101 Online Business Ideas That Can Help You Earn Money

In the past, only a few people could earn at home because there were less opportunities for them to venture in business but the advent of computers and the internet has brought lots of awesome options to earn money even without stepping outside your door!

We share here 101 online business ideas in Philippines you can easily try to earn money even while you are staying at home. These options would be great for anybody, even for stay-at-home mothers or people with disabilities that hinder them from leaving home in search of a job.

online business ideas
Check out these ideas and feel free to try them. Many involve skills you must already possess but remember that you can always learn these skills through online courses. You’ll surely be surprised to see that many of these business ideas do not even need a capital!

101 Best Online Business Ideas in the Philippines

A. ONLINE STORES

#1. e-Commerce Store. You are probably aware of shopping sites like Amazon, eBay, Lazada, etc. These huge online stores were once small shops that grew big with time. You can also dream big and start your own e-commerce store.

SeeHow to Start An Online Clothing Shop
online shop#2. Facebook shop. Opening your own e-commerce store can be costly and usually requires the services of experts who can ensure the security of your site. You can solve that by opening a Facebook shop, instead. Just be careful with prospective clients who might turn out to be scammers. It would be a good idea to build your reputation so you can collect money from your customers first before you ship their items.

#3. Auction site. Aside from a regular store, you can also build an online auction store. Business research studies have repeatedly shown that more customers are drawn to auctions because of the prospect of buying items at discounted prices as well as getting the satisfaction of winning something.

#4. Membership shop. This is the type of shop wherein you can earn a monthly income by providing customers with products they perceive to need. This is the model used for popular sites like the BDJ Box where beauty bloggers and ladies get to enjoy a box filled with surprise products while they are paying a fixed monthly subscription.

#5. Selling on online shops. You can also use established online shops like eBay and Amazon to sell your goods. What makes this a great option is that you are selling your products to an already established customer base. Plus, there is added security in that the online shop acts as mediator between you and the buyer, so you are assured that you will receive payment for your goods.

#6. DIY jewelry store. Are you good at crafts, such as creating jewelry? Then, you might want to open a shop selling your own creations. There are plenty of people who are looking for unique accessories – your creations just might appeal to them.

#7. DIY clothes and bags. There are some people who are blessed with the knack to create beautiful clothes designs or accessories such as bags. If you are among them, don’t be shy to sell your creations online.

#8. Selling your own brand. Aside from selling DIY clothes and bags, you might also want to start your own clothing line. I personally know a person who is good at designing fashion items; she found a little factory that produces her designs. She’s now selling her own bags and clothing line!

#9. Selling photos. A lot of people need photos for various reasons, often for blogs and reports. There are sites on the net that buy your photos for a neat sum. You can also opt to create your own site to sell your photos without going through a “middleman” site. The downside to this latter option is that you will need to build your own site and grow it so you can rank on the first page of search sites and have a better chance of earning money from your photos.

#10. Selling designs. If you are good at designing, you can open a shop selling your handiwork. Great ideas for such a shop include printables for various events/parties as well as organizing tools like budget sheets. You can also work on cards, invitations, and other printables.

#11. Daily deals shop. Did you know that there are daily deal websites out there that offer huge discounts for group buyers? Starting such a business (like Groupon) can earn you lucrative income.

B. ONLINE FIRMS/COMPANIES

#12. Shopping/messenger service. You will be surprised at the number of people who might need someone else to do the shopping for them. A shopping service company operates in our town, allowing people to order groceries or hire a messenger to send their mail and pay the bills. You can set your terms and prices; for instance, you can charge a payment of 5 to 10% of the total grocery bill in one store and an extra P50 if the customer needs you to buy goods from another store.

#13. Travel agency. With so many people traveling these days, a travel agency would be a good idea for many. You can set up an online shop where customers can book their plane/boat tickets and hotel accommodations without needing to visit your physical store.

See: Tips in Starting a Travel Agency in the Philippines

#14. Recruitment firm. This works well in the BPO industry and small to medium-sized businesses that need workers but wish to have someone else do the HR details such as hiring qualified employees.

#15. Virtual call center. You might be surprised to learn that there are several virtual call centers that are actually operating in private dwellings, even some employing just one person. You can start with a one-man call center and expand once business picks up.
call center#16. Wedding planner. People want their weddings to go as smoothly and as beautifully as possible. If you have the knack at planning events, then it would be a great idea to start a wedding planning business. Make sure you do your research well so that you can recommend the best people for key jobs such as photography, hair and makeup, and catering.

#17. Events coordination. You can also offer your organizing services for various events, especially birthdays and Christmas parties. Many people want a hassle-free event, especially companies; try to contact these companies to offer your services. Don’t forget to take pictures for future reference.

See: 4 Tips for Starting An Events Planning Business

#18. Selling insurance. A lot of people are too busy to personally go shopping for insurance; this especially holds true in the Philippines where many people do not have any form of life or health insurance. This will be a great business just as long as you have the knack to sell stuff to people.

#19. Detective agency. A detective agency is a good option, especially if you have some sleuthing skills and ready to go Sherlock Holmes on someone. Build your online reputation and you’ll soon have lots of clients calling. Just be prepared for the inevitable. It would be great to learn self-defense skills before launching your agency, though.

#20. Security agency. As with the detective agency, a security agency is also a good option. You can offer online security and offline, “physical” security such as providing your clients security guards or installing CCTV systems in their homes and/or business establishments.

#21. IT support. Even in today’s high-tech world, there are still a lot of people who are bungled with technology, especially computers and handheld tech gadgets. You can start a company to cater to their needs.

#22. Online school. An online school is ideal because there are a lot of people who are always connected to the internet these days. The most common option for an online school is teaching English but you can also teach other subjects, depending on your expertise.

#23. Freelance writing business. With so many freelance jobs that need to be filled, it would be a good idea to open a freelance writing business. You can hire several freelancers to help you fulfill the jobs or you can work on the business on your own. Just make sure you can keep up with the clients’ demands/work requirements.

#24. Online music school. What makes teaching easier these days is that you can create videos to share to your students. This is why an online music school can be possible nowadays. You can share music sheets with your students via email and watch them practice via Skype or have them post videos so you can check their progress.

#25. Credits and loans. Offering credits and loans can be a risky business, especially considering that you might have a difficult time collecting dues yet this is also quite profitable. While it is a good idea to stick to a physical store when offering this kind of service, it is also true that you can find a lot of clients online, especially via social media like Facebook.

#26. Advertising agency. If you have a knack at creating ads, then an advertising agency would be a great idea for you. You can offer your services to other small-scale entrepreneurs like you or you can even venture to larger companies who just might need fresh ideas for their advertising campaigns.

#27. Tourism. Tourism is a lucrative job because a lot of people love to travel and have a great time across the world. You can start a tourism blog and offer travel-related services such as airline ticketing, hotel booking, and shopping options for pasalubongs and vacation mementos such as t-shirts or other souvenir items.

C. FREELANCE SERVICES

#28. Virtual assistant. This business is especially great for people who have excellent English writing and speaking skills since you will most likely be required to field calls, deal with clients (both verbal and written), or write memos and letters.

#29. Programming. Only a small percentage of the world’s population can actually understand programming language. You can take this to your advantage by offering your programming skills to online clients. Because such jobs are also difficult to come by, it might be a good idea to find tasks through a virtual jobs marketplace.

#30. Ghostwriting. Did you know that many published books, e-books, and blogs these days were created by ghostwriters? If you have excellent English writing skills and a touch of creativity, then you can start a ghostwriting business. You might be surprised at the wealth of jobs you can find online, even via Facebook!

writing

#31. Photo editing. Put your Photoshop skills to money-making use, not just to make your snapshots look great on Facebook. While you take this skill for granted, there are many who have no idea how the tool works. Use this to your advantage.

#32. Video creation/production. This would be an excellent tie-up with a wedding/events coordination business but you can also create videos for online clients to post on their website or upload on YouTube.

#33. Telemarketing. This is another job that requires good spoken English skills. Plus, you might want to practice patience and improve your sales skills because a lot of people are known to hang up on telemarketers as soon as they hear the first time of the sales pitch.

#34. Translation. If you know another language, then a job in translation just might work for you. There are a lot of companies that need to have various documents translated, so you can find many jobs online.

#35. Transcription. This business often involves the medical industry but could also cover other fields. What you essentially do is listen to audio (you’re lucky if there’s a video) recordings so you can transcribe them into writing – thankfully, you can type this on the computer.

#36. Tax accounting. A lot of people are bad at numbers, especially in computing taxes. If you happen to be an accountant or exceptionally good with numbers, you will find that this can be a lucrative online business opportunity for you to try.

#37. Resume writing. A lot of people have the best skills in the fields of work they know yet have trouble writing something as simple as a resume. This is where you come in. You can help them land a job by writing an excellent resume piece.

#38. Research paper writing. It is true that a research paper is a difficult project to write; thus, there are many who resort to finding someone on the web to help them get the job done. If you are going to offer this service, make sure to familiarize yourself with various writing and citation formats, such as the standard APA.

#39. Speech writing. Even the world’s greatest leaders often have speech writers at their beck and call. If you have talent in writing inspirational or particularly moving speeches, then this is a great business opportunity for you.

#40. Data entry. This is one of the largest jobs available on the web. What makes this an excellent business opportunity is that all you need to have to start this business is a computer connected to the internet and some skills in MS Excel or some other medium used for storing and collecting data.

#41. News reporting. There are already a lot of news sites on the web but many still need news reporters to work for them. This can be a good option for you and your team of writers. Just be sure to learn the basics of writing and reporting news as these differ from the format of other articles, such as blogs or feature posts.

#42. Graphics design. Website owners and companies often require the services of a graphics designer to help them improve their sites. Offering graphics design services is a good business idea. Not only can you help in improving websites, you can also use this skill in selling designs for magazines, book covers, t-shirts, greeting cards, stickers, and various needs.

D. BLOGGING

#43. Blogging. Did you know that blogging is a lucrative business? Once you have an established blog, you can receive sponsored posts or gain direct advertisers. Still, you can also enjoy a tidy income from ad networks like Google Adsense. You can blog about anything under the sun but if your aim is to earn money, you might to venture in blogs that are interesting for a target audience – such could be a beauty blog, kids and parenting, health, social issues, etc.

SeeGuide for Beginners: How to Start a Blogging Business

#44. News site. A lot of people have turned to the internet for news; mainly because online news sites are often more updated than TV news programs in providing the latest updates. You can use this to your advantage – but always make sure to determine factual news from satirical articles.

#45. Niche site. Are you an expert in a certain field? You can use that to create a niche site that could later become a major source of information for other people once you established a name for the site. You might need to input long hours of work to build the site and need the help of a writing team to get the site going but once you gain wide readership, you’ll reap the fruits of your labor.
ghost writing#46. Review site. As the name implies, a review site is dedicated to reviews – whether of consumer products, restaurants, shops, or services available in brick-and-mortar or online firms.

#47. Online discount hub. Coupons and discounts are readily available on the web for those who know how to search for them. You can collage these into a website. While you might not earn much from the affiliate sites offering these coupons, you could earn more from the traffic and the ad clicks from your regular visitors/readers.

#48. Expert blogging. There are sites such as About.com that offer money to expert bloggers/writers to write about things they are knowledgeable about. As an expert blogger, not only can you earn money in sharing your knowledge, you can also build your reputation in an already established site.

#49. Advertising. Blogs earn through advertising but there are many ad networks out there that are still starting up and are not yet used by many bloggers. You can work with these ad networks in contacting bloggers for ad opportunities for their sites. While most bloggers stick with Adsense and other popular ad networks, many are also willing to try new options to earn more.

#50. Paid/sponsored posts. Use your marketing skills to find sponsorship opportunities from brands and companies which you can pitch to bloggers as paid/sponsored post. These would be a win-win situation for everyone because 1) you earn money from the company for mediating the transaction, 2) the blogger earns compensation for the post, and 3) the company gets cheap advertising through the blog.

#51. Web designing. Although many bloggers are good in writing, many are not adept in creating and designing websites. IT experts like you can earn money by offering web design services. Some web designers also offer extra services such as creating featured images for posts as well as other designs/images that can be used on the blog.

#52. SEO services. Search engine optimization (SEO) is very important in order for a blog to rank higher in search engine results. Of course, the higher the rank, the better chance a blog will have for gaining organic traffic. If you are adept at SEO, you can offer your services to blog owners (especially the new ones) who are often clueless about SEOs and search engine algorithms.

#53. Social media managing. Many bloggers are too busy writing about stuff that they often do not have enough time to manage the social media aspect of their sites. Still, social media is important for building readership and getting more clicks to the blog. A social media manager can help bridge the bloggers with their readers.

#54. Ghostwriting. A lot of bloggers know what their readers want to read about but are too busy to provide lots of updated content for their blogs; thus, many hire ghostwriters or a team of writers to work for them. If you are lucky, you get to use your own name as writer in the blog/website but even if you don’t get that perk, you can still earn money as ghostwriter for the site.

#55. Audio/video optimization. Many websites now make use of videos and audio recordings to keep their readers interested in the site content. Naturally, audio and video files make the site load less efficiently than if there are only pictures/written words in the content. This is why your skills in video and audio optimization can be handy for bloggers.

#56. WordPress optimization. Are you a WordPress (WP) expert or good in programming, perhaps? Then you can start a business that offers bloggers help in optimizing their websites. WP might look easy-peasy for you but trust me, there are many noobs (like me) out there who know how to write but can’t go through the technicalities in WP and website building.

#57. Podcasting. As a blogger, it might also be a good idea to try podcasting so you can gain wider readership for your blog. Of course, more readers and more website clicks easily translate to more income for you.

#58. Buying and selling domains. Although this might not sound like a business to earn a lot of money from, you might be surprised how some people have actually earned a lot from this procedure. The perfect example is college graduate Tramall Ferguson who bought the domain KanyeForPresident.com for around $10 (the price of standard domain) some 5 months before Kanye West announced his presidential bid. Ferguson has received bids for as high as $80,000 for the domain but it is believed that the bid could go up to over $100,000! (Source: The Music)

#59. Blog consulting. As an expert blogger, you can also offer your services as blog consultant. You can help newbie bloggers in building their sites from scratch. Most newbie bloggers need advice in ad placement, choice of ad networks, SEO, and avoiding potential problems with plagiarism and wrongful use of copyrighted images.

#60. Keyword researcher. Yes! There is such a job as a keyword researcher in the blogging world. This is especially handy for sites that need to optimize a large content database. This is relevant to SEO. If you know how to do this, then can be a nice business to offer bloggers.

#61. Website/blog editing. A lot of readers are turned off by a blog/website with plenty of glaring grammar errors. This is why editors are very important. If you have a keen eye on spotting grammar and spelling errors, then you can find lots of jobs available on the net for your new editing blog business.

E. DIRECT ONLINE JOBS

#62. Video creation. YouTube and Vine are among the top video-sharing platforms on the web. Did you know that you can earn from these sites? You can make simple videos such as the ones vloggers and pranksters are doing or you can use your animation skills for creating interesting clips.

#63. e-Book writing. A lot of people prefer reading e-books to regular books because you can store thousands of these e-books online or on your gadget to read at your convenience compared with the bulky regular books. You simply can’t bring a thousand regular books at one go, right? This is why e-book writers are getting rich these days!

#64. Building apps. Billions of people around the world own various gadgets. This means that as an app developer, you have a huge client base; thus, a business of building apps is surely something that could earn you a lot of money.

#65. Developing games. Remember Angry Birds, Candy Crush, Temple Run, and Flappy Bird? These are just some of the most lucrative games ever created for gadget users. Creators of these games have become millionaires – even billionaires just because of these addictive games!

#66. Advertising. Aside from helping bloggers earn money from advertising, you can offer advice on advertising for entrepreneurs to create the best ads for their businesses. Thus, an ad agency might actually be a good option for you to try.

#67. Software development. Technology is constantly changing and so do the people’s software needs. If you can create software that can make people’s lives easier in the tech world, then you just might become the next software billionaire in the planet.

software development

#68. Book editing. It is true that there are many writers who might be quite creative but are struggling with the basics of English grammar in so many points. Since books need to be as error-free as possible, writers often hire editors to help them polish their books for publishing.

#69. Article editing. There are plenty of people who are in need of editors for their articles, whether for research papers or regular essays and speeches. You can help them polish their works and also gain money in the process. A win-win situation for everyone involved.

#70. Mail marketing service. This might sound like an old marketing strategy by mail marketing service is still very much in use these days; though mails have changed from snail mails to emails. If you have excellent skills in writing sales and marketing pitches, then this could be a good business opportunity for you.

#71. Party planning. You can be a party planner even without leaving your own home! You can help clients organize their parties via Skype and send them printable materials through email. You can also provide them assistance in finding the best games/activities to do during the party.

#72. Photo restoration. You can’t really understand the value of an old photograph until you realize that it is the only remembrance you have of a certain moment in your life. This is why photo restoration is becoming a good business option, especially because most old photographs do not have digital copies.

#73. Computer trainer. Your skills can help you earn money if you share it online. You can train people to do stuff you are adept at doing. Of course, one-on-one sessions can be time consuming and you will have to repeat things over and over again among your students. Thus, it might be a good idea if you create a written module or film videos for your lessons.

#74. Secret shopper. This is often applicable to store or food chains who wish to check whether their branches are doing a great job in dealing with their clients. Once you become a secret shopper, you get the added benefit of getting paid while doing the things you absolutely love.

#75. Ad-clicking. Although this is not as popular these days as it used to in the early 2000s, ad-clicking still provides a nice income for people who have too much time in their hands. Earnings are not so high and you should really invest on a good anti-virus program for your computer but if you really want to exhaust all options for legal online money-making schemes, then you can try ad-clicking.

#76. Animation. Animators are in-demand even outside Hollywood because there are plenty of people who want to earn money through their videos. You can start your own animation business. Who knows? You might be able to gain the attention of top animation companies like Pixar!

#77. Fashion designing. If you have a knack at designing clothes and accessories, this might be your chance to start your own clothing line. Of course, you also have the option to work for other fashion design companies, especially if you are still starting up your business and trying to learn the ins and outs of fashion designing.

F. HOME IMPROVEMENT

#78. Interior designing. Many homeowners love the idea of creating a beautiful atmosphere at home but do not have the knack at producing creative outcomes. This is why interior designers are very important because they can easily help these homeowners achieve their dream homes with ease.

#79. Landscaping. Did you know that you can still help a homeowner do some landscaping even while you are at home? Thanks to technology, this is already entirely possible. Of course, the homeowner does need to have some basic knowledge of landscaping, carpentry, or masonry. If virtual assistance for landscaping will not work with your clients, you can always visit them personally.

#80. Home designing. It is much easier to help homeowners in designing their homes, even from scratch, with the use of today’s modern tools. The internet is a handy tool for finding architects, engineers, and construction companies to help them build their homes. If you have skills in home designing, you will surely find lots of clients who will be needing your expertise online.

home designing

#81. Holiday/event decorating. There are homeowners who have no idea how to decorate their homes for an event or the Christmas season. You can use your skills in decorating by offering them your services.

G. TEACHING/COACHING

#82. Motivational speaker. As a motivational speaker, you might not earn a lot of money but you can still live on a nice salary even while you are doing something that helps inspire people. It’s for a noble cause.

SeeEstablishing your Career as a Public Speaker

#83. Coaching/mentoring. The web is full of people in need of some form of assistance. Your mentoring skills can help them achieve their dreams/goals in life and also allow you to earn extra money on the side.

#84. Diet and nutrition coaching. For people in need of a guide to help them lose weight and stay healthy, your skills as a coach can be quite handy.

#85. Exercise coaching. To maximize your time and earn more money in training your clients, you can create videos of the exercise moves and sequences which you can share with them via YouTube or privately through your own website.

#86. Healthy living coaching. Healthy is not just about diet and exercise but also about quitting bad vices and living in a safe environment. Teach your clients how to live a healthy life while you also earn.

#87. Virtual teaching. Bring the classroom to the web so you can teach your students even while you are at home. Just make sure you have a home office, even a small one, to get this properly executed as distractions in your house could also affect your online students.

#88. Private tutor. Through Skype or other means of online communication, you can provide private tutorial lessons for your students on subjects that you are expert on. While most private tutors offer English lessons, there are many who also provide tutorials on various subjects.

#89. Business-related webinars. With so many newbie entrepreneurs needing help in setting up their businesses, webinars and online classes have become a useful tool. Aside from organizing interactive webinars, you can also make video tutorials to help your students.

webinars

#90. Career counseling. Many people are still not sure of their career paths even after graduating from college. Career counselors can help them steer to the right direction.

#91. Counseling. This means counseling the client on things they are not sure about or stuff they are afraid of doing. This is not a simple task and you should probably earn a degree in psychology before you start handing out advices.

#92. Financial adviser. Many people wish to become financially stable yet have poor spending and saving habits. As a financial adviser, you can help them change their habits so they can learn to save for the rainy days instead of spending everything to have fun today.

#93. Image consulting. This is especially helpful if you have great fashion sense. You can help people achieve a better appearance or project a better image using clothes and various accessories.

H. MARKETING

#94. Affiliate marketing. This type of marketing is a great choice for bloggers to earn extra income but even those without blogs can also participate in the campaigns. All you need is your affiliate link to share with your friends and prospective buyers.

#95. Trading/brokering. The stock market is volatile and difficult to understand but there are a gifted few who can read and predict the market trends like the back of their hands. If you are among these people, then you can easily earn a tidy sum for trading and brokering stocks and other investments.

#96. Real estate. The web is one huge marketplace – and you can sell just about anything on it, including houses! Prospective clients can go on virtual tours of the properties they are interested in, without needing to make a site visit until they have narrowed down their choices.

#97. Drop shipping. This worry-free type of selling is an excellent option because you don’t even have to physically handle the goods you are selling. You can open your shop and do the marketing. Once the customer orders, the main shop ships the items for you.

#98. Book marketing. Many authors need marketers to help them sell their books (e-books or paper books) to their target audience so they won’t have to rely on sales from bookstores. You can help these authors market their works while you earn some commission for the items sold or a fixed sum, depending on your contract.

#99. YouTube advertising. YouTube is an excellent venue for advertising or earning money from advertisements. Take advantage of this by opening an advertising agency to help company create and manage ads to post on YouTube.

#100. Research. Online research can be time-consuming but it can also earn you some cash from people who are too busy to do the job themselves. Thankfully, Google has your back.

marketing

#101. Online marketing. Thanks to the internet (especially social media), you will find it easier to market your company and the goods or products you are selling. This is applicable to any kind of business, including virtual shops and blogs.

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1 thought on “101 Online Business Ideas That Can Help You Earn Money”

  1. I have had the interest of exporting business in some product that very common in our place and I felt it was very lucrative in foreign market, only that I don’t have any idea on how to get this business started, how much capitalization do I need? what are the necessary documents for this? What are the shipping companies that that transport the product, from Mindanao area to abroad. Hope you can share some useful information regarding my business interest. thank you.

    An OFW here at work…..

    Reply

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