What online business can I start in South Africa?
In this article, we are going to answer this question.
Here, you will find a list of the most profitable online business ideas. And it doesn’t stop there.
I will give you strategies you can follow now to start making money almost immediately.
See, starting an online business is the surefire way to secure your spot in the passive income earner club.
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What is passive income?
Ever dreamed of making money while you sleep?
As in money just flows into your bank account while you doing nothing at all. Or out there golfing or hanging with friends?
That is passive income!
It is the income you earn without doing any work.
Here is the thing;
When you are employed, your income depends on your work. If you stop working for some reason, the money stops coming.
But with passive income, you can start a business and it keeps running even without you being involved directly. And in the end, you make money without working.
Talk of the dream?!
Starting an online business
Since earning money while you sleep is the ultimate goal, how can you achieve that?
Well, there are a lot of ways to reach there.
One of the most obvious ones is to inherit millions of rand from your father or your rich uncle.
Well, if you are like most of us, that option is not on the table.
So what can you do?
Start an online business alright!
An online business is a business you run on the internet. You are used to running to the shop to get sugar and such stuff. That is an offline business, also known as brick and mortar business.
With the internet here with us, you can easily start a business that makes you thousands of rand per month without capital.
You heard that right.
You don’t need money to make money online in South Africa.
Why online business in South Africa?
Here are the reasons why starting an online business in South Africa makes more sense than the brick and mortar business.
- Online business requires little to no manpower. You can start a business that generates a lot of revenue and be only you. You don’t need thousands of employees.
- It is highly mobile. You can be in the Bahamas and be running a business in South Africa
- Margins are insane – you can find a business that is making you upwards of 60% in profits. You can’t find that in the traditional business world.
- You can outsource everything. If you feel like there is a part of the business that would be done better by someone else, you can outsource it and still make enough profits. In fact, you can build an online business in South Africa where everything is done by experts. All you do is coordinate their actions.
Now that you know why you need an online business in South Africa, let’s answer this question; what online business can I start in South Africa?
What Online Business Can I Start In South Africa?
As promised, here are the most profitable online business ideas you can start now in South Africa and make money almost immediately.
#1. Start a blog
Starting a blog is the #1 way to make money online in South Africa.
A blog is a website where you will be sharing articles and opinions about your chosen topic.
To start a blog in South Africa;
- You need a topic – what will you be writing about? Is it fashion, gossip news, breaking news, or financial advice? Pick a topic
- Pick a domain name – this is the address people will type onto their web browser to access your website. That domain name should reflect the topic of your website. Once you have the name, go ahead and register it here.
- Get hosting account – hosting is where the files will be stored. Check web hosting packages and pricing in South Africa here.
- Install CMS – this is the tool or software you will be using to manage content. The most popular one is WordPress.
- Start publishing article.
Once you have the website up and running, the next thing is to make money.
Now, to make money with a blog in South Africa, you can;
- Serve ads using advertising networks like Mediavine, Google AdSense, and Ezoic.
- Offer paid guest posts. Here, people will be paying to post articles on your blog.
- Sell digital products like eBooks and courses.
- Start selling services like freelance writing and consulting
What Online Business Can I Start In South Africa?
Here is another idea.
#2. Start an Advertising Agency
Today more than ever, businesses in South Africa understand the importance of advertising. I mean, without it, there is no way to get customers to know about you.
The thing is, most of them do not know how to do it properly and in a way that brings them ROI.
That is where you come in.
If you understand how to come up with practical and effective advertising strategies, there is a lot of money to be made.
For example;
You can start a social media marketing agency in South Africa. Here, you will be helping small businesses market their products and services on social media.
#3. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is the process of promoting someone else’s products or services and getting paid in commissions.
As an affiliate, you make money by referring clients to someone’s business.
Now, the trick is getting the right affiliate program.
Remember you are being paid after they make a sale. This means that you need to be vigilant about who you promote and their products.
First, only promote products you believe in. This is because people will be relying on your judgment to make better buying decisions. Avoid promoting things only because of money.
Secondly, if possible, first consume the products you are promoting. This way, you will be giving a reliable review of the product.
More importantly, only join programs that are legit and operate within the law. The last thing you want is being scammed and losing all the money you have worked hard for all along.
With that said, here is a list of top affiliate marketing programs in South Africa;
- CJ Affiliate
- Clickbank
- AdMarula
- Offerforge
Make sure to check all of them and understand before signing up.
#4. Start an online store in South Africa
I bet you’ve heard of TakeAlot.com.
It is one of the leading online stores here in South Africa, selling almost anything you can think of.
Another good example is Amazon.com. It is one of the best e-commerce websites in the world, serving millions of customers per month.
You can start the same, well, not exactly like theirs, but an online store guaranteed to make you money.
This online idea could the answer to your question, what online business can I start in South Africa?
First, think of a product you can offer online. See, you don’t have to offer hundreds of products at once. You can start with a single product and move up as you grow.
For example;
You can start an online store where you will be selling headphones.
Is it being offered somewhere else?
Absolutely!
But since you are focusing on a single rather than hundreds, you have an advantage.
To get started, including a blog where you write articles about the headphones. And then include a link where people can buy the product after reading the article.
#5. Web hosting reseller
Ever dreamed of starting a web hosting company in South Africa?
Well, now you can.
See, starting a hosting company requires a lot of resources. You need employees and servers.
But all that can be bypassed by reselling hosting services.
How?
First, look for a hosting service provider here in South Africa offering reseller packages.
And then sign up with one of them.
This reseller package gives you the ability to subdivide hosting space and price it as you wish.
Here at Truehost.Africa, you can get that reseller package for cheap. With it, you can start your own web hosting company from home with no employees.
Once you have signed up, we will be handling everything, all you have to do is market your business.
#6. Traveling consultant
Here in South Africa, there are a ton of tourist attraction spots.
If you are a well-traveled person or love traveling, you can make serious money as a consultant.
Here, your job will be showing people the easiest ways to save money while having and enjoying epic experiences.
#7. Freelancing
Do you have skills that people are willing to pay money for?
For example;
- Web design
- Graphic design
- Blog posts writing etc.
You can start out as a freelancer; working independently and taking on clients as you want.
As a freelancer, you have the choice to work any time you want and anywhere you want.
Also, you get to set your own rates, thus being able to make money fast.
Wrapping up about online business in South Africa
We have answered, what online business can I start in South Africa with these #7 ideas.
Go through them and pick the ones you feel more qualified to undertake.
