2020 has been such a stressful year for everyone, right across the globe, that it can be difficult thinking of many positives. But there’s an adage about every cloud having a silver lining. The pandemic may have prompted social distancing and lockdowns, but having to work from home has inspired many to consider remaining there. Instead of focusing on returning to the nine-to-five routine, more and more individuals are considering the possibilities of setting up online enterprises. Here are five ideas for budding entrepreneurs.
Launch a dating platform
Since the first commercial dating site was launched in the 1990s, virtual matchmaking has become huge. Although there are already sites covering every aspect of dating, there will always be room for interesting and innovative spins on the subject. The key ingredients: a competently-designed website and a unique brand. Once you have identified how you could monetize your platform in terms of what you would be offering the singles who drop by looking for partners, the only limit to what you could achieve is your imagination! Think of ways to expand your customer base with incentives. And ensure you keep your site refreshed, constantly adding captivating images.
Get into web design
Web design is no longer the exclusive domain of coders who understand how to construct websites using HTML and languages such as Java. There are now all sorts of bespoke site-building templates that can be downloaded within a couple of clicks then customized, with minimal knowledge of the technical details. The key aspects are a creative mind and the skill to write strong content. If you can master these factors you could offer a web design service for your customer. The good news is that this can be a highly lucrative online venture.
Become an affiliate marketer
Affiliate marketing involves identifying products already for sale and offering your blog or website as an alternative sales outlet. Large retail organizations like Amazon will offer affiliate options for generic products, but it would also be a good idea to latch onto smaller niche areas where there is a demand for things you have personal knowledge of. If you can write compelling content for your webpages advertising these items, you will benefit from commission every time you shift units. The added incentive is the fact that you don’t have to be involved in stock control or invoicing.
Set up an eCommerce enterprise
If you’ve ever used sites such as eBay to auction household items, you already possess the basic requirements for operating an online shop. You can customize eBay shops, focusing on a particular niche area of retailing you have a particular interest in, whether that’s football programs, Star Wars memorabilia, or anything else. These products could form the core aspect of your sales platform. You could also branch out on your own, cutting out the ‘middle-man,’ designing a website for your venture, installing an online shopping cart, then focussing on creating eye-catching content.
Publish eBooks
The advent of iPad and smartphone technology has meant people are doing so much more reading on digital platforms these days. With the advent of Kindle and other e-readers, users are reading novels or reference books online just as much as picking up hard copies. Publishing eBooks can be another excellent business idea. A key component is a compelling writing style, but as long as you can bring a unique spin on whatever your specialist subject happens to be, you could build a customer base. You can upload your finished manuscripts to a variety of platforms, such as Amazon, Lulu, or Kobo.
