September 18, 2023
Looking to join the freelance market and become an independent contractor?
Today, we’ve created a helpful guide to help you focus your intentions, so you can craft a plan in line with your values, strengths, and goals.
Ready to get started?
Let’s take a look at some important tips for freelancers along with nine of some of the best freelance jobs available in 2023.
Important tips for freelancers and checklist
Before jumping into a new venture, it’s important to consider your career values and the type of freelance work you’d enjoy most. Once you know what line of work you’d like to pursue, make it official by legalizing your business and creating a website to market your services.
Here’s a checklist you can use to organize the process:
Starting a Freelance Business Checklist
- Identify your business goals, work-life balance goals, transferrable skills, and personal preferences
- Test a few freelance job options in line with your skill set, goals, and preferences (see the list below)
- Finalize your pick
- Meet with a business consultant to create a business plan
- Legalize your business and meet with an accountant to discuss tax payments and financials
- Grab a branding kit on Etsy or Canva — or hire a graphic designer to create your logo and brand identity
- Create a freelance website to promote your services
- Choose productivity software and invoicing software and use them to create systems and workflows for all of your freelancing responsibilities
- Officially launch your new business
- Start pitching and applying for gigs via freelancing marketplaces, freelance job boards, freelance platforms, and job search sites like LinkedIn and Indeed
Discover 15 simple ways to start making money online, offering a step-by-step guide to help you explore new opportunities and launch your digital income journey with ease.
And without further ado, let’s take a look at some high-paying freelance jobs that are in demand in 2023!
1. Tech Support
Tech support has emerged as one of the most high-demand freelance jobs, with businesses relying heavily on remote assistance to address technical issues as efficiently as possible.
As technology continues to advance, the role of tech support freelancers has become increasingly vital in maintaining seamless operations for clients across various industries.
To deliver top-notch service, utilizing the right tools, such as remote support applications like Teamviewer or any affordable Citrix alternatives, is crucial. These tools enable freelancers to access and troubleshoot systems remotely, saving time and resources.
How much to charge as a tech support freelancer:
Entry-level tech support freelancers charge an average of $20 per hour.
Best for:
People that love technology, helping others, and have technical skill sets.
2. Content Writers
Content writers are content marketers that focus on writing assets for B2C or B2B brands, agencies, or other writers.
Content writing gigs usually focus on blog posts, but other content writing opportunities may ask freelancers for white papers, case studies, newsletter content, or create ebook, among other options.
To become a content writer, you’ll need to create an online portfolio showcasing pieces in the niche and market you’d like to write for. For instance, that could be B2B SaaS or B2C ecommerce.
You’ll also need access to online writing tools, such as Google Docs, an AI editor like Writer, and productivity software to keep your content orders organized. You may also require experience in using content marketing tools.
How much to charge as a freelance content writer:
Entry-level freelance content writers can charge 15–20 cents per word.
Best for:
People that love content marketing, writing, and project-based work.
3. Content Creators
Content creators help B2C and B2B brands create video content and other visual assets for marketing and branding purposes.
They’re typically nano, micro, or mega-influencers that serve the same audience their clients want to reach. This makes them great resources for user-generated campaigns, hashtag contests, and product promos.
Others simply create content and send it over to their clients for use in social media, email, ads, and other marketing campaigns.
To become a content creator, you’ll need to showcase your best video and photo work in an online portfolio, a website, or on your business’s social media profiles. If you have a large following, you can also create a profile on an influencer marketplace platform, like Upfluence.
How much to charge as a freelance content creator:
Video content creators charge an average of $56 per hour. These fees can change drastically depending on how large and engaged your social media following is, and the services you offer.
Best for:
People that love making and editing creative videos and photo content. This may include Instagram Reels, Story videos, TikTok videos, YouTube videos, and influencer lifestyle photos.
4. Social Media Managers
Social media management has emerged as one of the highest in-demand skills for freelancers.
This role involves crafting engaging content, analyzing performance metrics, and fostering meaningful interactions with audiences. To excel in this competitive field, freelancers rely heavily on tools to streamline their workflows and maximize efficiency.
For instance, social media management tools, such as Later, Mention, and Planable, empower social media managers to effectively meet their clients’ needs. These platforms offer features that allow freelancers to easily plan and schedule posts on Instagram and other social media accounts.
With automation and advanced scheduling capabilities, freelancers can curate content calendars, optimize posting times, and ensure consistent brand messaging.
To become a social media manager, you’ll need to showcase your best work on your social media profiles, as well as in an online portfolio. You might also consider getting certified through an online academy to increase your value.
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How much to charge as a freelance social media manager:
Freelance social media managers charge an average of $31 per hour, but these rates can vary based on skill set, industry, and content types.
Best for:
People that love marketing and have a knack for building a strong online presence on social media.
5. Virtual Assistants
Virtual assistants help business owners, marketers, and other professionals manage daily tasks.
While virtual assistants often work on digital marketing or content marketing tasks, their exact agenda depends on who they work for.
Virtual assistants can also niche down to provide more specialty services. For instance, you can become a medical virtual assistant, a data entry virtual assistant, or a real estate virtual assistant.
To start your venture as a virtual assistant, you’ll need to collect positive testimonials and create a tailored resume that focuses on your administrative and specialty skills. If you want to serve a specific niche, make sure to tailor your resume to that sector.
How much to charge as a freelance virtual assistant:
General virtual assistants can charge $15–$28 per hour, depending on the type of service they’re needed for. Specialty virtual assistants can charge upwards of $100 per hour.
Best for:
People that love helping others and have a myriad of soft and hard skills, such as communication skills, technical skills, and organizational skills.
6. Certified Public Accountants (CPAs)
CPAs help business owners manage their bookkeeping, financials, and tax payments, but more accountants are becoming high in demand for specialty niches, like crypto taxes.
Most businesses don’t have the resources to keep finance and legal professionals on staff – which is important to understand when building a successful CPA career. To get the most out of your business, you’ll want to carry as many clients as you can handle. You can hire an assistant or two and invest in premium tools when you’re ready to scale.
Since these taxes are more complex, business owners and individuals with crypto investments need professional assistance in order to comply with regulations. And as a crypto tax CPA, you can also charge a pretty penny for managing and planning crypto taxes.
To become a freelance accountant, you’ll need to get certified and have proper tax planning and bookkeeping experience under your belt. While this option isn’t as quick as the other options on this list, CPAs can make healthy salaries, especially if they specialize.
As a CPA, you’ll need access to pristine bookkeeping software and productivity tools to make sure your clients’ financials stay in order.
How much to charge as a freelance CPA:
Entry-level freelance CPAs charge an average of $33 per hour. CPAs with experience that serve a niche market can charge hundreds of dollars per hour, depending on the work involved.
Best for:
People with a CPA certification (or that are willing to get one) that enjoy helping people manage their taxes and finances.
7. Web Developers
As increasingly more businesses become hybrid and fully remote, back-end developers, front-end developers, and mobile app developers have become high in demand.
Web developers focus on helping businesses, non-profits, and churches create websites, landing pages, and apps for their organizations.
To become a web developer, you’ll need to get certified, obtain a degree, or have access to a lot of hands-on experience before you can start offering your services.
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8. Teaching English Foreign Language (TEFL) Teachers)
Online teaching jobs in the TEFL sector have become popular as increasingly more people outside of the US focus on acquiring English language skills.
Online TEFL teachers typically work for digital academies, establish their own book of clients, or host classes on freelance teaching platforms.
Some TEFL teachers host YouTube channels, create content for Teachers Pay Teachers (a marketplace for curriculum, created by teachers), or work both online and in-person at language academies. Other TEFL teachers host in-person classes with their clients at local cafes or libraries.
To become a TEFL teacher, you’ll need to decide if you want to work online, in-person, or both.
You’ll also need to decide if you want to live in the US or move abroad to facilitate your services. If you decide to work for a language academy, you may need an English degree, and/or a TEFL certificate depending on the country you’re in.
How much to charge as a TEFL teacher:
Entry-level TEFL teachers charge $10–$40 per hour depending on their level of qualification.
Best for:
People that love educating others and are skilled in grammar and English Foreign Language teaching.
9. Coaches and Consultants
Coaches and consultants are experts in a specific niche that help their clients achieve life-changing or business-changing goals.
Coaches and consultants may specialize in weight loss, personal training, business, career, life, relationships, or anything else you can think of.
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Business consultants, for instance, help organizations uncover weak spots and bottlenecks to save resources and extend their bottom lines. They may also advise on sales and marketing campaigns, help businesses restructure their operations, or work with upper-level management to solidify new norms.
This kind of specialized guidance and expertise is not limited to overall business strategy; it extends to specific domains like technology implementation, where the insights of niche consultants can make a great difference.
For example, consider a scenario where a company aspires to integrate an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system from industry giants like SAP, yet lacks the requisite familiarity with the product.
In such cases, the company can engage the services of SAP consulting experts who adeptly guide them through the intricate process of setting up the ERP, ensuring a seamless and effective implementation.
Relationship coaches, on the other hand, work with couples and individuals to identify what’s standing in the way of having a healthy relationship, how to heal from past traumas, and how to communicate effectively.
To become a coach or consultant, you’ll need to have a passion for (and experience in) a specific niche. To build trust with prospects, you should also consider getting a coaching or consulting certification — or at the very least, acquiring some solid testimonials.
You’ll also need a strong resume that shows off your specialty skills and the processes you use to help people and organizations succeed.
If you need to send a consultancy invoice to your client, utilize the template crafted specifically for that purpose.
How much to charge as a coach or consultant:
Coaches and consultants charge rates ranging between a few tens to a few hundred dollars, depending on their field, expertise, and experience. Check out this guide for more info.
Best for:
People that love helping individuals or businesses achieve specific goals.
Wrap up
Starting a freelance business can be a rewarding opportunity for anyone who wants to set their own hours, take advantage of the gig economy, and have access to unlimited income potential.
The key? Choosing a role that matches your values, goals, and transferable skills — and showing up consistently until you’re successful.
By aligning your core priorities with market opportunities and delivering high value to your clients, you can create a rewarding freelance business in no time.
