Photo by FreeWine
If you’ve ever thought that working online would be nice, but didn’t believe you had the skills required to do so, the following 30 ideas for web work might just change that.
Can you see yourself working in one of these ways? (Or maybe you already are.)
1. Become a freelance web writer. If you start a blog on the topics you’d like to write on and offer your services through the blog, you can create a relatively steady flow of job offers. Of course, your blog will function as your portfolio, so your content has got to be good. You can also search job boards for paid blogging gigs.
2. Start telecommuting. If you find yourself spending several hours a day working online at the office, ask your boss if you can do the same work from home. If you’re not currently doing web-based work, brainstorm ways you could process your tasks online and then ask your boss if you can do them from home. If part-time isn’t enough, some jobs can be done entirely through telecommuting.
3. Become a freelance SEO consultant. Search engine optimization is a booming industry which has given rise to a new kind of web freelancer: the SEO consultant. If you’ve learned a thing or two about SEO, why not sell your services?
4. Offer web-based consulting in your area of expertise. An off-shoot of the previous suggestion, there’s really no limit to the topics you can offer consulting on. Take your expertise and market it. Just because no-one else is consulting on a particular topic doesn’t mean there isn’t an unspoken demand for help (though, as always, research is essential).
5. Start a website or blog offering premium content. Use great free content to create demand for exclusive, paid only content.
6. Become a blog consultant. You’d be surprised at the number of bloggers willing to play for one-on-one advice to help build a better (or more profitable blog). The number of clients you receive and how much they’re willing to pay will depend on your own profile as a blogger.
7. Become a freelance web designer. There are plenty of web designers working and finding clients entirely online. The portable nature of web design tools makes this profession wholly compatible with a digital office.
8. Become a virtual assistant. A relatively new form of online work, virtual assistants carry out clerical and admin tasks online (though they can be called upon to do more unusual things). The work is unlikely to be highly paid, but could be a sound option for anyone looking for some extra income.
9. Become a freelance web developer. Web development (unsurprisingly) is a perfect match for web work.
10. Become an eBay power-seller. Buy items cheaply and sell them for profit on eBay — that’s the crux of what a power-seller does, though thousands of eBay users have managed to create booming small-businesses online. One thing to consider: because you’re dealing with physical items, this option doesn’t come with the mobility of other forms of web work.
11. Become a freelance illustrator. While it’s very possible to find and liaise with clients online, the illustration and delivery of your work will generally be done offline (unless you illustrate digitally). Even so, the web compontent to your work will allow you to work wherever your tools are, rather than be tied to one location.
12. Sell your crafts through a blog or website. Thousands of craft enthusiasts are setting up shop on sites like Etsy in order to sell their wares. If you handle your business online, you can live and work anywhere.
13. Buy and sell websites and blogs. Call it digital real-estate development: this form of web work involves acquiring existing blogs and websites, then profiting from the ad revenue or selling them for more than you paid.
14. Start a paid-membership only forum. Instead of consulting, why not offer membership to an exclusive forum where you discuss your best-kept secrets, tips and advice?
15. Become a freelance programmer. Freelance programming and web work go together like bread and butter.
16. Become a freelance photographer. Even if you’re a location-based photographer you can find and liaise with clients online. If you’re commissioned to take photographs of things rather than clients, your location is no longer an anchor.
17. Write and sell an eBook or self-published book. Build a following, write a book, sell it. While this method requires some work, a good affiliate program can see the eBook spread and make a profit far outside your reach.
18. Sell paid content like newsletters, tutorials and videos. An alternative to consulting (and one that’s possibly more lucrative), you produce paid content for a group audience rather than providing one-on-one feedback. You can download Brian Clark’s free Teaching Sells eBook for more information on the paid content model.
19. Monetize a blog or website. The first thing people often think of when they hear about making money online. There are thousands of people making money through blogs and websites (though only some make a lot of money). If you enjoy working with blogs or websites, monetizing is a fun way to turn a hobby into a potential source of income.
20. Sell your products through a website. With the amount of traffic available online and the relatively cheap cost of international postage, it’s possible to operate your own store entirely online. Once again, physical stock will keep you tied to one place (unless you outsource).
21. Become a freelance job-hunter. Yep — it’s now possible to work as someone who finds other people work.
22. Become a freelance technical support person. Have you mastered a particular type of software, hardware or an operating system? Market yourself as the friendly go-to guy/girl for problems relating to your area of expertise.
23. Begin writing a novel, or short stories, and manage your work online. With a popular blog or website, you can build up your profile as a writer and increase the likelihood of being published. Even if you don’t want to go this route, you can manage your writing work online. Going paperless will help you write anywhere in the world.
24. Become a freelance graphic designer. If you work with design software, the web worker lifestyle is perfectly suited to you. Even if you design through traditional mediums, you can find work and liaise with clients online.
25. Communicate with colleagues online. While not a source of income in and of itself, communicating with colleagues online (particularly via email) is one type of web work you can find taking place in offices everywhere — though you might not have thought of it as web work until now.
26. Become a freelance copywriter. Sales pages and advertising copy are in high demand online. You can liaise with clients, write copy and find work through the web.
27. Create T-shirt designs and sell them online. Websites like cafepress allow you to sell your own T-shirt designs through online stores you build.
28. Maintain an online workstream, even if you don’t work online (yet). A workstream is an online record of the work you’ve accomplished, kept either for your own benefit or to help synchronize group work. You can read more about workstreaming with microblogs here.
29. Start a webcomic and self-publish a compilation. My friend is crazy about table-top gaming webcomic The Order of the Stick — so much so that he’s bought self-published book versions of the comics you can already view online!
30. Start a virtual assistant agency. Link up virtual assistants with employers and charge an agent’s fee. This type of business is so new that there’s really no blueprint to follow, but I have no doubt that an enterprising entrepreneur could do something great with the format.
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30 Comments, Comment or Ping
Mrs. Micah
Very nice list.
I spend 3 years as a professor’s research assistant in college…I should really look into marketing myself as a part-time virtual assistant. Any ideas on getting started with that?
Jan 10th, 2008
Naomi Dunford
Hi Skellie! Congratulations, and what a beautiful site! I’m subscribing right now — looking forward to more Skellieness.
Jan 10th, 2008
Joshua Clanton
Excellent list, Skellie. I chose the web design route myself, but I’m also pursuing a couple of other options on the list.
Jan 10th, 2008
Kimota
Congrats on a superb launch for your new blog Skellie. This last year I have become fascinated with the prospects of earning online FT and freeing my life up to do the things I want to anywhere in the world. It seems your new blog is speaking to this urge in me.
I’ve always enjoyed reading your stuff, since I first read one of your guest posts on CopyBlogger, so now I have another essential feed to check regularly.
Good luck with this.
Jan 10th, 2008
Sean Hodge
Thats a big list. Its kind of cool to see that my paid skills fall into more than one category and that I’m developing more as well.
Its tough to take on a new skill though. For example I do good graphic design and web design, but illustration requires more drawing skill than I’m used to using. So, on my blog I decided to illustrate my posts so that I can build that skill.
Sometimes learning a new skill is like going back to gradeschool. When I’ve tried to learn php its like going back to kindergarten. Thanks.
Jan 11th, 2008
Vikram
Read about your blog On Problogger Skellie!
This seems to be a great idea and I am sure this blog will go places!
Simplicity of looks and the beauty of writing, are your greatest strengths!
Best Wishes on the start of this blog. All the very best!
Jan 11th, 2008
Monika@The Writers Manifesto
Hi Skellie,
Congratulations on a great start to this “new baby” of yours. I look forward to seeing your skellisdom injected on this blog and I’m sure you will experience much success. I will accompany you by subscribing to your feed right now.
Jan 11th, 2008
Amanda M. Gladden
Skellie, congratulations! You are off to a fantastic start. I can’t wait to see what you will create here.
Jan 11th, 2008
JoAnne Tucker
Look forward to reading more.
Jan 11th, 2008
Debby
Skellie,
Your new blog looks great! I love the pictures that you have in your posts. It draws the readers eye and keeps them on the page longer.
Jan 11th, 2008
Josh Garner
Skellie, nice site. Happy to get to read more of your stuff. Really looking forward to part 2 of your series on Freelanceswitch.
I would like to ask that those considering SEO Freelance as a means of online work freedom to please be sure of your abilities. Maybe start a few test sites to get your feet wet (which you can throw some ads or use as affiliate sites later), just to get comfortable with processes and such.
I certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from this route (In the last 4 years I’ve had the pleasure of meeting and communicating with some of the greatest people because of this industry), but we get a few black eyes from “SEOs” that do a dis service and the name gets a little tarnished.
On a plus, because of the amount of dedication involved for you, and the potential ROI for a client, the value of a good SEO affords the luxury of a high price point. My son’s XBox collection thanks me all the time, and I don’t charge nearly as much as most SEOs. When you attain name/brand recognition (Just look at Aaron Wall’s business) you get to charge the big bucks, AND turn clients away.
Jan 11th, 2008
Tonya Bednarick
Great list of ideas! I look forward to reading more.
Jan 11th, 2008
Glowicki ProBlogger
Some very nice and simple ideas to make cash. I digg it
Jan 11th, 2008
gus
great post, but i am still confused with idea, how to i can start? step by step with minimum budget
Jan 11th, 2008
Jeremiah Allen
Looking forward to many wonderful posts. This is a welcome topic.
Thought you might want to know that your post body text is formatting as center-aligned for me in IE7 on Windows Vista for Business.
Looks great in Firefox, but needs attention in IE.
Good luck
Jan 11th, 2008
Corinne Edwards
What a great start! Congratulations. We will be following you.
I am a great believer in multiple streams of income so besides being a Life Coach and a blogger, I have also done a lot of virtual assisting. Everything from overseeing a big move from one state to another to de-fleeing the family dog. You would be surpised at the work out there. It is not always constant but it keeps coming in when you get a few clients! People are busy and need help and it pays very well - especially if you are lucky enough to get a few well off clients. Great ideas here!
Jan 11th, 2008
The Old Vic
Congratulations on the blog Skellie - I wished mine looked as good, and for the tips. One small point, in tip no. 6 I think you meant ‘pay’ not ‘play’ - if you did mean ‘play’ then get in touch !
Jan 11th, 2008
Nathan Ketsdever
Skellie, great launch. It would be great to hear how you would do this from a technical perspective (ie what online tools & apps can help you a) find web work b) do web work in a collaborative way)
Fantastic look too!
Jan 11th, 2008
Jandi
Great start, Skellie! Loved this “30 ideas…” post. Much success to you!
Jan 11th, 2008
Laura
I really like this list. Along with #26, sprinkling in a little of #23 and #4, freelance writing for the education market can be an excellent way to work on the web. I work for an educational publisher and we communicate with freelance writers through the internet, via email and http://ftp.
Jan 12th, 2008
Tracy Austin
Congratulations on your launch. I just subscribed:-)
Another way not mentioned to work through the Web is to start a Network Marketing business. The Internet is fast becoming the best thing that ever happened to MLM. Why? Because it removes the most distasteful aspect of the industry - approaching friends and family to build your business.
This weekend, the company that I represent is offering its convention via live streaming video. Being a stay-at-home-mom, this is a boon to my ability to build my business while still putting my family first (another flaw of traditional MLM that the Web can correct). And I am using my blog as a means to connect with the people who are looking for a business and who want the products that I have to offer. Rather than the old way of considering everyone a prospect.
The Web is changing the face of MLM, and it is about time!
Tracy
Jan 12th, 2008
Lexi
argh, you beat me to this skellie! oh well, i’d started writing my own list so i posted it anyway. it isn’t nearly as long as yours. i’ll be trying maybe 2 or 3 or these ideas in the next few months. looking forward to many more great ideas in anywired!
Jan 15th, 2008
D. Amorrae
Skellie, great article. I’ve learned alot from your previous site have already put this one into my reader. Keep going girl.
Jan 15th, 2008
Chad | ProFreelancing
Hey Skellie, great list…
…one question though - do you know any places to find Freelance Job Hunters? I guess this question could be open to everybody.
Jan 16th, 2008
Boris Hrženjak
I really like some of the suggestions although it seams that most of them presume having quite a bit of experience in “that” field…
Since I love writing I loved that idea of writing an e-book but where would I “sell” it? Distribute it over my own site that is not very popular ?
tnx, though
Jan 17th, 2008
Ben
Some good ideas there. I’m a freelance web developer, not enough clients to do it fulltime yet, but I’m hoping I will do at some point in the future!
Jan 19th, 2008
Steve Mills
Some great ideas here to get peoples ideas flowing and start to look at the possibilities. I work on the web and it gives me the freedom to work from home when I want, or at clients sites if it is more convenient. The ability to do this makes the workweek a lot less stressful, as you are the one that is in control of your time (mostly)
Feb 5th, 2008
ann
You can attract far more prospects to look at your offer by providing an education than you’ll ever get by simply offering your products or services. For example: Let’s say you sell telephone systems, like Company X. Before discovering this concept, Company X would call hundreds of companies per day and ask if they were interested in talking about a new telephone system (product offer). They had four salespeople making hundreds of calls per day. They would get about 3 appointments per week.
First of all, every company that has a phone system that is five years old or older can probably benefit from a new phone system in some way. More than 15 major providers of phone systems just ten years ago are now OUT of the phone system business. Yet the companies that have these systems, as long as they are working and they can still get used parts, might not think they need a phone system.
So here’s a company making hundreds of phone calls per day asking: “Would you like to talk about maybe getting a new phone system?” Anthing wrong with this process? No– but, that’s if you don’t want to increase your profits and sales in 12 months flat.
Here are the three steps Company X used to its double sales, once they discovered the consumer education sales concept:
Step 1. The first thing they did was target bigger companies. The bigger the company, the bigger the phone system.
Step 2. The salespeople called the 2000 largest companies in their market with two simple questions: “Hi, we’re doing our annual telephone system survey. I just need to know two things: What is the model of your phone system and how old is it?”
In two days, the salespeople had a list of 508 companies with old phone systems.
Step 3. The sales representatives called on these larger companies with one offer: “We have a new educational program entitled: The nine ways you’re wasting money on your voice and data spending.” They then continued with: “We’ve been in the telephone business for ten years now and we’ve found that every company wastes money on their voice and data spending in at least nine areas. So we put together this educational program as a way to teach companies how to stop wasting money and start saving their valuable dollars. We do this as a public relations effort. If you ever need any help at all with your voice, data or telephone system needs, we want you to know about us. So this is simply us putting our best foot forward.”
This approach increased their appointment setting ten fold, from three appointments per week to 30 appointments per week. This company did $3 million the year before using this approach and put $9 million in their pipeline for the coming year in just six months of using this strategy.
What kind of a free education could YOU offer that would make your prospects want to meet with you? Or respond to your ad? Or take an interest in your direct mail approach?
Important point: Sales is about building rapport, not breaking it. When you SELL, you’re breaking rapport. No one wants to be “sold.” When you EDUCATE, you are building rapport. In fact, studies show that your credibility increases significantly when you begin all meetings with data that is of value to the prospect- start all your meetings by teaching your prospect something, or by giving them data that proves that you’ve completed your homework.
A newspaper company had fallen 40% in gross revenues and lost all of their profits. They used to call up clients and say: “Hi, we’d love to come and talk to you about advertising in our newspaper.” They were quickly shut down and shut out.
They started providing a “community educational service to help local businesses succeed, which resulted in a significant increase not just in getting in through the door see prospects, but also in sales. This client went up $100 million in sales in a single year.
If your local newspaper called you up and offered to teach you the seven things that make all businesses succeed, you’d probably find that pretty hard to turn down. They’d still have to talk you into the meeting, but it would be an easier sell than talking you into an unwanted meeting to try and pitch advertising opportunities.
Naturally, there’s more to this and the subtleties are where you succeed, but if you embrace the concept of “educational-based-marketing” you will out-market your competitors at every turn. Think about this; what makes this strategy so powerful is that it attracts buyers before they are even thinking about buying. Educational- based marketing casts a wider net, attracts more buyers at every turn and closes a higher percent of prospects if and only if the “education” you provide is of true value. This is the least expensive, most effective marketing concept you will ever use.
Chet Holmes is the CEO of Chet Holmes International, a training company that specializes in helping companies experience fast growth concepts. To learn more about the consumer education marketing strategy, including a 16 page detailed report on the concept, go to http://www.howtodoublesales.com.
Chet Holmes is the CEO of Chet Holmes International, a training company that specializes in helping companies experience fast growth concepts. To learn more about the consumer education marketing strategy, including a 16 page detailed report on the concept, go to http://www.howtodoublesales.com.. Article on sales, sales strategy, educational-based-marketing, marketing, solo entrepreneur, marketing strategy by Chet Holmes
Feb 13th, 2008
Brian
These ideas are great. I already have ideas though. I need to find places that will hire me. How do i do that?
Mar 8th, 2008
Joan
Great list! And just what I needed to “stumble upon” today. Thank you! I am sure I will refer to this list again and again!
May 6th, 2008
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