21 Best Website Ideas to Launch a Side Business in 2024

Starting an online side business is becoming more and more popular these days thanks to low startup costs and easy website creation tools. If you have a skill, passion or expertise in a particular area, you can leverage a website to start earning income in your spare time.

In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore 21 of the best website ideas and online business opportunities to pursue in 2024. For each idea, we‘ll explain how it works, provide examples and resources to help you succeed.

Why Start a Website for Side Income?

Here are some of the major benefits of using a website for your side business idea:

• Low startup costs – You can get started for less than $100 in most cases. Website hosting, themes and tools are very affordable these days.

• Easy to set up and manage – Using WordPress and website builders like Wix make the technical aspects achievable for beginners.

• Flexible and scalable – You can work on your site in your spare time and expand your reach as it grows.

• Global audience – A website gives you instant access to millions of online users all over the world.

• Passive income potential – Many website models generate income even while you sleep.

• Showcases your skills – It provides an online portfolio to demonstrate your abilities.

Let‘s explore some of the best options for launching a money-making website in the coming year.

1. Start a Blog

One of the most popular website ideas is starting a personal blog that you can eventually monetize. Pick a topic you‘re passionate about and share posts about it on a regular basis. Personal finance, travel, food, parenting and health are examples of profitable blog niches.

Once you build an audience, there are several ways to generate income:

• Affiliate marketing – Earn commissions promoting relevant products.

• Display ads – Show banner ads via networks like Google AdSense.

• Sponsored posts – Get paid by brands to feature their products/services.

• Digital products – Sell your own ebooks, courses or templates.

Check out WPBeginner‘s guide for details on launching a successful WordPress blog.

2. Create an Online Store

If you have a product idea or want to sell products in a specific niche, starting an ecommerce store can be very lucrative. You can either make your own products or resell other vendors‘ items.

With plugins like WooCommerce, setting up a shop on WordPress is easy. You can customize the design, accept payments, manage shipping and expand your catalog over time. Some examples of popular online stores include jewelry, apparel, handmade crafts, pet supplies and more.

Read this WPBeginner guide to learn everything you need to know about launching a profitable online store.

3. Offer Web Design Services

If you have web design skills, offer your services to small businesses in your area. Many local businesses need help getting their website set up properly. You can offer site migrations, web design from scratch, or customization services.

Build a portfolio website to showcase your web design projects. Consider offering monthly retainers for ongoing management and updates. Online business directories and local networking can help you find clients.

4. Sell Digital Downloads

Selling digital products is a great low-maintenance business model. You create the product once (ebook, course, template, stock media, etc) then sell unlimited copies. Etsy and Creative Market are popular platforms for this.

Focus on solving problems for people in your niche. Offering useful info products can help build your brand and credibility. Make sure to optimize your titles and listings for search visibility.

5. Start Freelance Writing

If you have strong writing skills, you can find loads of freelance opportunities online. Businesses often need content for their websites, blogs, newsletters and marketing materials.

Sign up on platforms like Flexjobs, Contena or Media Bistro to access freelance writing jobs. You can also reach out to companies directly.

Building clips and work samples on your own website can help you land more work down the road.

6. Create Online Courses

Online courses are a lucrative opportunity, especially for skilled experts in a particular topic. You can share your knowledge through pre-recorded video lessons and written materials. Use platforms like Teachable or Podia to market and sell your course.

Some course ideas include cooking classes, photography tutorials, fitness programs, management training, craft workshops and more. The key is identifying high-demand topics people want to learn about.

7. Start a YouTube Channel

Growing a YouTube channel and making money from videos has become much more viable thanks to various monetization options. You can earn ad revenue, sponsorships, affiliate commissions and fan funding.

Focus on a specific niche and provide helpful, entertaining content on a consistent schedule. Tutorials, product reviews, gaming videos and commentary formats tend to do well. Use tools like TubeBuddy to optimize your channel.

Check out WPBeginner‘s YouTube guide for more details.

8. Offer Virtual Assistant Services

If you‘re highly organized and comfortable with admin tasks, offering virtual assistant services can be a rewarding endeavor. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners need help with appointment scheduling, email management, data entry, research and more.

Sign up on sites like Fiverr, Upwork and Zirtual to connect with clients. Focus on being responsive, reliable and efficient.

9. Start a Podcast

Podcasting has become a popular way to engage an audience around topics and themes you‘re passionate about. It also opens up opportunities to monetize down the road. Once you build a following, you can earn sponsorships, run ads and even sell access to premium content.

Focus on picking an engaging niche or "show genre" as the theme of your podcast. Be consistent with uploading episodes on a regular schedule. High quality audio production is also key.

Check out our podcasting guide for beginners for step-by-step details.

10. Build a Membership Site

Membership sites offer premium content, tools, courses and other benefits in exchange for a monthly or annual fee. This can become a recurring revenue stream. You can start small then expand your offerings over time.

Niches like self-improvement, productivity, health, dating and personal finance often work well for membership sites. Start by identifying topics with raving fans willing to pay.

WordPress plugins like MemberPress make launching a membership site much easier these days. See our Membership Site guide for help.

11. Start a Podcast

Podcasting is another popular website idea that you can launch. It is a fast-growing niche with tons of monetization options.

A podcast is an episodic series of audio files that users can subscribe to download and listen to.

Successful podcasters are making significant money online through sponsorships, advertisements, selling products, and more. It does require a little bit of hardware and some practice with recording and uploading files.

We have a comprehensive guide on starting a podcast website with step by step instructions.

We also have a list of the best podcast hosting platforms to help you succeed.

Conclusion

Starting an online business on the side is more achievable than ever in 2024. We covered 21 of the top website ideas spanning all types of niches and models.

The key is finding a concept aligned with your unique interests, skills and goals. Take the time to assess your strengths before moving forward.

With consistent effort and dedication to growing your site, you can build a profitable venture over time. Be sure to take advantage of resources like WPBeginner for tips, tutorials and tools along the way.

We wish you the best of luck pursuing your ideal side business website idea this year! Let us know if you have any other questions.