13 online businesses you can start with no money (2023)

Businesses of all sizes have one thing in common: they all started out as small businesses.start smallis a column for those who take off. Learn how to make that initial onboarding, handle all the administrative stuff, and set yourself up for success.

Whether you're looking for a side job to earn extra income, or you're ready to give up your day job and devote yourself full-time to the project you love, the increasingly connected online world has made it easier than ever to get started online. . free.

But while everyone canstart a businessBuilding something successful from home with just a few clicks means finding a great idea that matches your unique skills, experience and talents. In this article, we explain how to start a business with no seed money and how to start a small business that complements your existing skills.

When your business is ready to take the next step, WeWork can provide affordable and flexible office space that can be expanded and customized to meet the changing needs of your business. services likeAcceso overall a WeWorkmiWe work as neededSupport entrepreneurs with hundreds of dedicated workspaces around the world.

How to start an online business

Once you've decided what you want your business to be about, it can be tempting to throw both feet into your exciting new venture. But for an online business to have the best chance of success, you need to take diligent steps to ensure it's profitable and scalable.

Research your market thoroughly to understand who your competitors are and if there is a demand for what you are selling. You don't need a professional agency to do this kind of research for you, especially if you're trying to get things off the ground with minimal investment. No matter who is doing the groundwork, be prepared to find out that your new great idea or product may not be the success you envisioned.

Your online small business doesn't seem like it's what you need it to bea coherent business plan, but you must have one, even if it is very simple. This way you can measure your success, adjust your strategy and know how much to invest in the company at the right time.

What you need to know before starting an online business

If you are planning to start an online cashless business, your two greatest resources are your time and your skills. So start your business by offering your services to clients you have worked with, then build that trust and expand your network until you perfect your business model and expand your client base.

For service-oriented work, instead of selling physical things to clients, you need to know exactly where your talents lie and how much your time is worth. If your current skills aren't high enough, invest in yourself firstOnline training and tutoringto arm themselves with up-to-date knowledge of the latest industry techniques and tools.

With this understanding, you have the foundation to move into riskier and more rewarding types of ventures, such as: B. Design, build and sell products at scale and hire more support to help you achieve your business goals.

Online business ideas that don't cost money

Start a blog

the traditionalThe blogThe format fell out of favor with social media platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook exploded in popularity. However, as authors, journalists and writers increasingly try to communicate directly with their readers, blogging is making a big comeback.

WordPressIt remains the leading platform in this space, offering tons of monetization options to turn your trusted content into a revenue stream. services likesubfileAllow creators to launch subscriber-backed newsletters that not only get paid by the subscribers, but also provide a wealth of analytics to help refine and improve your content.

do affiliate marketing

If you successfully recommend a product to your online followers using a unique referral link, most retailers will reward you with a small percentage of that sale as commission. All you need is an existing website or blog with relevant content or a social media presence.AmazonasmiShopifyhave well developed affiliate programs for this purpose.

For example, if you're an experienced photographer, your opinions and perceptions about which cameras are worth buying will be valued by the people who follow your work. Turn these referrals into affiliate links and you can start earning a small passive income. However, be careful not to spam your readers with products they are not interested in and always be transparent and upfront about the commission you receive.

Become a community manager

Community managers are essential as audiences grow. Not only are they a bridge between a brand and its customers, but a good community manager encourages healthy communication andaudience growththrough special events and online offers. Social media management plays a major role in this, with community managers not only acting as a brand mouthpiece, but also as content moderators and mediators.

Not only big brands need community managers. People with large online followings, like Twitch streamers and YouTubers, are increasingly hiring community managers to help moderate and monitor their Discord channels and live chat.

Offer SEO services

Small companies that want to advertise themselves and their products often feel completely in the darksearch engine optimization. Understanding how online marketing works can give you an invaluable advantage for growing businesses that operate in your space. If your SEO services include a content strategy, you can also offer your services as a blogger or copywriter.

Google also offers free online courses that teach basic digital marketing skills and include certification by passing an exam. Train yourself with basic marketing skills and you can help new businesses get your name out there.

do translations

If you speak more than one language, taking on translation work can be a lucrative occupation, especially if the languages ​​you speak are less common where you live. Translators tend to specialize in one field (you might want to focus on translating literature, advertising texts or legal documents), but there is also an endless demand for translators in other fields.

For example, explore the thousands of small, independently developed gamessteamand you will find many requests for translators working on scripts and dialogue for other markets. platforms likegomiUpWorkYou can also connect translators with the people who need their services.

Providing content services

If you can turn words into paragraphs or create compelling audio or video content, you can sell your creative skills to brands and businesses looking to expand their presence and grow their online audiences.

As obvious as it may seem, for everyoneContent Marketing Strategyto be successful you need a lot of content. And not just any content, but entertaining, informative, consistent and reliable content. Make your expertise available to the companies that need it and start monetizing with the tools and expertise you already have.

sell things online

Online marketplaces like eBay and Etsy have some of the largest and most active customer bases in the world, making it easier than ever to sell your products online. Perhaps counterintuitively, the more niche your product is, the better your chances of success on these sites, since you're competing with fewer sellers to reach buyers with specific interests and hobbies.

You shape the web

Modern, easy-to-use website building tools mean most new brands canStart an attractive websitein minutes, but these ready-to-use solutions can only take you so far. When it comes to things like deep customization, ecommerce capabilities, and ongoing maintenance, many businesses turn to dedicated, skilled designers to give their website a competitive edge.

Freelance web design can be difficult to get right, as juggling client expectations and budgets can sometimes take more time and effort than it's worth. However, if managed carefully, this type of work can generate significant additional income.

Onlinetraining

If you're a certified trainer, chances are your skills are in high demand on social media. life coach,Business-Coachesand fitness trainers are increasingly turning to sites like Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok to reach new clients who need support and advice. With the right social media marketing strategy and some easily shareable content, you can quickly grow your customer base in ways that weren't possible just a few years ago.

data entry

Data entry isn't exactly the most exciting job available online, but there's plenty to do. sites likeZirtuellHelp match businesses with employees with managerial skills and attention to detail. And depending on how much time you want to invest, you can choose between simple, quick tasks and more complex, time-consuming tasks. The nature of the work also varies greatly between jobs, from manually uploading data from dusty old physical files into a CMS to integrity checking sprawling client databases.

organize excursions

If you have experience andtravel experienceand tourism, particularly to remote destinations, you can use your knowledge and connections to start an online travel business with little to no investment.

If you are a trusted voice in the industry, you can make sponsorship and affiliate marketing deals with travel agents and hotel booking sites. You can then leverage your social media channels to recommend brands, share experiences, organize itineraries, and promote your content far and wide.

create a podcast

Podcasts continue to grow in popularity, with reports that Spotify is investing nearly a billion dollars in the companies that create them. But as with any giant marketplace, there are a dizzying number of podcasts to choose from. The more niche your podcast is, the better your chances of finding an audience. So try to think about your industry or hobby and the topics that interest the people you work and socialize with every day.

Online-Tools wieZenCastrGenericNamemiRiverside-FMMake it easier than ever to create professional-sounding podcasts by taking care of the complicated mic setup and post-processing.

Kochblog

If you're more creative in the kitchen, you can upload your recipes to a YouTube channel while cooking, or share short videos and cooking tips on social media.

Foodie content is particularly effective online because it's not only popular with aspiring chefs looking for new and delicious dishes, but also appeals to anyone who just feels a little hungry while scrolling through their feeds. To start earning, connect with sponsors and use affiliate marketing to earn a commission every time you recommend gadgets, food brands, and cookware you love.

Steve Hogarty is a London-based writer and journalist. He is the travel editor ofAM cityNewspaper and Deputy Editor-in-ChiefAM city magazine, where his work focuses on technology, travel and entertainment.