How to Make Money Online as a Creative: A Beginner's Guide

In our world today, it’s not surprising to find a creative person asking the question “what online business can I do?” I mean imagine being like William Tell, the legendary Swiss marksman, trying to hit the bullseye of financial freedom. You’ve got your bow and arrow, but instead of aiming at a apple on your kid’s head, you’re targeting the vast online market. The question is, where do you start?

In the digital age, “what online business can I do?” is a question that is answered with numerous opportunities to make money online, but navigating them can be like trying to find your way through a jungle without a map. You’ve got your creative skills, but how do you turn them into a goldmine? Don’t worry, we’ve got the treasure map you need! In this post, we’ll guide you through the top online money-making ideas, and the best ways to get started. So, grab your thinking cap and keep reading:

Discovering Your Online Business Niche

So, you’re sitting there, Googling what online business can I do at 2:47am. You’re surrounded by the hum of your fridge, a dim laptop screen, and that one mosquito that refuses to give up on your leg. You’re wondering where to even begin. You’re not an influencer. You’re not a coder. And you don’t really like the idea of a 9-to-5 job. (No offense to those who enjoy a traditional working schedule)

So If you Google for a short while you’ll realize that you need to discover your niche. Which is basically your area of focus for your business. But here’s the good news: You don’t need to have it all figured out. In fact, your niche might find you—like the way uninvited guests find free food.

For example, let’s drift a little into the story of an American known as George Aldstrom. It’ll help us illustrate how a niche finds a person.  So George had just returned from the army. He had told himself he was done with the whole army thing – the early morning PT sessions, the endless miles of running in combat boots, and the “constructive feedback” from his drill sergeants.

He was ready to trade in his gun and bulletproof vest for a laptop and some seriously comfy sweatpants. As a devoted dad, he wanted to be there for his kids’ school plays, sports games, and all the other milestones he’d missed while serving his country.

One day, while scrolling through his favorite online job board (okay, it was more like scrolling through job boards while binge-watching Netflix), George stumbled upon an ad for a one-time contract to fix an Infusionsoft system. He’d never even heard of Infusionsoft, but something about the challenge sparked his interest. Maybe it was the promise of a decent paycheck or the prospect of finally understanding what all those tech guys were talking about.

George dove head-first into learning Infusionsoft, devouring tutorials, blog posts, and forum discussions. He spent hours practicing, making mistakes, and swearing under his breath (much to the amusement of his kids, who thought it was the most entertaining thing ever). But George persevered, driven by the promise of a flexible schedule and more time with his family.

Fast-forward a few weeks, and George landed the contract. He worked his magic (okay, it was more like trial and error, but hey, it worked!), and the client was thrilled. Word-of-mouth referrals started rolling in, and before he knew it, George was running his own Infusionsoft consulting business from the comfort of his home office (aka the kitchen table).

As the months went by, George became the go-to guy for Infusionsoft expertise. Clients loved him, and he loved the flexibility to attend school events, sports games, and even the occasional school play (where his kid would inevitably forget their lines, and he’d have to improvise – but that’s a whole different story).

That’s how your niche unfolds: you show up curious, you take initiative, and you figure things out. You start with one client, and next thing you know, you have a niche. You may not know this, but your past experiences—those “random” things you did growing up—can shape your future niche. Maybe you were that teenager who couldn’t stand school and decided to start a small sewing repair business with your mom. You fixed curtains and sofa covers, learning patience and precision.

Or you started tutoring people in German, turning your language skills into cash. You didn’t have a business degree. You just figured it out. And yes, you made a lot of mistakes—undercharged clients, underestimated how hard it is to collect payment in cash and still look polite—but you learned.

So when you as yourself “what online business can I do? Find the answer by following your curiosity. Pay attention to what energizes you versus what drains you. Think about what friends and family always ask you to help with. That’s usually a clue.

Then ask the question again, but this time in a different way: what online business can I do that fits who I am right now—not who I wish I was five years from now? Try something small. Say yes. Take feedback. Learn on the job. And don’t be afraid to fail—half of the most successful freelancers you’ll meet are just really good at recovering from embarrassing mistakes.

Your niche doesn’t need to be fancy. It just needs to be yours.

Top Online Business Ideas for Creatives

So let’s take a little tour of the online business jungle, shall we? Don’t worry, no lions. Just wild opportunities and countless courses.

First up: e-commerce. So remember Mummy Chinyere who used to sell everything from Ankara to pepper soup spices at the back of the church? Or just imagine someone like that is now on Etsy, shipping beaded waist chains to Canadians named Claire. Starting an online store is like turning your bedroom into a supermarket, minus the overhead and nosy neighbors asking for “just one sachet.”

Platforms like Shopify, Etsy, Amazon, and even Instagram make it easy to start. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—just sell it. Literally, people sell tires online. Also candles, bookmarks, digital planners, goat milk soap, and sometimes you might find a man selling spiritual pineapples. For real? Yeah.

A graphic designer—let’s call her Lillian—started by selling T-shirts with witty phrases like “Owambe Ready” and “Don’t Rush Me, I’m Nigerian.” She’s now sending tees to Switzerland. Yes, that neutral land of clocks, chocolates, and zero stress—buying shirts made by someone who still takes okada to buy thread.

Now, let’s talk about direct selling. I know, I know. You heard “direct selling” and your trauma from that WhatsApp auntie who kept adding you to skincare groups just resurfaced. But listen—some of them work.

Take Nikki, for example. She runs a business called Rodan+Fields via WhatsApp, selling skincare without holding stock or hosting awkward home parties. Just Wi-Fi and vibes. She could be typing her marketing copy from a couch somewhere, sipping juice and checking her dashboard. The sweet part about many of these businesses is the support. You’re not left on your own to decode sales funnels like you’re trying to hack NASA. You get mentorship. People literally want to help you win.

Or maybe freelancing is more your lane. Let’s say you’re good with words, designs, music, or you can draw a tiger with Microsoft Paint—there’s money for you online. Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer.com are like talent supermarkets. There’s a story of a guy who used to doodle on the back of exam scripts in secondary school. Teachers hated it. Now? He draws logos for AI startups and charges $250 a pop. You see how life can switch on you like NEPA?

So generally, if you’re passionate about something, whether it’s skincare, resume writing, or photography, you can turn it into a career by sharing your expertise online. People are making real money by tutoring others in various subjects or skills, and platforms like Zoom and Google Meet can be used to teach students.

The key here is this: use what you already have. Don’t go learning coding if Excel still gives you anxiety. Don’t sell life insurance if you can’t even explain your own bank charges. Start with YOU. If you can talk, type, or entertain an audience of three (including your mom and cat), you can blog or create videos. Adsense, affiliate links, sponsored content, digital products—it all adds up. Some YouTubers make $1,000 from videos about “How to make rice with one burner during a power outage.” And they get 3 million views. Yup.

Basically, point is money is not hiding. It’s just waiting for you to stop overthinking and start small. Remember: everyone you admire who makes money online once googled what online business can I do too. They didn’t wait to have it all figured out. They started with what they had. Wi-Fi, phone, and a plan.

Building Your Online Presence

So, this step is for someone who has chosen an online business niche after experimenting with or researching various online businesses. They’ve successfully launched their business using the guidelines in this course or struggled it out on their own. However, if you’ve done these two things, it means you’re now at the stage of building an online presence.

Now listen, your “personal brand” isn’t some mystery product you need to manufacture in a secret Swiss lab. No, darling, you already are the brand. You just need to stop hiding it under those boring Instagram quotes and Canva templates from 2016. Amplify it like you’re on a rooftop with a megaphone shouting, “This is me!”

Start by identifying your people. Who are you trying to serve? SaaS founders? E-commerce newbies? AI startups with names like QuantumBanana.io? Knowing your audience helps you speak their language—whether that’s Gen Z slang or business jargon.

Create your positioning statement. Something like, “I help fintech startups attract loyal users through killer copywriting and vibe heavy design.” When people land on your page or stalk your LinkedIn, they should say, “Ah, this person gets me.” Not, “Are they an accountant or a ukulele teacher?”

Now for content. You can’t be online and silent. That’s like attending a wedding without giving a gift. Share what you know. You can use this course if you need extra help, but the idea is simple. If you’re a designer, show before-and-after shots. If you’re into renewable energy, explain it to us like we’re five and think solar panels are TikTok filters etc. Simply put, share what you know.

Post consistently. You don’t have to be on every platform—pick one or two that match your vibe. If you’re funny, Twitter and TikTok. If you’re wise and wearing blazers, LinkedIn. If you’re artsy with a plant shelf behind you, Instagram.

And here’s where it gets juicy: These emerging industries—AI, fintech, robotics, renewable energy—are not just for engineers in white coats or people who say things like “synergy.” They need creatives like you to design their websites, write their copy, build communities, manage content, and explain their techy jargon to the world.

That’s the sweet spot. The bridge between your skills and what online business can I do lies in helping those fast growing industries tell their stories.

Building your personal brand isn’t about pretending to be perfect or famous. It’s about being visible and valuable to the people you want to help. Sometimes it means showing up with fresh content, sometimes it means sliding into DMs with, “Hey, I love what you’re doing. Can I help?”

So don’t worry if you’re not a tech bro in a hoodie or a yoga influencer in Bali. You can build a thriving online presence from your bedroom, your kitchen, or even that one corner in your house where Wi-Fi actually works. Once you’ve built a decent enough online presence in your business niche, you should start monetizing your business. Immediately! 

Why? Let’s be honest—most people starting an online business don’t have a trust fund or a secret billionaire uncle hiding in the mountains. So you need money to keep things moving and to make improvements to your business.

Conclusion

The truth is, starting an online business isn’t reserved for tech bros in hoodies or people sipping espresso under some majestic mountain range. It’s for people like you—creatives, survivors, burned out professionals, stay-at-home moms, recovering doctors, and anyone brave enough to ask, “What online business can I do?”

The digital world doesn’t care about your past; it rewards your courage to begin again. So if you’re reading this, and your health, your dreams, or your peace is on the line—start now. Choose something. Try. Fail. Try again.