5 Easy Online Business Ideas for Beginners to Start Today
Simple, profitable, and beginner-friendly ideas to kickstart your online business journey.
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Sometimes, people wonder why I often sit in cafés with my computer and work. When I explain that it’s both my work and part of my lifestyle, they’re surprised. For me, work isn’t something I have to do—it’s my passion, which I’ve turned into a small business ecosystem that allows me to live a life of freedom.
So, the real question is: How did I do that?
I think this is something every beginner wants to learn more about. After all, many of us dream of this kind of flexibility and freedom.
And today, I’ll share 5 easy online business ideas for beginners that helped me get started. These ideas require little to no experience and can be started right away.
Why Start an Online Business?
My reason for starting an online business was simple: flexibility. My husband and I had run several offline businesses, but they always tied us to one place. After moving to Turkey and settling into our flat, I wanted the freedom to stay there longer and travel during the winter. An online business was the perfect solution.
Another important reason was the ability to grow and scale without needing a large upfront investment. In the beginning, my only expenses were for hosting, a domain, and an email service provider like Kit (formerly ConvertKit).
This makes starting an online business very affordable for beginners.
Before you dive in, I highly recommend taking a moment to think about your reasons for starting.
Knowing your "why" will help keep you motivated as you build your business.
5 Easy Online Business Ideas for Beginners
01 Start a Blog and Monetize It
Starting a blog six years ago was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I don’t regret it for a second and am so glad I didn’t give up, even though there were moments I wanted to quit.
My first income from blogging came through affiliate marketing: $25 by recommending products on Amazon, and my first $100 by sharing financial products I personally use with my readers after just six months.
Blogging starts with choosing a niche—a topic you’re passionate about and knowledgeable in, with an audience willing to engage and spend money.
Next, set up your blog by picking a domain name, reliable hosting, and a content management system like WordPress. Once your blog is live, focus on creating valuable content that educates, entertains, and solves problems for your audience.
To grow your blog, work on social media marketing, building an email list, and learning basic SEO to attract readers consistently.
When it’s time to monetize, you can explore:
Ads for passive income.
Affiliate marketing to earn commissions for promoting products you believe in.
Sponsored posts to collaborate with brands.
Example: If you’re a health coach, you can create posts comparing the best running shoes or workout mats. These types of products are perfect for earning your first income through affiliate marketing on platforms like Amazon or ShareASale.
Action Step: Choose your niche, set up hosting, and publish your first blog post!02 Start a Paid Newsletter
When I started my online business journey, a paid newsletter wasn’t even on my radar. I first heard about it when Kit (formerly ConvertKit) introduced it as a feature. At the time, sending a consistent free newsletter to my blog subscribers felt like the hardest part of my work. But over time, it became one of the most enjoyable parts of my business journey.
After four years of sending out free newsletters, I was intrigued by the idea of monetizing this part of my writing.
That’s when I discovered Substack. I debated between starting on Substack or Kit but eventually chose Substack for my first publication, which was originally in German.
Getting started on Substack was surprisingly easy.
The setup required minimal technical skills, and there were no upfront costs—it only started costing me once I began earning money.
Compared to blogging, starting a paid newsletter (or even a free one) on platforms like Substack or Kit is simpler, more affordable, and benefits from built-in communities that help grow your email list through recommendations.
Like blogging, the key to success with newsletters is choosing a niche topic and consistently publishing content. Your writing is delivered directly to your readers, and you have the freedom to experiment with short or long-form content.
For anyone exploring easy online business ideas for beginners, a paid newsletter is an excellent option. It’s low-risk, beginner-friendly, and scalable.
Action Step: Pick a niche and launch your free newsletter to start building an audience!03 Sell Digital Products or Printables
The first digital product I developed after earning my initial income through affiliate marketing was a printable workbook. I created a one-year financial planner, sold it as a PDF to my email list. It’s still one of my bestsellers today—even after updating it with improved features.
Digital products, such as eBooks, workbooks, or printables, are simple to create and don’t require as much effort as a full course.
Tools like Canva or PowerPoint make it easy to design professional-looking products.
Platforms like Gumroad or Payhip allow you to sell them without upfront costs—you only pay a fee when you make a sale.
These small products are also great for testing larger product ideas, collecting testimonials, and learning more about your audience's needs.
Plus, I’ve noticed that many of my workbook buyers often go on to purchase higher-priced products later.
For example, if you’re a health coach teaching people how to lose weight and eat healthier, you could start by creating a small eBook with recipes and healthy eating tips. Then, complement it with printables to help your customers track their habits and results.
Action Step: Choose a niche, design one small product (like a budget template or habit tracker), and start selling it online!04 Teach an Online Course or Workshop
Once you’ve learned more about your audience and their needs, creating an online course is a fantastic way to share your expertise. You don’t need to start with a large course.
Begin small by creating a mini-course, such as a 1-hour video course or an email course sent as a sequence after purchase. For an email course, you don’t even need a platform like Teachable—tools like Kit make it simple.
When you’ve tested your idea with a mini-course, you can expand into a larger course. To minimize risks, consider pre-selling the course before fully creating it.
Last year, I launched my first course as an email sequence scheduled over four weeks. I offered it initially to previous buyers at a discounted price to gather testimonials and make improvements.
Later, I launched it to my entire email list, and the results were great! Buyers appreciated receiving lessons directly in their inboxes with a manageable schedule—two emails per week over four weeks. This gave them time to complete each task before moving on to the next lesson.
Courses are an excellent way to share your knowledge, build trust, and generate income. Testing your ideas with a mini-course allows you to refine the content and format before committing to a more extensive project.
Example: If you’re a health coach, you could create a four-week email course teaching clients how to establish healthy habits. Each email could include actionable tips, a short video, and a printable tracker. This allows your audience to make steady progress while building excitement for future offerings.
Action Step: Record a short, 1-hour course to share your knowledge.05 Start a Coaching Business
If you have expertise in a specific topic, you can start by offering one-on-one coaching to help your clients achieve their goals.
Coaching is an excellent way to test what resonates with your audience and gather direct feedback. These informations can you use later to create online courses, ebooks, or other products.
I started offering one-on-one coaching sessions through my paid newsletter. It allowed me to connect with my audience more deeply and understand their needs better. I also use coaching as a bonus incentive when selling products, instead of offering discounts.
Getting started doesn’t require expensive tools. Create a simple landing page using platforms like Kit, and use it to promote and sell your coaching packages. You can even schedule sessions via free tools like Calendly or Zoom.
For example, if you’re a health coach, you could offer one-on-one coaching sessions to help clients develop healthier eating habits, create personalized workout plans, or achieve specific fitness goals. Start with a clear package, such as three 60-minute sessions, where clients receive tailored advice and actionable steps after each session.
Action Step: Define your niche, create a simple coaching package, and promote it on social media or a free blog.Tools and Resources to Get Started with Easy Online Business Ideas for Beginners
Here are some essential tools and resources that can help you get started, no matter which business idea you're pursuing:
Website and Blogging Platforms
WordPress: A popular content management system that makes setting up a blog or website easy, even for beginners. You can choose from thousands of themes and plugins to create a website that suits your business.
Squarespace: An all-in-one website builder with beautifully designed templates, perfect for creating a professional website without the need for coding.
Email Marketing Tools
ConvertKit (now Kit): Great for beginners who want to build an email list. It’s easy to use, has automation features, and integrates well with other tools like WordPress.
Substack: If you’re starting a paid or free newsletter, Substack is an excellent platform. It allows you to build an email list and easily monetize your content.
Design Tools
Online Course Platforms
Teachable: A great platform for creating and selling online courses. It offers customization options and tools to host your courses, create landing pages, and accept payments.
Payhip: Payhip is a simple platform for selling digital products with no upfront costs, perfect for beginners. It handles payments, product delivery, and marketing tools, making it easy to start selling your digital products like eBooks, printables and courses.
Payment Processors
PayPal: A well-known, easy-to-integrate payment system that works for selling products, services, and courses.
Stripe: Similar to PayPal, Stripe allows you to accept credit card payments on your website for services and digital products.
Gumroad/ SendOwl: A simple platform for selling digital products, subscriptions, and memberships. It’s perfect for selling eBooks, printables, and courses.
Social Media and Content Planning
Tailwind: Tailwind is a powerful tool for automating social media marketing, especially for Pinterest and Instagram. It helps you schedule posts, analyze performance, and grow your audience with minimal effort, making it a great choice for beginners looking to build their online presence.
Trello: A project management tool that can help you stay organized and plan out content, marketing strategies, and business goals.
SEO Tools
Google Analytics: A free tool that tracks website traffic and provides insights into how visitors are interacting with your site.
Starting an online business may feel overwhelming, but remember: every successful online entrepreneur began with just one step—choosing an idea and taking action.
The beauty of these easy online business ideas for beginners is that you don't need years of experience to get started; you just need the courage to try.
Choose one of the 5 ideas shared today and take your first step. The road to success begins with that first action, and you’re more capable than you think.
Great article. In addition to your recommendations I use also www.buffer.com for post scheduling.
Starting is the most important part. You'll figure it out by doing.
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