Everyone has to start somewhere, and the younger you can get into the business world the better. As a teenager, it’s the perfect time to start learning about the value of money and how a company works from the inside out. Plus, there’s no better time to start saving for the future than right now.
However, it can be a little tricky to know where to start. Online business ideas for teenagers are often the best as it means they can better balance their schoolwork and side hustle without needing to go to physical locations each day. It’s just simpler, and it’s a fantastic way for them to start creating something that might be able to support them through adult life.
Top Online Business Ideas for Teenagers
- Social Media Influencer
- YouTuber
- Print on Demand
- Affiliate Website
- Blogging
- Selling Handmade Goods
- Selling Digital Products
- Graphic Design
- Podcasting
- Selling on eBay
- Streaming Video Games
- Web Design
- App Development
- Freelancing
- Video and Audio Editing
- Online Tutoring
Print on Demand
This can be a fantastic way to get some cash, and it’s the kind of business that doesn’t require you to hold stock either. All you need to do is learn some basic design so that you can create cool graphics that people will want to wear on t-shirts, mugs, and other forms of apparel. By using a drop shipping company, you save money because you don’t have to buy bulk stock.
What this means is that there are minimal startup costs, so you can get started without having to worry about investing large amounts of money. There are loads of different websites available for you to sell print on demand items, although some of them may require you to apply to sell there.
Affiliate Website
This is one of those really simple business ideas, and it takes no time at all to get started. All you need to do is form a partnership with a company (or companies) and then write content that gets people to click the links and buy the products through your website – earning you a nice commission from the company.
The easiest place to partner with is Amazon, although you will find that there are countless companies that offer an affiliate program. All you need to do is make sure you’re linking to Amazon products in your content and use social media as well as good SEO (easy to learn the basics) to really drive that traffic to you.
Streaming Video Games
This is a popular format for making cash across age ranges, and it can be a fantastic way to generate income over time. People love to watch other people playing video games, it lets us become immersed in their activities and enjoy the game from a new perspective. It also helps those of us who die a lot feel a little better when we see streamers doing the same.
You make money through subscribers, sponsorships, and views, all of which will increase over time as your audience becomes larger. You can also design merchandise that your fans can buy to show off your channel and give their support.
Selling Handmade Goods
Being able to share your art with the world is a gift, and handmade goods are a fantastic way to do this. Not only do they get admired, but you have the chance to brighten other people’s days when they purchase them for themselves or as a gift. It’s a booming industry and one that can keep you sustained for years as long as you are still creating.
There are loads of platforms that you can sell them on as well, although the most popular are Etsy and Shopify. This saves you further costs on things like website development and hosting, and all you need to worry about is getting the word out there through social media and other platforms.
Selling on eBay
With eBay, it can start with just a few items from around the house that you don’t want anymore. Possessions they have grown out of, collectables that they want to get rid of, all of this can be sold on eBay to make some money and prepare for a wider range of sellable items.
Once you have some cash in your back pocket, you can start buying valuable items at cheap prices and then flipping them for more money. It’s a great practice that teaches business smarts and also means you tend to make a pretty tidy profit. You just have to do your research and make smart choices when investing in items to flip.
Web Design
You do need some design skills for this, but it’s also a fantastic industry to get into as well as one that can continue to provide for them financially for years to come. You can learn how to develop websites for free, and it will take practice to perfect, but after that, it’s all about building your client list.
Using social media and freelancing platforms to advertise your web design skills is the best way to go if you want to gain traction and good organic reach. Of course, you also need to have a website of your own that looks good and captures the essence of your skills – while also providing a growing portfolio of work.
Podcasting
It’s fun, it’s creative, and it’s the kind of thing that evolves with you – grows as you grow. All you have to do is find a topic that interests you and will engage your audience so that they keep tuning in every week (or however frequently you broadcast).
You can get paid through advertisements and sponsorships as well as for the number of listeners you get. As your audience grows, you can develop merchandise that your listeners might want to buy in order to generate additional income.
To Conclude
There are so many fantastic business ideas for teenagers out there, and all of them are incredibly simple to get started so that your kids can learn more about how business works and the real value of money. When you start to understand just how many hours of work it takes to afford even basic items, it breeds better money management for the future.
If you’re looking for more insight and, perhaps, a few more ideas for new businesses that your teenager (or even you) could start we have more great guides for you to check out. Why not start off with online business ideas from home and creative online business ideas? We’d love to hear how your business endeavors go.
