In a time when people are looking for ways to diversify their income streams, online businesses have become a popular choice.
To start one, you can tap into creative website ideas and turn them into a profitable venture.
Whether you’re looking to start an e-commerce store, personal blog or a subscription service, a user-friendly and powerful website will be your brand’s biggest ambassador.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of 12 website ideas that can help you make money online.
We’ve also given strategies to research, execute and market each idea.
And don’t worry! Towards the end of the blog we’ve answered the biggest question that might be popping in your mind: How do I get started and create this website?
So let’s get started with the ideas first!
Table of Contents:
1. Ecommerce Website
With an online store website, you can sell different products and services to a range of audiences.
In order to kickoff your business, you should do a lot of market research and pick products that are in-demand and add value to your target audience's needs.
To research market trends, make use of free tools like Google Trends, Keyword Planner and SEMrush.
E.g. if you type in 'Air Fryer' in Google Trends, you can see that more people are searching for it recently and interested in purchasing it:
Similarly, Twitter, Reddit, and Facebook groups will give you insights into customer needs and their pain points.
To discover more profitable and in-demand product niches, you can check out the trending sections of Amazon and Ali Baba.
Here are some additional beginner-friendly product ideas:
Product Ideas for Your Online Store
Handcrafted jewelry for specific occasions: Earrings, bracelets, or necklaces made specifically for certain events could do well.
Eco-friendly home and self-care items: Sustainable home goods, reusable kitchenware, and organic skincare products are loved by environmentally-conscious customers.
Unique pet accessories: Custom collars, personalized tags, themed toys for dogs and cats will appeal to pet owners.
Custom printed apparel: T-shirts featuring references people enjoy may attract fans.
Once you've finalized a product idea, its time to choose a reliable supplier. Amazon, AliExpress and eBay are a good starting point.
Check the supplier's rating, order history and customer reviews before outsourcing their items.
You can even test order a product for yourself first to assess their delivery and customer service.
Once finalized, make sure to use high-quality product pictures, and smooth checkout processes to improve the user experience and increase sales.
Your focus should be on enhancing your website's user experience to convert your visitors into recurring customers.
If you're looking to revamp your website or start a new project, it's worth checking out DesignRush's insights on how to expand business using effective web design.
Pro tip:
Implement upselling and cross-selling strategies to raise the average amount spent in each order.
2. Subscription-based Website
One unique business idea is a subscription-based website to give your members exclusive access to valuable content or resources in exchange for a recurring membership fee.
If you are a specialist on topics like digital marketing strategies, web development, social media marketing, content writing or more, you can create an in-depth course for your audience.
You can prepare your course slides using platforms like Google Docs, Prezi, Pitch, Keynote and Microsoft PowerPoint.
For polishing signing course graphics and designing its cover, Canva is your go-to option. To record screencasts and video tutorials for free, you can use Loom.
Plus, you can integrate your website with email marketing services like Mailchimp and ConvertKit to automate promotions and nurture leads.
These proactive measures not only enhance the value proposition for existing members but also attract new subscribers eager to access your exclusive offerings.
Pro tip: Continuously engage with your members by delivering fresh content, hosting live Q&A sessions, or offering member-only discounts to enhance retention rates.
3. Personal Blog
A personal blog is a good idea to turn your passion into a profitable business.
To get started, choose a subject you're passionate about and start writing informative blogs.
It's a good idea to focus on a niche topic as opposed to writing on a whole bunch of topics. Suppose you'd like to create a yoga-related blog.
Instead of a general yoga blog, you can focus on a specific aspect e.g. yoga for beginners, or yoga for stress relief.
Moreover, keep your focus on quality and not quantity. It's better to write 3 good-quality, informative blogs a month rather than an incoherent and vague piece daily.
Once you're done with building a blog website, the next important step is getting people to read it.
To attract visitors to your website, look up keyword suggestion tools like SEMrush and Word Stream.
For the latter you simply have to enter your site's URL and it will suggest specific phrases and keywords you can include in your content:
Similarly, social media is a great way to build traction for your blog online.
Create dedicated pages for your blog on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook and regularly share links to your blog there.
If you keep sharing value and optimize your blog for SEO, you can easily scale to over 15,000 visitors a month.
Once your blog has started gaining visitors, there are several ways to make money out of it:
How to make money with your niche blog:
Turn on Google AdSense monetization. Every time someone clicks on the ad, you'll receive a payment
Become an Amazon Affiliate and promote those products on your blog. You can earn up to 20% commission over every sale made through your affiliate link. It's also a good idea to promote products in your niche. For example, if you blog about fitness topics, you can write reviews about different Amazon fitness products and include their links. Affiliate marketing is a lucrative option and experienced marketers report earning over $80,000 every year.
Contribute guest articles to other blogs and websites in your area of expertise to reach more readers. Your bio will contain a link to your blog, which will earn you valuable backlinks and traffic.
Grow a subscriber list for your emails and make money from it with sponsored updates, special offers and courses.
4. Digital Marketplace
Make a digital marketplace website where different buyers and sellers can connect and deal for digital goods and services.
Now you might be wondering that hundreds of such websites exist e.g. Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer etc.
Why should I build one and how will I compete against these giants? That's where niche and localized marketplaces comes in.
For instance, a digital marketplace that caters to a specific industry, such as a platform exclusively for digital art or one specifically for freelance software developers.
This targeted approach will help you attract users interested in specialized services and build a sense of community among sellers and buyers with similar interests.
Whether it's graphic design, writing, programming, or digital downloads, your website can emerge as a platform for freelancers to show their skills/portfolio and for buyers to find quality services.
You can charge a commission over every deal made, a flat signing up fee or a monthly subscription fee.
A bonus idea: Implement a strong review and rating system to keep quality standards high and build trust among users. You could also offer premium features or subscriptions for extra money.
5. Travel Planning Website
A travel planning and booking website is a great opportunity for you to help travelers create unforgettable experiences and explore new destinations.
As the founder of such a platform, you can offer services and resources that simplify the travel planning process.
To elaborate, destination guides and travel itineraries are a valuable resource for travelers.
These guides should offer detailed information about attractions, accommodations, dining options, transportation, and local customs for various destinations worldwide.
You can create high-quality guides and insider tips to inspire travelers and help them make informed decisions when planning their trips.
Beyond destination guides, your website can feature user-friendly tools and resources to facilitate travel bookings, hotel and flight reservations.
By integrating with well-known travel booking platforms like Skyscanner, your users can search for flights, hotels, rental cars, and activities right on your website:
Competitive prices, special deals, and bundled packages will further encourage users to book through your platform and give them a great booking experience.
To attract visitors to your site, it's important to have a visually appealing and user-friendly website design.
Using stunning images, interactive maps, and intuitive navigation can engage users and make them want to explore your site further.
Features like user reviews, ratings, and personalized recommendations can also help build trust and loyalty with your audience.
6. Digital Marketing Agency
You can run a digital marketing agency that offers a range of services including SEO, social media management, content marketing, and PPC advertising.
Through it, you can attract businesses by helping them improve their online presence and generating leads.
In case you already have a portfolio demonstrating client results and writing samples, you should display it on your website.
Similarly, to boost your credibility and social proof, reach out to past customers for testimonials.
Even if you're a newbie to digital marketing, you can still venture into it with some effort.
To get clients, you can first start off by reaching out to job posters on freelance websites like Upwork, Fiverr, Freelancer and Toptal:
In addition, search for new startups on LinkedIn and reach out to them with your offer, as new businesses are usually in need of leads and a solid marketing.
As your business's goal is to book more client calls, your website's user navigation should be simple to follow, with clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs).
To gain in-bound leads, consider incorporating a blog section in your website as well.
7. Online Consultation
Consulting and coaching services are a great way for you to share your expertise online.
The best part? You can offer guidance in any field of your background.
Whether you're a lawyer, fitness trainer, business developer, or a real estate broker, it's a great way to attract clients willing to pay for your know-how.
For example, if you have a background in business management, you could offer consulting services to new startups looking to scale their operations.
Alternatively, if you're passionate about health and wellness, you can provide coaching services to people wanting to improve their fitness habits.
To facilitate bookings and online consultations, integrate your website with platforms like Zoom, Google Meet and Calendly.
8. Affiliate Marketing Website
Affiliate marketing is a popular business model where you promote another company's products on your website.
As visitors click on your affiliate links and make purchases, you'll earn commissions on those sales.
You essentially act as a middleman and connect potential buyers with sellers. It is a lucrative option and experienced marketers report earning over $80,000 every year.
Some popular affiliate programs include Amazon Associates, which lets you earn money by promoting Amazon products, Commission Junction, and ShareASale
To become an Amazon affiliate, you need to sign up for the Amazon Associates program on their website.
Fill out the required information, including your website URL and payment details. Once approved, you'll receive unique affiliate links to promote products.
Additionally, you must generate at least 3 sales in 180 days to maintain your affiliate status and adhere to Amazon's program policies.
Once you've chosen your niche, start creating high-quality content that incorporates affiliate links where relevant.
This could be product reviews, comparison guides, tutorials, or recommendations based on your personal experience.
However, remember to be transparent with your audience about your affiliate relationships and only promote products that you genuinely believe in and think will benefit them.
9. Digital Product Store
Digital products are quite in-demand and an innovative way to generate a stable revenue stream.
You can create an online storefront that sells digital products such as e-books, software, templates, and digital artwork.
Your goal should be to create products that address the problems or interests of your target audience.
To begin, identify popular topics within your target market and create a selection of high-quality digital products that cater to those interests.
For example, if you're targeting entrepreneurs and small business owners, you could sell e-books on marketing strategies, business planning software, and customizable templates for presentations or business documents.
Thus, optimize your website to convince visitors to make purchases through persuasive writing and intuitive design choices.
To attract customers to your digital store, leverage digital marketing strategies such as SEO, content marketing, social media advertising, and email marketing.
10. Online Tutoring Services
Starting an online tutoring business begins by first identifying your areas of expertise and the subjects you'll teach.
Consider your strengths and interests, whether it's math, science, language arts, or test preparation.
Once you've chosen your subject area(s), it's time to design a professional and user-friendly website.
Make sure your website has all the essential pages like home, services, about us, testimonials, and contact.
To assist booking and appointment scheduling, you can integrate your website with Acuity Scheduling or Calendly.
Once your website is ready, share it across social media, online forums, and communities where your target audience.
Consider joining tutoring marketplaces like Tutor.com or Wyzant, where students actively search for qualified tutors.
Subreddit r/tutor is also a good way to look out for clients.
These platforms can help you reach more students and complement your own promotion efforts.
Do keep in mind that even if you're not a tutor yourself, you can still start an online tutoring business.
By hiring freelance tutors to work on your behalf, you can focus on the entrepreneurial journey and leave the teaching to them.
Upwork, LinkedIn and Freelancer can help you can connect with qualified tutors who specialize in different subjects.
Are You Ready to Build an Online Business?
If any of these ideas captured your interest and you're considering starting an online business, we're here to assist.
Whether its an e-commerce store, personal blog, or digital marketplace, our experienced developers and designers can bring your vision to life.
Similarly, if you're looking to explore further, need advice on where to begin, or simply want to brainstorm ideas, we're here to help.
We've helped online entrepreneurs scale to over $30,000 a month and would love to bring the same value to you.
Schedule a free, no-obligation call with us by clicking the calendar link below.
We're ready to offer guidance and support as you begin your online business journey:
Comments