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The 25 Best Online business ideas to start in 2022

Derek Rungsea
Updated:
December 17, 2022
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As the internet and technology keep advancing, more and more business transactions have moved online. This presents a great opportunity for business owners and entrepreneurs who are looking to start a digital business as their main job or as a side hustle. In this blog post, I take a look at some of the best online business ideas that are still popular in 2022.

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1. Online courses

Have expertise in a particular skill or subject matter? Teach your skills and share them with others! Platforms like Teachable, Skillshare or Udemy let you create online courses on their platform to share with people all over the world.


2. Podcasting

The benefits of having a podcast are endless. From building your personal brand to validation and engagement, there’s no shortage when it comes down how you can use this great medium. Just grab a high quality microphone, sound recording software, and start recording!


3. Masterclass or webinar

Masterclasses, like online courses but instead of uploading the lesson to a platform you host them in real time through live video. Prepare for masterclass lessons as if they were conventional classrooms and focus on delivering the best information to the students.


4. Freelance graphic design

With remote work becoming mainstream, there are plenty of opportunities for freelancers to find clientele. If you’re a graphic designer, and know how to use graphic design software, you can start working with small brands that need marketing assets.


5. Freelance copywriting

Copywriting is in high demand and is a very marketable skill. There is a plethora of opportunities to write for ecommerce brands, small and large startups, technical writing, ghostwriting, and corporate companies. More than ever, businesses need to publish more high-value content at high velocity. No matter what your writing ability, if you want to hone your skills for business success, these content writing tips will get you started on the right track.


6. Freelance photography

If you have a creative eye and a passion for photography, invest in some basic camera gear, photo editing software, and ask friends and family if you can offer portraits, or product photography for ecommerce website owners.


7. Freelance videography

While a little more involved than freelance photography, becoming a videographer doesn’t have to be expensive. Smartphones these days are capable of recording professional video. With so many resources and online tutorials available, you can learn tips and tricks to producing videos for others.


8. Freelance web design

Website development and SaaS is growing tremendously. If you have a knack for coding, understand web design industry trends so you can build beautiful, functional websites for clients. It's easy get started—you can either choose a website builder i.e. Webflow, Squarespace, or Shopify, or if you have technical experience, choose a website hosting service and find start coding the traditional way!

9. Ecommerce websites

The business landscape has shifted dramatically to online ecommerce. With website platforms like Shopify, Wix, Etsy, and Squarespace, they make it easy for you to create out of the box online stores. Just start researching product ideas and you’ll be ready to go.

10. Sell an app on an app store

With app development, you can create apps for clients, or you can build your own and submit them to the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. App development can be costly, so be sure to get creative with how you can develop one economically.

looking at a photo app on a smartphone


11. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is a simple, risk-free way to make money online. All you have do it set up an online storefront, research for products, then just partner with manufacturers who can ship directly to your customers. The beautiful thing about dropshipping is that you don’t have to manage any inventory!


12. Product reselling

There are many ways to make money online in the world of ecommerce. By reselling products like clothing, jewelry and beauty items through ecommerce platforms, you can make money without investing in product development.


13. Subscription service

Subscription boxes are the new way to get your favorite brands delivered right at home. From healthy food snacks, dog products, clothing, and personal hygiene, figure out what customers like and select products that could be bundled together.


14. Selling on Amazon

Amazon is the biggest ecommerce company in the world, and they have several ways for you to make money by leveraging their platform. From arbitrage to drop shipping, to wholesaling, and private label, each option has its own level of investment in terms of time and money.


15. Consulting

If you don’t possessive design or artistic skills, there’s still room for you to become a consultant. Before you start, decide on your specialization and your target clientele. Do the market research to assess the demand and see how you differentiate from your competitors.


16. SEO consulting

Everyone wants to get found on page 1 of Google and that requires SEO knowledge. By offering solid SEO strategy coupled with conversion rate optimization, you can grow a client’s revenue. This is something all companies will be willing to pay for.


17. Business coaching

The coaching industry is booming and there are many opportunities available to join in on this trend. You can charge as much $100 or more, depending on your experience. Make sure your credentials line up with what your potential clients are looking for.


18. Tutoring

If you’re the academic type, you can easily get started as an online tutor. Whether it be for elementary school, high school, or college, for those who are experts in their material, you can help someone else who may be struggling and charge per hour or session.


19. Blogging

Starting a blog can generate some passive income through affiliate marketing and advertising. As you write great content on a particular subject, you’ll grow your audience and authority online. This will make it easier to find income opportunities.


20. Selling an e-book

What can sometimes be a spin-off from blogs, selling e-books is another opportunity that combines writing and graphic design skills. Online educate is in high demand, and a PDF e-book is different format that you can offer customers.

21. Starting a Youtube channel

YouTube is a great because it’s a free platform that lets you express and share your knowledge and build a brand around it. It may take some time to grow your audience, and will require some video recording and video editing software.

filming a video using a dslr camera


22. Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is where you can get paid sales commission by selling the products and services of other companies. The potential for affiliate income is commonly found through blogging and becoming an Amazon seller.


23. Stock trading

Stock trading is passive in nature and can start out as a casual hobby before it turns into a career. It doesn’t have as much flexibility compared to other business models, and can be known to have a high learning curve.


24. Social media management

If you have a penchant for getting engagement on social media, and capturing attention, perhaps it’s time to consider consulting with brands to grow their audience by managing their social media content strategy. The good news is, social media isn’t going away.


25. Marketing consulting

Business needs marketing and good marketing is hard to come by. For online business, digital marketing is essential and there are several areas to dive into. From branding and email marketing, to social media and managing content marketing tools, everyone can benefit from marketing consulting.

With so many people now shopping and doing their research online, and using smartphones, the time to start an online business couldn’t be any better. There’s no doubt that ecommerce is still one of the best ways to make money online, so don’t wait and get with your online business venture.

Summary

If you’re looking for an online business idea to pursue, these are a great place to start. The digital business landscape is only going to continue to grow, so there will be more and more opportunity for businesses who want to get ahead of the curve and establish a strong digital presence. These top online business ideas are surefire ways to make your mark on the internet and see success in the years to come.

This website is supported by an awesome group of readers. If you buy products through affiliate links in this post, I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you.

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