Whether you’ve been thinking about joining the “Great Resignation” movement or you’ve just always wanted to design your own schedule, there’s a freelance remote job out there with your name on it.
The key? Making sure you choose the right one.
But in a sea of ads, job posts, social media opinions, and endless options, how can you be sure you’ve chosen a role that fits you best?
By understanding your choices, making a list of non-negotiable priorities, and choosing a role that fits your passions and your skills, you’ll be on your way to having that freelance career you’ve been dreaming about.
While we can’t help you nail down your priorities, passions, and needs, we can present you with a list of options to choose from.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at seven freelance remote jobs anyone can learn or do in 2024.
1. Content writer
Content writers write content for business-to-business and business-to-consumer brands to educate their audiences, generate leads, and promote their offers.
Their main job duties include:
- Writing short-form or long-form content
- Optimizing content for SEO purposes
- Creating overall brand awareness through content marketing
- Proofreading and copyediting content
- Repurposing blog content
- Conducting plagiarism checks
Brands use high-quality content writers to craft just about anything educational, from writing blog posts to repurposing ebooks and designing courses.
If you have a knack for writing essays, articles, or blurbs, content writing may be a great fit for you.
If you’re interested in going this route, here’s what you’ll need:
- A link to a portfolio with three writing samples in your preferred niche
- Writing tools like Google Docs, Grammarly, Hemingway, and Writer.com to write, proofread, and copy-edit your work
- SEO tools like Google Analytics, MarketMuse, or Clearscope
- Patience to comb through job boards such as ProBlogger, LinkedIn, and Freelance Writers Den
2. Copywriter
Copywriting may sound similar to content writing, but the two are quite different.
While content writers focus on educating and entertaining readers, copywriters persuade readers to take a specific action — like claiming a freebie or buying something.
Content writing focuses more on achieving long-term marketing goals, such as building and nurturing an audience, while copywriting focuses more on short-term sales.
From writing ads that convince viewers to buy an offer to writing email campaigns with specific calls to action, copywriters aim to persuade others that an offer is worth buying.
If you have a knack for sales, persuasive writing, and evoking emotion, copywriting may be the role for you.
If you’re interested in choosing this option, you’ll need:
- A link to a portfolio with three sales copywriting samples in a variety of formats (i.e., email copy, social media post copy, and product campaign copy)
- Writing tools like Google Docs, Thesaurus, Hemingway, and Writer.com
- SEO tools such as WordCounter, Keywords Everywhere, and Conversion.ai
- Patience to comb through job boards such as Clear Voice, SolidGigs, and Contena
3. Author
Being an author isn’t as hard as it used to be. Anyone can publish a book on platforms like Amazon KDP, Barnes and Noble, Apply Books, and Google Play Books.
And the great news? The demand for books is still growing. It took a hit during the pandemic, but since then, it’s bounced back in a big way. In 2023, global book sales topped $78 billion.
If you’ve got a story inside of you or ever dreamt of being an author, why not give it a go?
If you choose to go in this direction, here’s what you need:
- A description of your niche and ideal market (young adult/fantasy fiction, nonfiction/history, etc.) and what books you’d like to write
- Writing tools like Google Docs, a book template, speech recording software, Grammarly, and an ebook converter tool called Free Ebook Converter (or similar)
- A book cover design
- A decision on which self-publishing platform(s) you’ll use
- A marketing plan
- Beta readers (people you trust who agree to read and give you feedback)
4. SEO strategist
SEO strategists help brands optimize website copy, social media posts, and blog articles. They can write and edit work themselves or train and direct other writers to do it. SEO strategists also audit, optimize, and improve any existing content not currently ranking high enough on search pages.
Worried about learning this skill? A great thing about SEO work is that you can always start with beginner projects and expand your services as you build knowledge. There are plenty of resources and courses to help get you there — check out HubSpot and Google Digital Garage.
If you like helping brands improve their online presence or enjoy technical skills like researching, auditing, marketing, and writing, this role may be for you.
If you choose to go for this, here’s what you need:
- A portfolio showing proof of positive SEO results on articles, social media pages, and landing pages
- Training from a link-building course — Fun Fact: 67.5% of SEO professionals believe backlinks have a big impact on SEO rankings
- Training from a content optimization course
- SEO tools like Frase or Clearscope
- Writing tools like Google Docs and Grammarly
Screenshot provided by author
5. Affiliate marketer
Affiliate marketers write, produce, and edit campaigns to promote other brands’ products. To entice audiences to purchase, affiliate marketers use coupons, deals, and freebies to promote their affiliate brands. Every time an affiliate promotes a product, they include a referral code or link for their audience to claim.
The affiliate receives a commission when viewers use the code or link to buy the product.
Affiliate marketing works best if you already have a solid online presence or are a nano or micro-influencer. But if you’re interested in learning skills to nurture a niche audience, this role may be just your thing.
If you go for this role, here’s what you need:
- A portfolio showing three brands you’ve worked for or three mock examples
- Motivation to learn the marketing skill levels required to grow and nurture a community
- SEO training and tools
- Social media training and tools
6. Online language tutor or teacher
One of the most common ways to work online is to become an online language tutor. Online language tutors conduct one-on-one or group classes through video, phone calls, and digital platforms.
Consider using an AI headshot generator for a polished and professional online tutoring profile.
Depending on their platforms, online language tutors may need to design lesson plans or even a curriculum. With other platforms, teachers log in and use the company’s built-in digital lessons and videos.
Teachers can also work for themselves if they have marketing resources and feel motivated to find clients.
If you’re interested in becoming an online tutor or teacher, here’s what you’ll need:
- An adequate computer and Wi-Fi connection
- A high-quality camera and microphone
- Language skills, grammar skills, and leadership skills
- A completed TEFL program and TEFL certificate if you’re teaching English (or equivalent)
- The desire to make a difference in a student’s life
- Digital tools like Google Translate, ebooks, videos, electronic whiteboard, Zoom (or equivalent)
- The drive to market your own classes or sign up with a digital platform
7. Digital marketer
Digital marketers create campaigns and manage social media marketing, email marketing, and more. They enjoy helping brands build an impressive web presence while nurturing and building trust with audiences.
Digital marketers are usually responsible for the following:
- Running ads
- Social media management
- Email marketing management
- Establishing a strong brand identity
- Working closely with graphic designers
- Content creation and content management
- Producing, managing, and analyzing marketing campaigns
- Linking arms with affiliates, brand advocates, influencers, and potential partners
If you geek out on all things marketing, you’ll love being a digital marketer.
If you choose this path, you’ll need:
- A portfolio showcasing your digital marketing work for three clients or three mock clients
- To be a self-starter, somewhat tech-savvy, and genuinely desire to help the best marketing agencies and business owners grow their online presence.
- Patience and time to learn digital marketing skills, trends, and best practices
- Conversion optimization tools and lead enrichment tools
- Landing page and lead-capture tools
- Graphic creation tools (like Canva)
- Marketing tools like social media marketing tools, email marketing tools (like MailChimp), and SEO tools
Wrap up
That’s it for now, but there’s a lot more where that came from.
Whether you’ve been thinking about joining the freelancer movement or you’ve always wanted to own your time, there’s a freelance job out there where you are the ideal candidate.
By understanding your choices, making a list of priorities, and choosing a role that fits your passions and skills, you’ll design the future you’ve been dreaming about.