17 Most Profitable Online Businesses to Start Today
This is 2020. More than half of the total population of this world is using the internet. As per Statista, almost 4.57 billion people were active internet users as of April 2020, which is almost 59% of the total population
With the rising terror of pandemic COVID19, it is a better idea to have an online business that can be operated sitting at home. You might also be searching for such opportunities.
But, you might be wondering what could be that online business that is really suitable for your personality and talent.
Here I am going to summarize the most profitable online businesses that can replace your offline work. Read on to find that suits you.
The very first step towards online entreprenurship is to ask yourself first — what are you good at? What skills do you have?
Online entreprenuership is not the same for everyone. If you are not convinced, and really good at what you are doing, it is not really for you.
ARTICLE CONTENTS
Most Profitable Online Business Ideas
Here I am going to summarize the most profitable online businesses to start that can replace your offline job.
I have tried to cover here every kind of technical and non-technical works that can be done remotely through the internet. Let’s have a look at the list,
1. Blogging
Blogging always takes the first place as an answer to the question regarding most profitable online businesses. Blogging becomes a lucrative career option.
What is blogging?
Well, from the definitional point of view, a blog is an online journal or informational website where a writer or even a group of writers share their views on an individual subject. But, practically it is more than that.
A blog could be a brand. If done properly a blog could turn in to a money-making machine, where you could make money while sleeping. But, let me remind you, if you are looking for overnight success, blogging is not for you. You need to follow a strict action plan from the very first day, and it might take a year to earn your first dollar. You might be passionate enough to be a blogger.
Now, you might wonder. How will the money flow?
Well, there are several ways to monetize your blog and get paid for your efforts. The best possible ways are,
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate Marketing is the most effective way to make money from your blog. It is the process of earning a commission by promoting other people’s (or company’s) products.
Google Adsense and Other Ad Publisher Program
You might also apply for the most popular display ad publisher programs like Adsense to display ads on your blog. Getting approval from Google Adsense is a bit tough. But, don’t get disappointed. You have some other alternatives to Google Adsense.
Sponsored Post and Reviews
A sponsored post or review is a lot more educational and informational than a display advertisement and it carries extra weight because it’s coming from an influencer. That influencer could be an individual, or it could be a respected blog or publication.
As soon as your blog gets visibility in the search engine, you will get offers according to your blog niche.
Direct Advertising
You can also reserve ad slots for direct advertising. Just create a page where people can contact you directly for banner advertising on your blog.
Offering Services
You can also offer services on your blog. You might be good at designing websites or graphical elements such as a logo or digital marketing or an allrounder. Don’t waste time, just create some pages regarding your services along with portfolio to showcase your previous works.
Interested in Blogging? Make your own blog in no time.
2. Web Designing
Another most profitable online business is waiting for you if you are good at designing websites. 1.5 billion websites are running right now and counting at a very fast rate. Though content management systems like WordPress and prebuilt templates have made web designing easier than ever, still many companies or individuals like to build their websites by professionals. Obviously, there is a demand for hiring web designers.
You can build a website of your own and offer your web designing services there with a beautifully presented portfolio or you can work directly on freelance websites.
For doing an internet-based web designing career, the basic needs are a good internet connection, a computer setup, some graphic and video editing Softwares, and a pleasant environment.
Top 5 best available freelance websites to start with,
3. Graphic Designing
Are you a creative mind and good in designing a unique logo, banner, flyer, etc, graphic designing might be your next successful career option. Persons having a mind roaming around graphical elements, freelancing is like a breath of fresh air.
Graphic designing is a very broad industry, and understanding and discovering your skills are the most important factors to make a successful graphic designing career online. Some of the most popular graphic designing skills are as follows,
- Logo designing
- Web Elements designing
- Social Media Graphics designing
- Brochure designing
- Infographics
- Banner/Poster designing
Choose the perfect matches with your skills and go forward. You can make your own website to provide your services or work on various freelancing sites available online. My opinion is to start with freelancer sites first and start building your own website parallel as your own site will take some time to grab attention. Top 5 freelance sites for graphic designing works are listed below,
You can also work as a contributor at GraphicRiver, Shutterstock, etc, and build your portfolio accordingly.
4. Virtual Assistant
A Virtual Assistant (VA) is a person who gives support to a company or business from a remote location. There is no such specific service that a VA should offer. Every VA offers different services. It might be an online proofreading service or social media account management service. Just you need to do what you love to do.
To understand the business broadly, let me explain some niche that a Virtual Assistant can work for,
Social Media Management
Virtual Assistants for social media are always in high demand. Their support involves in creating great headlines and content, creating eye-catchy images for Instagram, discovering audience interest to keep the conversation going on, etc.
VA for a Blogger
Many successful bloggers out there hire Virtual Assistants to manage time. VA for a blogger might involve in several tasks like writing/editing/proofreading blog posts, creating graphics for blog posts, moderation of blog comments, adding affiliate links, scheduling social media posts, and more.
VA for an Ecommerce Store
Running an eCommerce business is not an easy task. Plenty of tasks to manage every day. A VA could help in managing customer service, tracking orders (including order entry, shipment, and invoicing), dealing with returns/exchanges, managing inventory, maintenance of the website, etc.
Content Creation
Creating beautiful content consumes time, and that’s why most businesses tend to hire people for content creation. If you are good at writing, editing, and curating content, it is a good idea to work as a content creator. You might offer content related services like writing articles, research content ideas, creating eye-catching graphics, finding appropriate images, etc, and work as a Virtual Assistant.
Financial Virtual Assistant
If you are experienced enough in the finance field such as bookkeeping, invoice creation, payment processing, etc, you could offer services and work as a Virtual Assistant
You could also approach freelancer sites for Virtual Assistant related jobs and build your career accordingly. Each day numerous VA related jobs are posted on top freelance sites such as Freelancer, Upwork, etc.
5. Mobile App Developer
Demand for mobile app development skills in Android and iOs is high. And if you could prove yourself as a quality developer this could be the most profitable online business for you.
To become a successful mobile app developer you need to work for yourself first. You need to build your portfolio by creating some apps of your own and publish those to Google Playstore and iOS App Store. No one is going to hire you if you do not have previous experiences. Your app doesn’t need to be on top charts, these apps are just to showcase your expertise and build your portfolio.
To be successful as a mobile app developer, it is a good idea to have an updated resume (CV). Your resume should showcase your relevant skills, achievements, and work experiences. For freelance sites like Freelancer you need to reflect these things on your proposal letter while bidding for a job.
Best places to get clients for your mobile app development business are,
6. Social Media Manager
Social media provides extra power to a brand and being a social media manager you could be the voice of the business. In simple words, social media management is a marketing job and any job in sales and marketing is extremely high pressure. You will be responsible for the income of the business. But, if you have that skill, this could definitely become the most profitable online business for you.
Skills you need to be a social media manager are,
- Fluency in running Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram ads and get good results.
- Attractive content writing and research skills.
- An understanding of how to create engaging content on social media and how to grow the audience.
- Basic understanding of stuff like click funnels, pipelines, buyer profiles, and conversion optimization.
- Some basic designing skills such as creating landing pages and web buttons, installing code on websites, using APIs, etc.
- Graphic and Video designing and editing skills
Though to be a social media manager you do not need a professional degree, but it is always advisable to have some free certification, just to polish your skills and showcase your portfolio. Grab some certifications from the following top course providers,
7. SEO Consultant
The most discussed topic in the web industry is SEO. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. In simple words, SEO involves the process of obtaining organic traffic from giant search engines like Google.
The very first step towards an SEO expert is to learn how search engines work. SEO is not just optimizing MetaTags. It involves other aspects of digital marketing such as writing, designing, keyword research.
Get some idea about how search engines work by watching this video by former Googler Matt Cutts,
Skills needed to make SEO as the most profitable online business are,
- You need not be a coding ninja, but you should have a basic understanding of HTML
- Ability to find the high volume and low competitive keywords
- Understanding of content marketing. Read Beginners Guide to Content Marketing by MOZ for more details.
- Knowledge of rules and strategies of link building.
- Knowledge of emerging SEO trends and Google algorithm changes.
- Proficiency in visual content, like image, video, and infographics.
It is impossible to learn SEO by just reading articles about SEO. You need to put SEO into practice. The best idea to do SEO is to work on your own website.
You could launch your own consultancy website to get clients directly or become an expert at freelance websites such as Upwork.
8. Become a Youtuber
Youtube is probably the next big thing in this digital age. Kids nowadays tend to become Youtuber rather than a scientist.
With the production of a lot of millionaires, YouTube has become a lucrative career option. If you have exceptional video making and editing talent, YouTube might become the most profitable online business for you.
If you are thinking of just making money from youtube rather than making a valuable channel, YouTube is not for you. The millionaire YouTubers out there are making youtube videos not just to make money, they love their work, and they are passionate enough. You need to follow your passion, keep patience, the money will flow automatically.
Some tips to become a successful YouTuber,
- Learn SEO to optimize Title and tags
- Be consistent to maintain your fans and followings
- You should be aware of copyright infringement
- Research audience interests depending upon the views, likes, and comments
- Be friendly to your audience. They are your loyal customers.
- Ability to create high quality and engaging videos.
9. Freelance Writer
Freelance writing is a great way to make some extra cash and probably make a living out of it. If you are good at writing engaging content, freelance writing might become a profitable online business for you.
It sounds great that you do not need a formal degree to become a freelance writer, but, to get started and to polish your writing skills it is advisable to take some online courses.
The first step towards a freelance writing career is to research about freelance writings. Try to get familiar with the writing skills and tools required. You don’t need to be the best writer to be successful, but, you need to know how to write sentences and get your thoughts across.
Starting a blog to showcase your writing skills is a good idea. You could also polish your skills by writing on your own blog.
Freelance writing and ProBlogger are the best places to start your freelance writing career.
10. Online Tutor
With the rapid rise of internet users digital education is also gaining popularity. If you are good at teaching techniques, online tuition might be a profitable business for you. The best part of online tuition is that it can be done remotely.
You need to evaluate your audience after doing market research about your customers’ needs and requirements and choose subjects accordingly. After the in-depth analysis of characteristics of the audience, find the specific needs that match your skill.
Do not go for the topics you are not comfortable enough. Having a professional degree or specialization on the selected topic will give you an added advantage.
Are you wondering, where to start?
Top 5 platforms to launch your online tutoring career,
11. Domain Flipping
Domain flipping is the process of purchasing a domain name with the intent of selling it at a significantly higher cost. If you are internet savvy and have that potential to generate eye-catchy domain names, domain flipping might become a profitable online business for you.
Think of a million-dollar startup idea, and the most relevant domain is with you. They will definitely try to have it from you, and who knows they might offer millions for that. Recently, in 2019 voice.com has been sold for $30 Million, for instance.
To become a domain flipper, you just need to find available domain names that have some commercial value, snap them up, and then list them for sale at the sites listed below,
12. Become a Photographer
You might be a photographer by profession or taking beautiful snaps might be your hobby. If you are skilled enough photography might turn to be your most profitable online business.
There’s more than just the traditional career paths like wedding photography. And just because of the rapid use of the internet, there are more options available to you than ever before, some are good for a bit of spending money whilst others can pave careers.
You could easily make money by,
- Selling Stock Photos on Shutterstock, Fotolia, GettyImages
- Sell Prints through own website
- Take pictures at local events and sell them online
- Sell photojournalism prints to news publications
- Build a community on social media
- Become a photography tutor and publish a photography blog like Digital-Photography-School
- Sell photos to magazines and web portals
- Sell photos through your own website
13. Become a Podcaster
Podcasting is a way of distributing audio files via the Internet. A podcast is an audio file that can be downloaded from the Internet, often in MP3 format. If you are good enough in delivering speech, podcasting might become a profitable online business for you.
In recent years podcasting has become another rising career option. Google has reported 10 Million monthly searches until now in this current year regarding podcasting.
If you have knowledge of a certain niche, you might start podcasting and distribute it. Within the podcast you can promote affiliate products cleverly and make money. You can upload it to hosting sites like Libsyn, Anchor, and Transistor. They’ll generate your RSS feed for you, so you can submit it to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other players.
Though you can start recording right through your smartphone, but keep in mind that quality podcast always means to use quality equipment. Using a professional microphone and smart podcast players like Fusebox will put your podcasting experience to a new level.
You can join Patreon which is a free crowdfunding platform for podcasters. It is a simple to use platform that helps you connect with your listeners and turn them into paid subscribers of your daily or weekly Patreon only content.
14. WordPress Expert
WordPress is regarded as the most popular Content Management System which has powered almost 35% of total websites running, which is a huge number indeed. If you are good at coding, WordPress development might become a profitable online business for you.
WordPress provides plenty of opportunities to earn money. Among those the top opportunities are,
WordPress Design and Development
You can make money by developing websites powered with WordPress. In this case, you can make money by offering your skills to set up WordPress websites. The process involves customizing the entire site theme along with the installation and customization of various plugins.
WordPress Theme Development
If you are a website developer or designer, you can make money by developing WordPress themes. There are plenty of developers who are constantly developing beautiful themes for WordPress and making passive income streams. StudioPress, Elegant Themes, GeneratePress are some examples. You can also develop themes and sell on Theme markets like Themeforest.
WordPress Plugin Development
The best part of WordPress is the availability of powerful plugins to customize a website. Plugins add extra features to run a website smoothly. If you find anything missing, you can build your own plugin and make money selling that. Yoast SEO Premium, Visual Composer are some examples. You can also sell premium plugins on markets like CodeCanyon.
15. Social Media Influencer
Are you popular in Social Media?
Do you have an Instagram Account, Facebook Page, Twitter Account with thousands of followers?
If yes, a career as a Social Media Influencer might become the most profitable online business for you. Leading brands know that social media influencers are amazing to advertise their products to a larger group of audience.
To be a social media influencer you need to establish your social profiles by creating high quality and engaging content and joining influencer networks. Brands look for engagement rate when searching for influencers to work with. That’s why you need to build an engaged and loyal audience base if you want to make money on social media.
Various ways to make money as a Social Media Influencer,
- Promoting digital products such as Ebook, downloadable guides, premium workout programs, etc
- Conducting Webinars
- Becoming a brand ambassador
- Publishing sponsored posts
- Promoting products through Affiliate Marketing
16. eBook Writer
If you love to write and share thoughts in a creative way, writing your own Ebook is one of the best ways to make passive online income.
If you are a blogger/entrepreneur, writing an eBook on your area of expertise is the best way to build your online presence. Find a topic you are good at that solves a common problem for your audience and write about it.
You can create your own blog to sell ebooks at a higher price or sell on Amazon, Google Play, etc.
17. Fiverr SeuperHero
If you are good in some digital services, Fiverr might be the best place to kickstart your freelance career. Fiverr is a marketplace where anyone can signup and sell services at $5. That can be anything like Logo Designing, Transcription Job, Backlink Creation, Video Creation, etc.
Fiverr is the easiest way to start your career as an online freelancer. $5 is really cheap, that’s why lots of people buy and sell services every day through Fiverr.
To create a successful Gig in Fiverr, you need to
- Write an eye-catchy headline for your gig.
- Describe the gig cleverly that puts value.
- Provide gig images as good as possible to stand out.
- The most important part of your gig is to set up appropriate tags and keywords.
- Add a video to describe your gig to stand out.
Final Thoughts
There are plenty of works to do online to make a living out of it. Out of those above listed are the most profitable online businesses to start with which are sustainable.
This is 2020, and with the terror spread by pandemic it seems to be more secure to build a home-based business that can generate revenue while sleeping. Having an online business that can be operated from home has a lot of advantages like more flexibility of work hours, the ability to spend quality time with family, etc.
I might miss some important points in this article. Please feel free to discuss them in the comment section.
And as a reminder, Sharing is Caring!
