Last updated on April 12th, 2024 at 11:11 am
In any case, if you are planning on taking things seriously this year, whether that’s quitting your 95 jobs, changing your current career path, or finally starting it alone and reaping the benefits of being a freelancer and working for yourself, there’s no better time than now.
I’m about to dive into the most important skills you should improve if you want to improve your finances this year. It is important to understand the current state of the freelancing landscape before we discuss the specific skills that will set you apart from millions of other freelancers.
In recent years, freelancing has evolved beyond just a side hustle that you do on weekends and evenings to make an extra few hundred bucks.
In addition to flexibility, autonomy, and the possibility of maximizing your earnings, it’s a legitimate career choice. In 3 to 6 months, you can change your entire life for the better.
1. Freelance Video Editing
The huge amount of video content uploaded online every day makes video editing and animation skills more in demand than ever before. You must have already figured that out. Every 24 hours, an estimated 3.7 million videos are uploaded to YouTube.
That’s nothing compared to the estimated 10 million TikTok videos uploaded daily. A skilled editor can easily transform simple video content into Blockbuster. The best video editor software programs to learn are Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects.
In addition, you might want to try Apple’s Final Cut Pro or DaVinci Resolve if you want a more user-friendly editing experience. You can produce well-edited content using Capcut, which is ideal for TikTok enthusiasts and those who wish to edit from their mobile phones.
Editing videos indeed takes some learning, but it’s a life skill you can always rely on. In light of the growing demand for visually engaging content, freelancers are finding plenty of high-paying work opportunities. Some freelancers charge as much as $650 for one minute of video editing on websites like Fiverr.
2. Freelance Digital Marketing
Now imagine if you could be a wizard at advertising your business online. So, here’s how you can become one. I know digital marketing sounds scary at first, but once you break it down, it’s very straightforward.
To become one, learn the basics of SEO, otherwise known as search engine optimization. This was formerly used to help your website appear in Google search results. Almost every platform now offers SEO that can be optimized for competitive advantage.
Two, learn how to use social media marketing. You’ll always have an edge over others if you know how to advertise and connect on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Learning how to run Facebook ads well will always make you stand out.
Three, create content. Your clients’ proposals will easily get a couple of extra zeros if you offer video content that audiences will share and engage with.
You can start making money now while you’re still learning by taking care of the business’s Facebook pages, Instagram accounts, or any other social accounts you feel comfortable managing.
Trust me, you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to get clients by managing their social media accounts.
3. Freelance Podcast Production
It is no secret that podcasts are booming at the moment. There are over 5 million podcast titles on Spotify alone, and many content creators need assistance with podcast production.
This includes editing audio, writing engaging intros and outros, and managing podcast distribution. Now that you know how to edit podcasts, you can offer your services to podcasters who want to improve their shows. This is done by learning about podcast hosting platforms.
They help creators create awesome educational, clear, and smooth content. There is still a lot of competition in this field. To gain clients, you can use freelancing platforms. However, you can also find out about up-and-coming podcasts and contact them directly if you do your research.
4. Freelance programming
Skills in the IT industry have become more valuable in today’s climate. Online statistics indicate that the average programmer now earns about 91k per year, with inexperienced programmers making around 62k.
Freelancers can earn from $50 to $150 an hour, accumulating between 12 and 26k per month. If you’re a beginner, I suggest you start with Python. Online platforms such as Codeacademy, FreecodeCamp, and Udacity offer some of the quickest ways to learn.
Once proficient, you can take on freelance jobs on platforms such as Upwork, or Freelancer.com, earning substantial amounts.
Your market value can also be enhanced by specializing in trending areas such as blockchain development or artificial intelligence. To stay relevant, you must stay up-to-date on the latest software trends.
5. Freelance Content Writing
Many believe that content writing require a strong command of a language and the ability to tell stories. However, copywriting is one of the easiest Gigs to start with.
In this field, you can offer blog posts, articles, technical documentation, or scriptwriting services for YouTube videos and TikTok videos as a freelancer. As your portfolio grows, you can find higher-paying clients, including businesses and publications.
While I understand how tempting it is to use artificial intelligence to do most of your work, it is often noticeable a lot of the time. If you decide to cheat, I would always advise using no more than 40% artificial intelligence written content and putting your own signature style on the remaining 60%.
To get started, you have to learn to write well in a variety of tones. Secondly, you need to create a portfolio of your writing styles. If you have no previous work because you’re new, create some show pieces.
For example, potential pieces of work clients might commission you to do. When people find out you’re good, there’s no doubt they will keep coming back. Freelancers on Fiverr charge on average $100 per 500 words.
6. Freelance Project Management
It’s about being the captain of a project, so project management is becoming more and more popular among companies.
Luckily, a lot of the time project managers won’t have any idea how to complete the project themselves, so it’s not about knowing how to do it yourself. It’s about managing the team building the project and making sure it is completed on time.
The skills required for this type of work can be learned through certification programs, such as PMP or Agile courses.
There is even a friend of mine who works full-time on Upwork offering this kind of service. She does not know much about IT, but she knows how to source and find qualified talent. On Upwork, he usually earns between $15,000 and $15,000.
As a freelancer, you can turn this into a successful venture by demonstrating your ability to keep projects on track and deliver results. These are the only things your clients care about.
It’s now possible to offer agile consulting to help teams work more efficiently and effectively. You can also offer virtual project management so you’ll never have to return to a corporate office.
Conclusion – Highest Paying Freelance Skills
These six skills are some of the most important you can develop in this year. Because being proficient in at least one of them will change everything for you. You must be serious about changing things up if you’ve made it this far.