How to Make Money Online as an Expat

January 11, 2018

Did you know that all you need to make money these days is a fast and stable internet connection, a banking account, and your trusty computer? Gone are the days when living abroad in a foreign country meant that there was a high chance you wouldn’t find work – for weeks or even months (especially if you don’t know the local language or dialect). These days, people can work abroad as expatriates from any part of the world. And the reason for this opportunity is that expats can now make a living out of online work. Thinking about traveling abroad and making money to support your journey along the way? Here’s how you can do it.

Online Research

The internet is a den of information for anyone who is looking for work and is not afraid to try out different options. If you’re new to the world of online work, the best action to take is to familiarize yourself with the main players. Find out which sites offer online work and what kind of work they offer. Explore the paying rates for each of these sites. Then make your decision for which site you want to go ahead and work for. Alternatively, you can look up services on the internet and entertain the possibility of starting your own site.

Career Options

The online workspace is as diverse as any other workplace. Therefore, it is important that you find a niche before settling on a job. If you are a specialist in a field, you can choose to be a teacher or tutor in that field. You could also choose to write about it. For instance, a gifted writer with a knack for betting and odds could work as a reviewer for online casino sites, such as Casino Whizz. Whereas a lawyer or medical practitioner could choose to tutor or coach students in these respective fields.

Freelance Website Copy Writing

Other career options for an expat looking for online employment include web design, content creation (website copywriting), and transcription. There is a huge demand for this. And there is one site that we recommend for learning how to do a lot of this. They sell website copying courses and even course on how to build sales websites.

Getting Clients

How you get clients in online work depends on which approach you choose to launch into the industry. A person who wants to be self-employed would most likely build a website and a portfolio, then try cold calling or emailing to get clients. What this means is that such individuals would probably email or call up different organizations asking if they needed any assistance. While this approach is old-school and slow in getting clients, it usually leads to securing high-paying, long-term clients.

If you don’t mind working for someone else, the other option would be to sign up on freelancer sites that list whatever work you’re hoping to get and bid for jobs.

Retaining Clientele and Earning Money

Whether employed or self-employed, you will need to keep clients for the long term to make your monthly minimums. How do you do that? First, avail yourself. Keep in contact with clients, whether via calls, emails, or instant messaging applications. Next, ensure you produce high-quality work each time you receive a task. It doesn’t matter if you are not familiar with a topic, or if the client is demanding – make the customer happy. Thirdly, and finally, have a PayPal account to make it convenient for both you and the client to complete transactions. There’s no point in working if you don’t get paid at the end of the day.

Bonus tip: do your due diligence before taking on a client; scams are rampant in the online employment niche.

Try these steps out and let me know what you think. Good luck out there, it’s a big and exciting world!