10 Online Consulting Business Ideas

While many people were beginning to utilize online businesses and work-from-home options prior to 2020, the pandemic definitely gave this growing field a huge boost. With many people stuck at home, sometimes for weeks at a time, there was an extensive need for how to bring home an income. 

An online consulting business is a type of online business where consultants and clients meet and discuss strategies to help the client reach their goals. When we think about consulting, most people think of a business consultant. While there is high demands for business consultants, there are several types of consulting businesses.

We have brought you our Top 8 Online Consulting Business ideas, each of which can be done entirely online. With the online business world still expanding, opportunities will always be found. 

1. Health and Nutrition Consultant

If the first thing that pops into your mind when you read this is “MLM,” please understand that being a professional health and nutrition consultant goes way beyond that aspect. Many high-level health and nutrition experts with certificates and degrees bring a major service to people who need them.

You can set yourself apart from the masses by building a professional website that clearly describes your credentials and tells people how you can use your knowledge to help them meet their goals, not that you’re just trying to sell them a quick fix. It’s also super helpful to have social media accounts in which you are active and engage with followers, showing them that you can relate to their struggles. 

2. Social Media Consultant

There are those out there that are very crafty and witty on social media, and there are those who, well, are not. If you are one of those that are, imagine how much fun you could have building your own consulting firm where you get to be on social media all day, every day. 

This is an ever-changing position as social media and trends are constantly changing. It is your job to understand the trends and the ins and outs that will get your client’s posts seen and their platforms growing! You will need to build strategic plans and use data to see what works and what doesn’t. With social media marketing becoming increasingly important to businesses, this is an amazing opportunity to put your skills to work for you.

3. Marketing Consultant

Marketing is one of a business’s most important investments in its day-to-day operations. It gets customers familiar with your brand and entices them to make purchases to support your business. As a marketing consultant, you will work to create advertising campaigns through all types of media and develop a marketing strategy with your clients to consistently build up brand awareness, overall sales, and website and in-store traffic. 

Since this field reaches across all types of businesses, you will want to develop and define your niche early on so that you begin to be considered an expert in your field. Being spread too thin across all different brands and businesses could end up with you overwhelmed and spiraling.

4. Financial Consultant

Are you great with numbers, love spreadsheets, and all things money? Then, this might be an excellent fit for you. A financial consultant is someone that companies hire to help them make better decisions with their money and keep track of financial records. Financial consultants can also help individuals who need to get their finances back on track, eliminate debt, or prepare for a big purchase such as a home or higher education.

A good financial consultant should have a basic understanding of business and/or personal finance. They should also have some knowledge in accounting, insurance, and investments. Although a license is not required to be a financial consultant, obtaining a license such as a CFP (Certified Financial Planner) can add a level of professionalism and credibility.

5. Career Consultant

Many out there are looking for direction and clarity in their career path, which brings up the need for a career consultant. In this position, you are working with individuals to see what their strengths, weaknesses, interests, and personality traits are and what careers would fit them the best in the long run. 

You can also help people who are in the field they want to be in plan out where they might want to see themselves 5 or 10 years from now. It’s also important to research what training or courses they need to take to achieve these future goals. 

6. PR Consultant

PR (Public Relations) is another key component of running a successful business. You can be doing great things in your store and your business, but if the public doesn’t know about them, it doesn’t do your brand any favors. 

Hiring someone who knows how to shape your public image and improve it over time continually is a great investment! You will need to know when things are happening in your businesses’ community and how to positively get their names out there. You may also be in charge of organizing and setting up events and having materials prepared for when people arrive. 

7. Branding Consultant

Building a successful brand can be very hard in a very saturated market, so finding a great branding consultant who understands how the process works is essential. They can take the information from current sales and products to develop ideas utilizing what is working and taking out what is not. 

Branding consultants can also see how you are performing against your competitors and really define what your brand is and how to grow your reputation in a positive way. 

8. Sales Funnel Consultant

Sales funnels are one of the critical components of running a business. While owners will have a basic knowledge of how the sales funnel works, many rely on sales funnel consultants to take what they have started and grow it even bigger. As businesses grow, sometimes tasks like these are better delegated to someone who specializes in that area. 

As a consultant, you also have more time to take in all the data and analyze it to see what steps need to be taken to help the business truly maximize its sales funnel and reach goals beyond where they are now. 

9. Tax Consultant

If you have a background in tax preparation or accounting, you may be able to consultant clients on tax issues they may have. Oftentimes, small business owners, individuals, and families have tax questions. Some of these questions and concerns can be answered in a few simple meetings.

As a tax consultant, you may be able to capture clients who need tax help but do not need to see a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Since you will be consulting and working directly with your client’s taxes, you may be able to charge less than a CPA. This cost savings for the client may be attractive and will enable you to gather more clientele.

10. HR Consultant

Many small businesses hire human resource consultants on a case-by-case basis. This is due to the fact that some small businesses to not need a full-time HR director or manager. Instead, they need someone to handle HR needs for a shorter period of time.

An HR consultant can assist with hiring, training, salary, and orientation. HR consultants can also help business owners handle behavioral concerns involving employees. Although an HR consultant can operate solely online, many operate a hybrid business that involves in-person meetings.

Conclusion

The consulting industry is a $250 billion a year segment in the U.S. Competent consultants that can deliver results for their clients are in demand. Whether you currently work from home or have just been throwing out the idea, and you have skills or expertise in any of the above areas, there are many options for you when it comes to operating an online consulting business. 

The fun part about business and the different components that make it work is that they are constantly changing and evolving. So people are always looking for experts in their niche to help them in all aspects of the business and life to make it more successful.

We hope you found this article helpful and look forward to hearing more from you soon! 

Katie Budd

Team Writer: Katie Budd is a full-time 8-5er in the commercial insurance industry and works on building her freelance writing business. She enjoys creating engaging content for people to read. She also enjoys working out at home doing Street Parking programming, encouraging her kids to chase what they are passionate about, and spending as much time on the farm with her extended family as possible. Follow along with her on her blog and Instagram as she continues to put thoughts into words.