You want to build an online business but have no idea where to start.
It can be stressful and totally brain draining trying to come up with an idea and then even harder trying to get it over the self doubt line.
If only there was a place you could channel into people’s thoughts and find out what they were thinking and doing… oh hang on… there is!
Did you know that your next business inspiration could be right in front of you, staring you in the face!
And I’m going to tell you where and you won’t believe it!
How many times a day do you log onto a social media platform of some sort?
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest…
How often do you sit there and read through the countless posts in groups, gripes from your Facebook friends or even join in the conversation?
Have you ever thought about channelling that content and using it as an insight into what people are thinking, what is bugging them right now or what is trending?
People air their dirty laundry, thoughts, ideas and opinions on social media for the world to see, even if they don’t mean to. You don’t have to write a post status to share your thoughts or interests… you just have to have an online presence.
Here are a couple of places you can go to find your next business inspiration:
Buy Sell Swap Groups
I don’t know about you, but I generally only frequent these pages when I have to. They are busy and most of the time, of no real interest unless you need to sell something quick for jack you know what. But on these pages people also comment on what they are looking for, or what they need but can’t find. You may just stumble across a trend or idea that is frequently popping up in posts and be able to act on servicing a need.
Trending
You may have noticed that Facebook and Twitter have trending stats on what is hot and what is being talked about the most around the world. It is worth keeping an eye on what is trending as you will see what is catching people’s interest the most.
This is also helpful for posts on your social media pages if you are already running a business. If there is a post or topic which is trending that is relevant to your business niche, then think about sharing it as well. I know when I had my baby boutique business, any posts about the Royal Family, especially Prince George and Princess Charlotte, always had post reach that massively exceeded my actual Facebook following and was good for engagement and a few extra likes too.
Popular Pages
Instagram and Pinterest have become better at providing a snapshot of activity on their platforms and their Popular Page section gives it to you in a nice little package. Look at it as a window into what people are interested in and research the pages people are visiting. Can you create a business or product around this? Is there a gap in the market that you can see?
TV Shows
Our TV screens are filled with reality TV programs and love them or loathe them, they provide an invaluable insight into people and their interests. Look at the show Shark Tank for example. Now this is a show that reveals peoples business ideas and invests in them if they think they are going to be a hit.
Now I am not going to say watch the show and copy someone’s idea, but sit back and watch the secondary interaction that happens on social media. Twitter is usually going off tap when reality shows are on TV as they are now interactive. Streaming comments across the screen. This is where you will see what the rest of the country is thinking… have a read, you never know, someone might just inadvertently reveal a great business idea!
