Business
How To Make Money Online: Be A Freelancer
Some are still skeptical when I say that I do earn money working online in the comforts of my home. In every aspects this dream job is a reality now not only to me but also to other freelancers all over the globe. Who would ever imagine that with the advancement of our technology, you can actually turn your expertise into cash by just offering your services virtually online to anyone needing you to perform an important task?
Becoming a freelancer online is not an easy job. You have to invest a lot of time, hard work and trainings for you to prove your worth among the huge number of freelancers applying for the same position. Aside from these factors, you must also exhibit honesty and professionalism at all times for you to be considered and be on their top list.
Below are some of the well-sought freelance positions online that you can try if you possess the needed skills or qualifications:
1. Writer
If you love writing, then this freelance job could be the perfect position you could try. Many website owners who want to be totally unique and not a duplicate of another site do invest their money in hiring the best online writers who could deliver quality content. Other online businesses selling products or services are always in need of good writers to update their websites. You could also pave your success by writing blogs for websites who want to get better positioning in Google search results.
2. SEO Expert
This online work requires a lot of expertise in search engine optimizations. If you want to enter into this online career, be sure you are equipped with relevant trainings and certifications as a SEO guru for you to be hired. Remember, some employers would request you to undergo examinations to test your SEO skills. Doing this type of online work can be very rewarding if you can really produce remarkable and fast results to your client’s target on getting a top rank in Google searches.
3. Website Designer
This is another online job you can focus on as a freelancer if you have an extensive knowledge in web programming like HTML, CSS, PHP coding, Adobe Photoshop, Dreamweaver and a lot more. Pay rates in web designing positions are reasonably high compared to other freelance work and if you can deliver the best and most creative websites for your clients, then, you are on your way of being among the top paid freelancers working online.
4. Data Encoders
This is the fastest way to earn money online without undergoing rigid trainings or possessing specific skills before you can be hired. As long as you have basic skills in suing Microsoft Office-Word, excel or PowerPoint and possess the typing speed required by the potential employer, then, you have a bigger chance of earning additional income as a data encoder. Compensations to online data encoders are not high, but enough to sustain a tight budget. Keep in mind as long as you don’t need to spend time and money travelling to your work, then this online work option of doing data entry is better than any clerical work outside your home. You have more time to do other things or accept more online projects.
5. Virtual Assistant
Another option for you as a freelancer is to be a VA (virtual assistant). If you possess clerical and other administrative support expertise, this job is for you. Aside from the mentioned requirements that you need to possess, a reliable internet connection, updated PC and a positive outlook in life can help you carry on this online work effectively. This is your chance to get started.
Online work is now the latest trend for people who want a change of career, for some a good source of additional income or fulltime profession to those who choose to work at home and more quality time with their families while earning a decent compensation. To those who just got laid off from work, this online work can be the solution in this tough economy in order to survive. Whatever your main reason for choosing this online career, correct mindset, patience, honesty and professionalism are your best weapons to excel and be considered in any freelance work you apply. Never give up. Do your best to always win an employer’s approval and you are on your way to succeeding in this online work.
Tagged Employment, freelancer, freelancing, Online Business, writer
Dr23July 20, 2012 at 1:32 am
These are all solid, plausible suggestions. There is definitely money to be made online you just need to know where to look for it and what to expect when you find it.
As the article states, freelancing is difficult. There are no certainties. There isn’t the comfort that comes with working with a reputable company with guaranteed health insurance. There are risks. Still, it is an interesting yet demanding avenue to travel down.
theaaaJuly 20, 2012 at 7:14 am
Freelancing is especially difficult when you’re just starting out, specially when you want to be a freelance writer. With the amount of competition you have, the employers can be picky even when the pay they’re offering is so low, it’s probably not worth working on anymore.
OverAchieverJuly 31, 2012 at 7:40 am
Writers do not have the competition that many think they do. The low end of the pool is filled with people who can’t write their way out of a paper bag but still manage to get hired by those who don’t know any better. If you can write decently, those people are not your competition. Trust me, you don’t want to work with the people who are hiring those idiots because the buyer isn’t any smarter.
dieselJuly 20, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Most people think of working at home as a relaxing dream job, it absolutely can be the opposite. It takes endless hours of hard, and sometimes mind-numbing work to become a successful freelancer.
With technology becoming more readily available in third world countries, there is more competition willing to work for a relatively cheap price. We have to set ourselves apart with outstandingly quality work, just to do OK.
LinxJuly 20, 2012 at 11:23 pm
Nice one. Thank you. I really do feel that crowd sourcing and working ‘in the cloud’ is the office of the future. It takes time to move towards getting your needs met – but it happens.
Key to not getting hurt starting out, is to never pay a site to get you started. You can pretty much get started for nothing. That is the beauty of it…
Cool article and should prove helpful for many indeed.
MoniqueSeibelJuly 21, 2012 at 11:16 am
I’ve just begun actively pursuing making an income online. And people are absolutely right, it takes a huge time commitment and an endless amount of work. But I love it. I would chose doing this over any of the other jobs out there I could be doing. It is just the perfect line of work for my personality. As you said, never give up. I won’t give up so I know I can be successful at this pursuit.
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ashmonnJuly 22, 2012 at 9:46 am
With it being a virtual given that there will be adversity in the beginning, I can certainly say that it is well wroth it. The key is to look for the lowest hanging fruit, meaning you should try to freelance doing something that you already do well. For instance, if you are a good photographer you can find plenty of companies that are willing to buy your work. Once you decide what you want to do, focus on that first and build from there.
BloomaticJuly 24, 2012 at 6:33 am
We are all aware of the global crisis we are experiencing, perhaps for those working in the Internet the situation is not so bad, but we recognize that it is important to seek opportunities to develop our work and to guarantee long-term income. There is always the possibility of finding an alternative that does not allow to develop as professionals. Internet is a labor platform that is growing every day, knowing how to use is essential. Excellent article.
pinklilyJuly 24, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Money in the internet is not limited to a person who possess a lot of skills. My first impression before joining the bandwagon of online earners is that, those in the IT sectors are the most prerogative. Since I lack some technical skills, I just brushed my shoulder off and forget the opportunity. After a year, things have changed. A lot of skills have been opened such as data encoders (my first job). And I seconded the article that who can imagine that being a virtual worker can earn such an amount of money. In fact, if it is converted to local currency, I earn higher than the one working in a prestigious company.
medicJuly 25, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Making a living from online incomes is possible as a lot of my friends have showed me. It’s all about networking and working to your strengths. You can make a quick buck from sites that have referral systems and basically do nothing. Like any business it’s all about promoting yourself, the more exposure, the more work you’ll get.
ARipenedPotatoJuly 26, 2012 at 5:27 am
Making money online is definitely possible, but I think many people assume it’s a much easier task than it truly is. My friends that are freelance writers work double the hours that I work and are constantly working toward deadlines. Yes, they get the “freedom” of working in their own homes, but that is not to say they don’t have similar stresses of the average workplace.
FlipKupJuly 26, 2012 at 2:01 pm
Good advice, but easier said than done. It is hard to get work, and networking and self-promotion is a tough job. Sometimes its not a get rich quick scheme You need to be patient and learn to lose money before earning the money. And this can take a long, long, time.
jaruriJuly 28, 2012 at 9:05 am
Great article, the only problem I see with some of these, is the huge competition. Like for instance, for website design, there are so many other people out there who are doing the same thing as you, and only so many people who are looking to have a website designed. As more and more people of the younger generation enter the job market, more people proficient in website design are going to be available. Those who were the forerunners of web design aren’t going anywhere anytime soon either. They are all relatively young adults who still have years before retirement. Just something to think about if you want to get into web design.
KennyKJuly 30, 2012 at 8:45 pm
Some valuable points made here. I have used some of the freelance sites for website and graphic design jobs in the early years of my work, and have mixed experiences. There’s a lot of competition and you have to know that things can change quite fast. I decided to focus more on creating my own website/company and after the first few clients, where I actually worked for very reduced prices to build a bigger portfolio, I made contacts, got new projects and soon had more options to follow my own path.
akanbiJuly 31, 2012 at 4:15 pm
This article provides a solid start to get anyone psyched about starting to work online. I know when I first started to work online years ago, I started with what is at the very top of the list here, article writing. There are many opportunities for writing online, because let’s face it the internet is full of content! I professionally am an artist so I have also sought out more of the freelance or elance positions they have online with freelance networks such as Freelancer.com.
Magic PixelJuly 31, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Freelancing online is a highly abused subject with the millions of scams preying on job seekers. Too many people spend their money expecting gains, mostly absurd returns for their services because that’s what they’ve been told they’ll get… Bane or boon? Could be either, depending on the choices made.
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jwdrumhavenAugust 1, 2012 at 5:26 am
Good post. I am always on the lookout for a good opportunity to make money online. But you have to be so careful of scams, as Magic Pixel mentioned. You have a lot of great examples, but do you have any links to reputable sites to find freelance work? I would be interested in being a freelance writer. I recently discovered that I really enjoy writing.
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KennyKAugust 1, 2012 at 5:58 am
Good points raised here. People definitely have to look out for dishonest individuals or groups active on some of the freelance sites. Sometimes when it’s too good to be true, it’s just not true. And always do a little background check and try to start communication and if it doesn’t feel good, better be very careful.
coolboylkAugust 8, 2012 at 8:58 pm
Useful information. As I am new to making money online this taught me lots of things. Please post more articles on making money online. Thanks again for the wonderful post.
Margaret KastenAugust 9, 2012 at 6:48 am
Hi,,, Thanks for this wonderful blog. I’m looking for more information for this blog. I learn a lot of things.
toughtrasherAugust 22, 2012 at 6:08 am
Nothing better than to become a freelancer to begin making some of your first few bits of money as well as serious income later on.
I started off as a freelancer and made a few hundred bucks from writing articles and mostly using the coding skills I have to help others. I then invested that money into future internet marketing projects to make even more.
omgomgomgAugust 23, 2012 at 9:37 am
I did the same thing. Article writing gets a bad rap because of people who write subpar articles in poor English complaining about how they make 1 cent a word. A good writer with the ability to write thousands of words per day can easily charge 5 cents a word and quickly build up a bankroll for other projects.
KennyKSeptember 4, 2012 at 1:31 am
Regarding article writing, just like anything else, if you put enough time in it and work on your skills, then it’s definitely something to consider. Too often people want to make quick money. As a writer, I would suggest putting maximum effort in your writing and building a nice portfolio. This will help to get new jobs.
MatieSeptember 6, 2012 at 5:03 am
Being a online freelancer is a double-edged sword. It depends much on the activity you want to develop and the demand for it.
You have to be exceptionally good at what you’re doing to have success.
KennyKSeptember 8, 2012 at 11:24 pm
Even if you’re not exceptionally good, you can get there by being reliable and offering good quality (above average), and by having the ability to sell yourself.
cmartenSeptember 9, 2012 at 4:25 am
That’s a great point KennyK. I think a lot of people shy away from starting a freelancing career because they don’t think they are good enough to be a professional writer, designer, or assistant. There are all types of people out there looking for content or design, with all different budgets. If you are competent and have good business practices, you can tap some market.
zilyasSeptember 13, 2012 at 1:33 pm
Working as a freelancer has its challenges. I’ve been working as a freelance writer for 2 years now, and I’m currently in a rough phase where I’m having trouble finding work. But that may have more to do with me than the profession itself. Still, I think people tend to glamorize freelance work, when in reality, you might have to deal with clients who refuse to pay you on time, or at all. Despite this, I wouldn’t want to do anything else.