, let’s say business, investment, or health and fitness, then you can start an online business coaching people on what to do and how to do specific things to derive success.

For instance, as a business coach, you can educate people on market forces and factors that drive buying behavior. The goal is to give your audience something of value, which they pay for. People like Frank Kern and Oliver Talamayan are successful business coaches who understand how to effectively execute their sales pitch.

To start an online business coaching people, consider delivering a service successfully for free or at cheap rates. Then get powerful testimonials from your first clients, which you can use to instill confidence and trust in new customers. You can then raise your rates as your credibility grows.

3. SEO consultant

Websites can attract traffic either by paid ads or by organic and relevant keyword-sensitive content on search engines, such as Google.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) allows you to insert organic search keywords on your posts, enabling your website to rank better on Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP).

Many site owners and online marketers give priority to SEO, and as the internet continues to grow and expand, SEO consultancy is becoming a lucrative online business. This role entails educating companies on how to use SEO to transform their web content and design and improve their conversion rates.

To start you off on the journey to becoming an expert SEO consultant, you should study and learn marketing skills around areas of data analytics, strategic keywords, and content alignment.

The Beginner’s Guide to SEO by Moz is a good starting point if you want to learn digital marketing skills for your online business start-up.

Also read: What are 5 Important Tips in Starting a Business?

4. Social media consultant

As social media (SM) evolves, many businesses are finding it challenging to keep up and capitalize on its potential. While larger enterprises have employees to manage their social media marketing, small businesses may be running on a tight budget. They may also be too busy or may lack the expertise to run an effective social media strategy.

The lack of a robust social media strategy can lower the organization’s exposure on the internet, leading to low customer engagement, low traffic, and poor sales.

As a social media fanatic, you can start an online business to help such companies to manage their analytics reports and graphics on their SM pages. This role also entails advising firms on the best tactics and posting schedules to observe for their target audience.

Platforms, such as Instagram, Snapchat, and Pinterest, may be particularly challenging for businesses, yet they have huge consumer audiences.

As a social media consultant, you can make a career advising businesses on how to use and how to make these SM channels work for their brand.

Related: 10 Easy Ideas for an Online Business Startup

5. Develop and sell domains

Buying and selling domain names takes a little time and investment. You can start an online business where you buy domains from Domain.com, Bluehost, GoDaddy, Namecheap, or other domain registrars then resell them at a profit.

To understand which domain names are popular, you can visit domain auction sites, such as Afternic.com, Domainlore.uk, or Sedo.co.uk.

Lists with terminated or expired domain names (check expireddomains.net) can also give you an idea of which domains people are likely to buy most. When you insert your desired keyword, this site will show you the domain options available.

This guide will teach you how to make money online by flipping domains.

6. App & website development

If you’re good at developing apps, you can start an online business where you design and sell apps to end-users or other companies.

This guide will take you through the process of developing mobile apps.

Companies are continually trying to improve and upgrade their websites to improve customer attraction and sales. Indeed, trends show that many businesses and individuals are shifting to websites or web apps – today, more than 200 new sites are launched every minute.

As a web developer, you can start a business online offering the following services:

• Artificial intelligence (AI) – companies need AI in web development for improved customer satisfaction and productivity.
• Push notifications – companies use push notifications to encourage site visitors to take action and to notify customers of new offers, promotions, and content.
• Motion user interface (UI) – on average, human beings’ attention span stands at 8 seconds. The increased use of highlighted anchor texts and links in web pages, social media, and smartphones demands the skills of web developers. These experts can integrate intuitive motion UI and eye-catchy graphics into a website to capture visitors’ attention and to keep them engaged. 
• Voice search integration – people are increasingly using voice search on devices like Alexa, Cortana, and Siri. Indeed, statistics show that more than 20% of Google’s mobile searches happen on ‘voice.’ This trend indicates that web developers will continue to be on-demand to provide users with easier ways to browse the web.
• User-friendly mobile designs – many people are now using smartphones and tablets to browse the web. This trend creates an opportunity where web developers can design responsive and mobile-friendly websites.

Also read: Which Business is Best for Beginners? – Top 5

7. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is a common practice that people use to monetize their blogs and videos.

You become an affiliate by registering with companies running Affiliate programs, after which they allow you to integrate their product or service links on your posts. When site visitors click on these links, you get paid a certain commission either per click or for every closed sale.

Affiliate marketing is an easy and lucrative online business to start, but you need to keep people visiting your site to make money. Still, your content should be engaging, useful, consistent, and genuine to readers or viewers. 

8. Start and run a blog 

As a blogger, what makes you stand out is the quality of your niche and content.

You should post your content consistently to garner many followers eager to learn or be informed or entertained. Once you master the art of publishing quality content, you can monetize your blog by selling products or services, such as online courses, digital coaching, webinars, or e-books.

You can also partner with sites like Google, Amazon, or software developers to sell ad space on your website at a commission.

Blogging can take time to earn you a steady flow of income, but it is rewarding when you’re passionate and consistent.

Also Read: Tips for Better Money Management

9. Produce online videos

As the third-largest site across the globe, YouTube is a lucrative platform where you can publish videos and workshops. Indeed, YouTube has more than 2 billion users, watching hundreds of millions of hourly videos each day.

To start an online-video business, you will need skills, such as video production, video editing, and doing yourself in (DIY) tutorials.

You can also learn strategies to leverage YouTube videos to maximize views on your channel. You can run how-to videos or informational content on an area of interest.

Remember to keep your content useful, engaging, short, and interesting. Learn more on how to make interactive marketing videos.

Once you create a YouTube account, you can enable it for monetization (under YouTube settings), allowing Google to publish AdSense on your posts. Ad clicks by viewers earn you revenue.

You can also make money by building a large following by publishing quality videos on your YouTube channel. When you’ve many followers, you attract companies who pay to have their products and services promoted in your videos.

You can create simple, but professionally made videos using a video camera or your smartphone. Check that the audio is clear and edit it using simple tools like iMovie.

Funny, engaging, useful, and interesting video content will drive more followers than a slick, but dull video. 

10. Remote service provider

Many small companies don’t have IT personnel to support when their systems go down. Instead, they call in favors from friends or relatives to help resolve technical issues.

If you’re an expert in computer networks, you can provide immediate remote technical support services to such businesses.

You can start off with small or local businesses run by friends and family, enabling you to build your experience and knowledge, which you can use to market your online business to bigger clients.

TimeLive Web Timesheet Premium Version (50 Users)

You can also register and apply for freelance tech support gigs on platforms, such as Upwork.

Many small and start-up firms are cutting their costs by outsourcing sales functions, such as cold-calling and telesales. You can leverage this trend by starting an online business where you sell remote sales team services. You can sell highly-targeted sales pitches or consumer-related data.

You can also start a remote customer service agency where you help people and businesses on issues you’re knowledgeable about. You can help people via chat, email, phone, video, among others.

Also Read: 5 Tips on How to Invest Money Wisely

More Ideas to Start a Business Online

You might also be interested in these other easy and tested ideas:

• Bug tester – learn more at BugFinders and CrowdSourceTesting
• Graphic designer – Learn more here
• Lead generator – learn more here
• Content curator – learn more here 
• Hand-made crafts seller – learn more here 
• Sell photos – learn more here
• WordPress theme designer 
• Translator
• Self-published author 
• CV writer
• Speechwriter
• Editor or proofreader 

Conclusion

Starting and running a business online comes with many benefits, including financial and time freedom.

You can start yours today, be it publishing online videos, ad marketing, affiliate marketing, or blogging. The thing that stands out among all is that you need to master your skill by investing in learning about the business you’re about to start, doing the business consistently, offering quality products or services, and monetizing your ideas.

Some ideas will take long to earn you a consistent income, but they’ll surely pay off if you keep working on them. The age of smartphones and the internet has never been riper. It is even better to start now as more and more businesses and consumers are meeting online.

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