Unique website ideas for your next side project

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The right website idea could help you generate extra cash.

If you’re not sure what type of website to launch, you’re in the right place. We put together 25 different website ideas that you can start building today.

Building and launching a side project isn’t just a way to learn something new — you can also turn it into a steady stream of revenue. Whether you want to monetize content with a membership website, open an ecommerce store, or start a food blog — there are a multitude of options for making money online. 

What kind of websites are in high demand?

The best website ideas either have some sort of utility or they are informational. Ideally, these websites can be built quickly so they can start addressing the customer demand. 

Utility-style websites are those that others can use to create a specific outcome. For example, creating a job board website can help job seekers find new work and help recruiters find another avenue for hiring top talent.

Informational-style websites are those that educate and inspire others. For example, creating an online learning website can help others improve their skills in a particular subject.

The examples listed below will fall either into the utility or informational categories.

Let’s get into it.

25 best website ideas

Here are 25 different website design ideas to show you what’s possible.

1. Job sites

We’ve all spent plenty of time looking through job sites. Many seem like an endless scroll with no clear organization. Finding any type of job in the bulk of posts can be a frustrating task

There is always a demand for quality job boards. If you have some technical skills already, starting a job web page of your own is a great idea for a side project that can help you bring in some extra income.

2. Affiliate sites

An affiliate website offers an online store of products and resources in a specific niche. Think of them as digital boutiques catering to the tastes and interests of a select demographic.

3. Membership websites

If you’re already blogging, creating tutorials, or are thinking about launching an online course of your own, membership websites make it easy to get paid for what you create. There are many types of websites that offer memberships that unlock premium content that’s not available anywhere else.

Most offer a basic level — giving people a taste of what’s available for free and then enticing them to sign up for their premium memberships. Becoming a paying member unlocks exclusive content like step-by-step tutorials, online courses, articles, videos, message forums where experts share tips, and more. 

If you’re looking for a great website idea to make money off of your content, building a membership website is a solid avenue.

4. Online learning websites

Quite a few platforms out there will host online courses for you. But they come at a price. Why not launch your own site and avoid having to pay someone for what you could do on your own with a website builder like this website builder.

If you’re offering an online course for a niche interest like the handpan, someone may find your website faster through a search engine than if it was part of a larger online course platform where it may get less visibility. If there’s not a lot of competition for what you’re teaching, being able to quickly attain a  high level of SEO may be feasible if you create your own website.

If you want to have complete control over monetizing your online courses, launching a website of your own is the way to go. 

5. E-Learning Blog

Many bloggers also sell products and services such as online courses, consulting sessions, books, and merch. A blog functions as a space to showcase one’s expertise and share knowledge. Plus, a blog is a great place to earn your target audience’s trust so you can promote the products and services you sell.

Blogs are great for drawing attention to paid content and other services you provide. They not only help you build your reputation, they also act as an SEO beacon that brings in organic traffic.

6. Ecommerce websites

Online shops are a great side business that almost anyone can launch. Keep in mind that with so many ecommerce websites out there, you’ll be entering a competitive space — so make sure you have a solid brand identity and niche so you can set your online shop apart from the rest.

With brilliant food photography and a clean and bright web design, there’s a crisp freshness to their website.

An ecommerce store can range from a few items to hundreds, and it’s well within the capabilities of anyone to set up. You can always start as a small business and scale up as you gain more customers.

You can even go as far as creating a dropshipping website if you’re just starting out and want to validate an idea. For example, many clothing lines use Printful to create print-on-demand apparel. This eliminates the need to buy inventory because products are only created when someone purchases them from your online store.

7. Curation websites

Curation websites are libraries of related content that continually get updated. They act as an ongoing repository of articles, tutorials, and other content that an audience would find interesting.

8. Service-based websites

A service-based business is just a fancy name for a business that can do something for you that you can’t do yourself — for example, real estate agents or interior decorators.

If you have a special skill and there’s a demand for it, starting your own service-based business can help put a bit of extra money in your pocket.

9. Photography website 

Like any creative pursuit, putting together a photography website is essential in bringing exposure to your art. A photography portfolio website not only gives you a platform to show off your art, but can also market it to a wider audience. 

You can also use your photography website to sell prints of your work. Don’t miss out on potential customers who might love to have your photos hanging up in their homes or workspaces.

10. Portfolio website

Let’s face it, as creatives we sometimes depend too much on our artistic sensibilities rather than business acumen. We can all benefit from having a portfolio website when pursuing new full time gigs or landing new clients. 

11. Restaurant website 

You don’t need to run a restaurant to earn money from a restaurant website. You’d be surprised how many small businesses like restaurants have outdated websites or don’t have a website at all. If you have web design skills, consider reaching out to local businesses and pitch them on a website redesign package. 

12. Review website

If you enjoy movies, music, books, or some niche product and have opinions you’d like to share, consider building a review website. Writing reviews and making videos are fun ways to share your thoughts with others and connect with other fans.

Including some well-placed affiliate links and appropriate ads will help you generate a bit of passive income off of your own review site. Once you gain a following, you can also reach out to brands for freebies like movie passes or industry-related products in exchange for an honest review on your website. 

13. Comparison website

Comparison websites can provide an easy way for consumers to find the best deals on what they’re after.

Comparison sites allow consumers to compare similar products based on different variables. Product specs, pricing, and other information are often presented in infographics, making it easier for people to quickly understand the similarities and differences between products. 

While comparison websites aren’t an ideal web design project for beginners, they can be lucrative for designers who feel confident building and managing many moving parts. Once you set up the site to pull in relevant information so consumers can easily view similar products side-by-side, you can focus on monetization.  

Comparison websites bring in money through affiliate marketing. It’s not uncommon to link out to products hosted on Amazon or other big name online retailers and collect affiliate earnings from sales. 

14. Recipe/food blog

A food blog is a way to share your creations with a greater audience. If you’re looking for website ideas for beginners, a food blog is relatively simple to create and easy to monetize.

Through your blog, you can provide step-by-step instructions for your favorite recipes along with your experience making them. If you love cooking, writing, and photography, a food blog is a fantastic way to share your culinary passion with others.

Food blogs and recipe websites can generate revenue in a few ways. Most food bloggers rely on affiliate links for everything from recommended cookware to specialty ingredients. Just be sure to add a disclaimer to your site about those affiliate earnings so your visitors don’t feel duped. You can also bring in extra money by selling ebooks, physical books, virtual cooking classes, and more.

15. Fan website

Fan websites focus on a specific fandom. If you want to turn your favorite fandom into a side hustle, a fan website is a great option.

Whether you’re a comic book fan, self-proclaimed video game nerd, or part of another niche fandom — a fan website can be fun to create, maintain, and use to communicate with your fellow fans. Plus, if your website gets popular enough, there are always opportunities to make money through advertising or affiliate links related to your area of interest.

16. Podcast website 

If you produce a podcast, you might depend on social media as the main means of promoting it. Having a podcast website is another important marketing channel, providing an opportunity to create search engine optimized content that will bring in organic traffic. The bigger your podcast gets, the more likely the chance of getting sponsors and advertisers.

17. Travel blog

Travel blogs aren’t just for social media influencers. Whatever your background, you have a perspective that’s unique. Document your journeys on your own travel website and share your experiences exploring the world. 

Of course, you don’t have to run a tour company to make money from a travel blog. You can earn money by selling travel guides such as physical books or eBooks, offering travel consulting services, and through ads and affiliate links. Travel blogs can also serve as a writing portfolio that helps you land paid gigs with travel outlets.

18. Fashion blog

For those with a passion for fashion, a fashion blog is a great website that’s easy to get up and running. It’s a great place to write about the latest trends, share photos of your own outfits, and create content for your fellow fashion enthusiasts.

Most fashion blogs monetize their content through affiliate links. As always, be selective about what products you’re going to endorse on your fashion website, and always let people know that you’re including affiliate links.

20. Events website

Create an events website that has a specific focus. It could be for concerts, comedy open mics, art openings, or some other event people would be interested in. This is a great avenue for generating revenue through ads or making money through affiliate links, referrals, or partnerships with the events you feature.

21. Game website

Create a fun quiz-based website that will get people’s attention. There are plenty of quiz builders you can use to create something that your visitors will have fun clicking through.

If you’re skeptical about the earning potential — think about Buzzfeed. The site’s silly quizzes bring in a huge volume of traffic, which gives Buzzfeed more chances to earn revenue through ads and affiliate links. 

22. Personal website landing page

Not everyone needs or wants to put up an entire portfolio or personal website. Sometimes all you need is a landing page. A landing page is generally just a single page where you can include social media links, biographical information, and a contact form or other way to get in touch. Though the ROI may not always be obvious, it’s helpful to have a central place to send visitors who want to keep up with you or get in touch. 

Link in bio pages are essentially a resource hub for all your content in a single landing page. A personal landing page like this is great for adding to social media accounts that limit you to a single bio, or even as a straightforward website if you aren’t ready for something more involved. 

23. Inspirational

Inspirational websites generally focus on a specific topic such as family, health and wellness, or relationships. We all have challenges and frustrations in our lives. Whatever yours may be, consider starting an inspirational website to connect with others who face similar difficulties.

You can discuss your favorite self-help books, create a supportive forum, or share your experiences through a personal blog. Make yourself vulnerable so you can connect with others through our shared experiences.

24. SaaS website

Creating a business website for a SaaS product is a great way to improve your design skills and even find freelance work in the tech industry. SaaS is a software as a service product.

Users of these platforms pay a subscription to get access to tools and resources. Creating an actual SaaS product will take a lot of time and engineering resources. However, all of these platforms need a marketing site that shows off their product.

SaaS websites are more comprehensive websites, just like ecommerce websites. They usually require a homepage, feature and use case pages, and a blog. They are a key part to a SaaS company’s marketing strategy — making them a valuable website idea.

25. Newsletter websites

Creating a newsletter website is a great idea to provide useful information to any target audience. The key with this idea is to pick a niche and serve a small group of people with news-worthy content.

There are two different ways you can approach this website idea — write articles yourself or curate them from the web.

You could start a newsletter simply by using a tool like Substack, but the key is to own your own digital real estate. So, creating a website for your newsletter is a great way to not rely on newsletter platforms to attract subscribers. It also gives you different marketing avenues, like writing SEO blog posts, to grow your website traffic.