21 Ways to Make Money Online Singapore and Promote your Business

In the digital age, you don’t need an office job to get a large, steady source of income. There are many ways to make money online in Singapore. Here’s how to use the Internet to sell your products, services, and expertise.

Sell products on a Facebook business page

Many successful businesses started with just a simple Facebook page. It’s free and easy to set up, and If you’re a Facebook user, you’ll already be familiar with how to create an account and add photos and information. If you want to explore the more advanced tools, like Facebook Ad Manager or Scheduling Posts, just check Facebook’s tutorial on Business Pages.

Facebook’s tools also make it very easy to launch local marketing campaigns on a small budget. You can boost posts to a particular neighborhood or community. You can also tap your own network of friends, and ask them to share your posts or leave reviews. Word-of-mouth is very powerful!

Facebook users say that they visit the Page of a local business at least once a week. Find out other ways to market your business in Singapore.

Get into ecommerce

Facebook may be an easy way to try out online selling, but it does have limited functionality and credibility. If you want to establish a strong online brand, consider creating an ecommerce website or placing your products in a digital marketplace like Lazada or Beauty Insider Mall. (Read more about the cost of creating a website, and follow the MapleTree Media blog for regular digital marketing tips.)

Manage a community page

If you have good customer service skills, consider working as a freelance social media community manager. Your role is to monitor your client’s Facebook, Instagram, Twtiter and other social media accounts. You will reply to comments or private messages, flag inappropriate comments, and respond to complaints.  It’s important to respond quickly, not just to boost your Pages’  score, but to prevent any customer service issues from escalating.

Community managers are sometimes asked to create and schedule posts, so simple copywriting and layout skills come in handy! However, the most important quality is good customer service skills.

Become an online translator

Are you fluent in several languages? Check freelance sites like Upwork and Gengo for translation jobs. You can earn anywhere between $20 to $1500 per translation job, depending on the length and difficulty.

Become a data encoder

If you are a fast typist and have a good eye for detail, this is a simple job that requires nothing more than a computer, a decent internet connection, and a lot of patience! The work will be repetitive, but that also means that you can anticipate the workload and manage your time accordingly. It’s a good part-time job since you can do it in your own time.

Become a language tutor

Here’s another way to turn your linguistic skills into a chance to make money online in Singapore! There’s a high demand for English and Mandarin tutors.

Usually, language schools will hire online tutors and provide you with workbooks or curriculums. Then, you’ll be given a schedule where you chat with students so they can practice their grammar and build their vocabulary.

Test websites or apps

Become a customer service representative (CSR)

Most customer service representatives work from call centers, but you can get freelance CSR jobs too! You just need a strong Internet connection, a microphone and headset, and a quiet working environment. Companies will have their own set of requirements based on the account that you will be handling. Prior call center experience is a plus.

Give online homework and tutoring help

We predict that the demand for online tutors will increase because of Covid-19. Schools may need to implement distance learning, or alternate regular classes with homeschool activities. If you have a background in Education, or have classroom or tutoring experience, this may be a good way how to make money online in Singapore.

Hold online workshops or seminars

This is another booming industry because of the post Covid-19 economy. Even after community quarantine measures have been lifted, people will still avoid going to events or conferences. And, as they spend more time at home, they may have more free time for personal development and learning.

What do you need to do to set up an online workshop or seminar? Aside from deciding a topic and writing an outline or speech, you need a video setup and a platform. You can post it on Youtube or your website. Or, if you want to capture an existing community or audience, partner with somebody who already has a large online following.

Start a Youtube Channel

According to Forbes, some of the most popular Youtubers in the world can earn millions of dollars a year. Ryan ToysReview, who has 18 million subscribers, earned $22 million in 2018. Swedish gamer PewDiePie has 90 million subscribers, and earned $15.5 million – just by playing video games online!   The income comes from ads, sponsorships and affiliate deals.

However, Youtube is not the easiest way how to earn money online. You will need to invest a lot of time into creating good content, and that includes investing in good lights and filming equipment. You will also have to factor in the cost of producing a video (for example, buying the products you will review).

In other words, while Youtube can be a goldmine for those who succeed at it, it’s not the fastest way to make money online in Singapore.

Monetize your blog

Starting a blog is easy…earning money from it is a completely different story. If you want to earn money from your blog, you will have to put a lot of time and effort into creating good content and building traffic.

Marketing guru Neil Patel says that most blogs will only start earning money if it gets 10,000 visits a day. That’s when it will get the attention of sponsors and advertisers, and you can turn views into dollars.

However, there are other ways to monetize your blog. You can do affiliate marketing, where you promote products on your site and earn commissions from any sales. For example, if you have a cooking and recipe blog, you can earn from affiliate links to ingredients or cooking tools that you used. These links are embedded in WordPress or Content Management Software.

Become a freelance content creator

Content creators include writers, graphic designers, and video editors. While there are full-time creative jobs (whether as a department in a company, or an advertising or marketing agency), many people decide to freelance.

Realistically, it’s not easy to become a freelance content creator if you have no prior work experience. While there are many online jobs, you will be competing with many other writers and designers. If you are new to it, you may need to start with very low rates (less than a $1 per word) until you build up a portfolio and network of clients. However, if you prove your skill and get bigger clients, you could earn hundreds of dollars from just one project.

Become an online assistant

There is a  growing trend of global teams and remote work. It’s common for the employees to be based in different countries, or for key positions to be outsourced to agencies or freelancers. While this set-up is more convenient and cost-effective, it also demands a lot of structure and organization.

That’s why there are several job openings for online assistants. If you have experience as an office manager or administrative assistant, this is a great opportunity for you to make money online in Singapore. You will be in charge of organizing files, sharing calendars, scheduling meetings, securing permits and other documents, and other administrative details.

Get into telemarketing

This online sales job involves making a lot of calls based on a list of prospects. Typically, you get a base salary and earn from commissions. While a sales background is certainly an advantage, the most important quality is a friendly and pleasant personality — and the ability to explain a product and clearly answer your customer’s questions.

Become a Project Manager

Project managers oversee a web development project from start to finish. They are in charge of budgets and deadlines, and usually coordinate with the different members of the team. You will need a background in business development and accounting, and have experience in managing small teams. Since you will be in charge of IT projects, you do need to understand technical requirements and terms.

Sell your photos to image banks

If you are a photographer, you can sell your images to Shutterstock, Getty and other image banks. These websites often have a Submission Page where you upload your photos to your account. You earn a commission each time somebody downloads your photo.

Shutterstock is also accepting other kinds of content such as music, news/editorial footage and photos. It also has Shutterstock Custom, a platform that connects photographers to brands that are looking for local photographers who can executive their specific photo requirements. For more information, check out Shutterstock’s Submission Page.

Become a transcriber

You can earn money online by transcribing audios and videos. These transcription jobs – usually posted on sites like Transcribe.me and Go.Transcribe – usually pay $15 to $25 per hour of content that you need to view.

In some cases, the content is simple to understand and transcribe, and all you need is typing skills and reliable Internet connection. However, medical and legal transcription jobs may require that you have some knowledge or background in the subject. These usually pay more, and if you impress your client, there’s a good chance that you’ll get a steady stream of work.

Write an eBook

If you are an industry specialist, or an expert on a very specific field of study, then try writing an eBook. You can distribute these on Amazon, sell them on a website, or use it as a marketing tool for your business.

There are three kinds of ebooks:

• reflowable ebooks that can be scaled and resized (ideal for text-heavy books like novels)
• fixed layout ebooks (ideal for multi-media or books with a lot of illustrations)
• PDFs (simple, low-cost formats – but aren’t optimized for mobile or tablet)

To write a successful ebook, you need to have good content that people are willing to buy and can’t get anywhere else. Don’t rehash a general topic and expect it to become a bestseller! What kind of information do you have, and what special insight can you add to it? Why are you a good authority on this matter? What is the unique slant or format that will grab your reader’s attention? These questions can help you create a popular and profitable ebook.

Offer digital skills

There are some specializations that are in high-demand in the digital age, particularly web programming, search engine optimization, digital marketing, and data analytics. Some fields even have subspecialties – for example, there are people who focus on social media marketing, lead generation, UX (user experience), or artificial intelligence. If you already have a background in these fields, then you’re in luck: you can become a consultant.

However, these are technical skills and not something you can jump into without proper training and experience. Most clients will ask to see your resume and portfolio, and some may even require certifications.

Try online market trading

If you don’t have the time to start a business, one way to make money online in Singapore is through market trading. You can invest in stocks and commodities, and get a good ROI over several years.

Just be sure to invest properly and safely. Do your research, consult a financial expert, and monitor the market every day. Online market trading platforms and apps make it easy to stay on top of your investments and keep track of trends.

Grow your business and your income with Mapletree Media

Mapletree Media is a full-service digital marketing and web development company. We specialize in digital marketing and advertising, sales, web development, and e-commerce. Follow our blog to get practical tips to help you and your business succeed in the digital age.