Freelance in Your Spare Time With The Help From These Websites
Let’s face it, we can all use some spare money from time to time. With the interconnectedness of the modern world it’s become easier than ever to make money off of your own skills without the need to interact with employers. Even if you’re not a top of the line writer or designer, there’s still plenty of people willing to pay for your expertise and it’s just a matter of finding them.
The easiest way to do this is to use one of the platforms that’s readily available on the internet, by investing a little bit of time you can definitely add some extra money into your pocket.
Upwork is probably the biggest freelance marketplace around, at least for the moment. It’s easy to get connected with clients, even if you have no prior experience using your skills to earn money. Whether you want to design websites for clients, write articles, or do some logo work, somewhere out there is looking for you and Upwork has thousands and thousands of jobs to choose from at any time.
The unfortunate drawback to using Upwork comes in the form of the fees they charge. In an effort to boost their bottom line, the flat fee for the first $500 worth of work you do for a client will be charged a whopping 20%, which has caused many to abandon the platform. If you can take the hit, though, it’s a great way to get connected with clients all over the world.
Freelancer is Upwork’s biggest competitor for the most part. It’s a large platform with a lot of work available, and they charge a flat 8% fee to facilitate you meeting with clients. Like Upwork, there’s a wide variety of freelance jobs available and the community has been gaining some steam since Upwork’s fee hike in June of 2016.
It works much the same way, you’ll browse listings of jobs, apply for them, and might just get hired by a client. Many freelancers use both platforms in order to maximize their exposure, and it’s a great way to earn some money on the side.
Fiverr has gained some steam lately, and despite the title of the site you’re able to charge more for a job than the nominal five dollars. It’s easy to set up an account, and with a little bit of clever marketing it has the advantage of causing clients to come to you.
Of the three platforms, it might just be the best for someone strictly looking for a side-gig to make money. The fee is a bit high, and you’ll be responsible for your own marketing, but at thhe end of the day working for the others can sometimes feel like you’re begging for a job.
Is Freelancing Right For Me?
Basically, you don’t need to be a top-tier designer to get freelance gigs. There’s a lot of things that people will pay for, but for the most part you’ll be providing web content of various shades for the people who run websites.
If you possess any of the following skills, you definitely want to take a look into it:
- Graphic Design
- Writing
- Web Design
- Editing
- Combinations of the Above
Combinations will be the most lucrative, someone who can design infographics, for instance, can make a pretty healthy sum if they apply themselves. Even if your skills are at a fairly basic level, there’s a lot of people who simply can’t do these things but need them. That’s where you come in as a freelancer.
Conclusion
Using any of the above platforms is a great way to get started and make a little bit of extra money on the side. Who knows? You might get lucky and be able to make a full time career out of it eventually, allowing you to leave behind the nine to five world and enjoy work on your own terms.
