Online business ideas you can start from home

With a webcam, a strong internet connection, and a little dedication, you can launch a profitable business from the comfort of your home in 2024. Creating and running a home-based internet business is nothing new, but some people fail to realize that these types of businesses rarely have real overhead costs. You don’t need a large office or employees. A desk or kitchen table and a laptop are often all you need to get started. Here are 12 ways to launch an online business from home.

Related: 4 Super Easy Side Jobs That Can Replace Your Full-Time Salary — Fast

1. Create Sales Funnel Websites and Landing Pages

There are many businesses that do not have online sales funnels on their websites, meaning they have no way of capturing information from customers who land on their site. This is an essential feature for businesses, 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 home-based business by offering these services to small and medium-sized businesses. You need to have experience working on the back end of websites and know how to implement sales strategies.

Related: She started a furniture business to pay off a $10,000 dental bill. Within a year, it outstripped her full-time job—she was earning up to $37,000 a month.

2. Monetize your social media accounts with video

Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok pay creators to create video content in the form of short videos. Each platform is different, but if you can shoot videos, know how to edit them for social media, have a niche, and produce large amounts of content, you can make a significant income. The key is to post frequently and build a large audience; Typically, the more users watch your video, the more money you will generate.

The focus area can vary. You can focus on local news events, posting short explanations of what’s happening in your city. Or you can focus on a hobby or activity, such as furniture restoration, car mechanics, or golf.

Related: What started with “a few ingredients from Amazon and a pot” in his dorm room — now it’s a $56 million brand at Walmarts nationwide

3. Social Media Manager

You may not want to monetize your social media accounts, but you can still make good money by helping other people – and businesses – manage their accounts. If you know how to use social media, are well organized and have experience in creating and scheduling posts for various platforms, you can offer your services to individuals and small organizations who need help developing a social media strategy.

Your services can range from creating organic content on social media platforms to helping businesses launch advertising campaigns on Facebook. Depending on the amount of content the client wants to create, you may work with multiple companies and people at once.

4. Writing and editing on demand

Writing and editing services are in demand by almost every business – large and small. By positioning yourself as a freelancer, you can set up a shop at home and manage many clients at the same time, covering the editorial spectrum with your services.

Your job may involve writing articles, editing newsletters, or helping organizations apply for grants. You may also work as a proofreader, researcher, or digital content manager, depending on your previous experience.

5. Independent Developer

If you have experience as a developer, you can start a lean business from home by helping clients create and manage websites or design new software. You can also focus on designing mobile applications or other products that you can eventually sell.

Depending on your clients’ needs, you can work on long-term or short-term contracts. Often, however, you will be able to work with several different clients and focus on the work that is most important to you.

6. Make money with your podcast

Podcasts are everywhere. According to Exploding Topics, the number of active podcasts will exceed three million in 2024. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a place for you – especially if you have a niche and can engage a significant audience.

The most common way to monetize a podcast is to sell ads. However, you can also deploy your content across multiple platforms. Once recorded and published, the trick is to cut the audio video to create Reels, Shorts and TikToks. Of course, you’ll have to work hard to maintain a steady stream of content, and you’ll benefit from attracting guests who already have a large following.

Related: His Side Hustle solved a common problem for homeowners. Now the company brings in $3 million a month during peak season.

7. Launch an e-commerce site

E-commerce is a growing market that is worth taking advantage of if you are looking for a job from home. Selling goods online requires some investment – including building an e-commerce website, acquiring inventory, and shipping products.

However, online retailers like Amazon, Shopify, and Etsy make these processes easier and offer online infrastructure for sellers to launch their stores. The best way to succeed in e-commerce is to choose a niche product that customers are less likely to find elsewhere, and price it so that you get a large enough margin to make it worth your time. You also need to ensure a seamless shopping experience – prioritizing mobile shopping – so customers can fill their cart and checkout without any hiccups.

8. Start a dropshipping business

If you want to thrive in e-commerce without having to worry too much about the logistics of sourcing and shipping inventory, you may be a good fit for dropshipping. The business model essentially lets you list products for sale on an e-commerce site while someone else—the supplier—handles the inventory and shipping.

While this model allows you to focus on selling goods, you’ll have to list products that suppliers already have in stock, which means your site will be less niche and you may have more competition from other sellers listing similar items. Still, if your sales are high, you can still make good money even after paying fees to suppliers and shipping companies.

9. Video editing

Video is one of the most popular means of communication and marketing today and is used on many social media platforms to make money. Many creators don’t have the time or simply don’t have the video editing skills. This is where you come in. Start sending direct messages to influencers with posted videos and offer video editing services.

A great way to get their attention is to offer to edit one of their current videos for free. If your video edits are great, you can win their customers. The downside is that video editing is time-consuming. The key is to have a lot of influencers who want your editing services, so you don’t have to waste time messaging more influencers directly and can focus on just video editing.

10. Create Online Courses

Do you have knowledge or skills that you can teach others virtually? It could be anything from selling luxury homes, hiring new employees as a human resources director, or baking an award-winning apple pie. People will buy online courses if you can capture the attention of your audience and create a series on the topic.

These video courses can also be divided into teaser clips, reels, and short videos for social media. The key is to storyboard and script your content in advance to achieve a smooth video series. The disadvantage is that it will be a time-consuming project if you want to publish a high-quality product. However, if you have experience as an educator and create a significant course, you can also make money by selling it to an online course provider like Udemy.

11. Become a tutor

Online education has become more accessible over the last decade, so if you’re a subject matter expert or have a background in education, you can teach students from the comfort of your home.

Whether it’s math, writing or chemistry, there are many ways to start tutoring. Websites like K12 and Connections Academy make it easy to get started, but it’s also worth checking with local school districts and colleges to see if their tutoring centers need help.

12. Sell your art online

If you are a talented artist and want to reach new customers, selling your art online is an excellent option. To start, it’s a good idea to create solid social media channels to promote your work and grow your audience. This will help potential customers find your art and create a buzz around your products.

You’ll also want to set up an e-commerce store where you can list your work and create a seamless payment experience for your customers. While revenue will begin to flow in based on sales, you may also attract clients who will want to hire you to create custom art.

How to Start a Home Business

Before you start an online business from home, it is important to ensure that your concept is profitable and properly organized. Consider the following factors in advance:

• Create business plan: : The first step of any successful business should be to assess its profitability and draw up a plan for success. Your business plan should include market research, an operations management plan and other key elements, including a detailed description of the services you will offer.
• Give your company a name and structure. Every profitable business will have a name – feel free to get creative! — and will be incorporated as a limited liability company, corporation or other structure (use this guide to choose the best business structure for you).
• Take into account all legal and accounting processes: Once you’ve set up your business, it’s important to think about legal tasks (e.g., do you need to create contracts?) and how you’ll receive money and pay taxes. Working with a business attorney and accountant early on will help you establish the right processes.
• Launch a website and implement marketing strategies: Once you’ve put in the work to get your business up and running, it’s time to create a marketing plan and get your name out there. That starts with a website where potential clients can learn about your work. Then it’s time to spread the word about your services on social media, email, and other digital marketing platforms. Business will soon be pouring in.