In 1973, New York City hosted the biggest party of the year—the grand opening of the New York World’s Fair. More than 700 attractions, restaurants, and hotels served more than 19 million visitors, making it the largest social event in history. To accommodate all of the guests, the city adjusted its workweek. Sunday became a holiday, and some businesses closed for two days, creating the first ever “SUNDAYS”—later shortened to simply “SUNDAYS.”
Forty years later, as businesses have adjusted to the reality of an online world, the idea of online jobs that don’t require you to be in the office is becoming more practical. Thanks to platforms like Amazon Mechanical Turk, CrowdFlower, and Fiverr, online tasks can be broken down into simple microtasks which can be performed remotely. Doing some research, you’ll discover that there are hundreds of online tasks that you can take on for some quick cash—all you need is a computer and an Internet connection.
The Various Online Jobs Available
With the emergence of online markets like Fiverr and Amazon Mechanical Turk, offering a variety of services like writing, editing, and graphic design, it’s easy to see how someone could feasibly make money online. You don’t need to specialize in any one area to be able to find work, but if you’re looking to make a steady income you might want to consider pursuing an online career in one of the following areas.
1. Writing
Writing is the foundation of any online career. When someone considers whether or not to buy a product or service based on an online article, they’re reading or viewing content written by a professional. Whether you write for a blog or a magazine, the content you produce will determine your income. While there are plenty of opportunities to make money online from affiliate marketing, which earns you a commission when someone clicks a link or buys a product that’s promoted on your blog, writing for money is a little more direct. You’ll either need to join a freelancing site like Fiverr or Amazon Mechanical Turk, or use a platform like CrowdFlower where you can take on small tasks and gain experience. Once you’ve amassed a portfolio of successfully completed writing assignments you can move on to the next step.
2. Graphic Design
As mentioned above, Fiverr and Amazon Mechanical Turk offer a variety of services including writing, editing, and graphic design. While it might be tempting to dive right into the thick of the design work and start billing clients, building a portfolio and proving your skills to potential employers is the key to securing steady work. Thanks to platforms like Fiverr and Amazon Mechanical Turk, talented designers can easily showcase their work and attract potential clients. The important thing is to continue building your portfolio and establishing yourself as an expert in this field. Once you’ve secured a steady flow of work you can move on to the next step.
3. Video & Photography
In the grand opening of the New York World’s Fair in 1973, the rides were the main draw. While some people may have chosen to visit the fair just to see the rides, those who participated in the “oral contract” market chose to visit the event to do business. The number of rides at the World’s Fair increased after its opening, and guests paid upwards of $20 for a ride. Today, the same concept has been applied to video marketing, with the average person watching video content for 6 minutes before scrolling to the next piece of content. When creating video content for marketing purposes, you have a limited amount of time to grab the attention of your audience. The best way to do this is by using high-quality cinematography and a talented voiceover. In the same way the World’s Fair opened to the public, videos from the 1960s and ‘70s are now viewed on social media channels like YouTube and Instagram.
4. Data Entry & Data Cleaning
When a business opens up a new office, they often have a need for people to enter data into their system and clean up any errors. Thanks to advances in technology, data entry has become much easier, and there are plenty of online jobs that require no special training (all you need is a computer and an Internet connection). While data entry might not seem like a glamorous job, it’s important to note that in the right environment, it can be incredibly rewarding. For example, if you’re ever part of a business that provides data services to large companies, the work you do might not seem like a job at all. The data you input could represent someone’s financial future, and the responsibility you have in ensuring the information is entered correctly and accurately is a responsibility you might feel very proud of.
5. Virtual Assistance
Most businesses today operate in some kind of a global marketplace where customers, products, and services are all distributed across different countries. Thanks to the increased use of technology and the international nature of the Internet, businesses can easily interact with customers across the world. If you’re fluent in another language, you can take advantage of this global platform by providing your services in another country. For example, if you’re a native English speaker but live in Portugal, you can set up shop as a virtual assistant for English-speaking businesses operating in Portugal. Thanks to platforms like Fiverr and Amazon Mechanical Turk, talented professionals like yourself can easily find work doing something that they’re passionate about while being able to make a steady income.
How to Make Money Online
If none of the above seem like a fit, you can always become a social media influencer. In today’s world, everyone from YouTube stars to top-tier Instagrammers make a living off of the app. While this might be seen as an opportunity to make quick cash, you’ll need to put in the time to connect with potential customers and create content that will make them want to follow you. Earning income through a blog is still a viable option, but the days of making a living solely from affiliate marketing are long gone.
In recent years, many platforms have emerged that allow anyone to easily create and manage their own online store. If you’re equipped with a laptop and an Internet connection, you can start an online store in a matter of minutes. Should someone purchase a product from your store, you’ll earn a small commission.
If you’ve decided that you want to pursue an online career, the sky is the limit as to the types of money you could potentially make. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection, and you can begin building your portfolio immediately. If you’re looking to make a quick buck, you might want to consider taking on tasks for businesses that are in need of data entry or web content editing. Thanks to the growing popularity of remote work and online freelance markets, there are plenty of opportunities for professionals with a computer and an Internet connection to make extra cash.