Online Business Ideas for 2017: An Insider's Guide To Getting Started

Posted on - Last Modified on

What do you get when you combine a pioneering spirit, ambitious business ideas and a little digital know-how: the makings of a dynamic online venture of course! So many dream about being their own boss and benefitting from extra income. Still, they often dismiss the idea as out of their reach. Not the case at all. If you have the desire and a viable business idea, with a little help and maybe a little shot of courage (or Jack Daniels—whatever works), you can do it!

From designing packages to revolutionizing the dating world, the business ideas are out there. Think Lyft, think Blue Apron, think Houzz. These were all online startups that achieved amazing success, catapulting their founders to the digital hall of fame. The next billion dollar business idea is out there, you just need to figure out what that is for you.  

COMING UP WITH THE NEXT BIG BUSINESS IDEA: WHAT DO YOU DO BEST?

And it may not be just what you do well, it may be what you’re passionate about, what gets you excited. Some of the most lucrative online business endeavors were the result of entrepreneurs figuring out exactly how to meld their skills and talents with something that they loved. Understanding yourself and what you’re capable of is a crucial first step as you make that move toward becoming the founder of a new and potentially profitable online business.

So ask yourself: what is it that I like and what is it that I’m particularly good at…Perhaps you’re a facilitator – a life coach in the making. Working with people, solving their problems and encouraging them has always been your thing. Maybe it’s about selling. There are plenty of online opportunities out there for those with a knack for moving products and closing deals. Or, you could have an eye for design. One of the hottest new online trends: digital interior design.

Whichever direction you choose, always think unique. What is it that I’m bringing to the table that is different and innovative? Certainly, most of us aren’t going to reinvent the wheel with our online business idea, but we can orient our endeavor in such a way as to offer a new and fresh approach, philosophy or vision. With more and more individuals and companies venturing into the digital forefront of business and commerce, you have to be able to emphasize that element that makes your idea stand out.

Lastly, be realistic about your resources. We’ve all heard the saying: ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ Certainly true; however, venture too much without having a solid plan in place, such that will bring results, and you could be headed for a very rocky road. There’s nothing wrong with starting small. The great thing about an online business is you really can begin on a smaller scale than if you were say, trying to open a brick and mortar shop.

As you begin to grow and hopefully realize some income from your brand new business idea, this is when you make a larger investment as far as capital: upgrade equipment, hire staff, increase your marketing budget. Start slow and grow…words to live by!

DIGITAL BUSINESS IDEAS 101: WHERE DO YOU GO FROM HERE?

So you’ve decided to take that leap…Congrats! Knowing what’s hot as far as online business trends in 2017, you can then begin to configure a plan and a definitive approach. Below are 10 dynamic business ideas to help you get started.

ONLINE BUSINESSES: THE NEXT GENERATION

  • Dating & Romance: Cyber Style

Match.com and eHarmony paved the way for dating site domination. Couple that with the more recent popularity of Tinder and OkCupid, and you begin to see that the way people go about finding love has forever been changed. That said, this is one market that somehow never seems to get saturated. Maybe it’s because there exists a diehard romantic in each and every one of us. Starting a dating site or app can be a very profitable and fulfilling venture. Imagine being responsible for helping people find their soulmates. And with all of the different niche possibilities (Christian dating, 55+ dating, same sex dating), there really is a broad spectrum of approaches that you might want to consider. Hire an expert mobile app developer or web designer and you can hit the ground running with the next big thing to impact the world of online dating.

  • Are You Life Coach Material?

Perhaps one constant, online or otherwise, is that people always seem to be searching for answers and help. Whether in terms of their daily lives, their career paths, the challenges that they feel unable to overcome on their own, they search for that bit of encouragement and guidance that has otherwise eluded them. Online life coaches are definitely in demand. If you have a talent for providing inspiration and direction, then this may be the perfect choice for your online business. With Skype, FaceTime and the myriad other venues through which to video chat, your client list can easily range from Hong Kong to New York City. All you need is a great freelance web developer to help you create a dynamic online presence, and you’re good to go. A stellar business idea? Definitely! Tony Robbins, move over!

See also: How to hire the perfect web developer

  • Package design: Pick a niche and box it!

It’s all about personalized packaging. More and more, companies are looking to create eye-catching designs and boxes in which to ship their products. They want to make a statement right from the get go. Yes, the product’s important, but so is the box. Some want to stress their eco-friendly approach via their packaging, while others opt to make an impact with bold colors and vibrant design. If you have experience as far as graphic arts or product promotion, or of course you might enlist the help of an experienced freelance graphic designer, this could very well be your next big business idea.

See also: How to hire the best freelance graphic designer

  • Love it? Sell it!

Online retailers are slowly taking over the world…With giants like Amazon and Wayfair gradually putting the big box stores out of business, there’s definitely room for more specialized niche retailers that can offer buyers a fast, efficient and flexible online shopping experience.  Enlisting the services of a freelance web developer and savvy product description expert to help you create a digital presence that earns customers’ trust and ultimately their repeat business, and you could be on your way to retail rock star status.

  • ‘App-y to do business

Apps are everywhere—there’s no getting away from it. If you’ve got a smartphone (and who doesn’t) then you are using apps. Most businesses at last realize this and are consequently scrambling to make their company more relevant through the inclusion of a useful and intuitive app. Let’s face it though, many companies simply don’t possess the technical knowledge to design and develop their own mobile app. This is where you come in: App developer extraordinaire! Create a company that specializes in commercial app development, and you have a potential goldmine on your hands. With the help of some super talented freelance app developers and UX designers, it’s definitely doable.  

  • Interior Design with a Digital Twist

The days of spending thousands for a high-end designer are over. Thanks to the birth of HGTV and the multitude of sites out there that offer home decor tips and tricks, homeowners are more likely to tackle their own design projects now. So where--you wonder--is the business idea here? Good question…This is where your creativity comes into play. Even though people want to do their own decorating doesn’t necessarily mean that they can. In fact, many do-it-yourself design projects turn into muddled disasters. Put together consultation packages that are affordable and still tailored to meet the customer’s needs. You can devise “bedroom-in-a-box” solutions or even “kitchen-kits”; these then can also help you break into the affiliate market. Two income pipelines in one—doesn’t get much better than that! And by hiring incredible freelance web designers, content writers and marketing experts, your venture is certain to garner lots of attention.

  • Picture your new business

It’s a visual world! Companies understand this and are constantly searching for those images and photos that will capture their audiences and make their sites more engaging. Perhaps you’re a budding photographer, or you just appreciate fine art. Platforms that sell photographic images are in high demand. Not to mention, they often get to charge a premium as people are definitely willing to pay for incredible pics. You might even consider looking for freelance photographers in other countries to contribute to your business idea, thus allowing you to offer a world (literally) of gorgeous website-ready photos.

  • Hors d’oeuvres anyone?

Meal planning and nutritional consulting have certainly increased in popularity in even just the past few years. With everyone looking to get healthy and stay fit, and yet not necessarily having the time or the patience to plan accordingly, more and more are turning to comprehensive meal planning services for guidance. Whether offering daily low-cal meal plans or even getting involved as far as devising an exercise regime for clients, you will have a great deal of flexibility within this particular niche when determining how to structure your online business. Hire a top notch freelance web designer for your site, and the sky’s the limit. 

GOING OFFLINE AND ON-THE-GROUND: MORE TRENDING BUSINESS IDEAS TO CONSIDER

Maybe you’re not completely sold on a 100% online business venture, maybe you want to somehow integrate an online presence with a real-world approach. There are certainly some great business ideas out there that allow you to leverage an on-the-ground experience backed by a little digital help in the form of a killer website and some moderate marketing. You can always find a talented freelancer to help get you started!

  • Express Delivery

To put it simply: people always need stuff delivered. It could be personal errands, businesses that require document delivery, maybe lunch runs for that matter. If you have a car, bike, or even just your feet, you can certainly find a way to break into the delivery business. Have a cool brilliant logo concept made by a graphic designer and really announce your presence.

  • Phone repair.

Who hasn’t cracked their screen…The prevalence of smartphones in the world automatically necessitates the need for their constant repair. If you have technical knowledge in this particular arena, then this could be a very lucrative business idea for you. Promote your services with some clever online marketing devised by talented freelance marketing freelancers and you’ll be busy before you know it.

  • Photography/Videography

A picture is worth a thousand words…It can also be worth some decent money. If you have the talent and the equipment, what’s to stop you from capturing those precious moments, memorable events or local festivities. Selling photos and videos of these types of occasions online, or even offering stock images for sale, can turn out to be a pretty worthwhile endeavor. Hire the right freelance web developers to create an amazing site for you, and the pictures will sell themselves. 

START THE YEAR WITH A GREAT IDEA

Starting a business from scratch is as much about finding and using the best resources, as it is about choosing which resources to invest in. Sometimes spending a little money in the beginning can mean a bigger return on investment in the long run. The important thing though is to spend it wisely, choose the right people, look for bonafide talent.

There are some things you simply can’t do by yourself, as your time and energy are better spent working on fine-tuning your business plan and solidifying your approach. This is where Freelancer.com comes in! We make hiring freelancers to assist you in turning your business idea into a reality easy.  

Whether it’s graphic design, copywriting, website development or data entry you’ll find the perfect match so you can launch your startup hassle-free! Post a project today, and you’ll start to receive bids within seconds.  

 

 

Posted 10 January, 2017

Freelancer.com Official

Change Lives!

Freelancer.com is the world's largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by number of users and projects. We connect over 23,440,868 employers and freelancers globally from over 247 countries, regions and territories. Through our marketplace, employers can hire freelancers to do work in areas such as software development, writing, data entry and design right through to engineering, the ...

Next Article

How To Hire The Perfect Freelance Web Developer