What are
the top online business ideas to start from home? What are the best small web
based business opportunities? Do you want to learn what it takes to start a
business on the internet with no money? Then, I advice you read on.
It
is no longer news that the world is filled with business opportunities and
startup business ideas but unfortunately; not everyone can see such opportunities.
Bill Gates once said that: “if your
business is not on the web, then your business will be out of business,”
and i believe this statement is the truth in its entirety.
The
internet is the next big thing because of the massive leverage it offers the common
man. Youngsters and high
school or college drop outs like Bill
Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Michael Dell,
etc have gone on to become billionaires starting from scratch.
Now
there are lots of business opportunities online, but the question is: which is
the best for you. So in this article, I will be reviewing some successful
internet business ideas and in the end; I will discuss the best online business
ideas for beginners to start.
However
before I proceed, I want you to understand that this list of business ideas
does not in any way replace the need for you to conduct feasibility study on the
ideasand write
a business plan.
Secondly,
I want you to know that you can start an online business from anywhere in the
world; provided you have an internet connection. So whether you are in
Philippines, Nigeria, USA, UK, Canada, India, etc; you will still find this
information useful. Without wasting your time, below are the top 40+ online
business ideas and opportunities to start from home.
Starting an Online Business: 3 Crucial
Factors to Consider
As
an entrepreneur running a business both online and offline, I believe I can
authoritatively answer this question. Now before you start pondering on the
best online business ideas and opportunities to start, I want to make a point
and that is:
“There’s
nothing like the best online business idea or opportunity. So it will be in
your best interest to stop searching for it. Rather, you should channel your
strength on concentrating on just one business model and strive to do your best
in it.”
Now
how do you pick this business model that suits you and still make you money?
Well, the three points below will help you make that decision.
“Passion
is what keeps you going when the going gets tough.” – Warren Buffett
It’s
quite good to go into a business that shows high potential but it’s more
advisable to go into a business you are passionate about. Business is a risk
and things don’t always go the way we plan.
One
of the reasons most people jump from one business opportunity to another is
because they aren’t following their passion. Take a look at the biggest and
best businesses in the world; from Microsoft, Apple, Oracle, McDonald’s,
etc and you notice that they were businesses built around the passion of their
founders. So if you are looking for the best online business ideas to start,
then consider starting something you are passionate about. Enough said.
b. Find a
business that you are willing to learn and stick to
Knowledge
is the foundation of every business; not capital. And every business industry
has some inside secrets, strategies and tactics that you will never find out
except you are involved in the industry. So when searching for the best
internet business ideas, seek opportunities and ideas that you are willing to
learn and stick to. Success is not an overnight adventure; it’s the result of
continuous effort.
Lastly,
I consider the best business opportunity as one that will provide a valuable
service, makes you money and can run with minimal effort on your part. I am
talking about businesses that once they stabilize, they can run on autopilot.
Offering services might not be the best because it would require your efforts
full time and to increase your profits, you have to increase your work time or
hire more helping hands.
Top 40+ Online Business Ideas and Opportunities to Start
from Home
1.
Affiliate marketing
The first venture you can start online is to own your own
affiliate store. To become an affiliate marketer means that you be promoting
other people’s products and services. Whenever there is a sale, you will get a
commission and the most interesting fact here is that you don’t even need a
dime of your own to start it and you get to partner with some of the biggest
companies in the world.
If you have a particular subject that interests you and you are
passionate about it, then you can start a blog around such topic. Blogging is
one of the fastest growing business trends on the web and the sweetest thing is
that it is an information based business.
So no worries about technicalities, programming, etc. You also
don’t need to invest a dime to get started as there are free platforms you can
utilize like Blogger, TypePad, Joomla and WordPress.
3.
Auction selling –eBay
This business involves selling or reselling products (using
goods, purchase and reselling of wholesale goods, using drop-shipping) on an
online market place like Ebay, Amazon Auction or Craigslist.
4. Online
Beading Store
If you love beading, and you have beading skills, you can launch
an online business that will not only focus on selling the coolest beads on the
web, but also offer video tutorials on how to make beads.
5. E-Book
Publishing
If you love writing and you possess some marketing skills, then
you can venture into information marketing. In this situation, your business
will be to identify people’s problems and provide a solution in the form of an
ebook.
6.
Do-It-Yourself program
Just as the green revolution is on, the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) movement is also on. As
the economy gets tighter, people are spending less and they are learning to do
things themselves to save money. You can still take advantage of this situation
and position yourself as a DIY expert and start publishing tutorials on how to
fix things, install gadgets and make repairs.
You can also start a company online that connect advertisers to
websites who wants to host advertisements. The key responsibility of an Ad
Network is the aggregation of Ad space supply from publishers and matching it
with advertisers demand.
8.
Website flipping business
You
can start buying and selling websites for a profit. To understand this business
model, just consider yourself a real estate entrepreneur; who buy houses at a
low price, renovates the house and resells at a higher price for a profit. You
can begin by checking out websites that are listed on Flippa.com to understand
how this business works.
Yes,
you can set up an e-commerce or retail store online and you can start this
online business from home without even owning a single product. You can sell
virtually anything ranging from books, clothes and electronics to household
item through wholesale drop shipping or by setting up an affiliate store with
Amazon or EBay.
Yes,
you can research on people’s problems and needs; then all you have to do is to
come up with a solution, package it in an eBook, video or audio format and you
are in business. In fact, the over head startup cost for this business is so
low that anybody can do it. To have an idea on hottest selling information
products, I will recommend you visit Clickbank.com
Online Business ideas that Yield’s Passive Income Even
While You Sleep
One
thing about a web hosting reselling business is that the market is a bit
saturated; but I don’t believe a market can be saturated if you can be creative
and focus on a specific niche. But the good side of this business is that it
can run on autopilot; once you have put in the initial effort and gotten some
clients, you are set.
14.
Membership sites
If
you are an expert in your industry, then you should definitely think of
starting a membership site. A membership website is a site that offer “specific
information” to people; all for a monthly recurring fee. A successful
membership site can generate income monthly without you lifting a finger.
One
of the best online businesses you can start today is a blog. The downside of a
blog is that it’s not a short term profit maker; but it can bring you fortunes
and fame. Owning a blog network is definitely not an easy thing to do, but it
can be done. However, it’s advisable you start from only one blog. Once your
blog or blogs are up and running, you can enjoy steady streams of passive
income.
Profitable Web Based Services Business Ideas and Opportunities
to Start
To build a successful business online around service provision;
you need nothing but specialized knowledge or skill and thorough understanding
of how the internet works. Your overhead can be kept low by operating your
business from home. In fact, providing business services on the internet can be
started from home with zero capital. All you need is core expertise and you are
good to go. You can get such expertise by attending seminars and workshops,
reading books and practicing on your own.
Growing an online service business is quite easy because of the
ease of referral; and the automation of several processes. Marketing your
business expertise online is quite cheap and can even be done for free; if you
know how to go about it.
16.
Programming Services
With the growing demand for software, applications and plugins; offering programming services is
definitely a business to beat because of the steady demand. But a
downside to offering programming service is that it requires specialized
knowledge that doesn’t come easy. If you are patient enough to learn the ropes
of programming; you are sure of a steady supply of contracts. Remember that Larry
Page, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison and Mark Zuckerberg started out as programmers.
17. Web
Copywriting
Web copywriting is a service business you can start today and
begin to make money because of insufficient copywriters on ground. Affiliate
marketers and info product marketers will be your major clients because they
are always on the look out for possible ways to increase the clickthrough rate,
subscription rate and conversion rate of their websites. If you have a passion
for playing with words; then you can start a web based business
offering web copywriting services.
The next web based service business opportunity you can start
today is to provide virtual assistance to web entrepreneurs. Your duty will be
to carry out assigned tasks that your client considers cumbersome or
not-too-relevant.
19. Web
Design
Web design is an online service business that has been around
for quite long; yet, the market is not saturated. With an ever growing demand
for websites, forums and blogs; the momentum for web design services will never
die down. To
get started as a web designer, all you need are some artistic
talents, programming knowledge and time. As you design your websites, you must
ensure you build your portfolio and look forward to having
additional clients through word of mouth.
The most exciting fact about offering web design services is
that you don’t need to know how to design a website or blog; all you need to do
is to master the automated web design software made available online and you
are in business.
20. Blog
Installation
Blogging is the latest craze online. Every Dick and Harry now
maintains a blog; and a lot more people desire to own one or two but
unfortunately, not many people understand the technicality involved with
installing a blog and they are not willing to learn it. If you are good at blog
installation; then you can offer it as a service and I bet that you will smile
to the bank daily.
The battle to be on the first page of Google is getting hotter
by the day. Companies are now paying huge sums of money to search engine
positioning experts to help increase their pagerank. Do you
know how to get a web page to rank in the top ten search results of Google?
If yes, then you have a money minting skill on hand. Aside providing search engine
optimization services; you can actually build a successful business around this
single service, big time.
As the craze for social media content increases; so also does
the competition for social media attention by big company increases, thereby
increasing the need for social media marketers. Do you know how to make a
content go viral on social media? Can you build a strong brand presence on
social media? Have you mastered the intricacies of social networking? Then
become a social media consultant and you are in for cool cash.
23. Web
Promotion
There are hundreds of millions of websites on the internet; and
each of these websites seeks publicity. You can start a business as a web
promotion expert and make money online. If you can effectively promote a
website without spending much on advertising; you have a good business on hand.
24. Ebook
Cover Design
Ebook publishing is on the rise; so also is the demand for
quality eye catching ebook covers or product covers. The good thing about
starting an ebook cover design business is that you don’t need to have
knowledge of graphic design or Photoshop. The process of creating an ebook
cover is now automated with the use of ebook cover design software.
One of the most outsourced online business processes is content
creation and written content happens to be one of them. In fact, ghost writing
as a service business is so broad that you can fill it all. Do you have a passion for writing? Then start
a business offering ghost writing services to individuals and companies. You
specialize on guest blogging for clients, article writing, ebook writing or
freelance writing.
Do you have an eye for spotting grammatical errors? If yes, then
you can make money online by offering proofreading services to online
publishers.
27.
Internet Press Release Services
The demand for free publicity will always be on the increase as
long as there’s competition in business. Imagine getting on the front page or
home page of a high traffic media website without spending a dime; that’s the
power of press releases. If you are good at writing press releases and also
submitting them; then you are in business.
28.
Website Appraisal
Just as businesses are bought and sold offline; so also are
websites bought and sold online. You can become a website valuation expert and
offer appraisal services to website developers (virtual real estate
developers).
29.
Website Critique
Are you good at website
optimization? Can you help internet business owners increase their conversion
rate simply by overhauling a website? Then you can critique
websites for cash. I know several entrepreneurs that have built successful
online business by offering landing pages and squeeze page makeovers. You can
do the same.
30.
Blogger to WordPress services
Most blogs are hosted on Google’s free blogging platform Blogger;
but bloggers are switching over to WordPress because of its usability and
features. The only fear of moving from one blogging platform to another is that
you may lose your content and pagerank.
Most bloggers don’t want to go through this nightmare, so the
reliance on blogger to WordPress service providers. If you can switch from
blogger to WordPress and vice versa without a loss of pagerank or content; then
you have a profitable business on hand.
31. Web
Development
Web development goes beyond web design; it encompasses website
critique, forum installation, eCommerce site development and specialized
website building. This is a profitable business opportunity; though it’s
capital and time intensive, it’s a guaranteed money maker.
32. Joint
Venture Brokering
You can start a web business around offering joint venture
brokerage services. If you have the capacity to link product creators with
marketers in any niche; I don’t see anything that stops you from starting a
joint venture brokerage business.
33. Lead
Generation Services
Do you know how to generate
leads online? Then you can help businesses build their mailing lists. Most
internet marketers attest to the fact that the money is in the list and they
are willing to do anything to have this list. You can start a lead generation
business and charge either per lead or on a bulk basis (per 1,000 lead).
34. Niche
Research services
One of the best web based business services to offer is a niche
research service. This is a business that requires you to spot online trends
and niches before the rest of the crowd discovers such. It also entails digging
deep to discover ignored or overlooked niches. If you are well grounded in
online business research; then you can start a business online researching
upcoming trends and niches, and selling these business trends to internet
entrepreneurs and investors.
35.
Software / Script Installation services
The last web based business service you can offer internet
business owners for cash is software / script installation. Most people desire
to start a social networking site, forum, eBookstore and so on but they don’t
know how to go about it.
Some of these entrepreneurs have even taken a bold step ahead to
purchase the necessary software or script needed to power their desired site;
but they don’t know how to go about the installation. I have seen several small
businesses that charge $97 for installations that don’t take more that 20
minutes to implement. If offering script installation service thrills you; then
you can learn the rudiments of script installation.
If you know your way around the web and you are good at digging
up people’s profile, then you can become a contract staff agent to some
companies. Your duty is to go online and search for the right candidates for
specific positions within a company and the company will pay you when the hire
is made.
As a final note, I want it to sink into your skill that you can
become a successful entrepreneur simply by taking advantage of any of the web
based service business opportunities listed above. All you need is the right
knowledge, the right marketing skill and determination. Once these three keys
are locked in synergy; the sky will be your starting point.
37.
Consultancy
You can be a consultant to business people
online, and your task is to keep informing them of the latest or new
developments within their industry.
A resume writing service can make a big internet home business,
especially during economic difficult times and in areas where unemployment rate
is very high.
Getting used to software, meeting deadlines, and making yourself
popular online are the keys to launching a desktop publication
home businesses. While some desktop publishers would like to meet
clients in person and serve their local neighborhood market, a desktop
publisher who renders services through the internet will have a much broader
market to work on.
Additionally, working this business online permits you to show
case prospects samples of your work and to publish testimonies from your
satisfied clients/customers.
40.
Internet marketing services
Assisting people to drive customers to their websites can be an
excellent online business with a strong profit potential. Doing business on the
web is quite tough because things change so fast online, so it will be your job
to help the online entrepreneurs keep up with the ever changing trend.
Example of services you can offer include pay-per-Click (PPC)
advertising services, blog marketing services, article marketing services,
guest blogging, link building service, etc.
41.
Graphic design
There are lots of graphic designers on the web. So if you have
plan to succeed in this area online, serving a particular target audience will
be your best friend. Suppose you are specialized with fashion and you have a
good graphic design skill, you
can try your hand at launching an online graphic design firm that focuses on graphic design for
fashion designers. You can also choose to focus on infographic designing, ebook
cover design, etc.
Sometimes, life could be complicating thus requiring a little
correction or encouragement for an individual along the way. If this sometimes
appeals to you, you can consider launching an online business that tackles just
one aspect of life’s most common challenges. For instance, if you are naturally
born cupid, you can be a dating coach. Or if you know how to get things done,
you can be an effective coach to assist others to quit procrastinating.
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