Nowadays, the internet is part of most people’s lives. Much more than an efficient means of communication, which definitely changed the way people interact, it is today a very important tool in the life of any company and also for people who want to undertake individually.
In fact, for this audience that wants to undertake individually, working with what they like the most, the internet has been the main path and, it is worth saying, a great bet!
However, anyone who thinks that “making money on the internet” is easy is wrong. Regardless of what you decide to do – sell products via the internet, create a YouTube channel, or write for websites, for example – this new venture requires planning and, above all, dedication.
One thing is fact: you can earn a lot of money using the internet as a work channel, or a little (just for an extra income, for example). It all depends on you: your planning, the activity you choose, how much you are willing to dedicate yourself to it, your strategies, your persistence, etc.
André Luiz Dametto, managing partner of ALD Consultoria, a company that has been providing Management Training, Coaching and Mentoring for more than 10 years, with experience in more than 50 companies from different market segments, comments that, “in any business, be it a grocery store or an e-commerce portal, before defining the form of marketing, it is essential to be clear about the different purpose of the business and which customer segments it will serve, delivering a value offer perceived as attractive. Once these assumptions are clear, it will become clearer to understand whether the advantages of e-commerce outweigh the disadvantages,” he says.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Starting a Business on the Internet
Many people have found on the internet the possibility of working with what they like and/or know how to do. For example, that person who always knew how to make handicrafts, however, sold only in his city, now has the possibility to sell his products to people from anywhere in Brazil (and, who knows, even the world).
However, not everything is a “sea of roses” and, it is worth mentioning, working on the internet is not synonymous with working a few hours a day and/or whenever you want. As with most things in life, it has its advantages and disadvantages.
For Dametto, among the main advantages are:
- The fastest time to prototype and modify the initial business model.
- The capillarity (coverage) of your business is also much greater, as it is easily found anywhere in the world, and best of all, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- In terms of costs, lower sales force costs also provide higher profit margins than traditional brick-and-mortar businesses.
- In addition, the ability to innovate products and processes is enhanced, as with each new technology, updates are more easily incorporated than in physical businesses.
However, highlights the specialist, it is in this supposed facility that many risks reside, “because many entrepreneurs invest in the virtual business without having previously made a financial plan”.
“Although people buy more and more products over the internet, according to the Brazilian Electronic Commerce Association (ABComm), 70% of businesses cannot sell even 10 products in 1 month, leading many entrepreneurs to close the business in less than 3 months. of operation”, adds Dametto.
“Therefore, I emphasize: before starting to invest, plan the differential purpose of the business, and understand your target audience. Hence, many answers from your planning begin to emerge”, highlights the specialist.
11 ways to make money online
E-commerce can be a business strategy used in various lines of business, including industry, commerce and services, according to Dametto. “What characterizes this type of business is the existence of a website and an online payment service, so if you have a product or service with a high potential for customer demand, it is a strong candidate to obtain gains with the use of the internet, both in the social media promotion axis and in the commercialization axis. It’s rare for businesses these days that don’t benefit from at least one of these attributes of the internet,” he says.
The specialist also highlights that, according to a study carried out by Sebrae, there are more than 50 niches for micro and small companies to invest in e-commerce: “sale of vintage clothes, accessories for sports and photography, musical instruments, household utensils , among other items and services still little explored on the web”.
In the area of health and well-being, as Dametto adds, the Sebrae study highlighted: the sale of diet products, homeopathy medicines, video classes, books and services such as tests to measure cholesterol. “In the party segment, he pointed out the rental and sale of costumes, wedding cakes, decorations and other items that are not normally offered by large companies”.
To arrive at this list of opportunities, explains Dametto, Sebrae identified the most searched words in search portals, but with a low level of competition in e-commerce.
In this context, you can check out some ideas on how to undertake using the internet. You will see, by the way, that selling products is not the only option!
1. Sell used or new products (clothes, shoes, electronics, etc.)
This is one of the best known ways of working through the internet: selling products, whether new or used, and of the most varied types. And the possibilities of doing so are numerous.
In the case of clothes, for example: there used to be a great fear of buying clothes on the internet. People preferred to go to a store and taste them. However, this scenario has changed, and today the fashion category is seen as one of the main sales categories in e-commerce.
Some people set up a page or “profile” on social media and try to sell there, or even use ready-made platforms like Mercado Livre for a while. This may be an initial idea, which works more as a “test”, but the ideal is that, when you decide to really invest in this business, you set up your own online clothing store. This will certainly give your work a “more professional look”, favor contact with customers and improve the visibility of your products.
It is worth remembering that it is essential to offer quality clothing items, in order to never frustrate the customer who bets on your product, and also to work with attractive prices.
It is important to be prepared to deal with competition, especially from large online stores that also work with clothes, such as Dafiti, Netshoes, etc. In this way, the need to have a differential is reinforced. And the same care and tips are valid for the case of investing in the sale of shoes, accessories, among other products.
There has also been an increase in the supply and demand for used clothes and other products (but, of course, in good condition). To sell this type of product, you can use some specific sites (such as eBay, Mercado Livre, Enjoei e Tô Venda, Repassa, among others) or even make your own online bazaar, especially if you really want to invest in this business.
Facebook and Instagram have also been heavily used by people who want to sell used products. And, in all cases, it is necessary to bet on well-taken photos of the products (from different angles), so that the customer knows exactly what he is buying.
2. Sell crafts
Selling handicrafts over the internet is also a big bet and can be done in different ways: creating your virtual store within renowned sites such as Elo7 and Tanlup; through social networks (creating a Facebook page and/or Instagram profile, for example); through Mercado Livre or even creating your own e-commerce.
Betting on good photos to promote the products is essential in any case. Having a differential and, of course, a lot of care in the creation of products are definitive points that will guarantee the success of your business.
3. Write for portals and blogs
Do you have a degree in Journalism or, simply, do you know and like to write about a certain or several subjects?! You can apply to write as a freelancer on portals and blogs.
A tip is to get in touch with portals and blogs that you like as a reader and, naturally, that deal with subjects with which you have more affinity for writing.
Some specific sites gather several “freelance” job opportunities for those who like and know how to write: Freela, Prolancer are some examples.
On most of these sites, by the way, there are opportunities for freelance jobs for professionals from different areas, such as design, marketing and sales, translation, etc.
In the case of those who want to earn money writing for portals and blogs, it is essential to always be aware of the rules of the Portuguese language, read constantly and, who knows, even specialize in the subject they write most often.
To work as a freelancer, in general, it is necessary to have organization and responsibility, as it will probably be you who will define your working hours and also the best strategies to execute it efficiently.
4. Testing and evaluating sites that pay for this service
Considering that most people value user ratings and comments on shopping sites, some companies pay users who review products.
This is the case with Eu Teste, for example. You can give your opinion about the products and services you use and you will be rewarded for doing so. Just register with an email and a personal photo, know how to write well (no Portuguese mistakes) and have a Google Adsense account to receive your earnings.
In Eu Testei, for example, 60% of Adsense impressions are passed on to the user. Most sites, by the way, pay this way. Others may pay for the number of reviews or the quality of the review (ie, the more people who consider the user’s opinion valid, the more money they will make).
Some companies, such as Carrefour, offer points that can later be exchanged for vouchers and/or prizes.
5. Create your own blog
If you like to write, share your opinions, experiences and ideas, it can be a good bet to create your own blog, covering different topics or a specific one.
Some examples: if you love to travel and have already visited different places in the world, you can share your experiences and tips through your blog. If you are into fashion and beauty and are always testing new products and visiting stores, you can also talk about your impressions.
In this case, the income usually comes through advertisements. It is also important to invest in partnerships, with this, your blog will gain greater access and visibility.
Some tips for your work to be taken seriously are: try to write correctly and attractively for your readers; be honest; convey useful suggestions/information; use good images/photos and keep…