If you want to find the ‘Next Big Small Business Idea,’ the digital world offers so many profitable opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to explore creative, lucrative, and unique online businesses.

Whether you choose art, food, blogging, podcasting, freelance writing, dropshipping, being an influencer or virtual assistant, curating subscription boxes, selling online courses, or providing digital products via an ecommerce store, innovation is the key to enjoying your work, getting your small business to stand out, and making money online.

As the demand for novel business ideas continues to grow, now is the perfect time to delve into innovative online business ideas and ecommerce opportunities that have the potential to captivate audiences, make money, and send you to the top of your niche - so let's jump right in!

1. Sell Art Online

Transform your artistic passion into a profitable online business by showcasing and monetizing your artwork through your online store. No matter what your art style or niche, you can connect with art enthusiasts worldwide, providing them with unique pieces or prints that resonate with your creative vision. You can ship your art as framed, physical products on sites like Fourthwall; or convert your art into a digital download (also available on Fourthwall, as well as on sites like Etsy or Shopify), which can expand the reach of each art print or poster even more. Not only is there virtually no startup cost to providing your art as digital downloads, but your art can then immediately be downloaded and printed on your customers' side in a variety of sizes, filling a wider range of customer needs and serving as passive income.

2. Write a Blog

Embrace the power of words by starting a blog that shares your expertise or experiences in a niche of your choice. Whether you're passionate about travel, lifestyle, fashion, food, or niche subjects, a blog allows you to create engaging content, build a dedicated readership, and explore a wealth of avenues for monetization. These could include brand partnerships, per-click advertising, and affiliate marketing links/codes. You can also set up premium content memberships that enable you to earn recurring passive income for your archived blogging on sites like Fourthwall, since blogs can remain online to be re-read again and again. It's a great online business idea for writers and wordsmiths, has a low startup cost, and can even lead to other freelance writing opportunities.

3. Become an Influencer

One of the most trending online business ideas is to monetize your personality and expertise by becoming a social media influencer. In addition to creatively establishing your own social media channels and content, you can also build a loyal follower base and collaborate with brands and fellow influencers. As an influencer, you can leverage your online presence to earn money through sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, selling online, and other partnership opportunities; this is another profitable small business idea with a low financial startup cost, as most of your investment is going to be your creativity and time.

4. Run a Membership Site

Ever wanted to have your very own club? This next online business idea has you offering exclusive content, services, or products to subscribers through your own membership site. This innovative approach allows you to build a community of dedicated supporters who are willing to pay for premium access to your content. Whether it's exclusive articles, online courses, performances, access to special products, or members-only events, a membership site - like one you can easily host on Fourthwall - provides a sustainable revenue stream (with some portions of it even providing possible passive income) and makes your members feel like VIPs.

5. Plan Virtual Events

Another great online business idea is to enter the virtual events space by offering comprehensive event planning services online. With the rise of remote gatherings, businesses and individuals now often look for professional assistance to help organize virtual conferences, webinars, community or business gatherings, and social events. Tap into this demand and earn money by providing seamless virtual event planning solutions to hype your clients and their event attendees.

6. Open an Online T-Shirt Store

Got a good eye for graphic design? Launch an online ecommerce store for T-shirts and turn your passion into a thriving and profitable business. This online business idea has you creating unique and eye-catching T-shirt designs that can cater to specific niches, fandoms, and events. Then, it's time to sell online, by leveraging print-on-demand ecommerce services like Fourthwall or Shopify for efficient production and order fulfillment of your shirts. An online ecommerce T-shirt shop allows you to reach a wide audience, showcase your creativity, and monetize your artistic skills.

7. Set Up a Dropshipping Business

Dig even further into the world of product ecommerce through a dropshipping business online store. With minimal upfront investment, you can set up an online store and partner with dropshipping suppliers who handle all of the inventory and delivery for the products that you hand-select to sell online. Take a partially passive approach to ecommerce product fulfillment with this small business idea, which enables you to primarily focus on marketing, promoting, and growing your online business in whichever product niche you choose; Fourthwall has a great guide to getting you started in dropshipping!

8. Launch a Podcast

Enjoy talking, learning, interesting conversations and challenging dialogue? Speak now to kick off this online business idea, which harnesses the power of audio content by having you launch your very own podcast, sharing your insights, interviewing interesting guests, or exploring captivating stories. As you can begin with not much more than a computer and microphone, there's a low startup cost, and you can host your podcast on a no or low-cost site like Fourthwall, Spotify, Podbean, or Soundcloud. A podcast not only allows you to connect with a global audience, but you can also monetize it, earning money through sponsorships, affiliate marketing, advertising, memberships, and listener support.

9. Found a Foodie Emporium

Here's a great business idea for the chefs and bakers (albeit with some startup cost) - satisfy the foodie cravings of your customers through an online bakery or other ecommerce store featuring edible goods. An online ecommerce bakery or foodie shop allows you to showcase your kitchen skills and deliver delicious treats directly from the internet. Create a visually appealing website to showcase your online store's offerings, and facilitate easy online ordering to get your products to your customers' doors. This business idea can take on a variety of foodie forms, from baked goods to handmade candies, hand-blended teas or coffees, or specialty sauces/spices.

10. Curate Subscription Boxes

Curated subscription boxes are such a vibe right now, with endless options for subscription boxes that cater to specific interests or themes. Whether it's beauty products, snacks, stickers, or unique collectibles, subscription boxes give you the opportunity to sell products while offering something truly unique. Carefully tailor your subscription boxes to niche markets, include unexpected items for that element of surprise, and maximize this ecommerce business idea to create a buzz, sell product, and give your subscription box subscribers a delightful unboxing experience.

11. Offer Design Services

This online business idea brings your graphic design skills back into play again, but this one challenges you with solving your clients' direct needs. There are many different services you can monetize in this category, including print-on-demand items like invitations or planner page components; digital goods from printable artworks to streaming graphics like camera overlays and emotes; business branding; or even editorial illustration and stock imagery. You can promote this small business idea on your own website, or on a marketplace site like Upwork; you could even get your design work promoted on a feature page, like Fourthwall’s Design Community!

12. Start a Sustainable Products Ecommerce Store

Cater to the growing demand for eco-friendly and sustainable products by starting an online store that exclusively offers environmentally conscious items. From reusable household goods to ethically sourced apparel, this ecommerce business idea can be very lucrative, falling in perfectly with our current times. Are you well-versed on all things environmentally conscious? Then this small business idea is for you, as sustainable products align well with the values of environmentally conscious consumers. 

13. Be a Consultant

Offer specialized consultancy services in a niche industry where your expertise shines. Whether it's digital marketing for a specific sector, consulting that's tailored to specific challenges or events, or advice for a particular niche, positioning yourself as an expert in a specialized field can attract clients seeking customized, person-to-person solutions. A "lighter" version of this online business idea would be to work as a virtual assistant. A virtual assistant provides administrative services such as schedule planning, travel arrangements, social media management, or even bookkeeping for your clients.

14. Venture into Mobile Apps

Enter the tech industry by starting a mobile app development business. As smartphones continue to dominate daily life, businesses and individuals are constantly seeking innovative apps. Whether it's creating solutions for productivity, entertainment, or education, mobile app development is a business idea that can become quite a lucrative venture for tech-savvy entrepreneurs. If you want to center your online business idea around entertainment, you can also dig into creating game design for mobile devices.

15. Create a Learning Platform

Excel at English, or standout in secondary language skills? Tap into the global demand for language learning with this small business idea by creating an online platform that lets you sell online courses, tutoring services, and language exchange opportunities. With the increasing importance of multilingualism, this business idea lets you establish a language learning platform to provide individuals with the tools and resources to enhance their language skills. Not only could it be quite profitable, but you could help your clients tackle an overseas job or have richer traveling experiences; your online course could literally change someone's world.

Tips for Starting a Successful Online Business

Whether as a full time job or a side hustle, online entrepreneurship requires strategic planning and execution, so you can ensure the success of your online business idea. Here are practical tips to guide aspiring entrepreneurs venturing into online businesses:

Market Research

Conduct thorough market research to identify opportunities, understand customer needs and product niches, and analyze your potential competitors. Gathering valuable insights will inform your online business strategy and will help you find the best online business for you and your strengths. You can collect information to learn more about your potential small business idea in a variety of ways, including online surveys/questionnaires; focus panels or interviews; keyword and SEO tools; ecommerce trend research; or simply browsing the online competition in the desired niche for your business idea.

Find a Niche

Speaking of niches, make sure that the online business idea you decide upon aligns with your interests, skills, and passions - and that it also has an active target audience so it can become profitable. Focusing on a specific niche and executing it well via your business idea allows you to stand out in a crowded ecommerce market. Carefully building the customer base for your small business idea and providing a new and novel twist on the products/services you choose can really send you to the top of your chosen niche.

Branding

Invest in building a strong and memorable brand for your online business. Create a cohesive brand identity, including a distinctive logo, color scheme, slogans, and messaging. Consistent branding enhances recognition, adds excitement and hype, and fosters trust among your audience. Good branding is important, so consider it part of your startup cost unless you have graphic design skills.

Customer Engagement

Prioritize customer engagement to build lasting relationships. Leverage social media, email lists, the comment sections of your socials, and other channels to interact with your audience. If you choose to work with affiliate marketing, choose carefully so you're appealing to your target audience with products you actually relate to or care about. And make sure to respond to customer inquiries and feedback promptly, to make sure your customers feel confident in doing business with you.

Effective Online Marketing

Develop a robust online marketing strategy to promote your online business idea. Utilize digital marketing channels such as social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and content marketing to increase visibility and attract potential customers. And make sure to include your branding in a consistent way throughout, so you can establish your place in your chosen niche and in the market.

FAQ

What Is the Best Online Business?

The best online business to start depends on your interests, skills, and who you want to reach. Consider the market demand to identify a niche that aligns with your strengths. Online business ideas can cover such a broad spectrum, from freelance services to physical products; being an influencer and utilizing affiliate marketing; selling online courses; being a virtual assistant or consultant; art and graphic design; dropshipping; subscription boxes; and more.

To help you narrow it down, decide if you want to work with physical products or digital products (digital products having less or zero startup cost.) And keep in mind that the best online business idea for you may not be the best idea for someone else, and vice versa - your perfect online business idea depends on your expertise, your passions, and the needs of your niche and target market. 

Where Do I Start?

Invest a good amount of time into deciding on exactly what kind of online business you want to launch before you do anything else. Think about what your skills are, what you're passionate about, and what you'd enjoy doing long term. Once you've decided on your perfect business idea, focus on your niche and embark upon some serious market research. This is to make sure your product or service will be in-demand enough to support your online business and earn money, and that you'll be able to put together a solid business plan moving forward. And decide how much time and startup cost you want to invest - is this going to be a full-time gig, or just a side hustle?

Do I Need an LLC to Sell Online?

While not mandatory, forming a Limited Liability Company (LLC) can be a smart decision, as it can provide legal protection and keep your personal and business assets separate. Consult with legal professionals to determine the most suitable structure for your online business venture, even if you decide to launch your business as a sole proprietor. This will involve some startup cost, but it could be very much worth it in the long run, especially if your online business really catches on.

Innovate the Internet: Make Your Online Business Launch Easy with Fourthwall

The next step for your innovative online business idea is to transform it into reality and start making money. Enter Fourthwall, the ideal platform to seamlessly launch and manage your online business. As a comprehensive ecommerce solution, Fourthwall empowers entrepreneurs to create and sell products and more with ease, with so many options for customization!

From merchandising to memberships, Fourthwall provides a user-friendly platform that supports creators at every step and every size, whether you're taking the big leap into a full-time business, working on fulfilling the needs of an in-demand niche, or putting together a lucrative side hustle. Fourthwall can be the perfect headquarters for your new online business.