Working from home, using only your computer and the power of the internet, has its obvious advantages: you are free to plan your day in the way that suits you best, don’t have to suffer through traffic congestions and worry you will be late and, finally, there is the fact that you work from the most comfortable place in the world. Many people recognized this in the past decade and this resulted in an ever-increasing number of freelancers who are participating in a big work-paradigm shift – from office to home office.

If you would like to start working online as well, but you are not sure what to do, here are some ideas for starting an online business which attracted most people during 2014 (there is no reason you shouldn’t try them this year as well).

Developing mobile apps

Smartphones and tablets are everywhere these days, but have you ever wondered who makes all those handy apps you use every day? It’s the people like you. If accompanied by a strong business plan which would develop a way to monetize apps (through ads, subscriptions or in-app purchases), making mobile software can turn into quite a lucrative business opportunity.

Affiliate business

There is a steep learning curve waiting for you if you want to get into affiliate store business, but the effort can produce fantastic results. Affiliate stores are websites created by people who act as a third-party and sell products from another, typically bigger store, earning a certain percentage of commission every time a purchase is made on their site. One of the most famous companies which offers people to become their affiliates is Amazon, but there are many more available if you search a little deeper.

SEO

Search engine optimization is one of those mysterious sounding business niches, and it actually makes perfect sense once you figure out what it is about. Optimizing websites in such way that it is easier for Google and other search engines to find them, index them, and place them high in the search results on particular keywords is a business which can be successfully performed from home. You can either find an SEO company to work for (many of them accept freelancers), or work on your own for smaller clients. In any case, if done properly, SEO business can quickly start showing results.

Copyrighting and proofreading

If you are a talented writer and you think you can write about any topic with authority (or at least with enough authority to convince your readers you are the real deal), you should seriously start considering getting into copyrighting. There are many companies out there looking for capable writers to fill their web sites with content, and they pay well for your efforts. In case writing is too much for you and you have great command of language you would like to put to good use, proofreading might be just what you need. It doesn’t pay as well as copyrighting but hey, there’s not as much work to be done.

Website development

Coding schools are around every “cyber corner” you look today. If you have the talent and good will, you can learn to code in no time and become a website developer. An enormous number of websites are uploaded to the World Wide Web every day and the demand is always great (greater than the supply). With all the available templates which can cut your workload in two, developing websites can become a dream job for anyone confident enough to get into it.

Graphic design (infographics)

Freelance graphic design web sites (like “99 Designs”, for example) offer an opportunity to shine to the people who are talented but don’t have a big portfolio or some kind of formal education to support them. If you have some basic knowledge of programs such as Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape, give it a try and participate in a logo contest – who knows, maybe your idea will be the best one.

Final Word

Deciding to start an online home business is a serious step and should, therefore, be taken seriously. Organize your room so that it suits your work habits and turn it into a productivity heaven. Standard office equipment like office safes and whiteboards can help you set up the office space in which you will be able to give your best. The rest is up to you.