8 Online Careers You Can Start Today From Home All you need is a laptop and an internet connection.
By Jonathan Long •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Want to start a business and avoid having to lease commercial space and take out massive business loans? Well, thanks to the internet, there are several online businesses that you can start with very little to no money.
In order to help you find the right opportunity for yourself, I spoke with eight successful entrepreneurs, asking them to provide me with their best home-based business idea. Use these suggestions to find an online business opportunity that interests you.
1. Blogger.
"If you are very passionate about a particular topic or subject, start a blog. There are several ways you can monetize it if you build a loyal audience, and the only way to accomplish this is by truly understanding the subject matter. When you combine passion and knowledge, you position yourself as an expert on the subject, attracting loyal readers. From there, you can monetize through advertisements or by selling your own products or service." -- Andrea Anaya, Founder of Boom Seminars
Related: 8 Reasons a Powerful Personal Brand Will Make You Successful
2. Social media consultant.
"Social media has become such a viable outlet to attract new customers and promote your business, requiring more full-time attention than it did in the past. I see several older companies that haven't quite yet grasped the concept, proving there is a large demand for social media savvy experts to come in and take the reins. For Millennials especially, a social media marketing consultant is an online home business that has the potential to be fun as well as financially rewarding." -- Evan Haines, Co-Founder of Alo House Recovery Centers
3. Search engine optimization (SEO) consultant.
"As a small business owner who understands the importance of organic website traffic, there are two things I can tell you about search engine optimization. First, most small business owners are already spread very thin handling multiple responsibilities, so there isn't time to spend on SEO. Second, there are far more bad SEO companies out there than good ones. If you have the knowledge and skills, there are endless customers available." -- Mark Mason, CEO of Breckinridge Heating and Cooling
4. Website designer and developer.
"As more entrepreneurs are starting online businesses, there is an increased demand for freelance website designers and developers who are capable of delivering attractive and functional websites at a lower price point than offered by larger agencies. If I could offer one piece of advice for those interested in pursuing this, it would be to build a couple websites for local businesses for free. This gives you a portfolio that you can use to sign new clients, and local raving fans of your work will provide priceless word-of-mouth advertising for you." -- Maxinder Soni, CEO of Zooomr
Related: How to Start a Business With (Almost) No Money
5. Affiliate marketer.
"Affiliate marketing is an online career that has unlimited scaling potential. You will need to find an offer and traffic source that converts, but once you have a winning combination, it's easy to scale your efforts. With e-commerce giants like Amazon implementing affiliate programs, it isn't long before even more traditional industries like ours begin to roll out programs that award online promoters and marketers. With a steep learning curve, this is a path that is best taken by someone with some testing and development capital available." -- Ryan Hulland, President of Netfloor USA
6. Freelancer content writer.
"As content marketing evolves, the demand for quality writers has skyrocketed along with their fees, and I see that demand continuing to increase over the next several years. If you have excellent writing skills, matched with a full understanding of grammar and the different types of content businesses utilize, then a very rewarding career can be started with literally a laptop and internet connection. You can begin to source clients immediately through various freelancer marketplaces." -- Kris Lippi, Owner of Get LISTED Realty
7. Virtual assistant.
"Thanks to the internet, business has shifted from 9 to 5 Monday through Friday to 24/7, 365 days a year. Simply put, businesses need more help these days, and many are turning to virtual assistants to help their businesses flourish. It's quite possible to work full-time for one business owner, spread your availability across several businesses or work on a limited part-time schedule. There's no shortage of companies looking to hire VAs, and it's a career you can start with little to no startup costs." -- Johnny Carpet of Dallas Flooring Warehouse
Related: Habits of the World's Wealthiest People (Infographic)
8. Drop shipping reseller.
"One of the most popular e-commerce trends is to build a drop shipping business. If you do it right, it can be a viable source of income that can grow along with your efforts, including larger product lines and multiple stores. You can get up and running thanks to options like Shopify, giving you access to pre-built e-commerce themes designed to provide pleasant user experiences on all types of devices and easy to manage on the back end." -- Jake Braun, Co-Founder of Kapok Marketing
