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All you need is a webcam, a strong internet connection, and a little bit of effort, and you can launch a viable business from the comfort of your home in 2024. Starting and owning an internet-based home-based business is nothing new, but some people overlook that these types of businesses require very few overheads. You don't need a big office or employees. Often all you need to get started is a desk or kitchen table and a laptop. Here are 12 ways to launch an online business from home.
Related: 4 super easy side hustles that will instantly replace your regular salary
1. Build a sales funnel website and landing pages
Many businesses out there don't have an online sales funnel on their website, which means they have no way to capture information from the customers who visit their site. This is an essential feature for any business, as adding customer information to email lists and other campaigns is a vital part of the sales process.
If you have experience building sales funnels and implementing other digital marketing strategies, you can build a successful business from home by offering these services to small businesses. You should have experience working on the backend of a website and know how to implement sales strategies.
Related: To pay for $10,000 in dental bills, she started a side business reselling furniture, and within a year her income exceeded her full-time job's, making up to $37,000 a month.
2. Monetize your social media accounts with video
Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok pay creators who produce video content through short-form videos. Each platform is different, but if you're skilled at filming videos, know how to edit them for social media, have a niche, and produce a lot of content, you can make a decent income. The key is to post frequently and build a large audience. Typically, the more people who watch your videos, the more money you can make.
Your area of focus can vary: you could focus on local news events and post articles that briefly explain what's going on in your town or city, or you could focus on a hobby or profession, such as furniture restoration, car mechanics, or golf.
Related: He started the side business in his dorm room with “a bunch of ingredients I bought on Amazon and a crockpot.” It's now grown into a $56 million brand in Walmarts nationwide.
3. Social Media Manager
Even if you don't want to monetize your own social media accounts, you can still make a decent living by helping other people or businesses manage their accounts. If you're social media savvy, good at organization, and have experience creating and scheduling posts for different platforms, you can sell your services to individuals and small organizations that need help getting their social media strategies off the ground.
The services we offer range from creating organic content across social media platforms to helping businesses launch Facebook ad campaigns. Depending on the amount of content a client wants to create, we can also work with multiple businesses or individuals at the same time.
4. Freelance Writing and Editing
Writing and editing services are in demand at almost every business (big and small). Freelancing allows you to start working from home, manage multiple clients at once, and cover the full range of editing duties.
Jobs range from feature writing to editing newsletters to helping organizations with grant applications, and depending on your experience you could also work as a proofreader, researcher or digital content manager.
5. Indie Developers
If you have experience as a software developer, you could set up a lean business from home by helping clients create and manage websites and design new software. You could also focus on designing mobile apps or other products that you can eventually sell.
Depending on the client's needs, you might work on long or short term contracts, but you'll often be able to juggle several different clients and focus on the work that matters most to you.
6. Monetize your podcast
Podcasts are everywhere: According to Exploding Topics, there will be over 3 million active podcasts in 2024. But that doesn't mean there's no room for your podcast, especially if it has a niche and can attract a sizable audience.
The most common way to monetize a podcast is by selling ads. But you can also expand your content to different platforms. Once you've recorded and published it, the trick is to chop up your audio-videos to create Reels, Shorts, and TikToks. Of course, it takes effort to keep your content coming in steadily, but it can be beneficial to invite guests who already have a large following.
Related: His side hustle solved a common problem for homeowners: the business now brings in $3 million a month in revenue during peak season..
7. Launch an e-commerce website
E-commerce is a fast-growing market and is worth getting into if you're looking for a job you can do from home. Selling products online involves some expenses, such as building an e-commerce website, sourcing inventory, and shipping products.
But online retailers like Amazon, Shopify, and Etsy make these processes easier and give sellers the online infrastructure to get their stores off the ground. The best way to succeed in ecommerce is to choose niche products that customers will have a hard time finding elsewhere, and price them so that you make enough profit that it's not worth wasting your time. You should also prioritize mobile purchasing and ensure a seamless shopping experience so that customers can add items to their cart and check out without any hassle.
8. Start a dropshipping business
If you want to succeed in ecommerce without worrying too much about sourcing inventory and shipping logistics, dropshipping might be for you. With this business model, you basically list the products you want to sell on an ecommerce site, and someone else (your supplier) handles the inventory and shipping.
This model lets you focus on selling your products, but since you have to list products that suppliers already stock, your site may be less niche and you may have more competition from other sellers listing similar products. Still, if you have a high sales volume, you can make a decent profit after paying fees to suppliers and shipping companies.
9. Video Editing
Video is one of the most popular communication and marketing methods today and is used to make money across multiple social media platforms. Many creators don't have the time or skills to edit videos. That's where you come in – message influencers directly in their published videos and offer your video editing services.
A great way to grab their attention is to offer to edit one of their current videos for free. If your video editing is great, you might land them the job. The downside is that video editing takes time. The key is to have multiple influencers asking for your editing services. That way, you can save time messaging more influencers directly and focus only on video editing.
10. Create an online course
Do you have knowledge or skills that you can teach others virtually? It could be selling luxury homes, onboarding new employees as an HR manager, or how to bake award-winning apple pies. If you can capture your audience's attention and create a series on that subject, people will buy your online course.
These video courses can also be cut up into teaser clips, reels, and short movies and published on social media. The key is to storyboard and script your content in advance to create a seamless video series. The downside is that it can be a time-consuming project if you want to publish a quality product. However, if you have experience as an educator and have created a substantial course, you can also earn money by selling it to online course providers such as Udemy.
11. Become a private tutor
Online education has become more accessible over the past decade, so if you're an expert in your field or have a background in education, you can tutor students from the comfort of your own home.
There are plenty of opportunities to get started tutoring, whether it's math, writing, chemistry, etc. Online sites like K12 and Connections Academy make it easy to get started, but it's also worth checking with your local school district or university to see if there are any tutoring centers in need of help.
12. Sell your art online
If you're a talented artist and want to gain new customers, selling your art online is an excellent option. First, we recommend creating strong social media channels to promote your work and grow your audience. This will help potential customers find your art and generate buzz about your products.
We also recommend setting up an e-commerce store where you can list your work and provide a seamless checkout experience for your customers. You’ll start earning revenue based on your sales, but you can also attract clients who want to commission you to create custom art for them.
How to Start a Home-Based Business
Before starting an internet-based home business, it is important to do the work to ensure that your concept is profitable and properly organized. Consider the following factors beforehand:
- create business plan: The first step in running a successful business is to assess its feasibility and develop a plan for success. Your business plan should include market research, an operations management plan, a detailed description of the services you will offer, and other important elements.
- Give your business a name and structureEvery viable business has a name, and you can get creative with it. It's incorporated as an LLC, corporation, or some other structure (use this guide to choose the business structure that's best for you).
- Consider all legal and accounting processesOnce you've set up your company, it's important to think about legal tasks (like whether you need to draw up contracts), how you'll receive money, and how you'll pay taxes. Working with a business lawyer and accountant from the start can help you establish the right processes.
- Launch your website and implement your marketing strategy. Once you've started the work of launching your business, create a marketing plan to get your name out there. This starts with a website where potential customers and clients can learn about your work. Then, spread the word about your services through social media, email, and other digital marketing platforms. Soon, business will start coming to you.
