Good Ideas for Online Businesses to Start Now:

Running a small business certainly has its appeal, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. The truth is that starting a business of any kind is hard work and the first step is to think of an idea. In this guide, we will give you tons of online businesses and guide you step by step on how to start a small business online.

Start a blog:

Blogging has come a long way since its inception. What was once a virtual diary has now turned into a marketing and even a monetization tool.

Whether you make money by publishing sponsored posts, hosting third-party ads, or selling your products, a blog is a great online business idea to start at home.

The key to starting a successful blog is to focus on building an engaged and loyal audience. When you start with an audience-centric approach, you develop a community that trusts you. And when you gain confidence, you can start driving revenue.

That's how Mr. Money Mustache started his popular personal finance blog. What started as a movement turned into a successful business that earned national media coverage.

Why start a blog?

Blogs have unlimited growth potential. You can expand into affiliate marketing, e-commerce, courses, and basically any other online business. Some blogs even use a paid subscription model to increase revenue.

A blog is a long-term game. While you won't see results overnight, they are likely to be more sustainable. A blog lives on the web forever – or at least until you delete it.

It allows you to practice writing - an essential skill to have in business and communication. Use tools like Grammarly or Hemmingway to improve your writing.

Become a virtual assistant:

Are you super organized and enjoy working behind the scenes? If so, you may be the perfect candidate to start a virtual assistant (VA) business.

VA helps entrepreneurs, businesses, and executives organize their personal and work lives. There is a wide range of responsibilities, from meeting planning to basic marketing management and everything in between. And everything is done online.

Why Become a VA?

Work with your ideal client. Even if you don't know it at the beginning, over time you will find out who you like to work with and what you like to do for them. You can develop your business to suit these preferences.

Communicate with people from all over the world. All you need for your work is an internet connection and you can have the chance to work with international clients and professionals.

Grow your business into a VA network. If you become too busy or have growth goals, you can hire and train VAs to work under you and increase profits.

Try being an influencer:

Influencer marketing has exploded onto the marketing scene, and even though consumers are becoming savvier, there are still plenty of business opportunities.

As influencers have gotten into hot water for dishonest practices, there has been a shift towards micro-influencers – profiles with smaller but more engaged followers. Good news: you don't need millions of followers to make money on Instagram.

Why be an influencer?

It's an opportunity to get an introduction to marketing - especially valuable if you're interested in pursuing it as a career or next business venture.

You will learn about new and interesting brands. You can discover products and companies that you love that you would never have found if they hadn't requested your services.

It's so easy a monkey can do it. Well, not literally – but you can make your pet a star if you're camera shy.

Build apps and websites:

If you're tech-savvy, pick up some coding skills and start building. Whether it's mobile apps, Shopify apps, or websites, you can create digital products for purchase or as a service provider.

For example, you can create your own Shopify theme template and sell it to merchants looking for an affordable DIY approach to designing their websites. Or work directly with clients to create websites and applications tailored to their specific needs.

Why create apps and websites?

Technology isn't going anywhere, and the demand for technical skills necessary to build apps and websites will continue to grow.

There are an infinite number of platforms and systems. If you get tired of one, learn and move on to another.

For more information on building apps, check out these articles from Shopify Partners:

Start a podcast:

If you like the sound of your own voice, consider recording it for a podcast. Podcasts are a great home business idea with multiple monetization options, similar to starting a blog. Here's what you need to start a podcast:

High-quality microphone.

Audio recording software

Call recording software

To promote your podcast, consider working with prominent personalities as guests on your show. Encourage listeners to leave reviews and share your podcast with their friends and family.

Why start a podcast?

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity. According to Podcast Insights, 51% of Americans have listened to a podcast.

A successful podcast can lead to endless possibilities: turn your episodes into a blog, get sponsors and advertisers, and make connections you never could before.

Become an affiliate marketer:


Affiliate marketing is when you recommend a product or service by sharing it on a blog or social media to your email list, your website, or other channels. You will earn a commission every time someone converts through your unique link or referral code.

Find an affiliate program that fits your interests, personal brand, and target audience. Affiliate Future, ShareASale, and FlexOffers are a few examples. Amazon has its own affiliate program and you can also check out Shopify's affiliate program.

Once you're signed up, start sharing. Create social media posts, blog articles, emails, and other content about how great the product or service you're promoting is. Don't overwhelm your audience with ads or you risk them coming across as spammy or inauthentic.

Why do affiliate marketing?

It's easy: you probably already promote the products and services you use. Now you can get paid for it!

Affiliate marketing is a great source of passive income. With the Shopify affiliate program, affiliates earn an average of $58 for each user who signs up for a paid plan and $2,000 for each Plus referral.

Manage subscription boxes:

Subscription boxes are themed packages of different products. There are subscription boxes in almost every industry, from meal prep kits and craft snacks to fitness products and makeup. You can manage subscription boxes on virtually any topic of your choice.

For example, Bokksu prepares Japanese snacks and sends them to customers every month.

When you manage subscription boxes, you work with brands and artisans to buy and sell their products on offer. Consumers usually expect to be surprised by what's in the box, although there are some (like meal prep kits) where the customer chooses what they get.

Why manage subscription boxes?

It is a viable seasonal business. Ironically, "subscription" boxes are bought as gifts more often than for the buyers themselves. So if you're only interested in running your online business for part of the year, this could be a model worth trying.

It is a growing industry. Subscription revenue has grown from $16 billion in 2019 to nearly $28 billion in 2021.

You don't have to create your own products. Instead, you can use proven successful products and simply put them together in a nice package.

Wondering how to start a subscription business? Learn from these resources.

How to Start a Subscription Business: A Quick Guide

How to start a subscription box: lessons from successful Korean cosmetics.

Design a subscription box that's worth unpacking every month

Develop a specialized product:

If you recognize an opportunity in a certain niche, you may be on to your next successful online business idea. Specialized products cater to a unique audience. When done well, they serve a particular community.

Niches could be based on industry, demographic, price points, geography, values, product attributes, and more. In fact, a niche can be anything specific enough to target a small group of potential customers. For example:

Conscious consumers: think vegan, sustainable, and organic products and brands.

Pet owners: you could even drill down by pet type.

Remote workers: these professionals have specific characteristics that differ from traditional office workers.

Why develop a specialized product?

Niche products are unique and therefore interesting. Early success may be all you need to cover print on a zero budget.

While it may be somewhat scary to some, choosing a specific target customer makes it easier to create marketing and messaging that resonates. Rather than trying to speak to a broad, diverse group, you're speaking to a group of individuals with lots of common characteristics.

Create handmade goods:

If you are particularly skilled, selling handmade products would be a great online business idea for you. Whether you make jewelry, picture frames, or furniture, one way to monetize your crafting skills is to sell products online. Handmade goods are a great industry for creatives and even an achievable business idea for kids.

While you can use platforms like Craigslist or Etsy, having your own online store gives you more control and makes it easier to track and fulfill orders.

Why sell handmade goods?

Spend as much or as little time as you like. It's your choice how big you want to grow.

Create on your schedule. Make your handmade goods according to a set schedule when you have free time or whenever you want.

Turn your passion into income. Like many of the online business ideas on this list, entrepreneurial endeavors fueled by passion lead to a fulfilling experience.

Growing a Handmade Brand: One Family's Journey from Etsy to Shopify

DIY Business: 16 Things to Make and Sell Online

 Become a social media manager:

Managing and growing social media accounts effectively is a skill. If you have the skills, consider becoming a social media manager or brand consultant.

You would be responsible for maintaining the company's social presence online, developing its social marketing strategy, managing campaigns, and other related tasks. It's a solid online business idea with a lot of demand, with social media jobs expected to grow by 10% by 2030, and it doesn't require that much seed capital to get started.

To get started, create a website, your own social media channels (grow them and use them as social proof to get clients!), and a payment processing system. As you gain more experience, you can begin to address a wider range of social media needs, such as profile growth, outreach, or brand sponsorship management.

Why start a social network management business?

A service-based business has few barriers to entry and is relatively easy to get started.

You can be your own boss and decide your earning potential. The more experience and results you can show, the higher your service fees can be.

You can turn something you already do every day into a profitable business as a social media manager.

Are you ready to start your own social media management business? Brush up on your social media know-how with the following resources:

Go Beyond Likes and Follows: How to Create a Social Media Strategy That Will Sell

10 Inspiring Ecommerce Examples of Social Media Done Right (And How You Can Implement Them)

 Invest in real estate:

It may sound scary when you hear it, but once you do your research, investing in real estate is not difficult. Depending on the market, getting opportunities like affordable FHA loans can be the jumpstart you need to get your business cash-flowing right from the start.

With real estate, you don't have to worry about inventory or supply chain issues. Instead, you can search for properties from the comfort of your sofa. There are upfront costs and purchase requirements to consider, but you can get loans to help cover them.

The cash flow you generate with your first property can be reinvested in buying another. Do this often enough and you can start generating serious income numbers.

Why invest in real estate?

It is a long-term investment in a business with appreciating assets and almost immediate cash flow.

Real estate will always be in demand as a need rather than a want.

With the right management structure, it can be relatively hands-off.