In this post, we will be looking at the 9 best online businesses for students in Kenya. Students are a crucial element in any nation’s development.
Online businesses are the best platforms for students
because of their flexible working hours, remote locations, and potentially high
profits.
Online jobs for students exist in different
categories, ranging from writing to programming. It’s up to you as a student to
pick one.
We will also look at factors you should consider before
getting into an online
business as a student. Before that, we’ll look at what a business
is.
What counts as a business?
Well, a business is the creation of any service or product
that is sold for profit. For instance, I have a business because I’m creating
this content with the goal of making money through advertising revenue,
affiliate links, etc.
Well, a business has to have a buyer and a seller. That’s is
how the transaction will be done and make it a business.
Also, profits must be involved for a business to be a
business. If you’re not selling anything or making any money from your online
enterprise – it’s pretty safe to say that it’s just you having fun online.
What about online business?
An online business is any business that is conducted online.
For instance, I could purchase a website and host it on WordPress (a free
blogging platform).
The blog would then be my product. Visitors to the site will
read my content and hopefully contact me for more information or purchase a
service I offer.
In this case, getting into online businesses as a student
means that you are either creating or selling online products.
Is an online business worth it?
Yes, there are a number of benefits to starting an online
business as a student. First, remote working hours enable students to work
around their class schedules.
Online businesses don’t have fixed work times so this is
ideal for those with irregular timetables. Secondly, it’s also possible for you
to start an online business from home without having to spend a lot of
money.
This is perfect for young entrepreneurs who need a cheap
business startup. The truth is that not all online businesses are great though,
so it’s important that you know what to look for before choosing an online
business.
How to find the best online business for students in
Kenya?
Most of the time, people treat business ideas as “passive
income” and expect immediate results from them.
The truth is, most businesses take a lot of hard work to
create an even harder effort to make a profit from them.
Thus, online businesses for students should be chosen with
care. Before diving into one you need to have done enough research.
Have the passion and drive for online businesses because
investing your time and resources into online business is not a small
decision.
Don’t be in a rush to start online businesses because there
are some online problems that can be solved in a short time.
Search online, join online communities and see what other
online entrepreneurs are doing with their online businesses.
Once you have a good idea of the demands in the market, you
can start your online business.
Before getting into any business, consider the following
factors:
1. Potential customers
If the market for your product is too small, the chances of
making enough money are slim. For instance, if I created an online guide on how
to make macaroon cookies and only sold it to my family and friends, I wouldn’t
make any money.
However, if you create a product that is sold to other
people in Kenya and beyond, there’s a chance of making money!
Online businesses are perfect for students because the
market is really big. Besides one has flexible schedules and can work from
home.
2. The time required
Running an online business requires a significant amount of
time each day to produce quality content and to maintain the business.
If your goal is to earn some extra cash while studying,
doing a part-time job might be a better idea. Make sure to look into time requirements
before starting any online business.
3. The costs involved
To have a website online, you have to pay hosting fees.
Generally, I would recommend buying a WordPress site because of its ease of use
and flexibility.
I would also recommend using local hosting companies to host your WordPress site
because you get a free domain name AND it’s really cheap.
There are many other costs one should consider. For
instance, online businesses may require a lot of startup capital to be successful.
Lastly, an online business requires a huge time commitment
and you should be prepared for that. If you have all the time and money to
invest in an online business, then do it.
If not, choose another online business to start.
4. The skills required
To be successful in an online business, you need to develop
some technical or creative skills. For instance, if I wanted to create an
online clothing store (which is totally doable, btw), I would have to be very
creative.
I’d have to draw my own graphics for the website, take my
own product photos, and write original blog content.
If you already have these skills, online businesses are
great for students because you can use them as part-time jobs!
I hope you got a little insight into what it takes to be successful
in an online business. Now we’ll look at the best online businesses for
students in Kenya!
The 9 Best Online Businesses For Students In Kenya
1. Online Store
Starting an online store as a student means that
you’ll have to buy products in bulk in order to have enough stock.
If you are buying in large quantities, chances of making a
significant amount of money are high, but so is the risk.
You should also consider if you can handle distribution and
customer service on your own without help from other people.
Running an online store is quite complicated, so you should
consider it only if you have enough time.
2. Affiliate marketing
This is a very simple online business for students.
Essentially, you promote a product and if someone buys it, you get a
commission.
This is repeated every time the person you introduced makes
a purchase. So you get to earn with some consistency if you can market well.
This is a great way to make some pocket money online as a
student because the amount of work required is minimal.
All you have to do is promote products that are already
being sold! You don’t need much experience for this online business.
3. Freelancing
It’s becoming a popular online business among young people
in Kenya and around the world, especially students.
Freelancing isn’t just for programming and writing, but also
includes graphic design, online marketing, consultancy, translation services,
and more.
To start with freelancing in Kenya, you might want to sign
up to online freelancing platforms such as Upwork and Freelancer.com.
These platforms help connect online entrepreneurs with
digital workers from all over the world. Also, online freelancing is probably
the easiest online business to start because it requires little or no capital.
4. Blogging
Blogging can be a good online business for students in Kenya.
It’s also great because it’s mostly automated and doesn’t require you to have
an online store or any other complicated logistics.
Blogging is one of the most popular online opportunities for
students. In fact, I am also running my online business through blogging.
There are many different topics that can be covered online.
As a student, you need to have your own unique angle on the online content you
produce online.
Some online entrepreneurs choose long-form content while
others choose short-form content. Both have their benefits so it’s entirely up
to you what type of online business you want to start online.
5. Reviewing online products online
Another great online business for students in Kenya is
product reviewing online. If you’ve ever thought about starting an online
business, reviewing products online is a great way to start.
You can choose to review almost any online product online.
But make sure that you are writing about something you honestly think is worth
people’s time, attention, and money.
Also, don’t pick online products or services because they
pay a lot of commissions online. You need to make sure that you can keep
bringing real value online.
It doesn’t matter if your online business is online or
offline, but you want to make sure that you’re adding value online.
6. Forex Trading
Forex trading is another online business option for students
in Kenya. If you’re at the university level, chances are good that you
learn about foreign exchange markets.
You probably also hear the saying “Buy low, sell high”
online. If you can do that online with Forex trading, then you might be able to
generate online profits online.
The Forex market is online 24/7 so it’s always available
online. That being said, you need to have a consistent source of online income
if you want to make money online from trading currencies.
However, you need to learn a lot online before you can
really expect to generate online profits online.
7. Web design services
When it comes to websites online, design online is just as
important online as content online. If you can understand and apply the
principles of good online design online, then you might be able to make some
profit.
Just remember that you need to have your own unique angle
when it comes to creating websites online because there are thousands of people
who already offering these services.
However, if you already know how to build WordPress sites or
HTML5 sites online, then this type of online business could provide a great
source of side income for students in Kenya.
These days there are free tools like OLITT you can use to create a website.
No more hassle of coding and designing.
8. Investing in cryptocurrency like Bitcoin
The digital currency known as Bitcoin is surging in
popularity and value right now and many young people in Kenya want to invest
online.
If you’re looking for an online business idea, then
investing online in cryptocurrency online like Bitcoin might be a good online
business idea to pursue.
It’s important to remember that cryptocurrencies are very
risky investments online so it’s not a good idea to invest all of your savings
online in them.
There are many reputable websites online where you can
purchase and store digital currencies online though, so let’s take a closer
look at why investing online in this type of currency could be profitable.
9. Tutor services online
Another online business idea that can work online is
tutoring online. You might be wondering how you can make online money with this
option online.
Well, online tutoring online is an online business that’s
really on the rise online. After all, there are so many learners online all
over the world looking for extra help online.
And most of them are willing to pay you for your help online
so long as you have knowledge of the subject online they need help with online.
But keep in mind that if you choose this type of online
business for students in Kenya then you’ll need some very significant expertise
online to make it profitable.
You can’t just tutor people online for random subjects
because it won’t be cost-effective for anyone who wants to participate.
Again, if you want to get into online tutoring online then
make sure that you’re familiar with the types of topics and problems your
potential online clients online are likely to have online.
This is important if you want to generate online profits
online because people online will only pay for the help online with things
they’re familiar with online.
That’s why it’s vital that you know your way around a problem
and the potential solutions online before you ever agree to tutor someone
online.
If you can do that, then you should be able to make some
money online from this type of business model online.
The above are just some of the businesses one can start as a
student. With the right information and online strategies online, online
businesses can be successful online.
Students have so many online resources online for this type
of online business. So, what are you waiting for?
Get online and create your online profile along with some
online content online to let people know what you can do!
This way, when the opportunity arises, you will be ready to grab it.