Beginners guide on how to start a small business online

Ever since the start of the pandemic, there are many businesses that are now getting online due to the unavailability of going to a physical store as well as businesses which have started that are only online.

In this article, we’re going to cover the various businesses which you can start online that don’t require a ton of resources as well as provide you with beginners guide on how to start a small business online.

Top 10 business ideas which you can start online –

Although the possibilities are endless when it comes to starting a business based on your abilities and likings, according to us, these are the top 10 businesses which we think will work best online –

1. Becoming a freelance content writer, designer or a developer – These days working as a freelancer is fairly easy. You can start your own blogs or social media handles where you display your writing, or show your designs. Displaying your work on public platforms is like creating your digital CV that can be viewed by potential recruiters.
2. Taking an online class – You can teach students an art form such as dancing, singing, writing or teach them languages based on your skills and likings. Teachers can conduct online classes on multiple online platforms such as Zoom, Google meet, FaceTime and many more such apps for free.
3. Starting your own thrift store – Thrift shopping is kind of like giving new life to old products such as mildly used furniture, clothes or items of jewellery. As people are getting more conscious about their purchasing decisions, they’re no longer looking at pre-owned items as second hand goods. When selling pieces such as furniture you can always refurbish the design to make it your own thus giving it a new item feel. Marketers can sell items at a discounted rate and you can sell them through your website, blogs and social media handles.
4. Becoming an influencer – Influencers are individuals who have the power of influencing their audiences purchasing decisions through social media. Influencers usually have a large number of following. Influencers are marketers who promote a said brand’s product/service as well as create content that’s interesting to their audiences.
5. Starting your own blog – If you love writing, are an artist or have content which you’d like to share with your audience then starting your own blog is a great idea. You can then promote your blog using digital marketing tools such as SEO, PPO, Keywords and much more.
6. Affiliate marketing – Affiliate marketers are individuals who market a product / service using a unique link and get paid a commission everytime a consumer makes a purchase after using that said link. Brands are taking a keen interest in affiliate marketing as they don’t have to spend their money on advertising their products/services as it’s done by affiliates for them. Aspiring affiliates can join various affiliate marketing programs.
7. Selling your art online – As artists, selling your art online is a great way of starting your own business. Artists can use the power of social media, blogs to promote their content. This way, potential recruiters too can see your work and buy you art online. You can customise jewellery, notepads, customised furniture designs the possibilities are endless. There have been many artists that get hired for bigger projects only because their art was seen online.
8. Starting your own podcast – A podcast is a series of spoken word digital audio files that users can listen to. Podcasts are gaining popularity as more and more people are interested in listening to what others have to say. If you have immense knowledge about say sports, you can start your podcast around that. Sharing funny anecdotes, facts, fun trivia are all great podcast ideas.
9. Starting your own clothing line – If you love designing clothes and want to be a professional, then starting your own clothing line is a great idea. You can always ask your family and friends to be your models and post your designs on your website/blog or social media handles of your choice.
10. Building websites and apps – With more and more people getting their businesses online are going to require people to make apps and build their websites for them. If you have a working knowledge of coding and can easily make apps then this is a great business opportunity for you. Codes will tell a computer the actions that need to be taken and writing a code is like creating sets of instructions for the computer to then follow.

Apart from these, there are many other businesses that you can start online which can be lucrative. All you have to do is find the right idea to connect with.

How do I start my business online?

Any business that started out with a clear plan and has a proper plan of action will become lucrative but it may take a longer time to pick up with the ongoing pandemic. Listed below is our guide on how to start a successful business online –

1. Finding a need and fulfilling it – Entrepreneurs must ask themselves this, what exactly is the purpose of your business and what problem does it solve? If you remember at the start of the pandemic, many businesses started selling homemade masks. Entrepreneurs saw a demand and therefore supplied it. Similarly, finding an existing problem and providing a solution will help grow your business quickly. There are many ways in which you can achieve this. Create surveys regarding your business, do research on your audience, visit online forums. Once you’ve analysed your problem you can then find ways of solving it.
2. Create content that sells – One disadvantage that brands that sell products have is the unavailability of physically touching a product. For influencers, they’re the face of their own brand. In order to make sales or get traction, online businesses must create content that is eye-pleasing as well as write a copy that’s informative and enticing. One way of achieving this is by creating videos, catching their interest with a catchy headline or by establishing your credibility by solving a problem.
3. Design your website/blog/ social media pages – Once you’ve got your business idea, your market and your target audience in mind the next step is to create your digital presence. You’ll have mere seconds to grab your audience’s attention before they move on to the next thing. When creating your blog/website or social media handles remember to keep things simple, clean and less cluttered. Keep your interface simple. Add informational forms where you can collect your audiences data wherever necessary. Remember this is the first thing that a customer sees as soon as they’re on your platform. You can create a website or blog for free using digital platforms such as WordPress and other platforms.
4. Use search engines and social media to attract customers – In the digital space search engines and social media are key in attracting customers. On search engines, you can use SEO, PPC, keywords to attract customers. PPC ads show up on search pages easily as it’s a paid form of advertising, moreover, this gives you an opportunity to experiment with different keywords. Use high ranking keywords on your website and incorporate them into your copy so that they help with your organic rankings.
5. Be experts in your field – A lot of people are on the internet for answers. Create blogs where you share this information free of cost and you’ll get more traction on your website and pages. People these days want to associate themselves with brands that do more than just selling a product /service. Create videos, posts and other content that your customers will find useful. Create groups on Facebook or join existing groups where you can have informal discussions with your target group as well as get additional information on your customers.
6. Use email marketing – Email marketing may sound a little outdated but it still works! When you create an opt-in list and gather your customers’ information such as their email addresses, they’re giving you permission to send them emails. Incorporating discounts, offers and brochures is a great way of connecting with your audiences. Email marketing is cheaper when compared to advertisements on television, or radio. Around 59% of customers have stated that their purchasing decisions were based on emails. Sending emails to customers just after they’ve been on your website is a great way of starting a conversation with your target audience.

In Conclusion –

In the digital world, everything keeps constantly changing. Marketers must always be finding new ways and new trends on how to keep their business viable in order to make profit. They’ll be required to check their online campaigns daily to see which keywords are high ranking and which aren’t and then change their digital advertisements accordingly. Sometimes the best thing to do is to stop a campaign that isn’t working and to dedicate those resources towards a campaign that is doing fairly well. Starting your business can be tricky and difficult and requires a lot of patience especially in these trying times but that shouldn’t stop businesses from trying and hustling.

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