How to choose a niche and start an online business from scratch? How much can you earn if you create an online business? Where to start promoting your business online without investment?
For some, the Internet is a way of entertainment, communication, and information; for others, it is a workplace. Earning money online is available to all categories of the population - private entrepreneurs, housewives, pensioners, students and schoolchildren.
There are thousands of ways to monetize the Internet. You don't even have to have your own website to earn a stable income. The main thing is the presence of desire and free time.
Denis Kuderin is with you, an expert on financial topics at HeatherBober magazine. I will tell you how to start a business on the Internet , what ways to make money online, how to choose a niche for entrepreneurial activity, and what are the features of modern online business.
Read to the end - at the end you will find life hacks and tricks for a novice entrepreneur, as well as the answer to the question of how much you can earn by starting a business from scratch.
How to earn passive income on websites
How to buy a website with income and receive from $10 to $3000, even despite the pandemic and its consequences. How much does a profitable website cost and how to start investing with 10,000 rubles or more in your pocket
More about the course
Business on the Internet - making money for the “lazy”
The Internet is a territory of unlimited opportunities for those who want to work for themselves and receive a guaranteed income that does not depend on economic crises, the dollar exchange rate and the availability of initial capital.
Thousands of people are doing this right now. They have already made the Internet a source of real financial independence. If you want to follow their example, this article will help you point in the direction and arm you with useful knowledge.
But I want to warn you in advance - I did not accidentally put the word “lazy” in quotation marks in the section title. There is a strong philistine opinion that those who are too lazy to look for a “normal job” go to the Internet in search of income. It’s as if the network is a habitat for slackers, lazy people and projectors, almost alchemists looking for the philosopher’s stone.
I dare to assure the skeptics that this is a fundamentally wrong point of view. I myself experienced this kind of attitude from friends and family members when I left a “normal” job for the network.
I still encounter bewilderment and skeptical grins, especially from members of the older generation.
But on the other hand, I don’t need to prove anything else to my relatives and friends - they already know in general terms that my earnings are quite enough for a comfortable life, that they are no less stable than earnings from a “real job”, and they treat working online quite adequately.
I will list all the advantages of doing business on the Internet:
- a large selection of areas for commercial activity - realize your talents and abilities, depending on their availability;
- you work exclusively for yourself , and not “for your uncle”;
- you are not tied to a workplace - work as you want and where you want: at home, in an Internet cafe, in a coworking space, in Thailand;
- the working day is not standardized - if you want to work from dawn to dusk, you want to work 2 hours a day;
- You set your own weekends and holidays;
- you don’t have bosses and strict rules: if you want to change the direction of your activity, you’re welcome;
- The amount of income is not limited - it all depends only on your abilities and ambitions.
Working on the Internet, you become the master of your life. The feeling of freedom when you move from a standardized working day to a free schedule cannot be compared with anything.
But it is important not to confuse freedom with sloppiness. Money will not fall into your wallet on its own - simply because you declared yourself a freelancer or an Internet entrepreneur.
You still have to work hard and persistently. A lazy person is unlikely to be able to achieve more or less noticeable results online. Discipline for working on the Internet requires no less, and even more, than for office and production work. The lack of external control for novice money makers is often the main problem.
Is an initial investment required? It depends on what you plan to do. If you are opening an online store or launching a startup that requires full promotion, you cannot do without initial capital. If you plan to sell your skills online, no investment is required.
One more warning: online entrepreneurship is not for everyone. There are no guarantees that spending money and time will definitely pay off. I know people who, after spending a couple of years in online commerce, went back to the office on a stable salary. I also know those who earn millions online.
But if you are sure that online business is your path, then doubts go away! We choose what business to start and begin to patiently, consistently and measuredly move in the right direction.
TOP 6 ideas for starting a business on the Internet
In fact, there are hundreds of ideas for starting a business. And each of them has every chance of becoming extremely profitable.
For example, no one could have predicted that the launch of the world's first global social network, Facebook , would make Mark Zuckerberg the youngest billionaire in US history.
And the creators of Google (two Stanford students) even wanted to abandon their project at first, because it distracted them too much from their studies at the university.
Our top five represents the most popular destinations that have already proven their commercial potential. These ideas definitely work - if you can implement them correctly.
Idea 1. Opening an online store
Now almost all companies have an Internet resource. Even if the company’s main profile is offline sales, an additional way to sell goods will never be superfluous.
Some companies started out as small offline stores and then turned into online sales giants.
Those who already have an online store know how important a professional approach to website creation is for success. Having a quality product to sell does not guarantee success.
We have previously written a detailed article on the topic of opening an online store from scratch, I advise you to read it.
Don't know where to start? Download a ready-made business plan for an online store.
Idea 2. Creating an internet marketing agency
Online stores sell, and marketing agencies help them do it. Launching even a single advertising campaign on the Internet is a matter for professionals.
Even a brilliant advertising idea will not find a response if you are not aware of how search engines work on the Internet, why advertising in Yandex is needed and what SEO promotion is. Marketing agencies do all this. The demand for them is stable, and the payment for services is high.
Just a couple of days ago, one of my friends - a successful entrepreneur, owner of an online store selling expensive heating equipment - asked if I could recommend him a good website promotion specialist. I advised why not help a good person.
How is internet marketing different from regular marketing? There are many differences - a higher level of interactivity, the possibility of targeting (selecting a target audience), and other prices for services.
For example, an advertising banner on the Internet will work more effectively than the same banner on a city street due to a more accurate reach of the target audience (target audience).
What is needed to organize such an agency ? Understanding of the basics of Internet marketing and a desire to develop. The industry is relatively new, there are few professionals. The Internet environment is constantly changing, and marketing methods are changing with it. Those who follow trends and are not afraid to experiment win.
You can find a ready-made business plan for an advertising agency here.
Idea 3. Consulting services
If you are professionally versed in at least something, no one will forbid you to share your experience with others for money . Lawyers, accountants, teachers, practitioners and business theorists, cooks, designers, etc. provide remote consulting services online.
Skype consultations will only require knowledge and time from you
Consultations will be more expensive the higher your level as a specialist and teacher. In addition, the Internet allows you to teach remotely to a group of people at once in the format of an online conference.
Even more answers to the question: “What to do to make money?” you will find in the article of the same name on our website.
Idea 4. Website promotion
Website creation and promotion is another popular area of individual entrepreneurial activity. To create and promote Internet resources, you need to have an understanding of HTML layout, types of engines, hosting and domains, and creating templates. But do not be afraid of these words if they are unfamiliar to you - understanding comes with experience.
Owners of online stores and other commercial portals rarely promote websites on their own - for this they hire specialists.
You can also create your own web studio. A ready-made business plan for such a studio
Idea 5. Preparing content for websites
Each site needs to be filled with unique content. Moreover, in order for a resource to be successfully ranked in search engines, the content must be updated regularly. This especially applies to information sites, but is also relevant for other formats - blogs, online stores, service sites.
If a potential client comes to the website of a beauty salon and in the “News” section sees last year’s Happy New Year greetings from clients, trust in such a resource immediately disappears. If the owners are too lazy to update information sections for clients, then the rest of the services will be of appropriate quality.
A similar attitude towards the resource will occur if the site has a bad design, illiterate product descriptions and template information about the “dynamically developing” website on the main page.
Conclusion: websites need professional content. And it is supplied by freelancers: designers, copywriters, technical specialists. Their services will be in demand as long as the Internet exists.
Idea 6. Income sites
This idea combines the two previous ones, only here you are not acting as a freelancer or an employee, but as the owner of a resource on which you can earn money. Many new sites appear on the Internet every day, and in most cases they are created to make money. There are several ways to monetize - contextual, teaser and banner advertising, making money on affiliate programs, publishing materials for money, etc.
Profitable sites can be considered as online work if you do everything yourself, and as a profitable business if you delegate it to freelancers. To maintain the operation of the resource, one copywriter/editor, one SEO specialist and one technical specialist are enough. It will take time to monetize the site, but then it can become a source of high and stable income. You can create such a resource yourself or buy a ready-made one. Learn more in a free master class about profitable sites.
In addition to the ideas listed above, there are dozens of others - traffic arbitrage, making money on social networks, creating a channel on YouTube, etc.
Comparison table of business ideas:
№ | Idea | Primary investments | Hints |
1 | Online store | Equal to the purchase price of the product and the launch of the website | Pay no less attention to the resource than to the quality of the product |
2 | Internet Marketing | Almost not required | You need to have a professional understanding of the features of online marketing |
3 | Consultations | Near zero | A well-known name and authority is a guarantee of high earnings |
4 | Website promotion | Only your time | You need to constantly improve your skills |
5 | Filling sites with content | Not required | Competition is high, but professionals are always in great demand |
If you want to earn 1000 rubles per hour without investment right now, then we have a publication on this topic.
How to become a provider: registration and obtaining licenses
Before you begin your work activity in this market, you need to register as a legal entity. The best option is to create and register a limited liability company. In this case, the organization can operate under a simplified taxation scheme. To open a company, you need to make a stamp, open a bank account and register with the tax office.
The next step is to obtain a license from the Internet provider. There are two of them in connection:
- license to provide telematic services,
- license for data transmission.
There are exceptions when you need to obtain additional licenses. This must be done if you are going to provide access to cable TV or IP telephony services.
In order to obtain all the necessary licenses, you need to submit all collected documents to the Russian Supervision Committee. Please note that obtaining a license for this type of business is not so easy - the process can last several months.
How to create an online business selling goods from scratch - a step-by-step guide
The basis of economic relations between people has always been purchase and sale. Therefore, most entrepreneurs on the Internet act in a proven and reliable way - they open an online store.
To do this correctly, use a step-by-step algorithm.
Step 1. Choose the direction of trade and prepare a business plan
If you do not have an investor, you will have to make initial purchases with your own money. There is another option - your online store will act as a kind of intermediary between the buyer and the wholesaler. But to do this you need to work quickly and establish contacts with suppliers in advance.
Today you can purchase almost any product on the Internet. There is competition in all trade niches. So you need to choose your direction wisely. The following are in stable demand: cosmetics, health and body care products, natural products, children's products, coffee and tea of exclusive varieties.
If you have a product that has no analogues, that’s great. But first you need to find out whether there is a demand for it.
I have a friend who sells elite feed additives for sport horses. It would seem difficult to come up with a narrower niche - but no, there are several such stores in the network.
So my friend takes it from others - he has his own natural production, raw materials based on Altai herbs, and the products are tested by veterinarians and horse breeders.
Read about how to create a business plan in a separate article. A ready-made business plan for an online store is here.
Step 2. Test the selected niche
Niche testing reduces risks and gives you a general idea of the demand for the product you offer.
How to test? Watch the video:
Step 3. Create a portrait of your ideal client
Did you know that more than half of all online sales come from Moscow and St. Petersburg? Or that 70% of all buyers in online stores are women?
A businessman must smell his customers a mile away. Take into account age, gender, geography, interests, solvency, even level of education.
Defining your ideal audience is the key to sales success
Knowing your audience, you can set up effective targeted advertising that hits the target.
Step 4. Order a website
Creating a website is not an expense item on which you should save. If funds allow, order the design development and launch of the resource in a professional studio. Specialists will create a website quickly and efficiently, and at the same time help with the initial content.
Well, if you want to learn how to create your own website yourself, check out the article that we specially prepared earlier.
Step 5. Register the business with government agencies
Online trading is an official business activity . Choose the format yourself - individual entrepreneur or LLC. Opening an individual entrepreneur is easier and cheaper. The state duty at the time of writing is 800 rubles.
You also have to:
- choose the main type of activity;
- prepare a package of documents;
- submit an application to the Federal Tax Service;
- obtain a certificate of individual entrepreneur.
Trade in certain types of goods requires special permission.
Step 6. Launch advertising
Another expense item, saving on which is more expensive for yourself.
A professional marketing campaign guarantees wide market coverage . And then, without advertising, only a few will find and notice your store. But you can’t make a business out of random sales.
Step 7. Make a profit and analyze your business
The first buyers are the first profits. Don't rush to rest on your laurels. At the initial stage, feedback is very important: do not hesitate to ask customers how they found you and why they chose your store.
Based on feedback, constantly improve functionality and customer service. Don't chase excessive profits from the very beginning. Attract customers with discounts, bonuses, promotions and affiliate offers.
Avoid the mistakes discussed in this video:
Types of Internet Providers
Providers are at the federal or local level. The former sell network access at the regional, district or city level. The second ones are in separate small settlements. Sometimes, in some areas there are from several dozen to hundreds of Internet providers.
There are different types of Internet providers based on the types of services they provide to subscribers:
- hosting providers;
- access providers: backbone provider - the owner of large backbones of communication channels, selling traffic wholesale and providing services to other providers; city provider - a small agent renting traffic from a larger one;
- backbone Internet providers;
- channel providers;
- last mile providers;
- mobile commerce service providers.
How to choose a niche to start an online business - 5 useful tips
The key success factor is the right niche .
Expert advice will help you decide on the direction.
Tip 1. Analyze the demand for products
Selling rare and original goods online is definitely the right decision. Minimum competitors, unparalleled products. But the demand for such goods is completely unpredictable.
The easiest way to find out the level of demand for products is to analyze the number of key queries for different products in your region using the statistical resource Wordstat . This way you will find out the level of consumer interest in certain products.
Tip 2. Consider product availability
If the product you sell online can be bought for the same (or less) price in the next store around the corner, the online store loses its relevance. We will have to either change the assortment or reduce prices.
Tip 3. Be on trend
Follow fashion trends, fan hobbies, the latest news, hits of the season.
A recent example: the craze among schoolchildren around the world for spinners - spinning toys. No statistical resource can tell how much the sellers of this product earned at the peak of its popularity. One thing is clear - these are colossal amounts of money at minimal costs.
Tracking such trends is a skill that all business owners should have . Ideally, you should catch ideas even before they start talking about them in the media, on forums and on social networks.
Tip 4. Consider the seasonality of products
Seasonal goods – seasonal income. The ideal store is one in which the assortment is in demand all year round.
Of course, this does not apply to clothing stores, where the offer changes with the changing seasons.
Tip 5. Make a test sale on Avito
Avito is a kind of testing platform for studying consumer demand. If a trial batch of a product quickly finds its buyers, it means that the product is popular and in demand, and the consumer market requires saturation.
How to succeed in an online business - tricks and life hacks for a budding entrepreneur
And a few more tricks and life hacks for any area of business.
Read and memorize - it really helps.
Life hack 1. Read literature on management and marketing
Practice must be supported by a scientific base. There is a lot of useful literature that will increase sales significantly and help establish effective management of business processes.
Examples of good books are Philip Kotler “ Marketing Fundamentals ”, Seth Godin “ Purple Cow ”, Phil Barden “ Hacking Marketing ”.
Life hack 2. Study the biographies of successful businessmen
Nothing motivates better than the lives of successful businessmen. Almost everyone who is included in the TOP of the richest and most successful businessmen of our time achieved status and wealth on their own. Use the experience of your older comrades and learn from their mistakes.
Life hack 3. Monitor the development of competitors
An experienced businessman uses competitors for his own purposes - he studies them, adopts the best, analyzes their mistakes and successes.
Isolation in business is like running with a blindfold: dangerous and unpredictable.
Life hack 4. Look for like-minded people
Working as a team is always easier. If everyone is responsible for their own area of work, the headache will be less and productivity will be higher.
Life hack 5. Work on new trends in management and sales technology
Don’t get hung up on the same methods and techniques. Experiment (within reason), try new things. Online trading technologies change and improve every year.
Just a few years ago, Instagram was just a photo editing application. Now it is an effective sales tool that brings in millions in revenue.
Or take, for example, the now popular topic of cryptocurrencies. Read about what ico cryptocurrency is and why it is done in our special publication.
Relevance of Internet service providers
An Internet provider is a company that provides Internet access services to everyone. The main task of the provider is to provide high-quality Internet connection.
The relevance of such a business can be judged by the following data: over the past six months, the Internet access market has grown by 25%. The pace of urban development is amazing in its scale. It follows from this that providers have a lot of work planned to connect apartments, houses and other buildings to the Network.
At the moment, the Internet services market as a business is of interest to many novice entrepreneurs. It is the most dynamic in the telecommunications sector. In monetary terms, it has doubled annually for several years. Traffic consumption is growing even faster. More and more new players are appearing on the market, and it is gradually becoming widespread.
Everyone is interested in selling Internet traffic:
- traditional telephone operators,
- cellular operators,
- cable television operators,
- foreign companies.
Demand is generated not only by large companies - small and medium-sized enterprises are increasingly joining this business. Market development is stimulated by the arrival of new, strong players who can offer a high level of service at low prices. The market is conquered by those companies that offer the most favorable unlimited tariffs.
Simplified for LLC: advantages and disadvantages, principles of accounting.
Opening a bank account: how, where, why and for what. Instructions for entrepreneurs.
How much can you earn on the Internet - my personal experience
I was engaged in various types of activities on the Internet, but my main profile was filling sites with unique content - articles, analytical materials, advertising texts.
The cost of articles depends on their level of complexity and your level of competence. How you evaluate your work also matters. Competently written, well-structured and SEO-optimized materials are always at a premium, as are the professional authors themselves.
But even for a freelance beginner, earning 1,000 thousand rubles a day is quite affordable. The main thing is not to stay at this stage for long, but to constantly learn and move forward.
I also had to do remote consultations on the topic of copywriting. Standard prices for such consultations are from 500 rubles. per hour, but this is far from the limit.
Among my friends there are owners of online stores, website promotion specialists, marketers, freelancers, sports analysts who sell their own sports forecasts for a lot of money. All of them have stable monthly incomes that are an order of magnitude higher than average office salaries.
And for those who prefer offline commerce, the website has an article “Business in the village.”
Fixed income must be greater than fixed expenses
This is the golden rule that allows you to live happily from the first month. The fact is that salaries, payment for renting premises, for all sorts of things necessary in the office (water, Internet, cookies, etc.), taxes must be paid every month and this money must be found every month. And if you don’t want to live with cash gaps (which is very unpleasant), then it must be followed. This rule makes you think about when it is necessary to increase fixed expenses (take a posh office in Moscow City, a secretary with great prospects, students (to study), a marketer for all Rus').