What do you need in order to start?
No doubt we are living in one of the best times to be alive. Life has been simplified in so many ways. 100 years ago, it was far beyond imagination the reality we now experience today. If you told someone in 1924 that you have a way in which they could hold an “online job” without going anywhere and earn an honest living, they probably would not believe you.
If they were curious enough and you showed them your computer, they would probably think you are some sort of wizard. If you managed to keep them calm after being shocked at what your futuristic device would do, then you would show them a world of opportunity they never dreamt possible. Working online is becoming extremely popular because of its flexibility and low start-up cost. With enough patience and dedication, it is possible to make a successful business online that earns you a decent living.
Enough with the imagination, let us come back to 2024. What will you require to start on an online job?
With the evolution of technology, there is so much you can do which will be discussed further in. All you need is a gadget: preferably a laptop or a phone, an internet connection, and you will be good to go. Aside from the gadgets you will need to be:
- Patient
- Confident
- Determined
- In control of your emotions.
- Focused
- A source of encouragement. It can be you or someone you hold dear to you.
So, which are the online jobs to start on a low- budget?
1. Freelance Writing
Do you love writing? This can be a niche for you. Freelance writing involves writing about things or topics you love through blog posts, articles, websites and in social media sites.
Skills you need are good communication and the knowledge to create blog posts and websites. With the right skillset you can start on sites like Fiverr or Upwork. Doing freelance writing can earn you an income of 10$ to 500$ per article, depending on the value you give out. Aim for improving your skills and portfolio to the point that you work with bigger businesses and online magazines in order to be paid better.
Visit this website to learn how to create websites, write blog posts and so much more pertaining to digital marketing for free.
2. Social Media Manager
Do you have a large social media presence? Are you extremely creative? Try social media management. It is like managing your own Instagram or X account, only this time you do it for someone else. To start, target small start-ups and businesses. Most normally do not invest as much in building and maintaining a strong social media presence as they do other sectors of their business. What’s more, you can do it as a side hustle, and it can earn you anywhere from 15 to 40$ per hour. Approach them online through your email or visit them. You can do this!!
3. Personal trainer (Online)
Do you love working out? I know I do. Do you believe that you can impact people with certain skills? Then these qualities you possess make for a competent online professional trainer. Through platforms like Zoom or Google Meet, you can train clients for 10$ to 60$ per session. It is up to you to decide how you will plan out their training. It is a lucrative business which aligns with something you love which makes it absolutely worth your while.
4. Transcription
Transcription is definitely something you should consider doing because it does not require prior knowledge or experience. Whether you are a college student or a stay-at-home individual, you can definitely become a transcriber. A transcriber converts audio to text. You only need a good headset or earphones and a laptop to work as a transcriber. Artificial Intelligence has made it easy for transcribers as voice-to-text tools are now available.
With sites like TranscribeMe.com, you get to earn up to 15$ per audio hour of transcription. As you gain more expertise, you can try sites like GoTranscript.com and Rev.com which pay up to 39$ per hour.
5. Virtual Assistant (VA)
The beauty with being a virtual assistant is that you do not have to hold a degree. No. A virtual assistant is an individual who provides technical and administrative support to a company. Thanks to the help provided by a virtual assistant, an owner can focus on other aspects of growing the business, such as growing company sales. A Virtual assistant is paid according to their level of experience and can work of multiple clients simultaneously if they are skilled enough.
So, what are you going to be doing as a virtual assistant?
Like any other job, you are taken on as part of the team depending on the expertise you have. Now, if you can do the following for the organization, you can work as a VA:
- Social Media Management
- Bookkeeping
- Scheduling
- Website development and management
- Customer Support
- Administrative Support
- Email Marketing
If you find being a Virtual Assistant is something you would like to do, take up a course and become competent with the above skills. Determine what you can do as a VA and become a master at it. You can make anywhere from 10$ to 40$ per hour depending on the value you provide for the company. Go for it!
6. Blogging
If you find enjoyment in writing and putting helpful and educative content out there for the world to enjoy, then blogging might be something you want to venture in. You can write about literally anything. Just like any other venture, it takes some time to start earning you money.
How to start a blog:
a. Find a niche and a hosting provider
Choose what you will write about and a hosting provider who will give you a domain. A domain e.g. www.kiliendot.com. You should NOT write about something you are not aware of. Make sure you capture your audience with some great content that you have mastered. Also choose something that people really care about. Some of the profitable niches are:
- Personal Finance
- Fashon blogs
- Food blogs
- Travel blogs
- Lifestyle blogs
- Wedding blogs
- Photography blogs
- Health blogs
- Beauty blogs
- Mom blogs
- Self help blogs
- Pet blogs
- Relationship blogs
b. Choose a domain name
Your domain or URL identifies you with your readers. It represents your brand. A good domain name should show the reader what to expect from your content. For example, my domain name is www.victoreliudmarketing.com. It gives you a rough idea of the content you will find when you click the link right? Including a keyword in your domain name also helps search engines like Google, determine what your site is about and thus helps with your SEO.
DO keep your domain name short. Avoid extremely long characters. Also, use .com if possible as it is the most common and can easily be remembered. Lastly, let it be easy to pronounce.
c. Choose your hosting service and plan
Aim to go for the paid version of WordPress, namely WordPress.org. You get to design a professional looking website and its designs are way more flexible than in the free version WordPress.com. This makes it easier to make money with the paid version. For as low as 2$ per month, you can get access to the more efficient version of WordPress with hosts such as dreamhost.
You can learn all about this with this free course which shows you step by step, how to set up WordPress and how use it. If you are a fast learner, you should be done in 2- 5 weeks. All you pay for is the domain given by the hosting provider associated with the course.
7. Graphic Designer.
Being skilled in graphic design, makes you a valuable asset to any business, big or small. You design flyers, brochures, billboards, magazines and newspaper ads and posters. As a graphic designer, you solve problems by creating visuals to communicate ideas. These visuals can be created by computer-based tools like Canva or by hand. Graphic designers can also get involved in app development projects in creating visuals. You can do so much with graphic design skills.
Hop on to websites such as Udemy or Skillshare to learn graphic design. Create your portfolio to show prospective clients what you can and will do for them. You can start your career with or without a degree. With enough practice, patience and persistence it pays off and it can evolve into permanent work from a side hustle.
8. Website Designer.
So many people get scared at the thought of designing their own website be it a personal one or for their business. This is a gap you can fill by learning Website Design. Yes, having a CV is cool but have you considered having a user-friendly website to advertise what you can do? Learn this skill and much more for free from scottmax.com.
A good website is user-friendly and meets their needs. You can make this a side hustle or your main hustle. If you look all around the internet, you will find websites that are not well designed that you can outrank if you are skilled enough. It all depends on your portfolio, work-rate and client, but a website designer earns anywhere from 10$ to 110$ per hour.
9. Social Media Influencer.
Do you like being the focus of a camera? Can you maintain a strong social media presence? Do you see yourself as a leader with a magnetic personality? Influencing might be for you. Being a social media influencer does not require a lot. You only need to invest in recording equipment like a camera, lights and a computer for editing your videos if you do those. With these you only need to find a good profitable niche you are passionate about and venture into it. Think of your favorite youtuber. They may incorporate an advertisement a few minutes into the video or before the video you clicked on starts.
They get paid by a specific company to advertise their products or services in their video(s). This is what you will be doing as a social media influencer, once you develop a strong social media presence. You achieve a strong presence by dishing out quality content consistently and actively engaging with your audience. As an influencer, you can work as an affiliate promoting company brands and products or testing out free products if you are just starting out.
You can anywhere from 20$ to 100$ per hour.
10. Product tester.
A paid product tester tests and gives a review of digital and physical products. It is an enjoyable side hustle you can engage in without necessarily having to hold a degree or any prior education. Once you receive a product then test it, you get to fill a survey then follow instructions to receive reimbursement. You can be paid in gift cards or cash depending on the agreement. You sometimes also get to keep the product as payment or part of the payment.
Checkout Swagbucks Discover regularly to increase your chances of eligibility for an offer. A product tester typically earns anywhere from 5$ to 10$ per hour.
11. Online Seller.
An online seller sells stuff online as the name suggests. It ranges from used furniture to home appliances. Basically, it involves selling things you might not have any use for anymore. You can earn anywhere from 1$ to 100$ depending on what you sell and the number of items you sell. It is not sustainable as a main hustle, but it can earn an extra dollar. If you enjoy this type of online job, you can start scouting local yard sales, flea markets, and Facebook selling groups for items to resell.
Once you find an item suitable for reselling, you can flip it on a site like decluttr.