Month: July 2018

41 Online Jobs for Teens That Beat Mowing Lawns

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Teens today no longer have to mow lawns or babysit after school to make some side cash. Thanks to the internet, online jobs for teens are now available. You don’t even have to go out of the house anymore to earn some pocket money aside from your allowance.

If you do a web search on how to make money online as a teen, you’d get overwhelmed with just how many options are available.

You’re lucky to be a teen at such an exciting time, and if you still can’t believe the availability of online jobs for teens, here’s a comprehensive guide of opportunities you are free to explore.

Two Types of Online Jobs for Teens

Anyone who is serious about learning how to make money online as a teen should know there are two routes they can take.

Part-time to full-time jobs

This type of opportunity is similar to traditional office-based jobs, only you do them at home.

From admin jobs to IT, writing, research, customer service, and a whole lot more, it’s almost impossible not to find a job you like.

The best thing about online jobs is that you can commit to part-time or full-time hours only when you’re available, so these would work for teens still attending school.

You can sign up for part-time jobs during the school year and full-time jobs during the summer or if you decide to take a gap year.

Create Passive Income

Passive income is the dream of many online workers because they essentially work on one project and wait for it to earn income each month.

There will be less or sometimes no more work involved in the future, but earnings will continue for as long as the project is live.

This could be anything from a blog with Google Ads, affiliate marketing via Facebook, an ebook, a podcast, and so on. Here are 25 recommended ways of earning money while you sleep.

I recommend learning these money-making opportunities and trying them out. Remember, it’s never too early to establish a source of passive income.

41 Online Jobs for Teens That Actually Pay (and are Age-Appropriate)

30 Online Jobs for Teens

To build this list, note that I chose only work-at-home jobs known to have flexible work hours (e.g., part-time, per-project basis) and entry-level positions with very minimal requirements, which should be perfect for teens aged 12 and above.

Without further ado, here’s our ultimate guide of online jobs for teens so you can decide which ones will work for your schedule, skills, and interests.

1. Stream your video game playing sessions

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Twitch)

This job will definitely make gamers think about their hobbies in another light.

You can stream yourself playing video games and people will sit there and watch you play. Some may even pay to watch you play.

Develop your online personality, grow your following, and you can make some serious cash in no time.

2. Become an Instagram influencer

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Instagram)

This isn’t technically a job, but for the right teen, it can very well be.

If you’ve got mad makeup skills, a singing voice that can give Adele a run for her money, or any other talent, you’d be surprised at how quickly you can build a fan base.

As an influencer, you are paid to promote products or services not only on Instagram but also on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites for each post, campaign, or ad.

3. Test New Products

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company; ask a parent or guardian to help you

Did you know major brands like Nike, adidas, Red Robin, and so many more pay people to test out new products before they hit the shelves?

Companies will mail you upcoming products and pay for your opinions on them. Most of the time, you get to keep what you receive as well!

4. Perform Data Entry

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

You’d need to be a fast typist with research skills. No education or specific experience requirements are needed.

Pay is by project or per entry.

Plus, you’re free to work only on your downtime.

5. Answer Surveys

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

I know what you’re thinking, “not another post mentioning paid surveys…”

While surveys can get a bad rep online, there are some legit opportunities out there. I narrowed down the list to the best and highest paying survey sites to join.

6. Become a Virtual Assistant

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company, but most require you to be at least 18

As a VA, you’ll perform day-to-day admin tasks, such as answering emails and calls, scheduling meetings, researching, and more.

Pay starts at $3 to $10 per hour.

7. Transcribe Audio and Video Files

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company, but most require you to be at least 18

If you’re good with words and can type fast, there are legitimate transcription jobs for the taking.

Those who are bilingual would have twice the opportunities and with higher pay as well.

8. Work In Customer Service

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company, but most require you to be at least 18

Part-timers can handle emails, calls, online chat, text messages, or other communication channels of companies from around the world.

These are home-based jobs with an hourly rate of $8 to $25.

9. Write for the Web

  • Minimum age: None normally

If you’ve got a flair for words, there are plenty of writing opportunities available for you.

You can find work as a blogger, copywriter, ghostwriter for a book, recipe, and so on.

Teens with advanced writing skills can even work as a proofreader. Pay rates would vary (some are paid by the word, others on a per-project basis).

10. Proofread other people’s writing.

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

If you prefer to check other people’s writing, online proofreading jobs might be a better fit for you, especially if your spelling and grammar are great.

Besides, this will be good practice for when you’re writing and proofreading your own essays for class.

11. Help Manage Social Media Accounts

  • Minimum age: 13 (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook); varies depending on the minimum age to use other social media sites

Instagram influencer in the woods

Out of all the online jobs for teens, social media management is probably the most natural fit for anyone from this generation.

Teens are the ones who love interacting on social media the most. Social media management is a matter of transposing this enthusiasm for interaction into social media accounts of online businesses and companies.

Many of these positions are part-time and can be performed virtually anywhere in the world.

You do have to be aware of pop culture, industry news, and the companies’ target audience to do this job well.

12. Online Tutor Your Peers

  • Minimum age: No age requirements for people you know. Tutor platforms may require tutors to be at least 13 years old or older

Do you love teaching your classmates or younger siblings? The great thing about the internet is that it allows you to connect to people from all over the world. You can get paid to tutor homework or teach people subjects you’re passionate about.

While some websites require tutors to have degrees or teaching licenses, many tutoring positions don’t have strict requirements. You can earn as little as $5/hour or up to $25/hour, depending on the subject you’re teaching.

What’s awesome about these jobs is that you can start tutoring with just your mobile phone and a Skype app.

13. Teach English

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company, but most require you to be at least 18

Don’t have a specific topic you’re good at? You can still teach online if English is your first language and you come from an English-speaking country and know the ins-and-outs of your mother tongue. There are tons of ESL companies today and most of them pay by the hour.

14. Offer Coaching

  • Minimum age: 13 (for YouTube); varies depending on coaching site

Coaching may not sound like a usual online job for teens, but if you have the expertise and the time, it’s a great way to earn some side cash.

You can be a fitness coach, or you can go into personal development or any skill that can be taught through a video call.

How cool would it be for a teenager to become an online fitness coach to fellow teens in need of changing their lifestyles into healthier ones?

You can do this as an employee for coaching sites and earn by the hour or start your own vlog and control your earnings.

15. Perform SEO Work

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

Age is only a number when it comes to the Internet and skills we can master related to the web.

One category of jobs that were only created recently involves SEO (search engine optimization), so if you’ve always been interested in Google and the search engine giant’s algorithms, and the methods of bringing websites to the top of search engine results, you’ll find that the SEO industry is filled with online jobs for teens to adults.

16. Graphic Design

  • Minimum age: None, normally

Kids in school are taught photo-editing programs as early as in kindergarten, so it wouldn’t be surprising for teenagers to be masters of Photoshop or any other software preferred by graphic designers.

The online jobs for teens in graphic design are never-ending; you can create digital flyers, posters, infographics, ad banners, website logos, social media content, and so many more. Payment for your work depends if you’re working by the hour, per-project, or per item or file.

17. Draw Cartoons

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Fiverr, Zazzle)

Teens with a passion for illustration also have amazing opportunities to earn from home.

While these jobs are usually paid per order, you can commit to as few or as many as you can. You can actually get paid to draw caricatures, cartoons, illustrations, anime, portraits, and many more.

You can check out the going rate for artwork similar to what you’re offering from places like Fiverr, Zazzle, and so on.

18. Sell Your Photos

  • Minimum age: 18 (for Foap); 14 (for 500px, with parent or guardian account); 13 (for PhotoDune, with parent or guardian account)

Not only will teens with a love for photography be able to master their skills, but they can also earn money along the way.

Do it as a freelancer first, so you can control your time and workload, but you can find local photography gigs from family portraits to product photography.

Note that you can’t sell feet pics as a teen yet, this isn’t allowed in any of the feet marketplaces I showcased here, but you can sell your photography to platforms such as 500px or PhotoDune.

19. Try Your Hand at Calligraphy

  • Minimum age: 18 (for Etsy)

You might already have taken up lettering and calligraphy as a hobby, but did you know you can earn from your writings and scribbles?

Use your calligraphy skills to create and sell posters, home décor, and other artwork. You can also accept assignments for bespoke items such as wedding invitations, thank you cards, and so on at Etsy.com.

20. Write Closed Captions

Earn anywhere from $10 to $75 an hour when you transcribe videos, TV shows, movies, and other video content to create closed captions or subtitles.

There are several companies that hire closed captioners regularly. Make sure to check if they hire part-timers before sending in your application.

Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

21. Lend Out Your Voice

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Voices.com, Fiverr)

Has anyone ever told you that your voice belongs in an audiobook or in a movie?

Explore the world of voiceovers and learn how voice talents earn through companies like InternetJock.com or Voices.com.

Note that these sites get a huge chunk of your earnings, so if you prefer to receive 100% of what you work for, you can start freelance voice-over gigs on Fiverr.

22. Create Music

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

Aside from voiceover jobs, there are plenty of online jobs for teens who are musically gifted.

Whether you’re good at singing or rapping, playing the ukulele, writing lyrics, or composing original music, you can earn as much as you want.

Writing jingles, for example, can get you anywhere from $20 to $500, while composing a musical score for a company’s ad can go as high as $1,000 or more.

23. Listen to music.

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

Yes, something as mundane as listening to music online can be a job now.

Some websites pay you for your feedback, while others will pay you to listen to ads in between songs.

24. Produce Videos

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

Video making is yet another hobby that you can turn into a money-making venture.

Because people love to watch videos, companies are using this medium for ads and everything else; think product releases, announcements, company news, and so on.

Teens with 2D or 3D animation skills could also launch a career in video production. Considering 10-second videos cost $50 to $500 each, that’s something definitely to think about.

25. Answer Questions Online

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Fiverr)

For those with a natural love for solving problems, learning new things, and finding answers to various questions, research is a field you’d likely thrive in.

You can dedicate your downtime to answering questions online or providing a more customized service such as those offered on Fiverr to solve school-related problems, life-as-a-teenager questions, and so on.

26. Plan Vacations

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Fiverr), some Disney travel agencies require 18+

You don’t have to travel far to get a gig as a tour planner.

Teens can still provide online travel guide services by creating itineraries for future guests or selling local tours.

If you know your way around town, you can even suggest specific tours, such as food tours, kid-friendly tours, or any other off-the-beaten-path tours.

If you’re a fan of Disney cruises and theme parks, you can also become a Disney travel planner and earn big bucks. Check this post for a more comprehensive guide to earning money through Disney-focused travel planning.

27. Develop an App

  • Minimum age: None normally

Of all the online jobs for teens available today, being an app or game developer is often at the top of teens’ wish list.

And this isn’t surprising at all.

If you have the coding skills, who wouldn’t want to earn up to $65,000 a year as a home-based game developer? Or a lifelong commission for mobile apps and in-app purchases?

Get started developing an iOS app or an Android app on their respective sites.

28. Conduct Family Tree Research

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Fiverr)

Had fun finding out all about your roots when you had to make your family tree in school?

What would you say if you can do this as a part-time job and get paid $25 to $100 per hour?

If you love research and you’re all about the receipts, this online job may be just the right fit for you.

29. Be a Video Game Tester

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company, but most companies prefer applicants 18 years or older

You probably already play a couple of video games yourself, so why not get paid to play them?

Being a video game tester is probably up there as one of the most coveted online jobs for teens.

But being a tester doesn’t only involve playing; you’ll need to have mad skills to go through every scenario possible, as well as the powers of observation to see if there are any bugs or mistakes in the game.

30. Test websites.

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

You’re probably online almost all the time, so you might as well get paid to check out websites.

Website testers typically take note of a website’s design, how easy it is to navigate, whether forms and buttons are working, and all other details, with the aim of launching or updating a website that works the way it’s supposed to.

31. Help People with Their Problems

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

If helping people comes out naturally to you, you can be someone’s “shoulder to cry on.” You can just listen to people’s problems, or give life/relationship advice.

Teens can get $5 to $10 an hour as an online counselor, which can grow to up to $25/hour with experience.

32. Write Greeting Cards

  • Minimum age: Varies depending on the company

Either you’ve got the words perfect for greeting cards, or you’re talented with meme-worthy drawings and cartoons, the greeting card industry would welcome you with open arms.

Check out more than 30 companies looking to hire talent for their greeting card business.

online jobs for teens

33. Create Memes

  • Minimum age: 13 (for Instagram, YouTube)

Believe it or not, there are some companies that will pay you to create memes.

It sounds ridiculous, but the right viral content can go for quite a bit of money.

34. Read Books

  • Minimum age: No age requirement for most programs

Do you love reading and discussing books?

If so, you don’t have to be of legal age to get paid to read books. Many of the programs I showcased on this post do not have age limitations.

As long as you can follow their guidelines and you actually love reading books, then you’re the right person for this job. Just don’t expect big bucks here, since reading takes time and most gigs only pay around $50.

35. Make and Sell Jewelry on Etsy

  • Minimum age: No age requirement, but specific platforms like Etsy or eBay may have age requirements

If you love beads, loombands, wooden accessories, stone pieces and other types of handmade jewelry, you can create as much items as your time permits, sell them on platforms like Etsy or eBay (if you’ve got an oldschool heart). Market your store, and wait for customers to buy.

If you succeed, you can even build your own ecommerce store, or stay within third-party platforms (many sellers still stick to them even if they have a thousands of followers).

36. Create Cool Fonts

  • Minimum age: No age requirement

Join a font like FontSpring, FontShop, Linotype, Monotype or P22, and earn about 20% to 50% of the sale whenever your font gets picked by their customers. The amount depends on the company you join.

If you prefer to get 100% of the income, build your own font website and store. The downside to this is that you’d have to market your site and fonts by yourself instead of relying on the popularity of foundries and font resellers like Fonts.com or MyFonts.com.

37. Be a “CyberFriend” for a Stranger

  • Minimum age: No age requirement

Some people are actually getting paid to be a friend. If you love interacting with people and maybe helping them shoo the loneliness in their lives, you can become an online friend and get paid for it, too!

Of course, be wary of the dangers of the internet. Make sure you keep the friendship online and not in real life.

38. Write Papers for Other Students

  • Minimum age: No age requirement

I’m not here to tell you the ethical side to this or judge you for doing so, but some teens are paid by their classmates to ghost-write academic papers for them.

If you find writing essays and academic papers easy, then try these jobs. The best thing about this is you don’t need to meet your clients – they’ll be paying you online and transferring funds to a platform, who pays freelance writers like you for a job well done.

39. Get Paid to Write Jingles

  • Minimum age: No age requirement, but different platforms may require users to be 16 years old or above

Do you find yourself humming a beat, making up lyrics to songs, and headbanging to catchy songs even before they go viral?

If so, you might have what it takes to write jingles!

40. Write Poems

  • Minimum age: No age requirement

If you’re someone who produces poems to express their feelings daily, then this one’s for you!

If you’re not much of a poem writer, the frequency of your income might be sporadic, since you can only write so many poems and get them published.

online business for teens

41. Hunt for VHS Tapes and Sell them Online

  • Minimum age: No age requirement

Get the list of most in-demand VHS tapes by collectors. Scout any yard sale around your neighborhood, online forums, and even online marketplaces like eBay and Facebook Marketplace.

If you find one (or more), buy them, especially if they’re priced low. There’s a good chance the seller didn’t know their value and just wanted to dispose the bunch of old VHS tapes.

When you secure a lot of these valuable VHS tapes, resell them at a higher price that collectors would gladly pay.

Some Reminders before You Start any Online Jobs for Teens

Here are some things to be mindful of if you want to make side cash from working online.

1. Be mindful of your personal information.

I wish I can tell you that the internet is a good place with fairies and rainbows and everybody getting along and having good intentions.

By now, you should know it’s not.

Being a teenager makes you all the more vulnerable to predatory adults and even other teens.

And you’d be surprised to know what they can do with your full name, photo, home address, and email address.

Always check the URL you’re going into if it’s a legitimate one. Before you apply to a company and before you submit your résumé, make sure to research the company and read their privacy policy and what they can do with your information.

If you have a bad feeling, trust it. Just close your browser and look for something else. There will be other websites and there will be other side gigs.

2. Know the federal and your state’s child labor laws.

(Yes, you’re not a child anymore, but that’s what the laws are called, so grin and bear it. It’s for your own good.)

Child labor laws are in place to protect minors from being exploited and injured in the workplace.

However, even if your workplace is technically at home and your office is on the internet, child labor laws still apply.

These laws mostly cover which industries you can and can’t work in, as well as limit the number of hours you can work during schooldays, weekends, and holidays.

Also, federal laws don’t require work permits for minors, but some states do, so check if your state is one of them.

In addition, bear in mind that you have the same rights as other workers.

Read more about your rights in this article.

3. Learn how to take care of your earnings.

Financial literacy is rarely taught in schools, so you might have to get out of your way to learn about this.

But this is one of those things that adults generally learn too late in life, so learning about it early can only be good for you and your future.

Of course, you can simply ask your parent, guardian, or any other trusted adult to hold on to your earnings, but nothing beats the feeling of making your own money, being able to spend it on things you want or need without having to ask money from others and having savings to boot.

This program is free and is a good starting point to learn about money and how you can use it to achieve your goals.

You’re never too young to know how to save, spend, and invest.

A REMINDER ABOUT PAYOUT OPTION: For online jobs for teens that have no age requirements (or allow 13+ years old teens to work), you have to understand that they need to be able to “withdraw” the money from these platforms. If the only payout option is PayPal (which only allows 18+ years old and above to open an account), you might have to find another platform or side gig.

Part-time Online Jobs for Teens

Going Beyond Part-time Online Jobs for Teens

The internet has given pretty much anyone (women/men, introverts/extroverts, disabled, young/old, and everyone in between) a chance to earn honest and legit cash in the comfort of their own homes. This includes teenagers.

Right now, you need to prioritize school and other extracurricular activities, but once you graduate, find more downtime, or need extra money, there are plenty more online jobs you can explore.

The jobs listed above are only just a handful of the opportunities that working from home will open up.

If you really wish to do the make-money-online route full time, I recommend that you learn everything you can about both types of online jobs and do a regular home-based job while working to increase your passive income.

This combo is the win-win and reason why online entrepreneurs are able to be their own bosses…and it’s never too early to begin your passive income-generating portfolio of online assets, so start today!

How to Get Paid to Design and Sell T-shirts Online

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If you’ve got an eye for style and want to design and sell t-shirts as an online business, you’d be surprised how easy and beginner-friendly this niche has become.

In fact, there are several ways you can launch a shirt business online.

These methods vary based on the effort you’re willing to put into it, the amount of capital you have, and the business model you prefer.

There are two parts to every t-shirt business:

  1. The designing part (which involves your creativity)
  2. The business side (which includes marketing and selling the shirts)

These days, you only need to possess one of the skills to start making money selling t-shirts.

Teespring Marketing

For example, if you know your way around Illustrator, Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop, and other traditional design software, you can go a long way with various t-shirt design styles.

You don’t even have to be good at selling, since some websites host your designs for a fee and market your designs for you.

On the other hand, if you have a bigger capital fund with strong business skills, you can hire an impressive shirt designer and handle the online selling afterward.

Step 1: Design a Custom T-Shirt

Those who are banking on their creativity to launch an online t-shirt business will most likely use Illustrator, Corel Draw, Adobe Photoshop, any vector-based designing program, or a combination of two or more traditional design software.

If you prefer using built-in shirt design platforms that come with sites like TeeSpring, then you have to master their particular designing platform instead.

If you wish to hire a t-shirt designer either part-time, full-time or on a per-design basis, you could find endless talents on design communities like Deviantart, Dribble, or Behance, among others.

Some of these artists may not be for hire though, so if you want to be sure, you may scout from freelance sites like Fiverr or Upwork. 

You can even find people who are already selling t-shirt designs for a living.

Aside from the image editing or graphic design software, you also have to consider three important things:

a. Determine Your T-Shirt Niche

Ask anyone in the t-shirt printing business and he/she will say that the industry is saturated.

However, this statement changes when you land into a niche worth exploring. The niche could be anything from pop song lyrics with a cat’s meow twist or band logos featuring a unique customization…as long as it appeals a specific market.

Your chosen niche can even be as common as “funny statement shirts,” but with a unique category such as “funny shirts for architects.”

This may seem hard to brainstorm, but once you’ve hit gold on an idea, you’ll know it instantly.

b. Develop Your T-Shirt Brand

You don’t have to compete with global brands like Guess or Givenchy, but your shirts do need to have its own personality to grab your customers’ attention.

Big companies create mission and vision statement before their launch because these serve as guidelines about what your company believes and wants to share to the world.

As a t-shirt printing business, branding is vital to create recognition, build customer trust, guide your advertising and marketing efforts, build financial value to your products, and generate future business.

Branding gives your shirts a distinct personality that customers won’t find anywhere else.

c. Decide on Your T-Shirt Printing

Before you tackle the design and sell t-shirts online, you’ll be faced with operational decisions like this one.

The type of printing to use is a big decision, especially if you are planning to manufacture the shirts on your own (below, we’ll discuss the other option where you don’t have to do anything beyond designing your shirts).

There are several printing methods used in the t-shirt business, but these three are the most popular:

  • Screen printing – You can start small with just basic screens and paint, or go big with massive screen-printing setups. This method is the most labor-intensive, but it is also the most cost effective (especially if you’re working on bulk projects and with minimal colors). As more and more colors are required for a specific shirt design, screen printing becomes an expensive production method. `
  • Heat transfer – This method requires a heat press machine, which means you have to shell out for equipment upfront. The advantage of this method is that you can “print” a full-colored design on a single shirt or dozens of shirts with the same costs so this means you can print on demand. The problem, however, is that heat transfer-produced shirts are known to chip quicker than prints from screen printing.
  • Direct-to-garment – Ideal for designs with intricate details or numerous colors, this method is similar to your inkjet printer at home. A DTG prints the design directly onto the shirt, so expect a higher accuracy and unlimited color options. Unfortunately, the problem with this method is that it isn’t cost effective for bulk printing.

You can use 100% cotton for shirts, or go with the industry-standard cotton/polyester blend.

Note that if you’re going with the heat press route, you need to add pressing time if you’re planning to use 100% cotton shirts.  Finding a good shirt supplier is another task you’d have to check.

Step 2: Sell Your Custom Shirts Online

Now that you have chosen your niche and decided on branding, you have to figure out how to sell your shirts. Here are 3 options for selling your t-shirts online:

a. Create a website, sell your shirts there

It’s super easy to create an online store these days. With ecommerce platforms like Shopify that allow even beginners to build a website with just several clicks, anyone can start selling in just an hour of set-up. 

If you’re familiar with WordPress, HTML or a way to create websites from scratch, then you can do-it-yourself as well and customize the store to your heart’s content.

Cost-wise, you might need to spend anywhere from zero to $20/month in operating an online store. This is on top of the t-shirt printing equipment and supplies.

This route is best for t-shirt companies with its own following, or a startup with a huge upfront capital. It works for entrepreneurs with experience in this field and overall business knowledge.

The advantage of having your own website is that you are totally in control of prices, shipping procedures, promotions, and marketing.

Your brand is also safe from possible closure in the future (some sites do shut down and any hosted stores may be included).

b. Create your design and sell them at t-shirt marketplaces

You still design the shirts and handle production, which means you’d still require capital for equipment, labor, and supplies.

However, instead of working to spread word about your website and sell your t-shirts to the right audience (as with the first route), you join marketplaces like Etsy and sell your products there.

With sites like TeeSpring and SunFrog, you create an account, upload your t-shirt designs and let the company handle everything else (from printing, processing, shipping and post-sale customer support) whenever a customer buys your design.

These sites get a cut from every sale though.

Sunfrog-Tshirt-Commissions

Good thing you have total control about prices, but since there is a lot of competition within the site, reducing prices to compete may be your only choice.

The advantage of this route is that you can jump right into the marketplace even if you’re just new to the industry.

The customers are already there. 

However, the problem with these sites is that they require a minimum amount order per design, which means they only print out your design if 10 or more people order within a given timeframe.

c. Drop-ship your shirt designs via a PoD vendor

In this method, you create t-shirt designs, then upload your portfolio at a print-on-demand vendor like Zazzle, DeviantArt, Threadless, Cafepress, and more. (Read about the pros and cons of each print-on-demand t-shirt vendor here).

Unlike t-shirt marketplaces that has a minimum order, print-on-demand vendors “print” your designs even with just a single order.

PoD vendors also get commissions with each sale, so choose which vendor works best for you. The great thing about these vendors is that you can expand your products from just t-shirts to practically anything (mugs, caps, hoodies, pillows, etc.).

As long as the PoD vendor offers it, your design can be adapted to any product available.

What’s the best well to sell t-shirts online?

When it comes to selling your product, you’ll have options no matter the amount of capital you have.

After you’ve given time with product research and branding, we recommend trying out t-shirt marketplaces and print-on-demand services first. While you build a name for your product, create a website on the side and begin to offer new t-shirt designs there as well.

It’s important that you have 100% control of your businesses, especially when your business is based completely online.

It’s just as important not to have all your eggs in one basket, so selling your products in multiple platforms is the way to go.

Note that some third-party sites may require exclusivity, so be wary before upload your t-shirt designs and figuratively “signing the dotted line.”

Wrap Up: How to Design and Sell T-shirts Online Like a Boss

There are multiple ways you can launch a shirt business online. The main difference of this business to traditional ones is that you can design and sell t-shirts completely online. There will be some legwork and research involved at the start, but not so much after launch.

For those who are serious, these three major decisions will help you shape your online t-shirt business:

  1. Design the shirt on your own vs. hire a designer to turn your ideas into reality
  2. Manufacture or print your own shirts vs. leaving the production process to the hands of a third-party company
  3. Sell shirts on your own site vs. selling them on a third-party site

Of course, every route you take has its pros and cons. Some people are making a killing on sites like TeeSpring, but others find success on their own sites but with major advertising involved.

The only surefire way of succeeding in this business is by treating it like any other business – work at it day in, day out, and continue to learn every aspect of the business from sourcing supplies to accounting, marketing, and so on.

How To Make Money on Etsy: Follow These 5 Helpful Tips

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If you’re an artist or a crafter, you might already have an Etsy store, but you might have wondered how to actually make money on Etsy.

Etsy is the go-to marketplace for arts, crafts, and vintage goods, and it’s not surprising that this has become a home for creative people who want to earn money from their creativity.

With the millions of shops already on Etsy, the fees, and the limited audience, you might be wondering if anyone selling on Etsy really is making money.

The answer is yes, you can indeed make money on Etsy, but the more important question is “how.”

Today, you’ll learn how to make money on Etsy.

Note: If you haven’t set up your Etsy store yet, read our guide to selling on Etsy first and then come right back here.

5 Ways To Actually Make Money on Etsy

1. Choose the Right Products To Sell

If you’ve ever looked for advice for what products to sell on Etsy, you’ve probably read different information.

“Sell products that you genuinely love creating (or sourcing, in the case of vintage items).”

“Sell products that are on Etsy’s bestseller lists.”

But what if the product you’re genuinely passionate about isn’t on Etsy’s bestseller lists?

Here’s the hard truth: following your passion, unfortunately, isn’t enough to build a successful business.

It’s much more practical to do product research and find out what Etsy shoppers are actually buying.

If you already have a product in mind, one way to find out if your product idea is profitable is to simply go to Etsy, use the search function to see if someone is already selling your product idea and if the seller is successfully selling the item.

Check out their profile to see the number of sales they’ve made since they opened so you can have an idea of how well they are doing.

There are countless Etsy sellers who probably aren’t that passionate about what they’re selling. But they all have goals for themselves, and they’re aware that making money on Etsy is going to help them achieve that goal.

And eventually, through several hours of researching about the products, checking out competitors, participating in forums and discussions about that product, you’ll find yourself at least interested enough to keep selling it for years.

I guess if you can take away one thing, it’s this: you don’t have to love what you sell on Etsy, but you do have to love selling.

Note: We’ve written about Etsy bestsellers a while back, and while the list and the ranking may have changed, you can at least get a starting point.

2. Price Your Etsy Products Correctly

Like in any ecommerce business, the key to success is to sell items on Etsy with enough of a profit margin. This is the difference between the selling price and the cost of the item divided by the selling price.

So if you have a product that cost $20, and you sell it for $25, your profit margin is $5/$25 or 20%.

To determine your selling price, you need to take three things in consideration: the cost of the product, your competitors’ price, and the value of the product to the customer.

The cost of your product not only includes the cost of the materials, but also the listing fee per item (currently $0.20) and transaction fee (currently 5%).

Ideally, you need to include your labor, marketing costs, and everything you spend on to create and sell the product. It sounds impossible to calculate this exactly but you can provide an estimate.

Aside from calculating cost of your product, you would need to do competitor research.

It’s no good to blindly copy the price that your competitors have set, or to compete on a lower price range automatically. You need more information.

Of the millions of sellers on Etsy, there’s a high probability that at least one of them has the same product idea as you.

Research everything about your competitors; not just how much they price the same items but also what other products they sell in their store, their locations, and how many of these competitors there are.

Once you know this information, you’ll be better equipped to know whether to price higher (if your products are unique), lower (there are too many of them and you need to lure sellers away to your shop), or the same (you have competitors but you’re the only one in your location so shipping fees are lower for shoppers in your area)

You do need to be careful if you’re pricing your products lower; your profit margin might turn out to be too low for you to continue operating.

Lastly, you have to apply value-based pricing, which implies the price at which customers think your product offers good value.

That is, how much is a customer willing to pay to get your product?

For instance, a customer paying for a Picasso knows his paintings are much more valuable than the paint, brushes, and canvas he used to paint them, and thus they’re willing to pay millions of dollars to get a Picasso.

On the other hand, a painting by an artist who is not very famous or hasn’t contributed very much to art movements is likely to be priced lower, even if the same amount of paint, brushes, and canvas was used.

You’d also need to consider your target audience and their perception of your products. If you price it too high, they might be turned off (why buy here when they can buy it elsewhere?), while if you price it too low, they’ll think it’s low-quality.

Pricing your Etsy products is a fine balance of these three factors. Don’t be afraid of having to raise or lower prices when anything changes.

3. Run a Successful Etsy Shop

The third aspect of making money on Etsy is creating and maintaining a successful Etsy shop. Here are three ways to ensure your Etsy shop flourishes.

Take clear, high-quality photographs of your items.

Product photographs are the most important aspect of any ecommerce business, but it’s especially important to make money on Etsy.

If you’re selling products that you’ve made yourself, no one else has seen it but you. And posting detailed, high-definition photographs of your products is the most important part of being able to sell your products.

The problem is we’re not all good photographers, and most of us don’t have professional equipment to set up a product photoshoot.

But you don’t need fancy equipment to get good photos. Even mid-priced smartphones nowadays are equipped with cameras that take high-definition photos. Some even have macro lens capabilities.

You can set up a makeshift backdrop with paper or fabric, whether plain or patterned. For the lighting, you can use natural light, though this might take a little scheduling on your end. To increase the amount of light, you can use an aluminum foil-covered piece of cardboard to act as a reflector.

Props to show how your product is used or to show scale are important as well. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve bought something online only to be surprised by how small or how big they are in real life.

Also, make sure all the photographs of all the products you’re offering on your Etsy shop follow a common theme, like the same backdrop or the same angles.

Write compelling product descriptions.

Thumbnails and photographs make Etsy shoppers click, but the product descriptions they read when they click on these thumbnails are what will make them buy your products.

Don’t just copy your listings from your competitors. Showcase what makes your Etsy shop unique as well as your personality through your writing style.

Make it a point to speak to your target audience and use adjectives and words that will catch their eye.

Write in short, punchy paragraphs, and use bullet points and lists if you can.

But for those who carefully read product descriptions before they actually add to cart, you’ll need to be clear and descriptive. Remember, they can’t touch or feel your products, and so you need to be able to describe your products to them in as much detail as possible.

Lastly, proofread your description before you ultimately submit it. Your product descriptions should be free of any spelling, grammar, or punctuation errors. You can proofread it yourself or hire freelancers to do it for you.

Create an efficient shipping system.

Once your Etsy business grows, you’ll be shipping a lot of packages. It’ll help you a lot if you have a system for packing and shipping your orders.

Set up a station especially for packing and shipping, complete with the supplies you need. It doesn’t have to be a large station; just a dedicated portion of your desk should be enough.

Here are some basic packaging and shipping supplies recommended by Etsy sellers:

  • weighing scale
  • measuring tape
  • a printer (for printing out your own packing slips and shipping labels)
  • bubble wrap
  • padded envelopes
  • packing tape
  • “Fragile” stickers

Eco-friendly substitutes to these materials are increasingly becoming popular, so look into that if they don’t cost too much.

You can also invest in branded shipping materials, such as tape, stickers, tissue paper, notecards or business cards.

If pricing your products already seems daunting, estimating shipping fees may be just as intimidating.

To know more about calculating shipping for both local and international orders, browse through Etsy’s guide to shipping.

4. Formulate an Effective Marketing Strategy

The heart of your Etsy shop is your products, but if no one buys them, your Etsy shop will die. You’ll need to come up with a strategy to place your products in front of potential buyers.

Here are the steps you can take to ensure that you have an effective marketing strategy for your Etsy shop.

Take some time to earn SEO.

You don’t have to be an SEO master who magically ranks their Etsy store to the top of Google search results.

But you should take some time learning how to use keywords. In this age of hashtags, keywords are easier to understand and implement. Etsy allows its sellers to use 13 tags—use them and use them well.

Place yourself in your target customer’s shoes and think about words or phrases they’d use in searching for your products. These words and phrases are now the tags you must use when setting up a listing.

Placing your item in the right category is also an important SEO trick. It’s so simple, yet many miss the chance of categorizing their items properly on Etsy.

Etsy search is predictive, so you can put in a word relevant to your products and it will come up with suggested key terms to use.

You should use specific key terms that are at two or more words, and have them in your title as well as using all of your tags.

Become a master of social media marketing.

Etsy has an advanced search engine within the marketplace and its own lively community.

But this shouldn’t stop you from marketing your products everywhere you can. Fortunately, social media has made marketing an inexpensive and easy thing to do.

Anyone can create a Facebook page or accounts on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and so on.

To market the products you sell on Etsy, you’d have to be super creative in publishing posts.

People’s attention these days is harder to catch, so think outside of the box when sharing your Etsy listings across your social media platforms.

Take advantage of social media functions, such as polls and raffles, not only to increase your customer base but also to create buzz about your products.

As you market your products and interact with your customers directly on social media, you’re also providing excellent customer service in the process.

Start a blog.

Blogging can complement your social media marketing strategy perfectly, as your blog can establish yourself as an expert in your niche and therefore whose Etsy shop can be trusted.

Also, this can branch out into eventually building your own ecommerce website where you can sell your products without having to depend on Etsy.

If you do decide to start a blog, make sure it’s related to the products you’re selling.

For instance, if you’re selling a line of handmade skincare products, blogging about common skincare issues, ingredients to look for in skincare products, and which skincare products are right for certain skin conditions would certainly make sense.

5. Learn From Other Etsy Sellers

When you’re getting into a new venture, the ones you seem to seek out for advice are those who have already done it. Similarly, when asking how to make money on Etsy, Etsy sellers who have been through it all are the best source of advice.

Here are some tips that Etsy sellers wish someone had told them when they were starting out.

Non-DIY-ers are welcome too.

Don’t be put off by the impressive amount of talent at the marketplace.

Even if you don’t knit scarves, sew superhero capes, weave baskets, do pottery, or create other awesome handmade items, there’s a place for you at Etsy.

One type of item you can sell without having to break out the crafter’s toolbox is digital items.

Digital items require no physical craftsmanship, no packing and shipping costs, and almost no waiting time (personalized items may require some waiting time).

Here are some ideas of digital products you can make and sell on Etsy:

  • printable wall art
  • printable planner
  • monthly or weekly calendars
  • wedding planners
  • blog post planners
  • meal planners
  • budget planners
  • habit trackers
  • fitness trackers
  • cliparts
  • icons
  • sticker templates
  • digital patterns for paper
  • coloring book pages
  • resume templates
  • PowerPoint templates
  • website design templates
  • crochet patterns
  • knitting patterns
  • embroidery patterns

Look beyond Etsy.

Etsy is a great marketplace and you can sell from this platform for as long as you like, but all Etsy sellers know that you shouldn’t be relying on Etsy alone.

You should go beyond Etsy at some point in the future because:

  • Your own website continues to be the best selling platform. There are several advantages to choosing Etsy as your main platform for selling, but it is still important to have a website. This way, you can accommodate other customers not on Etsy and you are 100% in control of your marketing, product placement, SEO, and so on.
  • The 5% transaction fee for every sale you make (on top of the listing fee) can add up quite dramatically if you’re selling in the hundreds or thousands of items.
  • Your marketing efforts mostly benefit Etsy. If your products become viral and press comes your way, imagine how much attention Etsy will have (since you have to direct people to your products) instead of referring them to your own website.
  • There’s no way to build a list. Etsy doesn’t give sellers a way to communicate to its buyers after a sale, so it’s hard to up-ell or build a lasting relationship with your customers. Having your own website, on the other hand, gives you endless marketing possibilities and earning potential.

To Etsy or Not to Etsy?

If you’re looking for a sign to open your Etsy shop, consider this your sign!

It’s never too late to start your own business and make money on Etsy with virtually no capital.

Your potential customers are already there. The store is easy to set up, manage and operate. But as you just learned, Etsy stores do have their downsides too!

I recommend you start selling at the established platform first and once you make money on Etsy, slowly create your website and list your products there too.

There’s golden advice with any kind of investment: never put all your eggs in one basket so you don’t risk losing everything in one fell swoop.

Final Thoughts on Making Money on Etsy

As you surely have learned at this point, making money on Etsy is no walk in the park, but if you truly believe in your handmade product idea, it has great potential.

If you want to try selling private label items or dropshipping, or you’re interested in making money with more than just selling, you might want to explore Amazon as well.

Have you started selling on Etsy? How’s it going? Let us know in the comments!

15 Ways You Can Get Paid to Answer Questions

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Do you have a knack for solving problems? Do you enjoy interacting with and helping people online? Does making money to do both sound good to you? If so, then getting paid to answer questions online could be a fulfilling way for you to make some side cash.

This list is about companies looking for experts to answer questions for their users.

I’m not going to waste your time trying to trick you into signing up for survey companies like so many other search results for this term.

The more you know and the more technical your field of expertise, the better your pay.

15 Places That Pay You to Answer Questions

The following companies regularly hire people to answer questions and get paid.

Find one that best suits your specialty and you can make some extra cash in your spare time.

1. Just Answer

Just Answer

Founded in 2003, JustAnswer is an online question and answer website that connects real-life experts (e.g., doctors, vets, lawyers, mechanics, electricians, etc.) with people who need expert answers immediately.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: To become a Just Answer expert, you’ll need to send an application, along with any diplomas or certifications that prove your expertise in your chosen category.

Once accepted, you get to answer questions within the assigned category and paid only if the question-sender accepts your answer.

  • PAYMENT: Payment starts at 20% of the “fee” (anywhere from $5 to $90), which can go up to 50% as your rating increases.

Payments are sent via PayPal. You can also earn $50 per referral.

2. Study.com

Study.com is a tutoring site where students and teachers meet up to work with each other.

If you’re not a teacher, but want to get paid to answer questions, you can participate in Q&A homework help.

As an Expert Q&A, you can help students struggling with difficult homework problems in math, English and other subjects — on your own time, whenever you want.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: There are multiple roles available on Study.com, so make sure you only send your application for the Q&A Homework Help section.
  • PAYMENT: Since this is a full-time role, you’ll be given a standard rate before you begin work. Study.com pays its contractors twice a month.

3. Wonder

Wonder is a resource site for researchers in need of instant feedback for their studies.

Customers ask a series of questions, which the Wonder team will answer.

Each job takes around 3 hours to complete, but the company offers its clients a 24-hour turnaround time so you’d have to finish the job before the deadline.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Researchers have to pass a short quiz and trial research assignments.

Once accepted, you must work on one job at a time and accept jobs at least once a week.

  • PAYMENT: Researchers earn from $15 to $25 per hour.

Payments are sent via PayPal every two weeks.

4. School Solver

Since 2014, SchoolSolver has been a tutoring site that helps students with answers for their homework and projects.

The best thing about SchoolSolver is that if you answer a question correctly, students who ask the same question can also buy your answer in the future. As such, you can receive $5 multiple times just for answering one question.

The trickier part is finding a question that you know the answers to (and having the best answer that the student picks/buys your answer).

  • PAYMENT:  When you add your answer to a question, the student will be notified and given a chance to buy your answer.

Once the student pays, you will receive money in your School Solver account.

To withdraw money from your account, payments are done via PayPal and other supported methods and can be requested in your account page.

5. Maven

Maven

Maven is a platform for microconsultants (you) who are knowledgeable in certain topics and are willing to share what they know in exchange for cash.

What’s great about Maven is that it has an impressive roster of clients, from Intel to Boeing, Nestlé, and more.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: You need to sign up, select your industry, indicate current rate (there’s a pricing calculator), and you’re good to go.

Maven will contact you once a client is interested in your expertise.

  • PAYMENT: Rates vary depending on your chosen industry and the amount of time you’re willing to commit.

6. PhotoStudy

PhotoStudy is a real-time online marketplace that helps students who are stuck on a homework problem about Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Chemistry, and Physics.

As such, the company is continuously looking for PhotoStudy Experts, who help the student become unstuck by walking them through a step-by-step explanation to their problem.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Simply click the “Apply Now” button to begin the hour-long application process.

If you pass a subject test, you’re eligible to begin working immediately.

  • PAYMENT: Typically, PhotoStudy Experts can earn between $2 and $10 USD per hour, depending on problem volume.

The amount you earn depends on how many explanations you provide. Payment is automatically transferred to your payment account (either PayPal or Upwork) on the 1st and 15th calendar day of each month.

The good news is there is no limit to how much you can earn in a given pay period.

7. Studypool

Studypool is a student resource, which tackles over 30 different subjects from accounting to biology, history, law, marketing, film, and a whole lot more.

You’d have to bid to be awarded the job and paid only when the student’s questions are answered to their standards.

Studypool is technically a tutoring site since you’re helping students with their homework or projects, but instead of teaching the student via chat, e-mail, phone call, or other means of communication, you’re going to work on the questions and submit the answer within a document.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Studypool requires its “tutors” to have a degree in higher education, or at least be a current college student.

Complete the straightforward registration process, then browse student questions on the site.

  • PAYMENT: Fees depend on the questions you choose to answer (students set their price and deadlines when posting their questions).

Payment is sent via PayPal.

8. PrestoExperts

This company also serves as a platform for those in need of answers to questions in the field of medicine, business, technology, social media, law, and so on.

When invited to join, freelance experts are given a profile where their education, work experience, specialization and rates are displayed. Clients could then contact you directly (via phone, email or online chat) for a job.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Fill out this application form and wait for a PrestoExperts representative to contact you.
  • PAYMENT: You are in control of your fees, so you may set it by the hour, per project, or so on.

Payment goes through PrestoExperts, which gets a cut, before sending your payment via PayPal.

9. Weegy

Weegy is a community of live experts who answer stimulating questions (such as math problems, historical trivia, and so on).

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Anyone can join Weegy, which means you can participate as much or as little as you like.
  • PAYMENT: Weegy experts receive 5 cents for every conversation they participate in.

Your earnings have to reach $10 before it automatically gets transferred to your PayPal account.

10. Answeree

Answeree is fairly new, but anyone can join and answer as many questions as they can.

According to the site, even those who ask questions could earn through Answeree, but no earning details about asking questions is stated.

There are only a few rules (no ads, no hate posts, no affiliate links, no copy-paste answers, and so on).

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Anyone can register and join Answeree.
  • PAYMENT: Answeree pays 10 points (equivalent to 1 cent) for every answer and 5 points per comment.

Payments can be sent via PayPal (minimum $2 for new users and $5 afterward) or Skrill (minimum $10) when you request for it.

11. Keen

Keen is a bit different from the others on this list. They hire psychic advisors to answer questions about life, love, and relationships, as well as give psychic, tarot and spiritual readings.

They’ve been around for 20 years, and many of the psychic advisors here already have years of experience. But if you’re a psychic looking for someplace to start, Keen is one of the good ones.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: You have to register and create an account.

You can then fill out your profile along with your rates.

Wait for clients to contact you through phone (you get your own hotline number), email, or chat.

  • PAYMENT: Payment is calculated by subtracting the platform fee from the rate you’re charging. Of what’s left, you get 52% and Keen gets 48%.

Advisors are sent automatic payments via Express Pay, check, or direct deposit.

12. HelpOwl.com

HelpOwl.com is a pretty straightforward platform where users can ask and answer questions.

What’s unique here is that every time you contribute content, whether it’s asking or answering questions, you earn points. You can then redeem these points for Amazon.com or Walmart.com gift cards.

So technically you aren’t getting paid to answer questions, if you want to be strict about it.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Simply register and create an account to start asking and answering questions.
  • PAYMENT: Earn 50 points for asking an original question, and earn 100 points for answering a question.

You get extra 1000 points if your answer is the first accepted answer to a particular question.

You also get bonus points when your answer is marked helpful, and deductions when it’s unhelpful.

Redeem a gift card from Amazon.com, Walmart.com, or iCard.

Minimum points to be able to redeem is $50,000.

13. 1Q

1Q is a platform connecting companies doing market research to website members who receive questions via their smartphones.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Sign up on their website and register your mobile phone number to receive questions via SMS. You can download the app and receive questions that way too.
  • PAYMENT: Payment varies per company and goes straight into your PayPal account.

14. Clarity.fm

If you’re a successful entrepreneur and you have some spare time, why not get paid to answer questions from fellow entrepreneurs?

Clarity connects aspiring entrepreneurs to experts who can give them advice on how to grow their business through scheduled phone calls (not with your personal number; they will generate a number for the client to call).

Topics range from business strategy to digital marketing, strategic planning, public speaking, and more.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Sign up on their website and find the application process under your profile settings.

Make sure your profile is complete and accurate before you submit.

Clarity will review your application based on your background, the demand for your expertise, and whether you were truthful.

  • PAYMENT: You get to set your rate, so factor in Clarity’s service fee which is 15% of the published rate.

Once a call is completed, you can see your earnings and you can immediately request for it to be transferred to your PayPal (credited after two weeks).

15. Fixya

Fixya is more geared towards the do-it-yourself crowd.

The question-and-answer program pays experts to help others who are looking for assistance. It could range from fixing a dishwasher to solving a software issue.

  • APPLICATION PROCESS: Anyone can join Fixya – you just need to link your Facebook or Google account, or fill out the simple form with your e-mail address.
  • PAYMENT:Answers range from $3 to $5, but if you want to participate in live sessions, you can set your own rates.

How much money can you make answering questions online?

If you can really get paid to answer questions, can you turn this into a full-time career?

Unfortunately, some JustAnswer.com experts are making over $4,000 a month not because they’re aggressively answering questions left and right.

Instead, these experts are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals with exceptional backgrounds.

Answering questions online pays, but not that much.

If you’re lucky to land a full-time position with an hourly rate, this opportunity could serve as a good alternative for office-based job.

If you really want to try your luck answering questions for money, I recommend creating profile accounts for Maven and PrestoExperts (because you are in control of your consultation fees).

While waiting for clients across these two sites, you get active with JustAnswer.com.

Get Paid to Answer Questions in Other Fields

I wanted to give you a few more options here by rounding up some ideas that you can get paid to answer questions as a part of a more comprehensive money-making strategy.

For starters, you can always become a paid secret shopper. The questions you will be answering will mostly be evaluating how a store and its employees conduct their business.

The questions don’t really change over different evaluations, but it’s still a nice way to bring in some extra cash.

You can also get paid to test different products.

Companies will mail products directly to your door or invite you to watch videos or join focus groups and ask you questions about what you see and experience.

This is a rather cool option because you will get to see products before they ever hit the shelves and your feedback can directly influence and shape the future.

36 Websites With Openings for Virtual Assistant Jobs

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Virtual assistant jobs are some of the first jobs that popped up when the online economy was just beginning to gain traction.

Even now, individual entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and multinational companies are hiring virtual assistants to help them with various day-to-day aspects of their businesses.

In fact, with the trend toward businesses minimizing overhead and workers searching for more work-life balance, the demand for virtual assistants is steadily increasing.

So if you’re looking to start working from home, or have been working at home but want to change careers, being a virtual assistant may be for you.

In today’s post, learn what a virtual assistant does, where to look for virtual assistant jobs, and what the future of a virtual assistant can look like.

What Do Virtual Assistant Jobs Involve?

So what is a virtual assistant, and what do they do?

The answer depends on who you ask.

In general, VAs, as virtual assistants are often called, are like modern secretaries. Their jobs often include general administrative duties such as:

  • answering calls and e-mails,
  • scheduling meetings,
  • making travel arrangements,
  • transcribing documents,
  • accounting duties,
  • writing newsletters,
  • handling business inquiries,
  • and a whole lot more.

However, virtual assistants can also be assigned other job titles (often describing the focus of their work).

For example, an SEO virtual assistant does everything a general VA does but adds SEO tasks to the table.

A marketing VA may take up social media tasks along with market research, analytics, Google AdSense, and so on.

You may also encounter other types of virtual assistant jobs like graphic design VA, article writer VA, WordPress VA, web developer VA and ecommerce VA, among others.

How to Become a Virtual Assistant

There is no formal education required to become a virtual assistant, but you’ll need:

  • Basic computer knowledge with fast typing skills (40 wpm or faster)
  • Social media skills (get acquainted with Facebook, Twitter, and other popular platforms)
  • Excellent research skills (clients often ask you to find information online)
  • Perfect written and verbal English communication skills
  • Quick thinking and decision-making skills
  • The ability to follow directions, learn quickly, and take constructive criticism

As for your tools of the trade, you’ll need a reliable computer with high-speed internet and a working headset.

If your job requires taking calls, you might need a landline phone to perform your work. Understanding basic programs like Microsoft Office and Google Suite is important as well.

Specialization in a certain area would give you an edge over your competition.

For example, an SEO virtual assistant with proven experience in Google Analytics and AdSense will find his/her skills more marketable, while a social media management VA with experience in Facebook or Instagram ads is more in-demand than VAs without it.

36 Companies Hiring For Virtual Assistant Jobs

1. FlexJobs

FlexJobs is one of the best job seeker websites out there that makes it safe to find legitimate virtual assistant jobs.

Every company and employer that posts openings on FlexJobs have been thoroughly vetted and verified, so you can rest assured that you get high-quality jobs without getting scammed.

Start your search for virtual assistant jobs here.

Working as a freelancer can free you up to work for multiple clients at a time.

However, working for a virtual assistant company as a regular employee has its advantages.

For one, you won’t have to advertise your services as a VA; the virtual assistant company will do that for you.

The best thing about being employed by virtual assistant companies is stability. Your pay rate may be lower than that of freelancers, but you’re almost guaranteed to have constant work and clients.

If you wish to go this route and focus on the job, here are 36 companies to check out:

2. Boldly

Boldly prides itself on providing premium virtual assistants.

Their general VAs, called executive assistants, earn $22 to $24 an hour.

This company is legit and has been operating since 2012.

Boldly also provides its VAs with benefits such as paid time off, holidays, and parental leave.

3. 24/7 Virtual Assistant

Ideal for virtual assistants with experience or in-demand special skills, this company hires US-based VAs for $10 to $12 an hour.

4. Fancy Hands

Ideal for beginners who want to dip their fingers into the VA industry.

Fancy Hands pays freelancers per task.

Each task completed earns VAs $3 to $7 per task, which means your take-home pay increases when you perform more tasks.

5. REI Assistant

US-based virtual assistants with excellent communication skills can earn $10 an hour and up to find real estate leads.

Payment is sent weekly.

6. Belay Solutions

Belay Solutions is proud of its award-winning company culture and flexible workplace strategies.

Aside from general VAs, Belay Solutions also hires webmasters and bookkeeping VAs.

It’s possible to earn from $18/hour upwards if you pass the application process.

7. AssistPro

AssistPro is currently hiring virtual assistants to perform general administrative tasks.

They have a proprietary matching algorithm to make sure their clients get matched with the best virtual assistant that fits their business needs as well as personalities.

8. Assistant Match

Assistant Match analyzes the needs of businesses who get their services, screens potential virtual assistants that match the requirements, and introduces them.

They currently need part-time VAs and pays out $12 to $15 an hour depending on specialization.

Graphic design virtual assistants here make $20 to $25 an hour.

9. Uassist.ME

If you’re from El Salvador, you’re in luck.

Uassist.ME provides bilingual English/Spanish virtual assistants to help with personal tasks, secretarial and administrative duties, and other tasks that help individuals and businesses manage their time more effectively.

Their jobs page lists the current positions available.

10. Virtual Gal Friday

They are currently hiring virtual medical receptionists, virtual paralegals, virtual executive assistants, and virtual assistants for life coaches.

They accept workers from anywhere in the world, as long as the VA has solid work experience.

Pay ranges from $5 to $20 per hour.

11. Zirtual

Zirtual prides itself on only accepting college-educated virtual assistants who are based in the US.

As a remote virtual assistant for Zirtual, you are employed as an independent contractor.

You get 47% of your assigned client’s monthly plan, which ranges from $3000 to $3500 per month.

12. Equivity

Equivity only hires US-based virtual assistants who have bachelor’s degrees and can work between 9AM to 6PM PST, Monday to Friday.

They’re currently looking for virtual paralegals, virtual executive assistants, and virtual marketing assistants.

Pay ranges from $17 to $20 per hour depending on specialization.

13. Office 88

Graphic designers, web designers, proofreaders, writers, translators, and general office assistants can find work-from-home positions with Hong Kong-based Office 88.

Salaries vary depending on the position you apply to.

14. 99 Dollar Social

This company hires social media VAs who can handle at least 10 accounts at a time and can commit to at least 4 hours daily.

Payment isn’t on an hourly basis, but a flat rate per account.

The 99 Dollar Social website claims most of their VAs earn around $12 an hour.

15. My BTLR

My BTLR has clients from a wide variety of industries with a wide variety of needs, from small business owners to financial advisors and even professional athletes.

They pride themselves on providing background-checked, USA-based premium assistants.

Pay ranges from $12 to $20 per hour, depending on experience and special tasks given.

16. Perssist

This company provides non-dedicated personal virtual assistants to assist with a particular request.

Tasks may include making phone calls, scheduling, compiling a list of service providers for a particular task, planning trips, and other personal errands.

Perssist hires for virtual assistant jobs worldwide, as long as they’re reliable and their communication skills are above par.

17. Team Delegate

Team Delegate doesn’t only provide executive virtual assistants, they also work with their clients to find out which tasks they can delegate to other workers.

They hire US-based assistants with at least three years of experience as a virtual assistant or an executive assistant.

18. VaVa Virtual Assistants

They provide various services geared toward SMEs who have an online base.

Examples of services include executive assistance, web design, social media management, graphic design, etc.

Pay starts at $15 per hour for virtual executive assistants.

Pay may increase depending on experience and more specialized roles, such as digital marketer and graphic design manager or website developers, who may get up to $25 per hour.

19. Virtual Assist USA

Having been in the business since 2008, Virtual Assist USA prides themselves on their experience, expertise, and the quality of the virtual assistants they provide their client.

They only hire US citizens with at least 10 years of administrative experience.

Pay starts at $15 per hour and increases after 6 months of employment.

20. Priority VA

Priority VA provides highly-skilled, experienced executive virtual assistants to C-level executives.

They’re continuously hiring US-based Priority EAs, but only from select states, so check first if they’re hiring in your state.

21. Beacon Hill Staffing Group

Beacon Hill is a staffing solutions company with clients in various industries, including financial, human resources, legal, life sciences, sales and marketing, technical support, and customer service.

They offer plenty of virtual assistant positions with different specialties in the industries they serve.

22. Paragon Planners

Paragon Planners is another staffing solutions company, but they specialize in the financial wholesaling and financial advisor industries.

Currently, they have openings for remote schedulers, marketing assistants, financial planning assistants, and virtual administrative assistants.

23. Cardinal Financial

Cardinal Financial offers various mortgage products to fit their customers’ needs.

Their virtual assistant positions range from social media specialists to loan and transaction assistants, which require at least one year of related experience.

24. Great Assistant by Profit Factory

Profit Factory helps entrepreneurs delegate their mundane tasks to free up their time and focus on growing their business instead of just managing the day-to-day.

They outsource virtual assistants and build teams to implement their trademark Engine Room business management system.

You need to be a resident of the US or Canada to be eligible to apply as a virtual assistant, administrative assistant, or executive assistant.

Would-be Great Assistants also need to pass their vetting process, and have reliable internet.

25. Byron

Byron provides an on-demand platform and virtual assistants for small teams and individuals to outsource their more tedious tasks.

You can work on projects that you want to do and you don’t have to commit to a certain number of hours a month.

26. Time etc

Time etc regularly hires general virtual assistants, executive assistants, social media assistants, writing assistants, and other related positions to support US- and UK-based individuals and small businesses.

This company is best for those looking for flexible, part-time work.

The starting rate is $13 per hour, which can be negotiated later.

27. Vasumo

Vasumo provides virtual assistants that are trained in various skill sets needed to power a modern online-based business.

To be eligible for virtual assistant jobs, you need to be based in the US or Canada.

You must also have at least 3 years of experience as a virtual assistant, and be willing to undergo 3 months of paid training.

28. Wishup

Wishup prides itself on vetting its virtual assistants carefully and only accepting the top 2 to 3% of their applicants and training them for one month on more than 50 business and executive tasks.

They’re on the lookout for smart, friendly, tech-savvy virtual assistants that have bachelor’s degrees and a certain level of experience.

29. Smith.ai

If you have experience in answering texts and calls, or in scheduling appointments, a Virtual Receptionist position at Smith.ai may be the right fit for you.

They offer part-time and full-time positions, and you can earn a minimum of $15 an hour for US-based agents and $11 an hour for agents based outside the US.

Pay goes up depending on your performance.

30. Delegated

Formerly known as Red Butler, Delegated employs US-based, college-educated virtual assistants to assist individuals and businesses with various tasks.

To apply, submit your information on the page above and you’ll be contacted by someone from Delegated for an interview.

31. Prialto

Prialto offers a variety of virtual assistant services for individuals, teams, and organizations, and for bigger companies.

Once hired, you get paid training, paid holiday and vacation time, and medical insurance.

32. Vicky Virtual Receptionists

As you can probably guess by their name, Vicky Virtual Receptionists provide virtual receptionists to assist small businesses that may not have the budget to hire an in-house receptionist.

The salary isn’t too high ($10 an hour) but the duties are basic.

If you’re just beginning your virtual assistant career, this can be a good starting point.

To start your application, send your résumé to applicants[at]vickyvirtual[dot]com.

33. NS Virtual Services

This Canada-based company offers virtual assistant services ranging from administration to social media and web development.

The hourly rate can range from $20 to $25.

To apply, fill out the form on the page with your information to be considered.

If you’re shortlisted, you’ll be contacted for a video interview.

If you don’t qualify for the shortlist, you’ll be kept in the database for future openings.

34. Okay Relax

Okay Relax is in the business of helping entrepreneurs and small business owners “relax” by pairing them up with the perfect virtual assistant.

If you are an experienced, creative, and friendly person who is passionate about creating a great user experience, you’d be a great fit with Okay Relax.

35. We Recruit Well

We Recruit Well is a women-owned business matching clients with virtual assistants who have the skills they need.

Currently, they are in need of digital marketing assistants and executive assistants.

36. Lawfecta

If you’re in the legal field and want to transition to a work-from-home career, there are companies like Lawfecta that can help you.

They’re currently looking for Virtual Paralegals and Virtual Legal Secretaries to work with licensed attorneys and small law firms to free up their time and focus on growing their practice.

How Much Do Virtual Assistants Make?

Virtual assistant salaries vary widely, but most virtual assistants earn anywhere from $15 to $50 an hour, with an average of $19 an hour.

Those with advanced skills (mobile app developers, graphic designers, video creators, web developers, etc.) take home higher salaries.

Virtual Assistant Salary

Source: Indeed.com

Many virtual assistant jobs also include benefits, paid time off, annual bonuses, and so on.

If the virtual assistant decides to join a VA company, his/her earnings are usually lower than those who prefer to do it on their own. However, freelancer VAs do have to find their own clients and market their virtual assistance service everywhere.

In the past, virtual bosses were able to hire full-time home-based assistants at only $250/month.

Many home-based workers were happy with this salary simply because there are no other jobs that require only several computer skills and offer a stable income.

Also around this time, many entrepreneurs capitalized on the demand for virtual assistants and launched VA companies, which then took a percentage of the monthly earnings of VAs in exchange for finding clients. Eventually, the starting salary of virtual assistants increased.

Virtual Assistant Jobs Outlook

The virtual assistance industry continues to be a lucrative (and still developing) industry. The job outlook of a virtual assistant remains positive. If you’re interested in entering this field, you have three options:

1) As a freelancer – You will be selling your own VA services to clients. Obviously, the main advantage of this route is that you get to keep 100% of your earnings. You have to be highly organized if you’re planning to juggle two or more clients at a time.

2) As an employee – You will be applying as a virtual assistant for a company offering VA services. Your income will be much less, but you don’t need marketing experience or a continuous need to pitch yourself to clients. If you’re lucky, the company you work for could also offer benefits (medical and dental benefits, as well as paid leave).

3) As a business owner – You will be launching your own virtual assistance company from scratch. You’d have to have some capital, business knowledge, a huge network of contacts, and marketing skills. Revenues won’t get back so quickly, but if you do it right, becoming the boss of a VA company has the potential of a smart business plan.

Whichever route you hope to explore in this industry, know that virtual assistant jobs are here to stay.

More Resources for Future Virtual Assistants

One of the best job boards to find a VA position comes from Hubstaff Talent, mainly because the company doesn’t charge freelancers a lot of fees and both clients and freelancers use the platform to complete projects.

WeAreVirtualAssistants is the sister site of Worldwide101 and a useful resource site if you’re serious about a career as a VA. Other virtual assistant job boards you can visit are Remotive, Working Nomads, Virtual Office Temps, and VA Networking, among others.

If you’re interested in this career and want to learn more, you can start with our quick guide to becoming a Jack-of-all-trades virtual assistant. If you have some cash to spare to learn new skills, you can check courses on Udemy and Skillshare.