As the economy goes down, what is the most appropriate thing to do in an Internet entrepreneurship/sideline business?

During the economic downturn, many people face the dilemma of decreasing income and increasing employment pressure. But there are also opportunities in the crisis-the Internet, with its low threshold, low cost, and high flexibility, has become an important position for ordinary people to break the trend. So, in the current environment, what is the most appropriate to do on the Internet? This paper sorts out several practical paths from a practical perspective.

1. Asset-light content creation: monetization with time and cognition

In the economic downturn, people are more willing to pay for "problem solving" and "emotional value". Content creation is an almost zero-cost way to start.

1. Knowledge dry goods self-media

Direction: Practical areas such as workplace skills, making money on the sideline, saving money strategies, personal growth, and parenting experience

Platforms: Public Account, Zhihu, Xiaohongshu, Today's Headline

How to monetize: revenue from traffic owners, payment for knowledge, paid communities, and receiving advertisements

Advantages: The start-up cost is almost zero, and the content can be accumulated for a long time to generate compound interest

2. Emotional companionship content

Direction: Emotional stories, life insights, workplace complaints, healing content

Platforms: Douyin, Station B, Xiaohongshu, Video Number

Liquidation methods: Live streaming tipping, advertising, and bringing goods

Advantages: During the economic downturn, people are emotionally anxious and demand for companionship content increases

Suggestion:Don't be greedy for perfection, select a niche first, insist on updating it for 3 - 6 months, and then consider monetizing it after accumulating the first batch of loyal fans.

2. Low-threshold skills services: selling skills but not working

If you have a skill, even if you are not very proficient in it, you can make money by taking orders through the Internet.

1. design class

Available: poster design, logo production, PPT beautification, photo retouching, emoji pack production

Platforms: Pig Bajie, Xian Yu, Xiaohongshu, Taobao Service Market

Pricing reference: 50 - 300 yuan for a single poster, 10 - 30 yuan for PPT beautification/page

2. Copywriting and Translation

Available: Official account article writing, Xiaohongshu copywriting, product description, Chinese-English translation

Platforms: Douban payment bank group, idle fish, various order receiving groups

Pricing reference: 30 - 100 yuan per thousand words (starting price for novices)

3. video clip

Available: Short videos editing, subtitle addition, material mixing, oral video packaging

Platforms: Station B workshop, idle fish, Douyin service market

Pricing reference: 50 - 200 yuan for a video within 3 minutes

4. virtual assistant

Available: data entry, information organization, customer service reply, schedule management

Platforms: Upwork (foreign), Douban Group, WeChat Group

Suitable for the crowd: people who are patient and meticulous and have flexible time

Suggestion:First, take a few orders at low prices on idle fish or watercress to accumulate works and praise, and then gradually increase the price. Don't overbid the price at the beginning.

3. Second-hand and idle economy: buy low and sell low to earn the difference

During the economic downturn, the activity of second-hand trading increased instead. People not only have to deal with idle blood return, but also are willing to buy second-hand goods that are cost-effective.

1. idle fish reselling

Model: Find low-cost sources from Pinduo, 1688, and wholesale markets, and sell them on idle fish

Suitable categories: household items, mobile phone accessories, temporary food, pet products, children's toys

Profit margin: ranging from 10 to 50 yuan per piece

Key abilities: taste selection, copy packaging, simple photo taking

2. Information gap service

Mode: Help people find resources, find e-books, download materials, grab tickets, and register

Platforms: idle fish, Taobao

Pricing: 5 - 20 yuan/order

Advantages: Zero cost, selling time + information channels

3. Renovation and resale of old things

Model: Recycle old furniture, old mobile phones, and old cameras at a low price, and sell them at a higher price after cleaning and renovating

Suitable for people with hands-on skills and knowledge of the industry

Profit: After renovation, you can usually add 50%-200%

Suggestion:Start with the categories you are familiar with, first sell your idle things to familiarize yourself with the process, and then consider reselling them. Don't hoard too much goods and keep operating asset-light.

4. Private domain traffic operation: small circles and great value

Instead of competing for traffic with tens of thousands of people on a large platform, it is better to create a small but beautiful private circle.

1. Paid community

Directions: Check-in for reading, weight loss supervision, sideline exchanges, baby mom childcare, and mutual assistance for postgraduate entrance examinations

Pricing: 9.9 - 99 yuan/year

Operation points: Provide fixed value (such as daily sharing, answering questions, and check-in mechanisms)

2. Group purchase group/Kuaituan

Model: Find high-quality sources of goods (agricultural products, daily necessities, and tail goods) and make group purchases within the WeChat group

Key: A stable supply chain and trust foundation

Start method: Start with friends around you and break word of mouth

3. Personal IP Private Domain

Deposit public domain traffic (Xiaohongshu, Douyin, Zhihu) into WeChat and realize it for a long time through friends and communities

Suitable for people with content capabilities and willing to operate personal brands for a long time

Suggestion:First provide services for free to build trust, and then gradually launch paid products. The core of the private domain is trust, and don't over-consume the relationship.

5. AI tool empowerment: one person is a team

In the AI era, personal productivity has been greatly amplified. People with good tools can do things that used to require teams to do at low cost.

1. AI-assisted content production

Use ChatGPT to write copywriting frameworks, small red book titles, and video scripts

Use Midjourney/Stable Diffusion to make pictures and posters

Generating oral videos using clipping AI

One person can operate 3 - 5 accounts

2. AI Digital Human Live Broadcast/Short videos

Generating digital person videos using tools such as Heygen and D-ID

Used for knowledge sharing, product introduction, and oral content

The cost is much lower than that of a real person.

3. Prompt words sales/teaching

Organize and use prompt word templates and sell them at Xianyu and Xiaohongshu

Or open a minimalist AI course to teach Xiaobai to use AI tools

Suggestion:Don't learn too many tools at once. Be proficient in using 1 - 2 core tools (such as ChatGPT + clipping) first, and then gradually expand.

6. Guide to avoiding pitfalls: What not to touch during the economic downturn

After saying what is suitable for doing, he also reminded several types of things that need to be cautious:

High-value franchising/agency: Any "project" that pays tens of thousands of yuan first has a high probability of cutting leeks

Capital market/swiping orders/online gambling: There are often traps behind the quick flow of money, so don't take chances

Hoarding e-commerce: Don't purchase large quantities before stable traffic, the risk of capital chain rupture is high

Follow-up currency speculation/NFT: Highly volatile assets are not suitable for ordinary people in the economic downturn

Borrowing money to start a business: It is not recommended to borrow money to do Internet projects at any time

written in the end

During the economic downturn, the most appropriate direction on the Internet is not to pursue overnight wealth, but to find something that is "low-cost to start, can be accumulated, and has compound interest" and persist in doing it.

A few practical suggestions:

Add first: Try 2 - 3 directions at the same time to test which one suits you best

Subtraction again: Select one direction and cultivate deeply for more than 3 months, and do not switch frequently

Maintain positive cash flow: Even if you only earn 500 yuan a month, it is still positive feedback

Lower expectations: The first goal is not to get rich, but to build the ability to "make money without the platform"

The fairest thing about the Internet is that it does not depend on your education, background, or age, but only whether you can provide value. The economic downturn is instead a dividend period for ordinary people to do things seriously-because impetuous people have retired, people who work down-to-earth are easier to be seen.

Starting today, choose a direction and do it first. Even if you just publish the first little red book, put the first product on idle fish, and write the first public account article, you will already exceed 90% of the people who are still watching.