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Gone are the days when freelancing was merely considered a supplementary source of income or a temporary solution for financial stability during job transitions. Now, freelancers have the opportunity to establish full-time careers from the convenience of their own homes. Thanks to advancements in technology and widespread internet accessibility, online work is more accessible than ever before. However, while the prospect of freelancing may seem enticing, it's essential to identify the right career path and where to commence before making the leap from traditional employment. To assist you in this endeavor, we've conducted extensive research across various freelancing domains to curate a comprehensive list of the most sought-after skills. With this knowledge, you can confidently pursue your ideal freelancing role and embark on your journey to success today!
1. Block chain and Cryptocurrency programming
5. Search engine optimization (SEO)
6. Artificial intelligence programming
1. Blockchain and Cryptocurrency Programming
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $127,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $150
Why Should You Choose Blockchain?
Blockchain is a programming language that manages and stores information about cryptocurrency transactions. However, unlike with other coding languages, it makes each entry highly resistant to external modification. This means that even though each online transaction is completely transparent, it cannot be interfered with by anyone who doesn’t own the data.
Even though it’s still a fairly new cryptocurrency technology, blockchain has quickly established itself as the #1 data-managing technique. Due to its unbreakable transaction security, companies (especially in law, finance, and logistics) are predicted to invest as much as $15.9 billion into blockchain by 2023. Luckily for freelancers, as it’s such a specific area of expertise, there still aren’t enough experts with sufficient knowledge to code and manage blockchain. That’s why, as long as you have the skills to show, you’re highly likely to find multiple clients looking for a blockchain specialist.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
It can be daunting to start learning about blockchain and cryptocurrency, especially if you don’t have any existing computer programming experience. Depending on your understanding of coding and Bitcoin, you can find an array of online courses that best suit your needs. Coursera offers a great course for beginners that’s perfect to discover the basics of blockchain and how it works.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
It can be daunting to start learning about blockchain and cryptocurrency, especially if you don’t have any existing computer programming experience. Depending on your understanding of coding and Bitcoin, you can find an array of online courses that best suit your needs. Coursera offers a great course for beginners that’s perfect to discover the basics of blockchain and how it works
2. Website Design
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $79,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $75
Why Should You Choose Web Design?
According to an expert marketing organization, WebFX, almost 90% of customers decide to go with a competitor if a business’ e-commerce website is poorly designed. Companies are aware of this and invest millions of dollars into their designs as the general trend shows that each dollar spent on web design generates $100 in sales.
As a website designer, you’ll be responsible for researching design trends and creating exciting drafts using creative software like Photoshop. Web designers are also skilled in website-oriented coding languages, such as HTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), as they often work with front-end developers to code each site.
There are 3 general specialties web designers can choose from:
- User Experience (UX) designers craft and design sites that look appealing to visitors in order to generate more return customers
- User Interface (UI) specialists deal with all the functions on a website (such as navigation or button placements) making them as user-friendly as possible
- Visual design which combines the skills of both UX and UI experts
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
To start freelancing as a web designer, you need to have basic knowledge in computer programming. As a complete beginner, you can start with a detailed Codecademy course on website building that covers all aspects of UX and UI design.
3. Graphic Design
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $55,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $26
Why Should You Choose Graphic Design?
The graphic design market offers a tremendous variety of projects to take on. With 73% of companies investing in designs on their websites and social media posts, freelance opportunities have never been more apparent. With the right skills, you’ll be able to work on projects in marketing, web development, user experience design, and corporate communications, just to name a few.
Additionally, freelance graphic designers usually report being happier due to the constant use of their creativity. The available career paths offered in design also regularly push creatives out of their comfort zones and require them to regularly adjust their methods and techniques. This brings a lot of challenges, excitement, and extreme job satisfaction when each project is completed.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
Before hiring you, potential clients will likely base their decision on your portfolio rather than your educational background. However, to build a strong portfolio, you’ll need to become an expert in at least a few Adobe design programs. There are many great digital design courses on Skillshare that make an excellent starting point for beginners as well as more advanced designers. You can also find various detailed training videos on YouTube free of cost. While you won’t get a certificate of completion, those videos are a great quick resource if you need help with your designs.
4. Video Editing
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $57,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $27
Why Should You Choose Video Editing?
If you’re not interested in shooting videos, but still find working with moving images fascinating, you should consider venturing into video editing. Video editors are quickly becoming one of the most sought after professions as 93% of businesses saw an increase in customers after posting a video ad on social media. That’s why marketers are now rebranding and focusing more on posting short, informative ads in video form to generate sales. This is especially true for any business active on social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
As a video editor, you’ll be provided with raw clips and videos which your clients will expect to be montaged together in an engaging and attractive way. The role comes with a great deal of pressure as your end product must entice viewers into making a purchase. Make sure your editing style matches each project to ensure maximum client satisfaction (and increase the possibility of being hired again).
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
Compiling audio, video clips, and sound effects isn’t as easy as it may seem at first. Luckily, most video editing software can be mastered quite quickly with the right resources. YouTube is a fantastic free resource that offers hundreds of videos with step-by-step editing tutorials for each piece of editing software available. If you’re looking for a detailed course to gain more in-depth knowledge, Skillshare offers a fantastic Adobe Premiere Pro class that’s perfect for beginners.
5. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $53,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $100
Why Should You Choose Search Engine Optimization?
SEO marketing is another very specific branch of digital marketing that requires freelancers to ensure that a client’s website shows up on the first page of a Google search. Consumers are more likely to use Google to research services and products prior to making a purchase, but 67% of all link clicks go to the first 5 results. This means that companies that don’t rank high enough miss out on potential customers.
Even though an increasing number of companies are investing more money in their SEO rankings, the general number of experts in the field is still quite low. If you want to avoid the fierce competition in digital and social media marketing but still enjoy the marketing world, SEO will create the right opportunities for you.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
To become an SEO specialist, you’ll have to have an in-depth understanding of how search engines work and how to use this knowledge to drive online traffic. Moz offers an SEO Learning Centre that’s a good resource for beginners and experienced marketers alike. Start exploring the world of SEO by reading the Beginner’s Guide and build upon your skills from there
6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Development
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $94,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $45
Why Should You Choose Artificial Intelligence?
If you’re fascinated by machine learning, how machines operate, and how they interact with people — you’re in luck. According to LinkedIn research, AI roles make up a majority of the top emerging positions for 2020 as a third of companies are revealing AI development plans.
Almost 50% of all businesses already use a form of machine learning, but AI is still a new concept expected to expand over time. As most AI is used to make daily life simpler, each algorithm and line of code is designed with a real-life problem in mind. It’s an extremely broad area that requires each specialist to know how to create algorithms, program working voice or facial recognition software, and even construct fully-working robots.
Choosing AI as your freelance career will not only enable you to work for high-end companies, but also allow you to write your own scripts for home-automated devices, such as Alexa or Google Home. Then, you can make extra profit by selling them on the Amazon Alexa store or Google Home app.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
To become an AI specialist, you need to be good at complex mathematical problems, know how to handle various aspects of computer science, and have a great understanding of algorithms. Udemy provides a range of courses to help you start your journey with AI, but you shouldn’t stop there. AI is a constantly developing area so you’ll have to make sure you’re up-to-date with all the news and technology in order to find (and keep) clients. It’s a big investment but it’s definitely worth it.
7. Mobile App Development
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $107,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $61-$80
Why Should You Choose Mobile App Development?
The demand for developers for both Android and iOS apps is ever-growing. App Annie’s 2019 report shows that in just one year, app stores recorded over 200 billion downloads while users spent a collective of $120 billion on apps and in-app purchases. As people spend on average over 3 hours a day on their phone, it isn’t surprising that businesses are focusing their efforts on showcasing their services through mobile apps.
This provides a great opportunity for mobile app developers to capitalize on their abilities and talents. Companies are constantly looking for new freelancers to design, code, and test their apps for mobile phones and tablets. This demand isn’t going to die down anytime soon either, which will allow you to make a living as a freelance mobile developer for as long as phones are an essential part of everyday life.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
Developing mobile apps requires very specific coding knowledge — most iOS apps use Swift coding language, but Android apps are created in Java or C++. Knowing this, you can either choose to learn one language or both to become an expert for both mobile operating systems. If you’re not sure which language is the best for you, enroll in the Shaw Academy course, which covers all aspects of app-building, and see what interests you the most.
8. Social Media Marketing
⇒ Average Annual Salary: $50,000
⇒ Average Hourly Wage: $50
Why Should You Choose Social Media Marketing?
There are approximately 3.8 billion social media users worldwide and each one of them is a potential customer to any company active on the internet — but only if its products are marketed properly. In order to grow in popularity and revenue, businesses of all sizes must showcase their services online and they do this by hiring skilled social media marketers.
Social media marketing is a perfect choice for those who get bored easily as no two days are ever the same. As a social media marketer, you’ll be creating online campaigns designed with a target audience in mind. Each campaign will be completely different depending on what your clients need, so you’ll need to keep your creativity at the highest level.
Where Can You Learn the Skills?
The trick to becoming a successful social media manager is to know the ins and outs of how each social media platform works. Udemy offers a wide range of highly-rated online social media marketing courses that will equip you with enough knowledge to start offering freelancing services. However, to apply for any project or role, you still need to create a portfolio with examples of social media styling, success stories, and so on. This will show companies that you’ve got the skills and experience to drive traffic and generate sales.
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