Top 5 Small Online Business Ideas You Can Start Today

The Coronavirus pandemic that swept the world in the Spring of 2020 has had many repercussions, short and long-term. One of the most fundamental has been a seachange in how businesses function, with more and more people relying on hotdesking rather than gathering in some corporate building. Many of these individuals have found working at home inspirational. If one silver cloud will come out of this unprecedented situation, it could be the number of online business ideas germinated. If the lockdown has focused your mind on setting up your own enterprise, here are five inspirational ideas.

Start A Dating Site

Launching a dating site isn’t as daunting a prospect as it might seem. Sure, there are many sites out there already, with some of the larger ones boasting membership bases running into the millions, but the good news is there’s always room in this sprawling market for an innovative newcomer. To put together dating sites like these where people will want to interact with, you need to think carefully about your business model, as well as the technical aspects of your design. But if you can think of a particular niche to cover, and construct an easily-navigatable web platform with due consideration for keyword optimization, you might well be able to grab your little slice of the ever-expanding pie.

Get Into ePublishing

Although people still love the feel of having a physical book in their hands, the advent of Ebooks has meant readers can have much more ready access to their favorite titles. Instead of cramming a bunch of holiday paperbacks into a suitcase, all you need pack is your smart device. There’s a huge demand for electronic books, so if you’re looking to set up an online business you could always consider bookselling. Why not cut out the ‘middle-man’ and choose a topic of your own to write about. There are many opportunities out there, whether you choose to publish other people’s work or dabble in your own creativity.

Become An Affiliate Marketer

Perhaps affiliate marketing is something you’re not too familiar about, but it has been around a while. There are various models, but a common one involves identifying a particular product or service you have good knowledge of, then joining an ‘affiliate program.’ You market the item via your website on behalf of whoever produces the goods. The onus falls on you to do the marketing, but you’ll get a cut of every sale, as most programs are commission-driven. The more you ‘big up’ the products you’re plugging, the greater the potential for a lucrative sales stream. And you’re only selling virtually, so you have no stock replenishment or storage costs to factor into your budget.

Set Up A Virtual Shop

One of the reasons we are continually hearing about the decline of the High Street is because the retail world now offers so many alternatives. The launch of Amazon and eBay in the mid-1990s was symptomatic of a trend towards harnessing customers who love the comfort and convenience of shopping from home. There are numerous sites out there dedicated to niche retailing, from secondhand cars to artwork and much more. If you have something to sell, whether you buy cheap furniture and give it a makeover, or you are a dab hand at craftwork, a well-designed website will help your business thrive.

3D Printing

The initial outlay ranges from three to four-figures but the business model is simple. Buy a 3D printer. Devote some time to targeted advertising on social media, or by word-of-mouth. Receive customer orders. Print the items. Send them to your customers. Process your payments.