What work can I do from home? | Do you think what are the jobs that can be done from home and you want to switch to such a business model? Especially due to the current situation, most people have been using the work-from-home model for a while, but there are also those who want to continue it full-time even after things return to normal. Today, thanks to the opportunities provided by the internet, starting a business from home and achieving success is much more common than in the past.
Best of all, start-up costs for a new home business can be quite low. Often all you need is a computer, a website, and the will to succeed.
If you’re not quite sure what to do from home, the list below can help you get some ideas and get started.
Low capital, work from home
Here are the home business ideas we’ll cover in this article:
- freelance writing
- virtual assistant
- social media management
- blogging
- Graphic designer
- web developer
- Digital marketing
- E-commerce store owner
- sell online courses
- Publishing your own books
- Joining a freelance site
- Data input
- Sell products you make/own
- sell stock photos/videos
- Photography
- pet sitting
- fitness trainer
- music teaching
- event planning
- electronics repairman
- Personal chef/catering
- Selling your baked goods
Read on to learn more about these work-from-home jobs. While most are digital-focused jobs, there are some that will require you to step away from the screen and meet your customers.
1. Freelance writing
If you have a passion for writing, you can improve yourself by writing online. Even with little experience, you can quickly build a stable business.
‘The first step is to find your niche.’
For example, will you write emails for SaaS (Software as a Service) companies? Will you produce blog content for technology companies? Or will you focus on copywriting for fitness professionals?
After deciding on your niche based on your own expertise and interests, and setting up a website to promote your business, it’s time to contact companies that need your services. If it seems difficult to contact companies directly, you can start by browsing the job postings posted on freelance sites such as Bionluk and VirtualUzman.
2. Virtual assistant
If you like planning and organization jobs, virtual assistant may be for you among the jobs that can be done from home. As a virtual assistant, you can have tons of different tasks to fill your workday.
These could be tasks like keeping a book, responding to emails, scheduling meetings, posting on social media, or doing general data entry.
If this sounds like the right business idea for you, and better yet, if you have a foreign language, you can check job postings on sites like Upwork or Remote.co and learn more about the field.
3. Social media management
Almost all of us are active on social media these days. But did you know that you can start a business on managing and growing other people’s social media accounts? In particular, brands agree with experts in this field for the management of their social media accounts.
If you’ve been successful with your own social media accounts, you’re already one step ahead. Even if you’re not, you can find hundreds of educational resources online so you can improve your skills.
4. Open a blog
Among the work-from-home jobs, blogging can be an excellent source of additional income or a full-time job, depending on how much time and effort you put into it. The internet is full of success stories of bloggers who make good money.
‘Reaching this level as a blogger takes a lot of effort, but with the right strategy, you can build a solid business.’
A blog on its own won’t make you much money. However, there are many different ways to monetize your site once it starts driving traffic. For example;
- Making a sales/revenue partnership
- Paid ads
- Selling online courses and ebooks
5. Graphic design
If you love to design or spend your free time lingering in Photoshop and Illustrator, you can make a work around your design skills.
You can find jobs in different niches and markets with your graphic design skills. For example:
- book cover design
- Front-end web design
- Logo design
- UX (user experience) design for mobile apps
There are almost unlimited options open to those with the right skills.
6. Web developer
If you have a talent for web design and you are interested in making a site, then you can start a business that suits you.
Of course, the first step is to learn how to code and hone your skills and build your portfolio. You can use free educational resources like Codeacademy to get started. When you are confident in your abilities, you can start finding customers.
‘You can find your customers on platforms like Bionluk or contact businesses directly.’
To increase your chances of success, it’s always a good idea to focus your services on a niche. For example, will you build websites for real estate agents? Will you focus on a local market? Or will you build sites for e-commerce startups?
7. Digital marketing
Among the work-from-home jobs, digital marketing is a very broad category and can encompass almost any online marketing task. But now that more companies are popping up online, you can start a business that helps them succeed.
As we said before, identifying a niche can help increase your chances of success.
Here are a few of the digital marketing areas you can build a business on:
- SEO and SEM (Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing)
- content marketing
- Email marketing
- Setting up websites
- Create a Google My Business page
You can serve local customers or businesses from all over the world.
8. E-commerce store owner
The popularity of e-commerce stores has been increasing in recent years. If you prefer to sell physical products rather than digital services, this option may be perfect for you.
‘With e-commerce, you can sell your own products, or you can buy products from a foreign country and earn money from the profit you will add to it.’
You too can achieve success with the right idea and strategy.
9. Selling online courses
Have you ever thought of giving online courses among the jobs that can be done from home? Maybe you have a skill or knowledge that you can package and sell as a course. The online education sector is estimated to reach $325 billion by 2025. You can start working now to create a name for yourself in this field.
You can package your information and sell it in different ways. You can integrate your course into an existing blog, sell courses from your social media accounts, and even use many online education platforms such as Udemy and Skillshare.
10. Publishing your own books
If you dream of making a living as a writer, you may be closer to that dream than you think. As a personal publisher on sites like Amazon, you can earn up to 70 percent royalties on your books.
Would you like to hear some success stories? Mark Dawson earns 6-digits per year from Amazon with his detective/thriller novels. Andy Weir self-published his sci-fi novel The Martian, which still sells millions of copies and has become a blockbuster movie.
‘The increasing prevalence of self-publishing can help you overcome barriers to your writing career.’
The easier it is to publish a book means more competition, of course, but you can still make a name for yourself by writing a book that meets reader expectations.
Take the time to decide on the genre you’re going to write, and then do your best. It can also be helpful to start building a contact list now so you can send promotional emails after you’ve finished your book.
11. Joining a freelance site
There are many great platforms where you can monetize your freelance skills.
For example, you can join sites such as Bionluk, Virtual Expert, Rent Expert, Virtual Worker. If you have a foreign language, we suggest you also look at platforms such as Fiverr, Guru, Freelancer and Upwork.
To run a sustainable business on these platforms, you need to create a niche for yourself. For example, do you do SEO for large content sites? Are you a graphic designer who designs one-page sites? Or are you a writer specializing in small business finance?
Joining well-known and trusted freelance platforms is one of the best ways to start earning money in a short time. As your experience and reputation grow, you can go beyond these platforms and diversify your customer base.
12. Data entry
Data entry may not seem like an exciting job. But being able to work comfortably from home or a beachside cafe can make it an attractive business idea.
‘Also, the skills you need to get started are negligible.’
All you have to do is learn how to enter data into the software program your customers want.
Data entry from home jobs may not be as lucrative as others, but it doesn’t require as much attention as others. That’s why you can listen to your favorite podcast or watch Netflix while you work.
13. Sell products you make/own
Are you skilled at handcrafted items but don’t know how to monetize them? Or have you cleaned your cabinets and come across too many items that you want to dispose of? Whether it’s your own craft or products you own, you can reach interested buyers online. If you don’t feel ready to set up your own e-commerce site yet, you can subscribe to online marketplaces where you can sell second-hand products and handcrafted products.
14. Sell stock photos/videos
If you have an interest in photography or video, you can turn it into a business. All you have to do is produce content for in-demand visuals.
You can subscribe to the most well-known stock photography sites iStockPhoto and Shutterstock to see what kind of images are in demand. Do not forget to read the photo policies of these sites. If you prefer to go the video route, you can upload your work to sites like Pond5, VideoBlocks or VideoHive.
In order for your business to be long-term, creating a niche with your style or the topics you capture can help you stand out.
15. Photography
We continue with another one for camera lovers among the things that can be done from home. There are many photo-based businesses you can start at home.
For example, you can specialize in baby photography, portraits, product photography for e-commerce, studio photography, drone photography, events, real estate photography and more.
Of course, you will have to leave your home for most of these, but it is important to remember that most of the photography is editing at the desk after the shooting is over. In addition to these, if you know Photoshop well, you can create an income stream just by doing jigsaws.
16. Pet sitting
If you love animals, you won’t find a better home to do job than this. When their owners are away, you can spend time with the pets during the day and take them for a walk.
‘Attention to detail and reliability are essential qualities, as most pet owners treat them like children.’
Usually the animals you will look after will be cats or dogs. However, from time to time, you may encounter other animals such as fish, birds, rabbits.
You can also provide services such as dog hairdressing and nail trimming if you have experience.
17. Fitness trainer
If fitness is your passion, you can start a business to share it with others.
There are many paths to success for a fitness trainer. You can go privately, create fitness events in small groups, teach at the gym, or have clients come to you if you have enough space and equipment at home.
Whichever route you choose, social media marketing tools like Instagram can help you build your brand.
18. Music teaching
Nowadays, most parents enroll their children in music lessons from a young age. If you can play a musical instrument such as the piano, violin, guitar, you can pass on your love of music to future generations.
‘If you have the necessary equipment, you can give private lessons directly from your home.’
If not, you can teach classes in kindergartens and elementary schools or offer musical performance training.
19. Event planning
The stress of event planning is not a job for everyone. But it’s also true that some people work much better under pressure. If you love planning and coordinating events, finding caterers, hiring musicians, managing staff and more, this may be the right business idea for you.
As an event planner, you can focus on a specific genre, such as weddings or conventions, or serve regionally, focusing on events in your neighborhood, for example.
Event planning businesses thrive on word of mouth advice, but with a quality online presence, you can increase your odds of success.
20. Electronics repairman
Do you like to repair your own electronic devices? Then, among the jobs that can be done from home, electronics repair may be suitable for you. Most modern electronics are so fragile that people need help with cracked screens, dead batteries, and more.
You can focus on a specific product in your business, such as new iPhones, or serve your local community for electronics in general.
21. Personal chef/catering
As a personal chef, you can have a fairly large client base: anyone who has a budget for your services and loves to eat.
To be successful, in addition to being a master in the kitchen, you also need to be up to date with the latest food processing and health regulations.
You can have a single customer for whom you prepare all their meals, serve different families, or offer services such as a one-time crowded dinner. Or in a certain way – eg gluten-free, vegan, Mexican, ketogenic diet, etc. – you can prepare meals. It is important here that you can adapt to a variety of kitchen setups, or you can invest in your own portable kitchenware.
If you want to expand your cooking business even more, you can serve in events such as office meetings, New Year’s Eve parties. You may need to rent a kitchen and hire additional staff for this. However, you can increase the cost per event accordingly.
22. Selling the products you cook
We have come to the last item on our list of things to do from home. If you like to tinker with pastries, you can sell your baked goods to local businesses. Most cafes do not manufacture the products they offer on their menus, but outsource them to people with the appropriate skills.
You can focus on a particular pastry such as gluten-free, vegan, fit products, or choose to bake any kind of pastry.
