Do you want to earn more money? Have you considered starting a side hustle online?
We are so lucky to live in a time where there is more opportunity than ever to earn a little bit more money in addition to the money we earn at our day jobs, and we can do it from the comfort of our own homes.
But you may be wondering, which online jobs are legit, and which ones are a scam?
In this blog post, I have compiled a list of 13 legitimate online side jobs that you can do to earn some extra money. And it doesn’t matter what experience, skills, or knowledge you bring to the table. There is something on this list for everybody.
Freelancing
Becoming a freelancer is a great place to start when you are looking for a side job that brings in more money because you can harness any variety of your existing skills and knowledge to get started.
There are freelance job platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork where you can connect with individuals looking for freelancers. These platforms have the inbuilt reputation of being the place to go for business owners when you need help in your business, so by utilizing these platforms, you are getting in front of people who need your services. This removes the need for direct 1:1 networking.
However, these platforms are fairly competitive since so many people use them. Plus, the platforms will usually take a percentage of your profits.
So, if you don’t mind doing some networking, you can also look in Facebook Groups, get active on LinkedIn, or you can even start a social media account. There are freelancers on Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter that are finding clients every single week.
So, what are some specific jobs or tasks you can do as a freelancer? Here are some ideas.
#1 – Freelance Writing
If you love to write, then consider becoming a freelance writer.
There are thousands of industries that need writers, and it can be helpful to niche down to what topics and industries you want to write about.
Next, you will want to decide what format you want to write in and what kind of clients you want to work with. If you prefer one-off writing projects, you can write books, ebooks, website copy, white papers, etc. And if you would prefer to find clients that you can work with on an ongoing basis, then you might like to find content writing jobs like blog posts and articles.
#2 – Graphic Design
More and more people are starting their own businesses every day, and something they often need help with is graphic design. So, if you have a good eye for design, then this could be a great side gig for you to try.
Some areas you could help people with include:
- Branding – creating logos and building brand boards
- Designing social media graphics
- Designing campaign media
- Book and ebook design
- Creating printables, workbooks, checklists, etc.
#3 – Proofreading & Editing
If you have good grammar, then editing and proofreading would be a great side gig for you. You can proofread and edit things like:
- Books or ebooks
- Articles
- Marketing Copy
- Website Copy
#4 – Website Design
In today’s world, having some kind of online presence is more important than ever for businesses, and having a website is one way to be online. But many people are overwhelmed by the process of building a website. So, if you know how to create and design websites, then this can be a great side gig to start up.
#5 – Video Editor
Video has also become a very important part of today’s online and social world, and there are so many people looking for freelancers who can help them with their video editing.
Whether you want to help your clients edit campaign videos, YouTube videos, or videos for their social media, there is definitely a huge market for this, making this an excellent side job.
#6 – Copywriting
Businesses need to sell their products, and this is where copywriting comes in. You can write the sales copy for sales pages, email marketing funnels, social media campaigns, magazine articles, and more.
#7 – Social Media Manager
If you love social media, then consider becoming a social media manager.
You can either specialize in just one or two platforms, or you can find clients and help them with all of their social channels.
Being a social media manager could require you to wear a few different hats like writing, graphic design, community engagement, etc., but the variety in tasks will keep the job interesting!
#8 – Bookkeeping
It is extremely important for business owners to keep their accounting in order, so offering bookkeeping services is a great freelance job to start up.
There are multiple aspects of bookkeeping, so I recommend establishing what exactly you will do within your bookkeeping packages before you start finding clients.
#9 – Virtual Assistant
Being a virtual assistant is fantastic because you can bundle so many of your skills and knowledge together to create packages of services you offer.
Some things you can do as a virtual assistant include
- Email management
- Data entry
- Customer service
- Calendar maintenance
- Repurposing content
- Project management
- Website SEO
- Bookkeeping
- Writing
- Proofreading
- Editing
- Transcription
- Market research
- Research
- Photo editing
- Podcast editing
- Video editing
- Social media management
These are just a few ideas, but really, you can take any skills and knowledge you have that there is a market for, and you can do those things as a virtual assistant.
Tutoring
Online tutoring is becoming more and more common since people can do it from the comfort of their own homes. This provides a lot more flexibility for you as the tutor, but also for your students.
And tutoring doesn’t have to just be about the typical school subjects. You can teach someone how to speak another language. You can help someone prepare for program entrance exams. There are even online tutors that help people learn how to drive.
Teach Virtual Classes
If you have skills or knowledge that can be taught, then you might consider teaching virtual classes as a side hustle.
There are platforms where you can host the classes live, like Outschool, or you can prerecord all of your lessons and post them onto learning platforms such as Skillshare, Udemy, and Teachable.
You can teach about anything from learning how to play an instrument, to learning how to bake a cake, to solving different math problems, to how to use your phone to take better photographs. The possibilities are endless and no teaching degree is needed!
To get started, pick a platform that you want to use, and then start creating any of the content you will need to teach your classes.
Data Entry Clerk
If you are really good at typing, have high attention to detail, and love doing work where you can just plug away at it without too much thought, then you should definitely consider a side hustle as a data entry clerk!
More and more companies are looking for people to complete these tasks remotely as they do not necessarily need to be done in an office.
If you would like to find a job as a data entry clerk, you can look to places like Indeed, ZipRecruiter, and UpWork.
Transcriptionist
Work as a transcriptionist usually involves turning audio or video into some form of written content. To be a transcriptionist, you need to be able to type quickly and with great accuracy.
There is general transcription which can be done in any variety of industries, legal transcription, and medical transcription.
Some popular places where you can find transcription jobs include Crowdsurf, Go Transcript and Transcribe Me. If you would like to learn more about how to become a transcriptionist, go here.
Sell Stock Photos
Do you have a love or passion for photography? If you do, then selling stock photos can be a great way to earn some additional income.
You can sell your images to stock photo platforms like Shutterstock, 123RF, or DepositPhotos.
Customer Service Representative
If you have good customer service skills, then you can find online side jobs where you are a customer service representative for a specific company, or potentially a bundle of companies.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a customer service representative, go here.
Online Chat Support
Similar to the above, you can also find side jobs where you do online chat support. Customer chat support is a form of customer service, but it is all done through online chat software that companies usually have embedded directly into their website. Within a chat support role, you will typically be helping customers place orders, how to use products, answering questions about policies, etc.
You can find online chat support jobs on places like Indeed, LinkedIn, and UpWork.
User Experience Tester
User experience testers (also known as UX testers) are hired to help test different aspects of the user experience for websites and apps. Companies that hire user experience testers want to make sure that their website or app is easy to navigate, doesn’t have any bugs and is an overall pleasant experience for the user.
You can find UX testing jobs on places like Indeed, UserTesting, and Userlytics.
Online Surveys
Market research is very important in business as it provides insight into a company’s target demographic so that it can market more effectively. And there are 100’s of companies that will use survey platforms to do this market research – and you can get paid for it!
*Note – You should NEVER pay to use a survey platform. All the reputable ones are free to use, so if they ask for a payment, it likely means it is a scam. Always remember to do your research before signing up for anything. Bankrate put together this really useful guide on the best online survey platforms that you can use.
Online Coaching or Consulting
Do you have a lot of expertise and experience in a certain industry or on a certain topic? Is it often that people are coming to you for advice or feedback?
Offering online coaching or consulting in your industry, or an area where you have a lot of expertise and knowledge can be a great side hustle income.
To get started with coaching or consulting, you will want to hang out online where your ideal client would be spending time. This could be LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, etc. Then you will want to spend time connecting and building genuine connections with your ideal clients.
You can also do content marketing such as writing blog posts, publishing podcast episodes, or making YouTube videos to build your audience.
If you want to learn more about becoming an online coach or consultant, be sure to check out Transformation Academy. They have so many amazing and affordable courses that will help you become a coach!
Sell On Etsy
Etsy is an online platform where people go to buy handmade crafts, jewelry, wedding decor, home decor, handmade accessories, party supplies, artwork, and even digital products like printables and workbooks!
To get started, sign up for an account on Etsy and follow the guided steps for setting up your shop. Etsy also has this helpful guide for what you need before you start, and what you will need to do after you’ve created your account.
Content Marketing
Content marketing is a fantastic side hustle to start, and you can either do it on its own, or you can use content marketing to supplement some of the other side hustles we have mentioned in this blog post.
For example, if you teach virtual classes, you might decide to do some free content marketing like starting a YouTube channel to build up your audience and direct them to take your online virtual classes. Or if you do online coaching and consulting, you could start a podcast show and post to Instagram weekly to build your audience.
If you decide to do content marketing all on its own, you can earn money from ads and affiliate marketing.
There are a few different types of content marketing that are popular, and you can pick the one that you think you will like the best, and the one your ideal clients and customers will like the best.
#1 – Blogging
If you like to write, or if you are speaking on a topic that is very visual and requires pictures, then you may want to consider starting a blog.
A blog is simply a website where you write articles to communicate and teach your audience. You can use your blog to share ideas, provide step-by-step tutorials, review products, and more!
If you want to learn how to start a blog step-by-step, check out this ebook from StrayCurls.
#2 – YouTube
If you prefer to create videos, then you may want to consider starting a YouTube channel.
Videos are fantastic for visual topics, but they are also a really great way to connect with your audience more as people tend to connect better with people they can see and hear. I have been able to connect with so many of you on my own Happy Work From Home YouTube channel, and the amount of feedback and conversation you can have from your subscribers is amazing for building a community, learning more about what your customers and clients need help with, and getting more content ideas.
But, getting in front of a camera and speaking can be a little bit nerve-wracking. If you don’t think video is for you, then you may want to consider starting a podcast instead.
#3 – Podcasting
Podcasting is typically audio-only which is great for people who don’t necessarily want to be on video or are speaking about topics that aren’t necessarily visual.
Podcasting is also really great because people can listen to you while they are at the gym, commuting to work, or even cleaning their house.
Using Them In Combination
If a couple of these online side hustle ideas appeal to you, you may also consider combining them. For example, you can film yourself recording the podcast episode, and now you have a YouTube video as well.
You can create a transcript of your podcast episode or your YouTube video, and now you have a blog post.
You can get creative with how you do your content marketing and can choose what you think will work best for you and your audience and/or customers and clients.
Read Next: How To Get A Remote Job With No Experience – 7 Simple Steps To Follow
