
So, you want to start an new business? Or maybe you are just looking for an opportunity to make money on the internet?
First, you need an online business idea to get you started, or just to know what opportunities are available.
Maybe you already have a website or internet business, but you just want to make a little more money online?
A few years ago, I was in exactly the same position.
Hated my job. Hated the commute. Hated where I worked. It was seriously time for a BIG change.
That was when I discovered the world of online business.
There are so many opportunities available on the internet today! It’s actually a great time to be alive.
Starting an online business has never been easier, cheaper or faster.
And in this post I want to show you all the opportunities and ideas possible to start a online business or just make money online.
On top of that – I am going to give you
- ideas for online businesses you can create (from small to large)
- loads of helpful articles to provide further info
- tonnes of resources to go with each idea
- tips and tricks from people who have done it already
There is not bigger or better guide to finding your first online business idea on the internet
(if there is please send it to me).
The BIGGEST AND BEST Guide to Finding Your Next Online Business Idea #blog #smallbiz
Online Business Ideas & Opportunities To Get Your Started
There are a lot of things you need to do when thinking about starting an online business.
One of the first you should seriously think about is how you are doing to make some money in the short term.
When I started out, I was making diddly squat (aka nothing) for about a year. And if you have mouths to feed, a mortgage to pay, or even just rent – that ain’t gonna fly!
So, if you want to start an online business and replace your income, finding ways to make money fast is more important than playing the long game..
As you flick through all the options below have a think about the following:
- what can you do to make money fast (replace your job)
- what do you want to do long term
- what skills, knowledge do you have to offer the world
- what are your passions
However, even keeping all that in mind remember:
There is no right internet business idea or opportunity.
There is only what works for you.
How To Use This Online Business Idea Guide
The depth and breadth of what I have included here is kind of insane. Sorry about that, but I wanted to give you ALL the options!
So use the index below to jump to sections that appear most relevant to you and start flicking through all the options. Then, when you have found an idea that resonates, jump into the resources and websites listed. (and read the pro tips too).
Want to share this infographic with your audience?
Just copy the text in the box below and it will appear like magic on your website!
[thrive_leads id=’11954′]Blogging seems to be one of the most popular and easy ways to get into the online business world.
So, in this section I want to give you some ideas of the types of blog monetization methods you can use, and how to implement them. It is actually not as easy as it seems, so some helpful tips and expert advice will certainly go a long way to help you make money from your blog.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to make money as a website owner or blogger.
The Idea: Promote other people's products on your website, and receive a commission when someone buys the product via your website/link.
The Methods: There are so many ways to do affiliate marketing, so I will just list the basic ideas below. You can then take get creative and promote products however you see fit.
- Write product reviews
- Write product comparisons
- Show case studies of how the product helped you (or someone else)
- Promote the product to your email list
Resources:
- 7 Big Mistakes New Affiliate Marketers Make (marketingland.com)
- Best Affiliate Marketing Programs That Pay (trafficgenerationcafe.com)
- Affiliate Marketing Strategy (smartpassiveincome.com)
- 17 Articles to Read Before You Start Affiliate Marketing (monetizepros.com)
- 5 Ways To Create A Profitable Affiliate Site (nichehacks.com)
- How To Make Money From Clickbank (authorityhacker.com)
- 17 Affiliate Marketing Tips that Still Work in 2016 (authorityhacker.com)
Expert Tips

If you get involved in affiliate marketing, you'll get the best return on sharing damn good products and solve a particular need.
Organic search traffic usually converts best but ranking for keywords that can drive affiliate revenue isn't always easy. Reviews and list posts can work well but every niche is different.
Detailed content wins over thin content.
Ultimately you need to select products that will convert (if their sales page sucks, alarm bells should ring) but the product needs to be up to par.
Ask yourself this: would I write about this product if I wasn't an affiliate? If you answer no - then you probably shouldn't include it. If the answer is yes, then you've probably got the right product.
Adam Connell
Websites: BloggingWizard And UKLinkology
Twitter: @adamjayc
Sponsored Blog Posts
Once you start to get a following and a bit of a name for your blog, you may get approached (or even do the approaching) to write about products on your website.
The Idea: Companies realise the power of blogging and want ot leverage your trusted audience to get the product promoted. They will pay you (or offer you gifts, services etc) in exchange for a blog post about their product.
The Methods: This is quite simple. You have to write a blog post about their product. But, I would add a few details as follows
- Only review products you have used (otherwise you look silly)
- Only review products you would recommend to your audience (otherwise it is not good for you, your audience or the company asking)
- Make sure what you are "delivering" for the company is clear, and in writing before you move forward with the project (eg. what you will products, that you won't lie to make them look good etc)
The amount of money or goods you can get for such a post depends very much on your industry, your following and the company that approaches you. My advice: aim high, and be prepared to compromise. And, ask advice of others in your niche if you can, to help get an idea of what you and your time is worth.
- The Ultimate Guide To Sponsored Blog Posts (thebloghelp.com)
- An example of how to create a page on your blog (lifeyourway.net)
Sponsored Reviews Websites
Yes, very similar to sponsored blog posts, but this one is a very specific kinda post.
In this case, the process, payment and expectations are more controlled and negotiated via specific websites
Websites:
Influencer Marketing Campaigns
Working with influencers (aka bloggers with big audiences) has become a big marketing tool for many brands and companies. Using bloggers pre-earned audiences to gain access to customers in a specific niche is indeed a very smart and popular idea.
So there are many companies around who are willing and happy to work with and pay bloggers (or just social media superstars - more on that further down) to gain access to their audience.
The exact mechanics of the process, agreement, requirements, payment etc vary a lot, so you really need to do your research. However, you must at the very least have a reasonably large audience and/or an active one.
Resources:
- How Can Brands Work With Creator-Influencers (adage.com)
- We Talked To Snapchat Star Evan Garber About Influencers And Working With Brands (socialmediaweek.org)
Sell Your Own Ads
Most people think of Google Adsense when they think of advertising on websites, but there are other options.
The Idea: If your website has a big enough (or passionate enough) audience, many advertisers/businesses will want to work with you to get access to them.
The Method:
Set up an "Advertise with us" page on your website detailing what you offer and the kinds of traffic and followers you have on your website. Put things on this page such as
- Traffic (Check Google Analytics for monthly unique views and pages per view)
- Alexa Rank
- Ad positions and sizes
- Cost per ad per month
Resources:
- Have You Considered Selling Ads Directly From Your Blog (entrepreneurs-journey.com)
- How To Sell Ads On Your Blog (blogmarketingacademy.com)
- How And When To Sell Ads On Your WordPress Website (elegantthemes.com)
- How to set up an Advertise page on your blog (mybloggingjourney.com)
- An example from Michael Hyatt on selling ad space (michaelhyatt.com)
- How To Sell Direct Advertising On Your Blog (alexisgrant.com)
Sell Ad Space Via A Website
If you don't want the hassle of selling ads yourself, but you still want to make some money from selling space on your site, then an Ad broker
The Idea: Sign up to the relevant websites and list your ad space
The Method:
Find relevant websites to put your ad space for sale on, and once it is set up, it all runs automatically.
Here are a few ad websites to get you started:
Google Adsense
This is so popular, I had to break it out into its own section.
The Idea: Google pays websites to display related advertising on websites/blogs.
The Methods: You sign up for Google AdSense and display the ads in strategic positions on your website.
- First you need to get your website approved by Google
- Then you can decide where you want to display the ads (this is an art in itself)
- Google then pays you when people click on those ads
The amount of money you can earn from this form of advertising is very
Resources:
Official Google Pages:
Other Resources:
- How To Make Money With Adsense: Newbie Guide (shoutmeloud.com)
- 12 Things You Need To Do Before Applying For Google AdSense (allbloggingtips.com)
- Make Money With Adsense (2createawebsite.com)
Other Pay Per Click Ads
Although Google is the most popular network to use for displaying ads on your website, there are a lot of alternatives out there.
My favorite two at the moment are Mediavine and Ezoic.
PPC Ad Websites:
- InfoLinks (text link ads)
- Media.net
- BlogHer
- Federated Media
- Sovrn
YouTube Ad Partner
As a
** Just be aware that similar content can be displayed on your videos, and that may include the ads of your competition.
Websites:
Below are some places to find out more about these opportunities:
- How to Become A Youtube Partner (entrepreneur.com)
- Start Advertising on Youtube (youtube.com)
Resources:
- How Do Influencers Make Money With YouTube Sponsorships (mediakix.com)
- How To Become a Youtube Star (theguardian.co.uk)
- YouTube Partner Information (2createawebsite.com)
Instagram Ads/Sponsorships
As you may have heard, Instagram is one of the fastest moving social media platforms around. And big brands and companies are moving onto the platform at an amazing pace.
However, many of them do not have the following that you may have (or soon have) so will pay for access to your audience. It is also a great way to do more subtle "native" advertising.
Usually your followers will have to number at least 5000 (or more) and you will need to have a reasonable level of engagement (for example 3% likes). These exact figures depend on the advertiser and industry, but they give you a benchmark to start with.
There are a few ways to earn money with your account including:
- Paid promotion for specific companies (including account takeovers)
- Affiliate link promotion (see earlier section on Affiliate Marketing)
- Shoutouts - where you actively promote another Instagram account
Resources:
The following are some resources to help you learn more about
- How To Make Money On Instagram (huffingtonpost.com)
- Want To Make Money On Instagram (thepennyhoarder.com)
- Instagram Influencer Marketing Explained (whalar.com)
- Brand Guide To Working With Top Instagram Influencers (mediakik.com)
- Some info further down in this article on Paid Shoutouts (foudrmag.com)
- Many people who do paid shoutouts use Kik
The following are some specific influencer marketing resources where influencers (ie. you) are connected with brands and companies willing to pay for access to your audience:
- Speakr - Influencer platform (connecting brands with influencers)
- Adly (influencer network)
- Adfly (similar to the above two)
- InstaBrand
Twitter Paid Tweets
Twitter has its own advertising platform which appears in the Twitter feed as you might know. But there are other ways you can leverage your Twitter account to make money instead.
Being paid to send out tweets, because your account is large enough, and on a specific topic is one of the few options I have come across (if you know of more, certainly drop me a line). And many of the services in this area seem to have disappeared or changed.
Then, there is also the option of working directly with brands and there are a number of networks (listed last) that you can try using.
Paid Tweet Websites:
Podcast Ads/Sponsorships
Another side gig you may have (or start later) while blogging is a podcast. It's all the rage lately, and that also means that advertisers are well aware of it as an option.
I have heard ads on many podcasts that I listen to (Pat Flynn, Tim Ferris, Entrepreneur on Fire) and these guys are certainly earning in the thousands per episode. But of course, their audiences are far bigger than most of us could ever achieve.
Don't let me turn you off though, I am sure no one expected them to earn so much with a podcast either!

Twitter: @yannick_ilunga
Websites To Get Sponsorships:
Resources:
Here are some resources to help you learn more about podcast sponsorship:
- Podcast Sponsorships: The Ultimate Guide (entrepreneuronfire.com)
- How Do I Determine Podcast Sponsorship Costs (askpat.com)
- How to Get a Sponsor For Your Podcast (thepodcastersstudio.com)
- 5 Ways To Monetize Your Podcast (sidehustlenation.com)
- Everything You Need To Know About Podcast Ads (cleverism.com)
- How To Book Engaging Podcast Interviews (rainmaker.com)
Expert Tips From Top Bloggers

Don't get stuck in the detail.
Don't get me wrong, details matter. However,
get rid of all the roadblocks and throw away your perfectionism.One of the roadblocks for launching my blog was that it needed to look perfect. After years and years of procrastinating I decided to just launch with an "off the shelf" WordPress theme.
Ian Anderson Gray
Website: Seriously Social
Twitter: @iagdotme

For someone starting out, I have two main tips:
First, I would say that it will pay off big to find a mentor to show you the ropes . See, you can learn things by watching YouTube videos, reading blog posts, or listening to podcasts, but that's a really inefficient way to learn. Sure, that's a free way to learn, but you risk learning from old material. That's exactly what I did. And the impact was that I learned slower and made more mistakes. Once I found a mentor, I was able to learn from others mistakes and learn faster.
Second, you should focus on one thing until it's successful
. I see people jumping from one project to another over and over again. They never stick with anything long enough to actually find success.
Here is an example...
They try to build a niche site, then they try to create a Fulfilled By Amazon (FBA) business, then they try drop shipping, and so on... Of course, they never make anything work because they never really focused.Doug Cunnington
Website: NicheSiteProject
Twitter: @nichesitepm

My first tip to new bloggers is to always remember that there are no shortcuts!
While there are certainly great ideas and tips, the best and most effective ones will be mistakes to avoid and directions to take, so that you waste less time starting out.
You see, THAT is the biggest issue facing new bloggers.
Getting from point A to B faster often just means SLOWING DOWN, in the beginning, and taking the time to make great decisions.
Don't be in such a rush to start that you fail to do your homework.
Study other blogs and bloggers in the niche you want to get into. Use tools like SBI for WordPress to research the viability of your idea... before you've published a single word.
If you take the time to set that solid foundation for your online business, it will grow far faster."
Writing online is one of the fastest, easiest and perhaps most popular ways to make money or start a business online. The following are a variety of services you can offer in the field of writing.
Ebook Writing
Many companies, and even bloggers, need ebooks written for a variety of reasons. They might want to give them away to get people to sign up to their email list, or to sell. And if you have expertise in a specific area (or are willing to do extensive research) then this is an ideal way to make a larger sum of money for your writing skills.
Places To Find Work:
There are quite a few places to find writing gigs, including blogging websites.
Blog Post Writing
Another idea which is great for helping launch your next online business - blog post writing. People know they need to blog on a regular basis, but do not have the resources. That is where you come in. You can write for them on a regular basis (or even just occasionally) offering your services on a per word basis or retainer (monthly fee).
Places To Find Work:
There are quite a few places to find writing gigs, including blogging websites.
Resources:
- 7 Tips For New Freelance Writers (innovativeink.ca)
- 207 Places to Find Freelance Writing Jobs (freshbooks.com)
- What To Start Freelance Writing? Here Are The First 5 Things You Need To Do (therenegadewriter.com)
- How To Start A Freelance Writing Business [Interview] (proofreadanywhere.com)
Transcriptions
With the growth in both video and podcast creation online comes a huge opportunity for people who can transcribe audio. It requires you to be a very fast typer of course, so don't waste your time if you are weak in that area.
I have used transcription services on Fiverr before, and they certainly don't get $5 for their efforts (more like $5 per 10 minutes) and there is a big demand, and not such a big list of top transcribers.
Places To Find Work:
Transcription Websites:
Below are the common freelancing sites you can find work on:
Resources:
Copywriting
This is a skill that really requires expertise, but if you have it, then selling it as a service is a great way to go. Many business and websites owners require
More often than not you will be looking at clients who have the money for such a service, as it is usually far more expensive and well paying than simple blog post writing. You might also want to consider teaming up with web designers or graphic designers who have the clients you need already.
Places To Find Work:
Below are some ideas to find freelance copywriting work:
Editing And Proofreading
Editing is a very in-demand service
So, if you are a professionally trained writer or editor, then this might be the service for you.
Places To Find Work:
Below are some ideas to get you started:
Writing Sites:
Freelancing Sites
Resources:
- Advice To An Aspiring Copy Editor (copydesk.org)
- American Copy Editors Society (copydesk.org)
- How To Make A Living As A Freelance Book Editor (desertsagebookeditor.com)
Translation
If you are multi-lingual, and can write well, then this is a great way to offer a premium service. Especially in countries or continents where many languages are spoken (let’s face it, even the USA needs English-Spanish translation). I live in Switzerland for example,
Again this is more of a premium service, so you may need to start out using services that connect you with people who need you. Until you get your own client base.
Places To Find Work:
Below are some ideas for places to find translation work online:
Translation Job Sites
Standard Freelancing Sites
Resources:
Other Writing Job Ideas
Writing is a very flexible medium and
- Fiction or Non-fiction Book Writing
- Letter Writing
- Review Writing
- Video Sripting
- Publishing
- Resume Writing
- Business Plan Writing
- Freelance Journalist
- Technical Writer
- Comic Script Writer
- Greeting Card Writing
Expert Tips For Writers

1. Start building an online portfolio by writing about the topics you want to get paid to write about.
2. Create a website dedicated to your freelance writing services (like mine) and, if you have a separate blog, link to it in your main menu bar using Freelance Writing Services, Hire Me, etc.
3. Create a portfolio page on your website / blog that lists your latest / best blog posts (see mine here) to showcase your work.
Kristi Hines
Website: KristiHines.com
Twitter: @kikolani

"The truth is, if you have a good pitch, a few writing clips and you've done your research on a client, they have every reason to hire you as their online writer.
I had a good success rate with this strategy in the beginning and after a while it gathered momentum and now clients tend to come to me so I don't have to relentlessly pitch as much anymore.
Kirsty Stuart
Website: Freelance Writers Online
Twitter: @kirstythewriter

"The best thing new freelance writers can do is to take action.
If you don't have a website, that's okay.
Focus on creating quality samples and uploading them to Contently, for example.If your pitch email isn't perfect, that's okay too. Visit job boards daily and send your pitch, whatever the state it's in.
Taking action gives you results and you have to start somewhere!"
Elna Cain
Website: ElnaCain.com
Twitter: @ecainwrites

Less is more.
I think that blogs that publish 20 or more posts per week might scare off their readers more than actually attracting readers. Besides, do you really have content for all those posts?
Quality should definitely precede quantity.
Hans Hirschi
Website: Hirschi.se
Twitter: @hans_hirschi
There are so many different marketing specialities that lend themselves to online services. So, in this section, I am going to break them down into their main groups to make it easier to digest.
If you have experience in any kind of
Web Design
I am not going to tell you this is an easy service to start offering, but if you have some design knowledge and are willing to play around a bit with technology, you can start off learning to build simple and cheap websites with tools like Squarespace, WordPress, Wix and so on.
Of course, to charge really premium prices, you need far deeper knowledge, but that comes with time. So start small and work your way up.
Places to find work: The following are some of the common places web designers find and bid for work online. Test a few of them out and see which one works for you and your specific skill level.
Websites:
Standard Freelancing Sites
Job Boards
Compeition Style Sites

Use Fiverr to start your sales process. I sell gigs for $5 that I turn into $100-200 orders on a regular basis.
Think about structuring them in a way that you're making money, not wasting time.
People think Fiverr is just for making a quick buck and filling the gaps but
it's gotten me some great clients who've come back for more!Maddy Osman
Website: The BlogSmith
Twitter: @MaddyOsman

People LOVE to discover new things, especially when they involve freebies. My advice is that once you figure out a niche and audience,
start sharing useful resources, freebies and articles that are relevant to that niche way before you launch your own website.
If you're the sharer of cool, free stuff in your niche, people will want to follow you.
Also, listen to your followers. Be as helpful as you can. Bend over backwards to help someone solve a problem, especially when you're starting out.
This is what will help you to stand out because people remember that.
Marianne Manthey
Website: Design Your Own Blog
Twitter: @marianney
Graphic Design
The brother of web design, graphic design can range from the look and feel of the website, logos, business cards, letter headers and so on.
It is easy to do graphic design via the web and send to the client electronically. They can even print your designs at a local printer, so you definitely don’t need to be where they are. Just do your work locally and send the final product via to the client electronically.
Websites:
Graphic design is similar to web design, so many of the following offer both.
Freelancing Sites
Job Boards
Compeition Style Sites
Articles:
- How To Start Your Own Graphic Design Business (millo.co)
- How To Start Your Own Graphic Design Business in 13 Steps (idesigni.co.uk)
Expert Tips

If you want to get going as a freelance graphic designer, my number one tip for you to grow faster, smarter, and land more work, it's to go all in on one area of work.
What's the one thing you want to be known for?
What work excites you most?
And who are the type of people you want to do work for?
Even if you’re not 100% certain, having focus now will get you farther than if you continued down the path of uncertainty.
Brent Galloway
Website: BrentGalloway.me
Twitter: @BrentGalloway
SEO
This is another area where I think you need a reasonable amount of knowledge to get started. Nonetheless, it is quite simple to offer SEO services online.
You can offer guest posts (for links) or other link building services.
- Link Building Services to boost people's rankings
- Offer website SEO audits to help fix their fundamentals
- Offer strategic SEO advice
- Keyword research to help get them on the right track
There are a lot of options here.
Places To Find Work:
There are less specific websites for these kinds of jobs, so looking on the freelancing sites is your best bet:
Freelancing Sites
Articles:
- Before You Start A Web Design Business, Read This (elegentthemes.com)
- 15 Reasons To Start A Web Design Business (under30ceo.com)
Expert Tips

Here [in Germany] the market is smaller than in the US/UK or the international market.
Make sure your niche is big enough to bring in some money.You can sometimes even copy US/UK or international business models because nobody else has tried them in your country yet.
Personally, I went after international clients and popularity myself because the market here is too conservative and innovative solutions arrive years earlier or sometimes never. This can be also an advantage in case you serve a niche which is far less competitive.
Just do your research first and then decide whether to go international or national/local with your offering.
Tad Chef
Website: OnReact.com
Twitter: @onreact_com
Social Media
Many companies know they need to be on social media, but just don’t have the time. That is where you can help out. Offering done for you social media services to help building followings, traffic to their website, social selling, are all options. You can of course also offer strategy which may hook into the blog content creation side of things too. This is also a great service, like SEO, because it usually requires a monthly retainer in order to get results for a client.
Places To Find Work:
There are less specific websites for these kinds of jobs, so looking on the freelancing sites is your best bet:
Freelancing Sites
Articles:
- How To Make It As A Freelance Social Media Marketer (socialmediatoday.com)
- Habits Of Highly Successful Social Media Freelancers (sumall.com)
Expert Tips

There are too many Social Media generalists.
Ever since I decided to specialize in one platform, I have seen a big change in my business: more and better quality leads, bigger budgets & better recognition.
Sarah Santacroce
Website: SimplicitySmallBiz & SarahSantacroce.com
Twitter: @SarahSantacroce

The key to running a successful business is waking up with your why every single day and guarding that with everything you've got.
Because the reality is, running a business - whether online or offline - will bring with it some tough decisions and very dark days. If you're not grounded in who you are and why you do what you do, it will be very easy to get derailed.
Rebekah Radice
Website: RebekahRadice.com
Twitter: @rebekahradice

I would say knowing your industry inside and out is not the same thing as knowing how to run a business.Join entrepreneur/solopreneur groups as soon as you can
and start absorbing and participating.
Social media is a constantly changing industry, and keeping on top of the current changes and trends is a must.
Cara Chace
Website: CaraChace.com
Twitter: @carachace
Marketing Strategy
I mentioned this already, but some businesses just need a hand figuring out how to approach online marketing. It could be purely SEO or social media, or it could be an overall strategy that helps them get their business and website on the right track. Take what you are best at and offer that as a strategy service.
Places To Find Work:
There are less specific websites for these kinds of jobs, so looking on the freelancing sites is your best bet:
Freelancing Sites
Influencer Marketing
This area is quite new and in many ways a little vague, but I will try to explain it.
I mentioned this a little in the Blogging section, but basically influencers are people who have a big blog/website or social media following. You can start a business that makes use of this influence to help people market their website, blog posts or products.
Various people and companies have found a way of connecting with influencers and then passing on those connections to people or brands to help them.
if you are great at networking or have a big list of connections in your industry, this could be the topic for your next business.
Expert Tips

In short, you build relationships with key people that are looked to for helpful advice by your audience.
I'd begin with finding a list of those that blog about your topic. Simply doing a Google search of "top [niche] blogs" or "[niche] influencers usually is a good starting point (i.e. "top real estate blogs" or "real estate" influencers).
I'd aim for 150. You'll find that you will weed out those onthe list for various reasons (not closely relevant, too small a blog, not influential, etc).Then start building a relationship with a few at a time, trying to find out how you can help them.
Do keep in mind that different influencers have different interests in what they find helpful.
Jason Quey
Website: Decibite
Twitter: @jdquey
Content Marketing Services
This is a bit of a mixture of other services, but in reality that is how online marketing works. It could be that you are doing some SEO combine with content creation and social media marketing.
Places to find work:
Just like with any kind of freelancing work, the best place to start out is on the freelancing sites:
Expert Tips

Find out who does what you do and better. Copy and imitate until you are as good, then push past them
. Keep to one specific niche, don't be jack of all trades.
Danny Ashton
Website: Neomam
Twitter: @dannyashton
Lead Generation Service
Finding new leads for your business is one of the toughest things you have to do. So if you are skilled at tracking down new leads for a specific market, why not sell your skill as a service.
Places to find work: Again, this skill is perhaps not as easy to find specific websites for, so just jump on the usual freelancing sites:
Freelancing Sites
Expert Tips From Service-Based Business Owners

Got a skillset, passion and knowledge on a topic? You've got everything you need to begin your online business.
Before even knowing what you want to do or sell you can
begin sounding ideas and setting the stage by building out an audience and nurturing community.Start by curating content, publishing your thoughts via a blog and newsletter (having a newsletter base is key here!) and engaging daily with people who share your interests.
In no-time at all you'll have a small and mighty interest-based fan club as passionate as you about your topic, idea or thoughts.
I guarantee listening and engaging will lead to a business idea.
I know because I started my service this way!
Kelly Hungerford
Website: CommunityWorks
Twitter: @KDHungerford


If you are thinking of starting an online business,
first identify a gap in the market.This will help you to decide what type of products or service you can realistically sell.Another great tip would be to identify who your audience are, for example, who are your target audience. What age range do they fit into, do they have disposable income?
You can use this information to plan an online marketing strategy which will hopefully result in your target market approaching your business.
Ron Sela
Website: RonSela.com
Twitter: @RonSela

The fastest way to start making money from your business is by offering a service.
Services don't require much upfront time or money as far as creating something goes, making it really easy to test out different services to see the interest from your peeps.
Andrea (Dre) Beltrami
Website: TheBrandedSolopreneur.com
Twitter: @drebeltrami

As it turns out,
getting new clients is mostly about taking advantage of your existing network. It's about systematically, authentically and consistently reaching outto the people know (all the while expanding your network) and offering something they want.I actually put together a course on this because it was so powerful for me; it's called the 60 Client Year if you want to check it out.
Brittany Bullen
Website: BrittanyBullen.com
@nerdygirlbrittFreelancing Expert Tips

Tips for someone who’s just starting freelancing:
Two things instantly come to mind.
1.Know what you are getting into.Too many people get into freelancing for all the wrong reasons or with unrealistic expectations. No, freelancing is not about quick and easy cash, neither will you achieve success overnight. But it’s not about working 24/7 either.
It requires a lot of hard work. It takes a lot of sweat, blood and tears to make it in the online world. When you start as a freelancer, you will deal with a lot of rejection. You will feel a lot of time that you are chasing your tail.But if you make the extra effort to
inform yourself what you are getting into, you will make it. You just need to believe in yourself and commit to achieving success as a freelancer.2. Plan.
Once you know what you are getting into, set your goals and draw the path you have to go to reach your goals.
Do thorough research – don’t just think that all you need to work online is a computer. You need skills but more importantly, you need to offer solutions to real clients’ problems. Find who those clients are and what they need.
Create an ideal client profile.
Then figure out the solution you can offer. Be sure to find the niche where your competition doesn’t do as good of a job as you could.
Diana Marinova
Website: DianaMarinova.com
Twitter: @DianaLMarinova
Everyone wants a little help reaching new heights, and hiring a coach to drive you to your goals is a booming industry. Especially online.
So, if you are motivated and well trained enough to help people achieve their specific goals, this might just be the online business type for you.
And the amazing thing about putting everything online is that you do not have to be present, so can more easily reach more people and scale your business.
You can deliver your content via:
- One on one calls: Skype, Google Hangouts
- Group Calls: Goto Webinar, Google Hangouts, Blab (although not private)
- Pre-recorded videos (hosted on Youtube, Vimeo, Wistia etc)
Business Coach
As we grow our businesses online and off, we all get to a point where we need a little help. Figuring out what to do next, how to scale or simply grow our business. What advice to accept and what to ignore. There are some many decisions to make.
That is where a business coach comes in.
If you have a lot of experience in helpings businesses grow, then this could be the calling for you. The difference with an online coach is that you can do it all via skype, webinars and digital courses. So in essence, you can be location independent or simply work from home.
Resources & Articles:
- How Business Coaches Can Become Very Wealthy (forbes.com)
- How Do You Become A Successful Business Coach (smallbusiness.co.uk)
- How To Be A Small Business Consultant (passionforbusiness.com)
- We Hired A Business Coach, And Here’s What Happened (groovehq.com)
- Advice For Starting Your Own Coaching Business (yourkickasslife.com)
Productivity Coach
Are you really good at getting stuff done? Do you find you are very well organised and know how to make the most of your day?
Maybe it is time you thought of teaching others and becoming a Productivity Coach!
Quite a few bloggers I know work in this niche, and with all the things we need to get done as entrepreneurs, it is no wonder productivity is a booming market.
Resources & Articles:
- Find A Productivity Coach (thelifehub.com)
- Getting Things Done - Training Certification (gettingthingsdone.com)
- 5 Signs You Need A Productivity Coach (cheatsheet.com)
Life Coach
This one is a bit more difficult to define, so I jumped onto lifecoachspotter.com. I thought it was an appropriate site to figure out life coaching :>
A life coach is a professional who helps you reach a goal or make a change in your life.
- LifeCoachSpotter.com
Seeing as there are no real qualifications and experience necessary for a life coach, it is hard to tell you if you would be good at it. But a friend of mine who is a great life coach has certain qualities I think are necessary:
- great listener
- great motivator
- able to decipher the root cause/goal of the client
So, if you love helping people reach their true potential, this might be the right online business for you.
Resources & Articles:
- The Complete Guide To Life Coaching (lifecoachspotter.com)
- Life Coaching FAQ (lifecoach-directory.org.uk)
- Career Shift: Becoming A Life Coach (forbes.com)
- My Decision To Become A Life Coach (huffingtonpost.com)
Other Coaching Ideas
Given that coaching is really the supporting of a goal, it is quite each to attach the lable to almost anything. That is why the specific coach you may want to become could also be any one of the following:
- Nutrition Coach
- Health and Wellness Coach
- Team Coach
- Career Coach
- Leadership Coaching
- Athletic or Sports Coaching
Expert Tips

My suggestion for someone who is starting out online in my area (blogging) is to
be innovative.There are so many blogging coaches out there, and it's essential that you find your superpower -
the thing that makes you stand out- and then run with it.My superpower is teaching, which is why the 10 Day Blog Makeover Challenge was so successful for me. Identify your superpower (yes, you have one) and then ask yourself,
"What can I do that will be different from what I see others doing online?"" Do that thing.
Also, don't be afraid to take action and experiment. The best thing you can do to get results faster is to go out there and make things happen. Even if they don't work out, you'll have data you can use to change things in the future."
Daniela Uslan
Website: DanielaUslan.com
Twitter:@DanielaUslan
Teaching is really like coaching, so I am not going to go into each type specifically. Either you are qualified to teach something, or not.
And the beauty of this amazing online world we live in is that you can deliver your teaching
via any of the following methods, without being present where your students live:
- One on one calls: Skype, Google Hangouts
- Group Calls: Goto Webinar, Google Hangouts, Blab, Periscope
- Pre-recorded videos (youtube, vimeo, wistia etc)
Things To Teach:
Here is a list of ideas of things you could teach online:
- Languages
- Music
- Singing
- Speaking
- Tutoring
- Magic (yes it's obscure, but a hobby of mine, and people teach it)
Resources:
- Google Hangouts The Ultimate Guide
- Blab Tutorial from Social Razor
- Periscope Tutorial from Ana Hoffman
Let's face it, the online business world allows us to provide almost any kind of offline (real world) service and take it online. All we need to be able to do is deliver it electronically (in most cases).
So, if you have a skill that perhaps earns you a living right now, maybe it is time to take it online and serve the world!
App Reviews
Have you seen the number of Apps available on the iTunes App store or Google Play? It is INSANE.
Have a lot of experience with apps (as a developer, tester or user) then this might be a way for you to make some cash online. There are certainly enough apps to test.
App Review Websites:
Tech Support
Whether it is working in tech support for bigger companies, or one-to-one with clients, you can offer you skills as a tech whiz online. This is another job you can find regularly on all the freelancing sites:
Websites To Find Work:
Website Testing
If you know what makes a website great and would love to get paid to share this knowledge, website testing might be just the thing. It is not so easy to find work in this field, but you can start by looking at usertesting.com.
Virtual Assistant (VA)
If you want the
A Virtual Assistant is generally self-employed and provides professional administrative, technical, or creative (social) assistance to clients remotely from a home office.
So kinda like the old office assistant, only remote working.
It's a great way to use your office skills, but outside the office. Taking on the freedom of the online
Dedicated VA websites:
Standard Freelancing Websites:
Resources:
- 10 Reasons Why Successful Companies Are Hiring a Virtual Assistant ( TheVirtualHub.com)
- VA Handbook
- How To Become A VA (AmyLynnAndrews.com)
- Becoming A Virtual Assistant (homeworkingmom.com)
- 9 Awesome Steps to Become a Successful Virtual Assistant (mytasker.com)
Expert Tips

The best advice I can give anyone who is thinking of starting a new business is
1. Do plenty of research in advance of your launch.2. Build a business 'tribe' which will support you and amplify your brand message when you launch.3. Get all your ducks in a row before you start and save plenty of money as a back-up!
Nicky Pasquier
Website: VirtuosoAssitant
Twitter: @VirtuosoAssist
Accounting / Book Keeping
Another job that is predominantly done on a computer, accounting (or book keeping) is very easy to do remotely. If this is your main skill, why not start offering this as a virtual service?
Specific Service Ideas:
Some of the services in this area that are worth considering include:
- Accountant
- Bookkeeper
- Budgeting and Forecasting
- Annual Tax Filing
Websites To Find Work:
Expert Tips

For someone else starting a productised service I would say
"Start with the end goal in mind".
My other big tip is to talk to your customers!
A productised service business will evolve over time as you understand your customers and test what works and what doesn't. like / don't like about your service, why they came to you and why they stay with you. Ben or I have had conversations with everyone of our customers and also stay in touch with check-in calls.Meryl Johnston
Website: Bean Ninjas
Twitter: @Johnston_Meryl
Recruitment / Head Hunting
With everyone online today, it is a lot easier to use something like LinkedIn to do targeted recruitment and make money by filling vacancies for big companies. If you are a great people person, or just good at finding the right person for the right job - this could be the service you offer to get started online.
Websites To Find Work:
Micro Tasks
Ok, perhaps this one is a little bit more of an "offline" idea, but it is becoming so popular that I had to mention it.
Creating websites that connect people with small tasks that need to be done by humans is a great idea.
The list below will give you some websites to check out for microtasks and the like:
Websites To Find Micro Task Work:
- Amazon Mechanical Turk
- CrowdSource
- CrowdFlower
- CoinWorker (for bitcoin payment)
- ClickSense
- EasyShift (Offline Microtasks)
- Check out even more ideas in this post
Offline Tasks Found Online
This idea was spearheaded by Task Rabbit.
Basically, if someone needs to get something done locally, they go to a website and look for pre-approved people who can do the task. This could be anything from walking your dog, doing your shopping or paying your bills.
So, if you have some time to spare and feel like getting paid to help someone out, check it out:
Websites To Find Offline Task Work:
- TaskRabbit
- ThumbTack
- Zaarly
- GigWalk
- TaskPanda
- AskForATask (Canada)
- AirTasker (Australia)
Travel Related Services
The world of travel and travel related services has almost all moved online (much to the disgust of travel agents around the world I am sure!). With that movement, comes a lot of opportunity for anyone with skills or knowledge in this area.
Service Ideas:
The following are some of the services you could offer in this area:
- Travel Planner
- Travel Consultant
- Flight Booking Agent
- Hotel Booking Agent
- Rental Car Booking Agent
SERVICE BUSINESS ADVICE

I don't know if I could cite the most creative way to make money I've ever seen... but I have a soft spot for Now, he or she can be in high demand at any hour of the day with customers all around the world without leaving their home... it's wild.
Brent Jones
Website: Brent Jones OnlineTwitter:@brentjonline
Don't over complicate things anddon't "want" to do too many things at the same time.
Doing many small and different things = Never getting anything done.Map it out.Break big tasks into smaller tasks.You'll see the progress each and every day and that will keep you motivated.Dennis SeymourWebsite: LeapFroggerTwitter: @denseymour

[Service Advice] Take Codrut as a great example who really owns the expert round up space. He developed a skill of organizing and networking with influencers and eventually sold the service of doing expert round ups for bloggers.
From that, he created a website and posts case studies on it from the ones he does. It seems to be working well, since he contacts me all the time about new round ups he's putting together.
Dave Schneider
Website: Ninja Outreach
Twitter: @ninjaoutreach

Know the answers to these questions:
1) What do you want? (Ideal lifestyle, what your priorities are, what your values are, what you enjoy doing, what you're obsessed with) If those things aren't in-line with your business plan... you've got a problem.
2) Who are you trying to help? (Knowing your ideal 'avatar' in and out is tried-and-true advice - and something I wish I had taken more seriously from the beginning!)
3)
How are you solving their problems? (More specifically, do they WANT that problem to be solved? I know plenty of people whose 'problems' I can solve but I can't help if they don't want it enough!)"Cat Rose Neligan
Website: Creative Introvert
Twitter: @creativeintro
Yes, we are talking about online businesses in this post, but that does not mean they cannot cross-over into the physical world! Selling physical products has also become a whole lot easier as the internet has expanded and the right tools have been created.
There are a few different avenues you can go down with physical product businesses online, so check out the options below.
Selling Products On Your Website
If you are just starting out, then this might be something you do later on. Selling products on your own website is a great way to get and keep your customers (versus letting Amazon or eBay have all the control) but there are a whole lot of things (technical and marketing) that you need to know.
If you are ready to dive right in, then you are going to want to do is:
- Figure out what you are going to sell (research a niche, market and products)
- Build an ecommerce website (WordPress, Shopify, BigCommerce)
- Start finding customers (aka sales and marketing)
Of course, the devil is in the detail, so the following are a bunch of resources and articles you might want to read to get started...
Resources:
Websites where you can start an ecommerce store:
Articles:
Helpful articles on starting an ecommerce website and store:
- Which E-Commerce Platform Is The Best Choice For Your Online Store? (forbes.com)
- Ultimate Guide To Setting Up Your First Online Shop (hongkiat.com)
- Best Ecommerce Software to Easily Build Your Online Store (websitebuilderexpert.com)
- The 5 Biggest Mistakes Small Businesses Make When Starting an Ecommerce Website (huffingtonpost.com)
Expert Tips

Nowadays, I would use the content marketing approach to build my audience and also build an email list.
I would also pick a bigger niche as there are more opportunities for marketing and growth.
Brian Lang
Website: Small Business Ideas Blog
Twitter: @sbizideasblog

Try to get your customers to create your content.
For example, we have a room of the month competition where we get our customers to send in photos of our products in their room.
This gives us beautiful images of our products with authentic comments from our customers that we can share across various platforms.
Jennifer Menz
Website: The Wall Sticker Company
Twitter: @WallStickerCo
Selling Products On Ebay
Ebay has been around this the first boom on the internet, but it is definitely still an option for selling products. Their reach is astounding and the diversity of products also.
One of the biggest challenges of selling on a platform like eBay is that you will probably have to start out shipping yourself. A very time-consuming process. If your volume increases, it is certainly worth looking for a drop-shipper to help handle that side of the business for you.
Articles:
Helpful articles on getting started with selling on eBay, starting an eBay business and so on:
- Getting Started Selling on Ebay (ebay.com)
- 11 Critical Tips On How To Sell More On eBay (makeuseof.com)
- How to Set Up Shop and Sell Products on eBay (quickbooks)
- The Mega Guide to Selling on eBay (ecommerceguide.com)
- eBay rich list: 30 biggest sellers revealed for first time (netimperative.com)
- TOP 100 Best Selling Products on eBay for 2015 (andrewminalto.com)
- The Ultimate Guide To Drop Shipping (shopify.com)
Selling Products On Amazon
Amazon is one of the biggest websites out there, with a brand and customer base to match. It is no wonder that selling products on Amazon has become an artform.
Not only do they have a marketplace ready to use and customers ready to sell to, but more recently they have created a very simple process for selling and shipping. It's called Fulfillment By Amazon (or FBA). It makes the whole process of getting products to your customer so simple, there is very little "physical" left to physical selling.
So, with a ready to go marketplace and fulfillment system, selling products on Amazon is BOOMING!
Official Amazon Resources:
Official Amazon Resources:
- Follow Along As I Try To Make Money With Amazon FBA (passionintopaychecks.com)
- How to Create a Store and Sell Products on Amazon (quickbooks)
- How I Earned $10,000 in 2 Months Selling Toys on Amazon (dailyfinance.com)
- Amazon FBA Success: I Sold $40,639 Worth of Physical Products in the Past 30 Days (nichepursuits.com)
- Amazon Private Label Checklist – Will Your Product Sell? (webretailer.com)
- The Amazon Goldrush (tropicalMBA.com)
- The Dangers Of Selling On Amazon (mywifequitherjob.com)
Selling Products On Etsy
Etsy has already become known as the go to place to sell crafts, jewelry and the like. So if that is your cup of tea, then this is the place to sell your goods!
The marketplace and tools are already there for you on the Etsy website, the only downside, like with eBay is that you will have to ship the merchandise yourself. Of course, you could just use a drop shipper or FBA (amazon) once you get a bit of volume.
Either way, it is an easy place to get started selling your crafts online and making a bit of money.
Official Etsy Resources:
Etsy Articles:
- How To Sell On Etsy (Shoplo.com)
- The Beginners Guide To Selling on Etsy (quickbooks)
- 10 Most Successful Shops on Etsy in 2015 (insidermonkey.com)
- 10 Tips and Tricks for Selling on Etsy (destinationdecoration.com)
- Etsy Fees: Understanding Etsy Fees and How to Reduce Them (esalesolutions.com)
- Why Handmade At Amazon Is Etsy's Dream Come True (whileshenaps.com)
- The Downside To Selling on Etsy (shoprocket.co)
Selling Products On Handmade At Amazon
This is a quite new platform that is obviously intended to grab business of Etsy. It's another option for artisans, craft sellers and the like, so why not check it out.
Official Amazon Resources:
Handmade at Amazon Articles:
- How To Apply And Sell At Handmade At Amazon (instructables.com)
- Amazon Handmade: What You Need To Know As A Seller (rebeccaapitts.com)
- Etsy Vs. Amazon: Different Ideas Of What Is 'Handmade' (forbes.com)
- Why Isn’t Anyone Talking About the Most Frightening Part of Amazon Handmade? (huffingtonpost.com)
The internet has opened up an amazing marketplace for digital products. And the beauty of this kind of online business is that you do not have any inventory, factory, warehouse, store or other overheads that make starting an offline business so difficult.
Pro Tip: Dan Norris has started many an online business and has an amazing book you should read before you get started with any of these ideas - The 7 Day Startup.
The following are ideas for digital products that you could produce and sell for your next online business.
SAAS (Software As A Service)
You may have heard of SAAS, but even if you haven't, you are probably using one or many SAAS products in your life or business right now!
SAAS -Software as a Service is basically any kind of online software that you pay for access to.
So it could be something like Google Apps, Office 360, Dropbox, Freshbooks, Leadpages or any other software that you use online (or "in the cloud" if you prefer :>).
The beauty of this kind of tool or service is that customers subscribe, so you get a monthly revenue that becomes not only dependable but builds over time (like compound interest!).
The Idea: Find a service that can be delivered online that people are willing to pay for on an ongoing basis. This could be anything that makes people lives easier on a personal or business level. Scratching your own itch (ie. solving a problem that you have
The Challenge: Although SAAS is a great way to start
But, don't let that put you off!
The trick to a successful SAAS from my experience is that it needs to make people's lives so much easier that they cannot live without it. What exactly this idea is, is up to you, but one thing is for sure, before you go out and start hiring developers - TEST YOUR IDEA in the market.
Resources:
The following are websites or books that I have found useful in my entrepreneurial journey, and many of the ideas and tactics can easily be applied to a successful SAAS.
- $100 Startup
- 7 Day Startup
- 4 Hour Work Week (Tim's ideas on testing ideas are great)
Articles:
The following articles will help to give you more ideas, information and context:
- The secrets of successful SAAS development (digitalcommerce.com)
- The 7 Secrets of SAAS Startup Success (salesforce.com)
Expert Tips From SAAS Owners

1. Focus on marketing you product as soon as possible, don't wait for it to be 100% finished. Its never too early.
2. When you product is nearly ready then beta test it with a group of experienced users.
3. Don't be afraid to change things in your product if you arent getting traction
Chris Hodgeman
Website: MavSocial
Twitter: @chrishodgeman

You need a centralized system to track projects. This way, everyone in your team has access to this data AND you are able to go back in time to see what was done that caused a success of a failure.
On top of that, communication is key and working remotely can make this quite difficult. We use Slack, it has basically become a part of our team.
Blanca Valbuena
Website: SocialDraft
Twitter: @SocialDraftApp

If you keep on doing what you have been doing, you will keep on getting what you have been getting
Mike Dane
Twitter: @MikeDane7

Go with a lean startup which is easy to create.
Build it easy and quickly too - and put most of your time and energy and hopefully money as well in the marketing.
When you are creating a new startup, looks for these points and make sure your new startup has all of these things: -
Monthly Subscription Payments - sell whatever you want but make sure that it is in subscription
Lean Startup - Keep it lean, don't spend more money in creating it upfront.
For Marketing look to get more of your paid subscribers and focus on retaining them.
Uttoran Sen
Website: Guest Crew
Twitter: @uttoransen

Believing in your dream is a big thing. Many people have genius ideas but they are too humble to realize those are great ideas, so they keep watching others do what they could.
Also, going from planning to acting is the toughest. You can plan a project for years but no one has got rich or famous due to a good plan. You need to act to start seeing results.
Make mistakes and learn from them.Cherish every experience and build upon it. Start even if you have no budget.
We are still lucky enough to live in the era when the Internet helps you build you presence for free (MyBlogU is a great example!)."
Ann Smarty
Website: SEO Smarty
Twitter: @SEOSmarty
Traditional Software
Although I find SAAS software to be a better way to go in this day and age (you get a recurring income, can update and innovate regularly) there is still a market for traditionally downloaded and installed software.
The same kinds of ideas and tactics apply as with a SAAS (so refer to those references and articles above) however in this case retention is not as big an issue as you usually only sell the software once.
So, if you have an idea for a piece of software that could makes people's lives easier, this could be an option for you. Especially if you have skills or experience in the industry
Apps
We all have mobile phones and other devices these days, and what do we have on those devices? Apps of course!
Even pre-existing applications on the internet (or even offline) are now becoming apps on our ipads. So, if you have an idea for something cool, fun, useful or addictive to create for a phone or tablet, building an app-based business might just be the go!
The Idea: Create or pay someone to create an app on one or many of the mobile platforms (iOS or Android) based on a need (business app) or a desire (game). Think about how you can monetize that app (buying it directly, or advertising).
The Challenge: The App market is flooded at the moment, so if you are going to jump into this arena make sure you are prepared (either with a well-researched idea or for disappointment when no one cares about your App).
Resources and Articles:
- A Beginner's Guide to Starting and Marketing an App (entrepreneur.com)
- Guide To Starting A Successful App Business: Tips and Resources (hongkiat.com)
- 21 questions to answer before you start that mobile app (venturebeat.com)
- How To Start Your App Business For $1000 (mobilemarketingengine.com)
- A 12-Step Guide to Building Your Very First Mobile App (allbusiness.com)
- DIY App Makers for Small Business (businessnewsdaily)
- Start Developing iOS Apps (apple.com)
- Building Your First App (android.com)
WordPress Plugins & Themes
WordPress is the most used CMS (Content Management System) in the world at over 50% market share. It is currently estimated to be used on over 72 million websites worldwide, including this very site here.
Short version: the market for WordPress plugins and themes is huge!
So, if you are experienced in either WordPress or software development, this is a great place to make some money.
The Idea : Either
The Challenge : There are already a lot of established players in this market, but there is always room for more. A lot of the plugins and themes out there are either not well made or are too complex to use (from personal experience).
As a beginner in this market, one of your best bets is to sell your plugins or themes on existing marketplaces (like
Plugin Articles:
- How To Create A WordPress Plugin (elegantthemes.com)
- How To Build A WordPress Plugin (scotch.io)
- Official WordPress Page : Introduction To Plugin Development
- Selling Premium WordPress Plugins An Expert's Guides (managewp.com)
- Why And How We Sell Premium WordPress Plugins (yoast.com)
- 4 Reasons You Should Sell WordPress Plugins Independently (torque.io)
- A Beginner's Guide to Starting and Marketing an App (entrepreneur.com)
- Guide To Starting A Successful App Business: Tips and Resources (hongkiat.com)
- 21 questions to answer before you start that mobile app (venturebeat.com)
- How To Start Your App Business For $1000 (mobilemarketingengine.com)
- A 12-Step Guide to Building Your Very First Mobile App (allbusiness.com)
- DIY App Makers for Small Business (businessnewsdaily)
- Start Developing iOS Apps (apple.com)
- Building Your First App (android.com)
Theme Articles:
- Official WordPress Page: Theme Development
- Making The Perfect WordPress Theme (envanto)
- WordPress Theme Development Course (treehouse.com)
- 6 Tutorials: How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (85ideas.com)
- Calculating the Profitability of WordPress Themes (chriswallace.org)
- What I Learned Selling WordPress Themes Independently (conversioninsights.com)
Marketplaces:
- Theme Forest (Themes on Envanto)
- Code Canyon (Plugins on Envanto)
- Mojo Themes (Themes)
- Mojo Code (Plugins)
- Other Ideas
Expert Tips From A Plugin Creator

Online Courses
Teaching people what you know or specialise in is one of the biggest goldmines on the internet. I am constantly telling (perhaps too much) people to take what they know and pass on this amazing information goldmine to the world.
You would be surprised by:
a. What you know
b. What people are willing to pay for it
Combine these two things, and you have a business.
The Idea: Take any kind of detailed knowlege that you have in a job, hobby or other specialised field and figure out the best way to deliver that in a course.
The Challenge: Although coming up with a course is often easier than it sounds, the real trick is in finding an audience. There are two options in my opinion, both of which I have tried:
- Using an existing online platform (like Udemy and others listed below) which works well short term
- Creating your own website and building your own audience (long term)
Online Course Platforms:
The following are websites that can help you get your course online:
Articles:
The following articles will help to give you more ideas, information and context:
- 7 Steps to Create an Online Course (Mirasee.com)
- Choosing the best platform for your online course (ecoursedomination.com)
- 7 Tips To Create And Sell Online Courses (socialtriggers.com)
- How To Create Courses That Sell Online (elearningindustry.com)
- How To Build An Online Course That Sells (smartpassiveincome.com)
- Creating An Online Course With WordPress (chrislema.com)
Expert Tips From A Course Creator

Membership Websites
A logical progression from selling online courses is a membership site. They are a great way to sell your knowledge, or access to you directly, and usually come with a recurring income.
The Idea: In case you have never heard of it before, membership websites are basically websites with "locked" content where people have to pay for access. This can be with one-off payments for individual resources (webinars, ebooks, videos) or courses, or you can have access to the whole thing at once.
The Challenge: Again, as with most digital product sales, you need an audience to sell to. And in the case of memberships, there are no alternatives (ie. platforms like Udemy or Amazon). So that is why I find this a progression from online course sales.
Other people provide forums or locked Facebook or Slack groups for members as an added bonus.
The following are resources to help you create your own membership website and also understand the idea and intriciacies in maintaining one.
Resources For Building A Membership Site:
WordPress
- Six of the Best WordPress Membership Plugins for 2015 (elegantthemes.com)
- 7 Powerful Membership Plugins (bloggingwizard.com)
- 10 Best Membership Plugins (ecommerce-platforms.com)
- How To Build A Membership Site On WordPress (codeinwp.com)
Other
- How To Create A 6 Figure Membership Site Step By Step (matthewwoodward.co.uk)
- The Ultimate Guide to Launching a Profitable Membership Site (theworldismyoffice.com)
- How To Jumpstart Your Membership Forum (superfastbusiness.com)
- 7 Reasons Your Membership Website Sucks (incomediary.com)
- Behind the Scenes of a Thriving and Active Membership (smartpassiveincome.com)
- Successful Membership Site Case Study (abitionally.com)
Membership Expert Tips

So many people spend months and even years creating an online business without even knowing if people will buy their product or program.
I highly recommend pre-selling it to see if the market want what you have to offer.
It is the quickest and easiest way to tell and it will save you a tonne of time and effort in the long run.
Focus on your niche...don't try to be all things to all people...if you do you'll get pretty poor results. Position yourself as an expert in your niche and then become damn good at what you do.Julie MasonWebsite: LinkedSalesFormula
Twitter: @GuruJules

If you're just starting out, I'd suggest trying to
network with and get to know other people in your industry.I'm in an online group for garden bloggers and I've also reached out personally to people in my field.
It's important to have a group of people who can help promote you and support your business.As for membership sites, when I was starting mine, I worked with an awesome brand strategist who helped me figure out the name, logo, sales page text and sales page design. She even helped me think through the first three months of the club.
I try to hire people to help me out in my business whenever I can because two heads are always better than one!"
Megan Cain
Website:Creative Vegetable Gardner
Facebook: Creative Vegetable Gardener

I would say first, solve your own problem.
If you find an awesome solution to a problem in your life, then YOU are your target market. It's easy to know what motivates and frightens you, so most of your market research is done.
After solving your own problem, quit talking about you... talk with your target audience about their problem. That's what everyone wants anyway: someone to listen.
After learning this attitude I would
seek out where your target audience is congregating and be eager to help.Kurt Frankenberg
Website:Shoestring101
Twitter: @shoestring101
Web Hosting or Reselling
We are all starting businesses online. And for most of us, that means a new website.
However, this website needs a home. And that is called website hosting.
If you know enough about running servers, then a web hosting business is maybe a great online business idea for you?
The Idea: Start your own web hosting company and sell space to people to host their website, or other web applications (like WordPress).
The Method: There are two main ways to get into this game (what I like to think of as the hard way and the easy way:
- Start Your Own Hosting Company (the hard way)
- Reselling Existing Hosting (the easy way)
Obviously starting your own hosting company is a big deal, so have a think about reselling as baby steps into the industry. Many hosting companies offer resale accounts, so you can profit from hosting sales without the commitment or risk.
Resellers:
Articles:
- How To Start a Web Hosting Business (greengeeks.com)
- How To Start A Hosting Business (udemy.com)
- How To Start A Domain And Hosting Company (shoutmeloud.com)
- Reseller Hosting Demystified (sitepoint.com)

A web hosting business is absolutely do-able.
The web hosting industry has been expanding rapidly for the past 10 years. And, I don’t expect the hosting industry to slow down globally. There is always a demand gap, in some specific niche or some countries, to fill up. We have seen multiple success stories in the past – Matt Heaton (BlueHost/HostMonster), Brent Oxley (Hostgator), Douglas Hanna (A Small Orange) – these folks have made millions, if not more, by riding on the right wave. I won’t be surprised to hear more success stories in future.
Jerry Low
Website: Web Hosting Secret Revealed
Twitter: @WebHostingJerry
Virtual Conference/Summit
This is something that has increased in popularity recently because of all the cheap and easy tools available online (Google Hangouts, Blab etc).
And the best thing is, you can have an online summit on almost any topic (check out the examples below!).
The Idea: Instead of hosting an event or conference in real life, you invite the experts and participants to join webinars (ie. everything is online) to present and listen to the content.
The Method: Obviously there is less work in this than in creating a real event (no venue, no catering, no wifi) but you still need to get all the speakers together, schedule the webinars and then promote the event to earn some money.
Resources:
- Using Online Summits To Build Authority (summitevergreen.com)
- How To Earn 6 Figures From A Virtual Summit (entrepreneur.com)
- How To Use a Virtual Summit to Build a 6-Figure Business (suitcaseentrepreneur.com)
- Virtual Summits: The Authority Hacker's Secret Weapon (webdesignfromscratch.com)
Examples:

One of the most creative ways I've seen for making some cha cha CHANG was from Marisa Murgatroyd, who created a 2 week long online event, which called a Superhero Summit.
She gathered a ton of really epic marketers and bloggers and gave them 1-2 hour slots where they provided epic, actionable training and THEN she allowed them to pitch their latest product {which was nicely discounted for her peeps}.
She made affiliate commission on every product that was sold by each of her presenters. It was truly and win/win of epic proportions for all involved.
Andrea (Dre) Beltrami
Website: TheBrandedSolopreneur.com
Twitter: @drebeltrami
Digital Magazine Subscriptions
Some would say that magazine sales are falling, or even plumeting!
But instead of trying to sell a magazine the traditional way, why not sell it exclusively online.
Companies like Apple and Amazon support this kind of thing with their reading devices (Kindle and iPad) and I am sure there are many others I do not even know about.
Online is the way of the future and starting a magazine is not as silly as it may sound. Ask Nathan Chan of Foundr (more on him below) who recently started a magazine in the Entrepreneur space.
Digital Magazine Resources:
- Kindle Magazines (amazon.com)
- Apple Digital Magazine App Store (apple.com)
- 8 Ways to Sell Digital Magazine Subscriptions (mequoda.com)
- How To Sell Your Digital Magazine The Amazon Way (presspadapp.com)
- Smart Ways of Selling Digital Magazine Subscriptions (realviewdigital.com)
- How To Create A Digital Magazine (foundrmag.com)
Expert Tips From A Magazine Creator

Ebook Sales
With Amazon dominating the market with the kindle, and a few other companies following their lead, Ebooks are sales now outnumber actual book sales. So, if you are a writer, selling
The Idea: Write (or have
The Options:
There are three main options when it comes to publishing and selling your books online:
- Self-publishing (on your own website with your own audience)
- Selling via an online platform
- Selling with Amazon (I separate this out as there is a whole bunch of tactics, resources and information specifically on this)
General Ebook Resources:
- 20 Websites To Sell Your Ebook (hongkiat.com)
- Where To Sell Your Ebooks (magnetforblogging.com)
- How To Sell Ebooks on Facebook (postplanner.com)
- 8 Steps to Create and Sell an Ebook on Your Website (selz.com)
- How to (Really) Make $1,000,000 Selling E-Books (fourhourworkweek.com)
- Self-Publishing: Should You Sell Your Ebook on Amazon or Your Own Website? (alexisgrant.com)
Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing Resources:
- Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (homepage)
- Kindle Publishing: A Step-by-Step Guide for Selling Your Book Through Amazon (alexisgrant.com)
- Confessions from the Underground World of Kindle eBooks (thehustle.co)
- How To Get Your Ebook to Number One on Amazon (okdork.com)
- How To Make Sure Your Next Kindle Is An Amazon Bestseller (robcubbon.com)
Other Digital Product Ideas
There are obviously lots more ideas than I can cover in detail, so check out the list below for more ideas on products you can sell digitally:
The following are ideas for things you can sell online...
Graphics
- Photos
- Videos
- Sound Bites
- Music
- Whitepapers
Templates
- Illustrations
- Logos
- Clipart
- Patterns
- Icons
- Fonts
- Desktop/Phone backgrounds
Printables
- Patterns for Clothes, Crafts
- Signs
- Cards
- Stationary
- Decoration
- Planners
- Scrapbooks
Other
- Private Label Rights (variations of ebooks)
Online Product Expert Tips

When I look back on my journey from classroom teacher to online entrepreneur I think the traits that have helped me the most are patience, passion, and persistence.
If you're not patient you may become discouraged and give up too quickly.
Passion was another easy one for me because I eat, sleep, and breathe early childhood.
Persistence is a little more challenging because when something isn't working, one of our first instincts is to give up. I thought about giving up Pre-K Pages or even selling a few times over the years but I'm really glad I stuck it out!
Vanessa Levin
Website: Pre-K Pages
Twitter: @prekpages
Domain Flipping ( Domain Name Buying/Selling )
As you may have discovered if you have tried to by a .com website name, they are very hard to find. The good ones went a long time ago, and the two or three-word ones that are easy to remember are long gone too. That is why we have website without certain letters (Flickr is one you probably know).
For this reason, and the power some domains have in terms of search ranking, brand awareness or sales, buying a selling domain names can be a very lucrative business.
Domain Auction Websites:
Articles:
- 5 Tried and True Tips For Selling Domain Names For a Profit (godaddy.com)
- Buying and Selling Domains (cleverism.com)
Website Flipping
You may have heard the term "flipping" from the real estate market. The idea is that you buy a property, do it up quickly and cheaply, and sell it for more money. The same principle can be applied to websites if you know what you are doing.
Of course, you can also sell an existing website that has income or income potential and make money from that too. Although typically the sale price of a website is based on the monthly income at the time of sale (and the past 12 months). So don't think you can just sell a site that has tonnes of traffic if there is no monetization. Although that is certainly possible, just a lot harder.
Flipping Websites:
- Flippa
- Empire Flippers
- We Buy Websites
- Some More Places to Sell Websites (shoutmeloud.com)
Articles:
- How To Sell A Website - How Much is Your Website Worth
- How To Sell A Website with Not Revenue or No Traffic (flippa.com)
- The Art of Buying and Selling Website (searchenginejournal.com)
Sell Your Ideas or Patents
This is perhaps one of the more unusual ideas I have come across, but is actually a great way to make money if you have ideas and know how to sell them.
The Idea: You come up with an idea or patent for something that can be created and sold (ie a product) but without the intention of starting a business or producing it yourself. There are lots of companies on the look out for new ideas and are happy to pay you for them.
The Method: It is not easy to get started in this area due to the whole patent and negotiation process, but luckily someone is already there to help you:
- Steven Key of Invent Right
You can listen to a great interview he did on the SPI Podcast to get more of an idea of how this works or check out his book One Great Idea for further information
Funding From Your Fans
I have to admit, that a lot of weird and wonderful ideas I see out there come from interviews and podcasts like SPI. This one is a great way to get a recurring (monthly) income for your work, even when you don't sell something. It is perfect for creators and artists, who would otherwise struggle to get funding, but actually have a great fanbase.
The Idea: Your fans pay you a certain amount of money, usually on a recurring basis (like monthly). Even a small amount. It really adds up fast. And it allows you to know in advance the sort of income you have each month.
The Platform: Currently the only website I know that is offering a platform for you (as the creator) and your fans is Patreon. Jump straight to their creator page to find out how it works.
Other Ideas
Of course, I can't go into detail on every idea, so the final ones are in an easy to digest list for your viewing pleasure:
- Stock Trading
- Financial Advice
- Genealogy research
- Take Online Surveys
- Sell Physical Art
- Professional Gaming
- Poker
- Start Your Own Online Marketplace
- Create a Niche Online Directory
- Create A Paid Subscription Newsletter
Too Much Information?
My aim with this guide was to provide you with as many options and as much supporting information as possible.
If you just want the short version, DOWNLOAD the 100+ Online Biz Ideas Guide (in the green box) below. It has all the ideas in one easy to consume place.
Great for referencing at your leisure.
If you have some useful references or ideas to add to the list, be sure to get in touch.
Your content here...