With the ever-increasing cost of childcare, and the longer and longer commuting times on the roads, it’s no wonder that many people look to set up businesses which they can operate from the comfort of their own home.
But with many scams and schemes out there it’s important to make sure you do your research before committing to any kind of work from home programme. The good news is there are many genuine business options which you can set up yourself to earn a living – here are our top five:
#1. Set up an online shop
It is very easy to set up your own online shop which you can use to sell your own crafts, art, and products. Platforms like Etsy, eBay and Shopify have made it very easy for people to run their own online business either selling goods or selling gifts and crafts they have made themselves.
If you have a strong artistic or craft leaning, this could be the perfect business to set up from the comfort of your own home and with the advances in web design, you don’t need to be a technology expert to set up your own e-commerce site now.
If setting up an online e-commerce business, you may want to consider starting a limited company. Check out this guide to setting up a limited company from Crunch. There are other options but there are many benefits to a limited company.
#2. Start your own blog
If you prefer writing to arts and crafts and have a specialist subject area then why not set up a professional blog? You need to have a specifically identified audience who are interested in what you have to say.
There are many free platforms you can use to set up your blog and you don’t need any kind of technical knowledge – most use templates to create fantastic looking blog sites easily and free of charge.
Once you have your audience and your blog it’s a case of creating content of value on a regular basis, and attracting advertisers who want to reach your audience, which will enable you to monetise the blog and earn a living. It will take hard work and you need a big following to be successful but it’s not impossible.
#3. Become an affiliate marketer
Companies like Amazon, Shein and eBay use affiliate marketers to increase their online traffic. You can check the Shein review for online shopping. So you can become an affiliate marketer for them. You need to bring in online traffic and then direct it to their platform, earning a commission if products are bought from using your affiliate link. Amazon offers up to 10% commission on items purchased via an affiliate link.
You will need to have your own website where you host the link, so you will need something to attract traffic to your site in the first place – it’s another way to monetise your blog if you don’t have a separate website, by including an affiliate link on it.
#4. Work as an SEO consultant
SEO is still an important part of every business website so why not take some time to learn the skills by taking an online course or night class to become an SEO expert. You can work from home as a consultant, helping to assess business websites and giving them advice on how they can improve their website rankings on Google.
#5. Become an internet researcher
To become an internet researcher you need to identify a key niche – it means you need to be able to carry out research which is more complicated than just looking up things on Google. You need to have skills which other people don’t.
Ideas include academic research for students and other academics or data research for scientists. Other niche options include market research for businesses and industry research for television shows or authors.
It is a service which people will pay you for but you need to be able to offer something which is genuinely needed and you need to have the time, resources and patience to carry out the research properly and thoroughly for your clients.
These are just five ideas for businesses which you can set up easily and run from home at low cost and low risk – there are many more out there. One thing is for sure, the internet has opened up more opportunities for people to work from home than ever before.
It’s important to do your research and think about what interests you and what drives you. If you are going to commit to working from home full-time you need to make sure your interest in the subject matter will remain intact and that you will have enough passion and drive to keep you going through any hard times.
Running a business from home brings many challenges and can be isolating so it’s important to look at all the angles before you jump in. It’s not just about doing a hobby you enjoy full-time – you will need to learn business skills like invoicing, client management and accounting as well.
