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With a webcam, strong internet connection and some dedicated effort, you can launch a viable business from the comfort of your home in 2024. Creating and owning an internet-based home business is not new, but some people overlook that these types of businesses rarely have real overhead. You don’t need a big office or employees. Your desk or kitchen table and a laptop is often all that’s necessary to get started. Here’s a look at 12 ways to launch an online business from home.
Related: 4 Super Simple Side Hustles That Could Replace Your Regular Wage — Fast
1. Build sales funnel websites and landing pages
There are many businesses out there that don’t have online sales funnels on their websites, meaning they have no way to capture information from customers who land on their site. This is an essential function for businesses, as getting customer information added to email lists and other campaigns is an essential part of the sales process.
If you have experience building sales funnels and implementing other digital marketing strategies, you could build a successful business from home by offering these services to small and medium-sized companies. You’ll need to have experience working on the backend of websites and know how to implement sales strategies.
2. Monetize your social media accounts with video
Social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok pay creators to create video content through short-form video. Each platform is different, but if you’re skilled at recording videos, know how to edit them for social media, have a niche and produce a large volume of content, you could see significant income. The key is posting often and building a large audience; typically, the larger number of users who watch your video, the more money you’ll generate.
Your area of focus can vary. You could focus on local news events, posting quick explainers about what’s happening in your town or city. Or you could focus on a hobby or trade like restoring furniture, auto mechanics or golfing.
3. Social media manager
You may not want to monetize your own social media accounts, but you can still make good money by helping other people — and businesses — manage theirs. If you’re social media savvy, well-organized and have experience building and scheduling posts for a variety of platforms, you can shop your services to individuals and small organizations who need help getting their social media strategy off the ground.
Your services can range from creating organic content across social media platforms to helping businesses launch Facebook advertising campaigns. Depending on the volume of content a client wants to create, you can work with multiple businesses and individuals at once.
4. Freelance writing and editing
Writing and editing services are in demand by nearly every business — large and small. By positioning yourself as a freelancer, you can set up shop at home and manage multiple clients at a time, spanning the editorial spectrum with your services.
Your work may range from writing feature articles to editing newsletters or helping organizations apply for grants. You could also work as a proofreader, researcher or digital content manager, depending on your previous experience.
5. Independent developer
If you have experience as a software developer, you can set up a lean business from home by helping clients create and manage websites or design new software. You could also focus on designing mobile apps or other products that you could ultimately sell.
Depending on your clients’ needs, you may work on long- or short-term contracts, but you’ll often be able to juggle several different clients and hone in on the work that is most important to you.
6. Monetize a podcast
Podcasts are everywhere. According to Exploding Topics, the number of active podcasts in 2024 number more than three million. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for yours — especially if you have a niche and can engage a sizable audience.
The most common way of monetizing a podcast is by selling ads. But you can also deploy your content across many platforms. After recording and publishing, the trick is to chop up your audio video to make Reels, Shorts and TikToks. Of course, you’ll need to work hard to keep a steady stream of content coming, and you’ll benefit from bringing on guests who already have large followings.
7. Launch an e-commerce site
Ecommerce is a booming market, and it’s worth tapping into if you’re looking for an at-home gig. Selling goods online requires some overhead — including building an ecommerce website, sourcing inventory and shipping products.
However, online retailers like Amazon, Shopify and Etsy make these processes easier and offer sellers the online infrastructure to get their stores off the ground. The best way to be successful with ecommerce is to choose a niche product, something customers are less likely to find elsewhere, and price it in a way that produces a large enough margin to make it worth your time. You also need to ensure a seamless shopping experience — prioritizing mobile purchases — so customers can fill their cart and check out without running into any snags.
8. Launch a dropshipping business
If you want to prosper from ecommerce without worrying much about the logistics of sourcing and shipping inventory, you may be well suited for dropshipping. The business model essentially lets you list products for sale on your ecommerce site while someone else — a supplier — handles inventory and shipping.
While this model allows you to focus on selling goods, you’ll have to list the products that suppliers already have in stock, meaning your site will be less niche and you may have more competition from other sellers listing similar items. Still, if your volume of sales is high, you can make good money even after paying fees to suppliers and shipping companies.
9. Video editing
Video is one of the most popular ways to communicate and market today, and it is used on multiple social media platforms to earn money. Many creators don’t have the time or just aren’t skilled at video editing. This is where you come in. Start direct messaging influencers with published videos and offer video editing services.
A great way to get their attention is by offering to edit one of their current videos for free. If your video edits are great, you may get their business. The downside is that video editing is time-consuming. The key is having multiple influencers who want your editing services so you no longer need to spend time directly messaging more influencers and can focus just on editing video.
10. Create online courses
Do you have knowledge or a skill that can be taught to others virtually? It can be anything from selling luxury homes, onboarding new staff as a human resources director, or baking an award-winning apple pie. People will purchase online courses if you can capture the audience’s attention and produce a series on the subject.
These video courses can also be chopped up as teaser clips, reels and shorts for social media. The key is storyboarding and scripting the content beforehand for a seamless video series. The downside is that it will be a time-consuming project if you wish to publish a quality product. However, if you have experience as an educator and you create a substantial 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 past decade, so if you’re a subject matter expert or have a background in education, you can tutor students from the comfort of your own home.
Whether it’s math, writing or chemistry, there are many opportunities to begin tutoring. Online sites 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 assistance.
12. Sell your art online
If you’re a talented artist and want to reach new customers, selling your art online is an excellent option. To start, it’s worth creating robust social media channels to promote your work and grow your audience. This will help potential customers find your art and generate buzz around your products.
You’ll also want to establish an ecommerce store where you can list your work and create a seamless checkout experience for customers. While revenue will begin to come in based on your sales, you may also attract clients who want to hire you to create custom art.
How to start a home business
Before you launch an internet-based home business, it’s important to do the work to ensure your concept will be profitable and properly organized. Consider the following factors ahead of time:
- Create a business plan: The first step for any successful business should be evaluating its viability and making 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 business a name and structure. Any viable business will have a name — you can get creative! — and will be incorporated as an LLC, corporation or with another structure (use this guide to choose the best business structure for you).
- Consider all legal and accounting processes: Once you’ve incorporated your business, it’s important to think about legal tasks (e.g. do you need to create contracts?) and how you will receive money and pay taxes. Working with a business attorney and accountant at the outset will help you establish the correct processes.
- Launch a website and implement marketing strategies: Once you’ve undertaken the work of forming your business, it’s time to create a marketing plan and get your name out there. This begins with a website, where prospective customers and clients can learn about your work. Then it’s time to spread the word about your services across social media, email and other digital marketing platforms. Soon, business will be coming your way.