Small business is normally referred to a business on small scale set up by an individual or a group of individuals. In the United States the Small Business Act states that a small business concern is “one that is independently owned and operated and which is not dominant in its field of operation.” [Source: United States Small Business Administration, web page – http://www.sba.gov/size/]

On the internet the term “small business” is often interchanged with “home based business” because the business owner operates from home or a small office. Generally small business owners look for revenue to supplement their other sources of income. Or, they earn enough to support their household with something to spare. Many small business owners are able to earn substantially more while managing their operations on small scale.

The growth of the internet has provided tremendous scope for the growth of small business. Every year tens of thousands of people are attracted because it is extremely easy to start a business on the internet without incurring much cost. Some of the more common types of small business on the internet are discussed below. Although there is negligible cost in starting many of them, the business owners end up spending considerable amounts trying to promote their business. Statistics of the last several years show that very small percentage of people involved in small business are able to earn a profit. But small business provides opportunities to earn huge amounts and serious players with the correct approach are able to take advantage of these opportunities.

There are numerous ways in which a small business can be set up on the internet. Some of the more common types are discussed below.

1. Affiliate Programs – They are by far the most common type of business preferred by small business owners. The business owners earn commission by selling or facilitating sales of products and services of other organizations. There are thousands of affiliate programs available. On the internet it is very simple to register with these programs. The registration is free for the majority of the programs. Therefore people desirous of making extra money are easily attracted by affiliate programs. After all there is hardly any risk involved in becoming an affiliate.

All affiliate programs do not maintain the same standard of efficiency and ethics. They vary in quality from excellent to extremely bad. Therefore the small business owner has to be very careful in selecting the affiliate programs he/she wants to get associated with.

2. Displaying Ads on Web Pages – Google Adsense has made display of contextual ads a major source of revenue. The business owner puts up ads such as Google Adsense on his/her web pages. When a visitor clicks on the displayed ads the business owner earns a commission. Normally the web pages will display not only ads but also affiliate and other links providing multiple streams of earnings.

3. Selling Own Products – Small business can be set up for selling the products prepared by the owner. The product could be in digital form or it could be a physical product. The business owner can also start an affiliate program to sell his/her own products. In many cases the products are not really prepared by the owner of the business. The products are made by someone else, but the business owner buys the right to sell the products as his/her own. This is particularly true of digital products.

4. On-Line Jobs – Plenty of on-line jobs are available for those who wish to offer their services. They get paid by number of jobs completed. There are many on-line jobs (where the completed jobs are submitted on-line) such as mail order jobs, typing jobs, transcription, writing articles as a ghost writer, designing websites, preparing sales pages etc., to name just a few.

5. On-Line Surveys – There are many organizations that conduct surveys for themselves or their clients. The business owner can register with these organizations. He/she can be invited to participate in the surveys when his/her profile is found suitable. Compensation for participation in surveys varies greatly. In many cases cash awards are given to selected people and selection is done by draw of lots. In some other cases all participants are paid by cash. Some organizations compensate by giving gifts to the participants.

6. Other Sources of Earning on the Net – There are many sources of revenue which are specific to the net. There are programs that pay their members for reading letters, or only for opening them. Auto surfing is another source of revenue in which payments are made for viewing certain minimum number of pages. The auto surfing programs do not guarantee payments. Therefore members can participate at their own risk.

These are some of the opportunities for small business on the net. But success does not come automatically or instantly. It takes time to build and grow a business, even the small business. Those who are prepared to put in persistent efforts and use the right mindset can expect to make a fortune from their business.

Jennifer Schilling is a home business entrepreuner with multiple websites.