Have you been hearing a lot about different online businesses and you’re wondering what it is all about?
Are you looking for a suitable one to venture into and you don’t know how to go about it? Do you have so many options to weigh, without knowing which one to go for? If all answer is ‘yes’, then this article is for you.
Online small-scale businesses are businesses that can be done remotely. Physical space or office may not be necessary, and little or no capital is needed for start-up.
The startup process however requires some level of training and experience. It also involves portfolio building, some equipment and staying updated in the digital space.
With the advancement of globalisation, there’s a growth and increase in demand for people with one online skill or the other. Of interest is the fact that many of those in search of people with online skills are foreigners.
Top 10 Online Small-scale Businesses You Can Start Today
Below are 10 profitable and well-sought-after online small-scale businesses anyone can start even as a newbie entrepreneur:
1. Freelance Writing
This online small-scale business includes offering writing services to those who need them.
There are a lot of people who are too busy to come up with content. Either in the form of writing for their books, emails and blogs, or social media platforms, video scripts and the like.
They hire freelancers in that particular field to either write content or ghostwrite for them.
If you choose to pursue this line of work, you must be capable of writing effectively. Writers in this field must produce engaging and informative content, with a solid understanding of grammar, syntax, and style guides.
Additionally, they should possess creative writing skills, strong communication abilities, and proficiency in research and critical thinking.
2. Virtual Assistance
People render assistance on anything in the online space and get paid for it. Virtual assistants are usually very good at combining many digital roles.
An online small-scale business, you can go into is Virtual assistance. They always work with a brand owner to plan content, edit works, engage leads and send out timely updates to those leads. They also work to close those leads and convert them into customers.
People in this line of work communicate with the partners on behalf of the brand owners. Additionally, they work on other assigned basic digital tasks (e.g document proofreading, slide creation, etc.).
3. Social Media Management
This is an online small-scale business that has to do with helping businesses or brands elevate their social media presence. This requires the creation of organic social media strategies. You do this based on research to achieve a given goal for the social media account assigned.
These strategies will be planned based on the voice and archetype of the brand. People interested in this field must be aware of social media trends and also know how to adapt them to their content production tactics.
Lastly, they must be ready to manage everything about the social media account to ensure visibility.
4. E-commerce Store
This involves people selling different products in the online space without owning or having those products stored somewhere.
People who engage in this, act as middlemen for real and wholesale product sellers. They post pictures of the different products online and add a little price on each of them.
Whenever they get any interested buyer, they’ll reach out to the real sellers, deliver it and get a percentage as their commission. This is an online small-scale business that requires little to no capital.
5. Digital Marketing Consulting
It simply involves helping businesses get a lot of customers. Usually, both online and offline employ different strategies.
A digital marketing consultant usually will manage the entity to generate sales. Try to do this by setting goals and developing plans for the business and revenue growth.
It entails a lot of researching, planning and implementing new target market initiatives. Proposals and plans for top-tier (business-to-business) B2B clients will be developed and employed as well.
6. Online Tutoring
This is an online small-scale business that deals with teaching and tutoring people on different forms of enlightenment. It could be in light of education or skill-acquisition oriented.
There’s a high demand for online tutors in different fields, especially in “foreign language learning”, “educational courses’’ and “skill acquisition”.
These tutors generally must be experts in their specific subjects or skills, able to communicate complex concepts clearly and also possess strong patience and interpersonal skills.
They must be able to use different online teaching platforms and tools and also have the ability to create engaging lesson plans and materials.
7. Graphics Designing/Video Editing
Graphics designing consists of creating visuals that speak in the form of pictures. While for video editing, it has to do with creating content in the form of videos.
For graphics designing, he or she must be proficient in the use of different design tools. Including paid and free ones, like Canva, Photoshop, Adobe Creative Suite etc.
Aside from that, people in this business possess knowledge of colour theory, typography, and composition. They also are able to work under pressure to meet deadlines.
Video editors know how to use video editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Capcut or Final Cut Pro. They use all these to create engaging and cohesive video content. Besides that, they also possess the knowledge of storytelling and pacing.
8. Web Developing/Designing
This is another online small-scale business that involves providing websites for those that need it.
People in this category must be very proficient in the use of the different tools employed in web development e.g WordPress. They must also be able to design a website and its landing pages.
He or she must know how to troubleshoot a website’s problems and bugs, maintain and update websites, monitor a website’s traffic and stay up-to-date on technology in general.
Also read: Web Development: What You Need To Know
9. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a fast-rising online business in the digital space, it has to do with running adverts for other people’s products and for every sale, a commission is received.
People ready to go into this business must be knowledgeable about how generating leads works. Also on how to convert those leads generated into sales.
They must also be knowledgeable as regards marketing, making sales, social media platforms, content creation and website/landing page building.
Affiliate marketing mostly deals with being able to promote products and services from other companies and it requires possessing strong communication and persuasion skills.
10. Product management
Product managers own the product strategy behind a product, specify its functional requirements, and manage the feature releases.
They also possess a very strong understanding of the product industry and are able to develop and execute different product strategies like cost leadership, differentiation, innovation, product development, diversification etc.
He or she carries out regular market research/analysis and possesses strong leadership and product management skills.
We live in a digital world today and these top 10 online small-scale businesses can be leveraged this year. It is also advisable you read more and research the full details of any business of your choice before going into it.
#Disclaimer: Do note that these are general requirements and skills may vary depending on the specific business industry or country.
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