If many of your friends are digital nomads, you are probably wondering if you too can become a remote worker and enjoy the many benefits it brings. Let’s be honest, not everyone is suited (or practically able) for online work; if your skill can be delivered digitally, then there’s no reason you can’t create an income working from home (or anywhere else), in this short article, we examine various types of online work that might be right for you.
- E-commerce – Find the right product, build and host a website, spend on digital marketing and sort out your logistics, then you can enjoy a regular income and your business can be managed from a laptop. Like any business, a shopping cart website takes planning and effective management; what you can’t do, you outsource, while setting aside a monthly budget for SEO. Order some office furniture from a leading Australian supplier and use the spare room.
- Web content writing – If you are computer savvy and have a flair for the written word, why not contact a web content agency? They would ask you to do an online English grammar test, to determine whether you are a native speaker and if you pass that, they would start sending you briefs for written articles and you have to insert links. If you apply yourself, you can make a steady income and when you get some experience, you can write sales copy and the pay is better.
- Go freelance – If you are a tradesperson, create a website, register as self-employed and offer your services to the local community. Plan like you would for any other business and crunch the numbers to find out how much capital you need – include financial support for the first 6 months. Be competitively priced and customer-focused; it takes time to build a reputation within a community; get into the online review system and get a 5-star rating.
- Online language teaching – If you are a native English speaker, you can work for an online language academy; they will train you and provide additional resources. You will need a laptop, webcam and mic, stable web connection and a whiteboard. Hours might be anti-social, especially if you are teaching Chinese kids. This might not bring in enough to survive, but it’s a great way to supplement your income.
- Product reviews – Yes, you can make money filling in online product reviews; all they ask is that you are honest with your answers; this data is used to boost a company’s products with independent review platforms. It can be mentally draining, but a few hours every evening will bring you a few hundred dollars. Get up to speed and the agency will give you as much as you want, bumping up your earnings. Another plus is you get to learn a lot about many different products and you have the freedom to work when you want, as long as you meet your deadlines.
These are just a few ways to earn money via the web; take a look at your skillsets and choose something that is best suited to you. Like anything, it takes hard work and dedication to achieve success; write a business plan before you do anything and play devil’s advocate until you are confident that your plan will succeed.
Being a digital nomad has many perks, no more rush hour traffic, no getting up early, racing against the clock; time management is important and you must have the self-discipline to meet your responsibilities; why not spend the winter in southern Thailand? The world is your oyster when you make your living online.