In the past two years, working methods and businesses have continually moved online at an astronomical rate owing to the pandemic of covid 19, with the high rise in online businesses and alternative sources of income. Millions of teenagers find ways to continue making money online through legitimate means.
There are always an abundance of options for people looking to start their own businesses. We’ve covered small businesses ideas many times here on our website. However, since this is a topic that comes up often, we decided to go ahead and create a list of the best small business ideas for teenagers.
Even if you have a business already you can learn a new one from the ideas that we’ll be sharing in this article. If you’re a teenager who is looking for some good small business ideas, you are in the right place. These are some of the best small business ideas, these are some of the best online business that you can start as a teenager.
Best Small Online Business Ideas For Teenagers
The internet is a great place for teens to find small business ideas. Before we get into some of the best small online business ideas, you must do your research and make sure that you are ready for the type of business you plan to venture into.
If you’re looking for a small business idea, one of the best ways to start is by identifying what’s already working for other people. There are many different types of online businesses that you can start as a teenager, but we’ve narrowed down some of the most popular ones below.
1. Starting A Blog
Starting a blog is an excellent option if you’re a teenager looking to make extra money. It doesn’t take much time to start and can be done almost anywhere. If you have a passion or hobby that you love, blogging could be the perfect opportunity to share it with others and monetize it.
In addition to generating income and building financial stability, blogging helps teenagers develop important skills such as writing, marketing, and communication. Not only do bloggers need to be able to do research, but they also must have strong storytelling skills and learn to engage their readers. Bloggers also must get comfortable promoting themselves on social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, to grow their audience base.
One of the best things about blogging is that there are no limits to platforms or topics for you to blog about. As long as there’s an audience for something, and they’re always is, you can create content around it. As long as people are interested in what you’re talking about, they’ll read your posts which means more money coming into your pocket from advertisers or sponsorships.
2. Starting A Photography Business
Starting a photography business is one of the more challenging ideas on this list, but it’s also rewarding. This idea suits creative teens with an eye for detail in what they do because photography requires you to pay attention to details.
The first step you should take if you want to start your own photography business as a teen is to ensure that you have a passion for photography. If you don’t know how to use Photoshop, Lightroom, or other software programs, it’s time to learn and master them because they will be of great service to you in photography.
You will need to invest in researching and deciding who your target market is. You may also need to purchase some equipment such as camera lenses or a new camera body entirely if you do not have one. It will also be important for you to build up your portfolio and show prospective clients what your work looks like to see what quality of work they can expect from you. This is important because if the quality is not good enough, then no amount of marketing will help you gain clients consistently.
3. Starting An Online Marketing Business
What Are 3 Valid Ways To Increase Output In My Sales Funnel?,
What Is The Conversion Rate Of A Sales Funnel?,
Best Free Funnel Builder
There are several ways to get clients and make money as an online marketing consultant. As more businesses move their ad dollars to the internet, especially the small businesses and start-ups, you can be there to help guide them through the process for a reasonable fee. You’ll need a website where people can learn about your services if you want to operate an online marketing business. On your site, list all the services you offer, what they cost and how long they will take to finish.
You can also use client review sites like Clutch or Upwork to build your client base by creating an online profile that outlines your skills and experience in this area. Many freelancers and agencies charge up to $150 per hour, but that’s typically just an estimate based on average rates seen across clients’ professional networks, so prices vary widely depending on each individual’s situation and the kind of expertise you will need to offer to them.
4. Creating and Selling Digital Products
Creating and selling digital products is one of the easiest businesses online you can go into as a teenager. You can easily create and sell digital files from eBooks to online courses, stock photos, audio files, and video files.
An eBook is just a book in an electronic format. It can be composed directly on your computer using Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Apple Pages. After creating your eBook, save it as a PDF and upload it to websites such as Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing, Kobo Writing Life, or Draft2Digital. You’ll then get paid royalties whenever someone purchases your ebook.
You can also create an online course based on topics you are well-grounded in or interested in. For example, if you are good at writing poetry or coding software applications, people are always looking for training in those areas. You begin by creating a video explaining everything they need to know to do what you do well and uploading it to video streaming platforms such as YouTube. Once this is done and people have started watching the videos, you can then start selling them access for a fee.
5. Become a Stock Photographer
You can also make a business out of photographs as a teenager if you have a passion for photography. Because you’re going to sell photos that you take, it is best to have a dedicated camera and good photo editing software. You can also use your phone, but the quality won’t be nearly as good as a camera.
There are plenty of stock photography websites that will pay you for your best photos. All you have to do is upload them, and whenever someone buys the right to use one of your photos, you’ll get paid a percentage of the sale price.
When taking photographs of people or places that aren’t yours, make sure you have signed model releases so that there are no legal issues if someone wants to use one of your images in an ad campaign or something similar.
6. Online Tutoring
Find a subject you’re good at. Maybe it’s math, or maybe it’s basket weaving. Maybe you want to teach non-native speakers English, or you want to help students with their college essays. Whatever the case may be, if there’s something that you’re particularly skilled and passionate about, you can turn that winning combination into offering your services with one-on-one online coaching as a solid side business idea. Just be sure to implement your opportunity management system so you don’t get caught up working with clients that you can’t measurably help.
To start your online tutoring business, you need to set up a website or blog; you can also use social media apps with video functionality. A platform is important because potential viewers need somewhere to learn more about your expertise and sign up for sessions. A simple platform like WordPress or Squarespace can get the job done for you pretty easily and cheaply for as little as $12 per month. When you’re ready to start accepting clients, consider setting up an official site with blogging capabilities. That way, you will be attracting search engines on search queries while establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
You will also need to target the market yourself to increase your patronage as an online tutor to people who need your services. You could use social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest to create awareness of your business and make sure there’s an easy way for people who need your help to contact you. You could also attend workshops or conferences where tutors congregate. While there isn’t any guarantee of landing new students immediately, these places are excellent venues for meeting other tutors and making connections.
7. Freelance Writing
What Is The Easiest Paying Job?,
How Can I Make $20 Dollars An Hour?,
Remote Jobs That Pay $30 An Hour
If you love to write, you may have considered a career as a freelance writer. Freelance writing is writing for money, independently and without an employer. Freelancers write books, blogs, ebooks, magazine articles, and more.
As a freelance writer, you can choose to write about what interests you most. But it’s more than just writing on topics that interest you; you also have to make sure that others are interested in your topic. You should be able to express yourself well through your writing. You will need research skills to provide proof or credibility to the piece of content that you’re trying to create, especially when clients request you write for them.
As a freelance writer, you can find work on UpWork, PeoplePerHour, Fiverr, and several other sources across the web. Some of these sites may be highly competitive, while others are less popular with less competition and fewer monthly jobs.
When looking for work as a freelance writer, you must know how much time and effort will be required upfront before you start making a steady income from this type of business opportunity as a teenager.
8. Become A Programmer
What Software Do I Need For Affiliate Marketing?,
What Is The Biggest Affiliate?
Coding is one of the most in-demand skills in the tech and business world and will continue to be the case for years to come. If you learn how to code as a teenager, you will always have a job because companies are desperately looking for people with coding skills. Teenagers who learn to code early on in life can lay a solid foundation for their future careers.
Coding is an extremely important skill right now, and it will continue to be so, with companies needing programmers nonstop. Companies programmers who can build their websites, apps, software, and more. The companies who catch the coding bug early on in life are at an advantage because they’re starting earlier than everyone else
9. Become An Amazon FBA Seller
Amazon FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) is a program that allows you to sell physical products on Amazon. You will have to first register as an Amazon seller; then, you can choose between selling your product or becoming an affiliate for other sellers.
If you are a teen without much money, selling products in the FBA program with a set it and forget it nature for listed products is probably your best option. As an FBA seller, you list your product on Amazon and store it in a warehouse.
When someone buys your item, they will ship it from the warehouse to the customer’s doorstep, which means you don’t have to deal with shipping yourself and instead focus more on marketing and sales.
10. Become A Social Media Influencer
As a teenager, this can be a reassuringly simple business to start. Promoting products on social media can be very easy if you have the right strategy. Selling products or services for brands as an influencer requires you to have mostly large followership on the internet.
For example, you could post branded content by brands you’re working with that shows how great the brand products or services are while giving credit to the brands for people to get such products or services. You can also market your services on social media as an influencer if you have an area of expertise.
11. Start A YouTube Vlog
If you like making videos, YouTube is a great platform to start earning money. Although the earning potential isn’t as high as it is with other online businesses on this list because YouTube takes a cut of advertising revenue, at least initially, you don’t have to worry about creating products to sell.
The first step to starting a YouTube channel for teens (or anyone really) is to get started. When setting up a YouTube channel, make sure you set up and the video looks as professional as possible. If you want people between 18 and 24 years old interested in business and entrepreneurship topics, then make that clear. Once you have done this, upload your first video telling the world why they should subscribe to your channel with an introductory video.
There’s no magic number for views or subscribers before companies start hiring you or supplying free products in exchange for reviews or mentions. It will help if you continue building an audience after uploading videos by engaging with other YouTubers in your niche and promoting yourself via social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.). People interested in what you put out will contact you for a business partnership.
12. Sell Used Items On Online Marketplace
You can also use Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to sell items locally. Always do your research before engaging on these platforms to avoid getting scammed. When posting your ads, ensure that the items you’re posting for sale are in good condition and are worth the price you’re asking for them.
You may want to include lots of photos showing the item from different angles, especially if there is any damage or anything else you should disclose to the prospective buyer. If possible, set up some good lighting so you can take clear photos of whatever items you wish to sell. This may sound like a small thing, but people’s honest impressions of what they see on the page will impact whether they ultimately meet with you for an exchange or not.
When setting up a meeting time and place to sell your item(s), it is probably best to meet somewhere public instead of your home or another private location. You can also specify that buyers pay before giving over the goods, which makes things safer for both parties involved and reduces the likelihood of dishonest users scamming with counterfeit money or similar strategies.
13. Sell Homemade Crafts Online
Setting up your online shop to sell your crafts is one viable option. But it isn’t the only one. You might want to consider selling at local craft fairs and markets when you’re starting. This will allow you to interact with customers in real life and build relationships that aren’t entirely digital.
Here are a few tips for selling your crafts:
Firstly, figure out what craft you’re going to focus on. This can be anything; the goal is for you to settle on something specific and become known for it.
Secondly, make sure you have enough inventory so that customers can buy things from your shop or booth and leave happy with their purchase; otherwise, they may not return. This means knowing how much costs each piece will require so that there’s enough inventory available when people come looking for the crafts you advertised to be sold.
Thirdly, and this is important, think about how you can make your craft stand out from others. Be creative with what materials you use and presentation techniques because all these factors contribute towards having more sales and potential customers who will appreciate and make a purchase of your craft.
14. Transcribing Audio Files
If you’re a fast typist, then this online business is one you can venture into. Transcribing audio files is one of the most popular freelance jobs online you can take up as a teenager. This business requires no special skills beyond fast typing, accurate typing, and good listening ability.
Though it takes practice and patience to master, this skill can be learned.
You can deploy transcription software such as Express Scribe and TranscribeMe to help make the process easier for you. If you have the skills for this job, it’s a great way to earn extra money from home doing something you love as a teenager.
15. Domain Name Flipping
Domain name flipping is a growing business with an interest in growing continuously. Domain name flipping business involves the buying and selling of domain names; this business is ideal for teens. For example, you can go to a website that sells domain names and find one that has not been registered. You can then register such domain names and become the website domain owner.
Once you have registered the name, you can sell it for a profit to someone else who wants to use the same domain name. To find good domains for sale, try looking for ones that have keywords in them (e.g., “CateringYummy.com”) or ones with brandable names (or something catchy like “StrawberryDesigns.com”).
You could also park your domain name and make money from whatever advertisements are displayed on the parked page. If your domain name has some traffic or backlinks already pointing at it, then people will be willing to pay more than what they would normally pay to buy a new domain name without any traffic or backlinks attached to it
16. Virtual Assistant or Virtual Secretary
Most small-business or mid-sized business owners do not have the time to do all the work required to run a company, but you can make money by helping them out virtually as a secretary or an assistant. You can be a virtual assistant or secretary if you’re good at multi-tasking, organization, and communication. You will need basic technical skills and knowledge of software like MS Office.
When working as a virtual assistant or secretary, you need to get clear instructions from your client on what they want and regularly communicate your progress. When you’ve got several happy clients under your belt, reach out to more prospective customers through advertising or word of mouth. You’ll need to find a balance between time spent on delivering services and time spent finding new clients.
17. Become A Content Writer
Content writing is another business you can get into as a teenager to help you make that extra money you need. If you have decided that you want to get paid for writing, there are several ways to get work. You can pitch to the many blogs and websites that need content or search on job sites like ProBlogger, Upwork, etc., where people list available freelance writing jobs. You can also pitch to write for companies in your chosen niche directly.
Your passion is cars, and your goal is to write website copy for a car dealership. Companies always need a good copy on their websites, and they pay pretty well for such writings. You have to find car dealerships online, by phone, or by email with some ideas of what kind of content would make sense for them. By doing this work yourself instead of relying on job sites or pitching blog editors, you’re likely to get more attention from the companies involved and larger paychecks once they hire you.
18. Social Media Consultant or Manager
This is the age of social media, where we live and breathe social media. Several of them are everywhere you look, from the teens scrolling through Snapchat and Instagram to the adults looking for fresh content on Facebook. So it makes sense that as a teen, you may be interested in working with social media themselves. Here’s what you should know about how this could work out:
A social media manager helps a business or person grow their following on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Pinterest. If this sounds valuable to you, you should consider getting started as a social media manager by reaching out to these businesses or individuals via email after figuring out what they could be lacking in their social media pages and handles, which you hope to fill in.
One of the most important things to note as a social media consultant or manager is that a large part of the job involves using creativity and being able to share ideas quickly via written text and visuals (pictures/videos).
You’ll also need access to the internet and be interested in pop culture (brands). There’s always something interesting to talk about when it comes to helping clients grow their online presence.
The best of the job is that you can work from home or anywhere, given that you work via the internet, and it gives you more flexibility regarding hours than many other jobs will allow.
19. Become a Web Designer/Developer
As a teenager, you can become a web designer/developer and make money by selling your website templates or designing web designs for clients. This business has the potential to pay you well as a teenager. Learning to be a good web designer or developer takes time.
Still, if you are dedicated and motivated, many resources are available to learn from, including CodeAcademy, Treehouse, Lynda, Udemy, etc. It would help if you had a serious dedication to being a great web designer or developer; this is important for landing jobs with big companies.
20. Become a Graphic Designer
If you have an interest and passion for graphic design as a teenager, you can start your own business in no time, but you will need to learn the basics, research tools, and software to be used for the business of designing. You can use free tools to get started, but you should upgrade to paid versions of the required apps to have access to the best design tools.
You need to find courses online to help you continually upgrade your design skills to satisfy your client’s requests when they begin to request your services in droves. For example, take courses in color theory to ensure clients’ logos have the right colors for their target audience and learn about typography to make sure their packaging is easy-to-read.
In addition, learn about branding because this plays a crucial role in how consumers perceive a company and whether or not customers will even trust them enough to give their business away from competitors who might seem more reputable based on appearance alone.
This includes both visual elements of design such as logos or websites and things like copywriting which tells potential customers what makes one company different from another.
As a graphic designer, you also need to get some knowledge about the user experience to create experiences that keep users coming back again and again with high levels of engagement. This helps build loyalty within your community while also providing value through return visits.
What Is The Best Online Business For A Teenager?
No single online business can be the single best online business for teenagers because different teenagers have different preferences, and individual teenagers have interests. Some of the best online businesses for teenagers include Graphic design, Web design/development, Social consulting and management, etc.
Can You Start An Online Business As A Teenager?
Yes, you can create an online business as a teenager. More teenagers prefer to start their first business online. Several businesses can be created online by teenagers, provided the teenager concerned has access to the internet. Online businesses may not require a lot of money compared to physical businesses hence why teenagers prefer to start a business.
How Can A Teenager Start A Business With No Money?
As a teenager wanting to start a business, you may face the challenge of lack of money, but do not worry, as there are businesses you can start that do not require you to have money. You can start a service-based business online that only require you to have skills and offer services to people via the internet.
Your business motivation could wear out, and business might get rough, but it is best to set your goals and stay focused, do not be afraid to start again. Even when you make losses, you can always take a break. Develop yourself in any of these businesses discussed above, and you will come out fine over time with consistency as a teenager. Always identify elements that would be detrimental to your business and tackle such problems to avoid severe damage to the business.
