Making money from home has become increasingly easy thanks to the growing sensation of the Gig Economy. Not only has remote work, and work-from-home jobs given people more flexibility in their schedules, it’s also opened the floodgates of new work opportunities we couldn’t previously imagine.
As many employees find freelance work more opportunistic, and lucrative, many are now stifled by the number of choices they have when it comes to small, or micro-jobs they can easily complete from home.
Throw in a digital age, where you can now access nearly anything and everything from just your smartphone, tech-savvy generations, and an online world filled with jobs nearly anyone can do and you get an economy offering more online opportunities than ever before.
While not many people consider micro-jobs or “gigs” as some may say, as a very lucrative job choice, it’s for sure something that can generate you a few extra dollars a month. In countries such as the United States, an extra $500 per month doesn’t sound like much, but for individuals in developing nations, this can almost subsidize a whole month’s paycheck.
Micro jobs are almost everywhere these days, and with the right skill set, tools, and just a bit of creativity you’ll be able to select from a plethora of exciting gig opportunities.
What are micro jobs?
Micro jobs are small, temporary tasks that can be completed either online or in person. Depending on the job itself, individuals will be required to complete various tasks and jobs for a small fee.
Micro jobs are easy, and thanks to the internet there are a number of growth opportunities in various industries for micro-jobs. These jobs can vary from writing, data entry, transcriptions, proofreading, virtual assistant, online shopper, web designer, nanny, dog sitter, product tester, and many more.
The great thing about micro jobs is that it gives you more flexibility, meaning anyone can complete a micro gig after work, or when you have some spare time on their hands. Additionally, these jobs don’t necessarily require you to have the needed skills or learn any new ones.
How much do you get paid?
It all depends on your ability to complete the task, and how much an employer is willing to pay for a specific task. Pay can range, starting at as low as $0.1/hour to more than $40+/hour.
Yes, it’s not the most attractive money you’ll make, and a lot of people would rather spend their time otherwise, but if you’re competent enough, you’ll be able to increase your earnings by completing more tasks effectively.
Luckily there’s no limit to how much work you can do, as you’re working as an independent contractor, who isn’t directly tied to the company. This however does mean you won’t usually receive any benefits that more full-time employees do, and there isn’t a lot of room to grow or earn more money.
Ultimately, micro jobs give you the bitter and the sweet at once. But if you’re a person who enjoys a challenge, can heckle your way around a good price, and have the capabilities, then perhaps micro gigs are something you’ll enjoy.
Where can I look for micro jobs online?
While many will feel at first that micro-jobs are a scam, and be aware there are those out there, a lot of platforms have been developed to cater to freelancers and contract workers looking to earn a bit of extra money.
Depending on the type of platform or website you use, you may need to pay a subscription fee, which will help you land more gigs and expose you to more potential clients, or there are those instances where it’s completely free to use.
GigBucks
If you’re looking for something easy to start with, and a platform that isn’t cluttered with a lot of unnecessary information, GigBucks is your best option. They have a lot of interesting micro jobs, with some gigs earning you between $5 to $50 per gig.
Whatever your niche, GigBucks has jobs for writers, digital marketing specialists, SEO experts, translators, singers, musicians, and video artists to name a few.
Amazon Mechanical Turk
Created to attract not only contract workers from the United States, Amazon Mechanical Turk is used around the world. Workload depends on your capacity, as MTURK always has job availability. You can earn between $4 and $8 per hour, and you don’t require a lot of skills to apply for jobs.
Unfortunately, because it’s a global platform, competition is a challenge for many at the start. However, there are jobs in image and video processing, research, surveys, data processing, and a lot of other exciting tasks.
Ingram
If you’ve previously worked in tech or IT, Ingram is the best place to find a micro gig. The platform operates globally, so be sure to sharpen up your skills if you want to land high-paying gigs.
The great thing is, even after you’ve completed a gig, you can then set your profile to send you alerts of new jobs that are available, and the registration process is extremely easy.
Zeerk
Not a lot of people make use of Zeerk, but over time, some contractors and freelancers have managed to earn as much as $100 per micro task on Zeerk. It’s now become a more popular site for freelancers and contract workers who’re looking to quickly make a few extra dollars.
Unfortunately, while you may be earning a bit more with Zeerk, around 10% of your fee will go towards Zeerk as a commission fee. This is one of the main reasons why so many people choose to make use of other sites, but Zeerk does have ample great micro jobs, and recruiters can post any job for free, so there’s a lot of work available.
6 Ways to make money with micro jobs
Now that we know what these micro gigs and jobs are, and where to find them, let’s have a look at the six best micro jobs to make easy money.
Game Tester
This is a micro job that has been the dream job for many of us, and now it’s a possibility. Depending on the type of gig you land, and how much you’re charging, a game tester can make as much as $25 per gig. That’s free money for playing a game.
Developers can allow you to play a full hour of each game, or perhaps just a couple of minutes. You will then need to pick up on any glitches or faults in the game and report back to the developers.
However, you may need to have the right gear and equipment, a stable wifi connection, and have a little bit of background knowledge when it comes to video games.
Content Checker
With so much online content, someone needs to check all of it, and for businesses and companies who are looking to boost their rankings, they’ll pay you to do it.
A content checker can be one of two things; 1. It’s someone who reviews already published content for any mistakes or spelling errors, or 2. A person searches the internet to see which website or platform already has similar content to what the client wants to publish.
Depending on how fast you can find any mistakes or search the internet, you can get paid anything between $10 and $20 per gig. It’s not a lot of money, but if you work efficiently, you can quickly earn up to $50 for a few hours of browsing the internet.
Virtual Administrative Tasks
No one enjoys doing admin, but if it means you’ll get paid a couple of bucks to do it, then why not. As a virtual administrative agent, you’ll be dealing with filing and sorting admin-related projects, paperwork, and customer correspondence.
It’s a simple job, but it takes a bit of time to complete. You do however have the possibility of taking it offline and working as a contractor for a local business or company which might just pay you a little bit more.
This is a great job for someone who’s also looking to do something remotely, and from home, and has minimal resources when it comes to a computer or their wifi connectivity.
Audio and Video Transcription
Transcriptions have been around for quite some time now, but this micro gig has yet lost its influence in the world. With the growing global population now communicating mostly in English, transcribers with a good sense of language acquisition, and a keen listening ear can make quite the cash.
It will at first take a bit of time to get the hang of things, but as you improve, so will your earnings. This is probably one of the best paying micro jobs, as you can choose your rate, starting at anything from $2 to $6 per hour, $10 per piece, or even $0,50 per word. It mostly depends on the recruiter, and how well you’re able to complete the tasks.
Also, you might need a good set of headphones, and a computer that can play high or low-resolution audios. Transcribers are a skilled gig, so see if you can learn some tricks of the trade before you start.
Completing Surveys
Even if you don’t think there’s something you can do, think again. Companies are recruiting thousands of gig workers each day to complete surveys for them. It’s a fun job, because the topic of interest will never really be the same, and there’s always work in this field.
Companies mainly use the collected information to compile data, which in return helps them better understand their target audience and how they can improve their business models. Another great thing is that some platforms pay as much as $30 per survey. The faster you work, and the more surveys you complete, the quicker your earnings increase.
There is however the chance that you may not be paid in physical cash at all, as some companies are more eager to pay in reward points, which might not be exactly what you’re after.
Data Entry
If you want something a bit simpler, without having to learn beforehand or require a lot of skills, then remote data entry might just be your fit. It’s a basic system that requires contract workers to enter specific data into a specific order or sheet.
Ultimately, it can seem a bit mundane, and after a few hours behind a computer screen, you’ll start to question whether or not it’s worth the money. Compensation ranges between $2 to $5 per hour, and you can easily negotiate a price that pays you per sheet completed.
A few bonus tips:- Be diligent, and make sure you know what you’re doing.
- Grow your network as you’re looking for new gigs.
- If it’s possible, see if you can negotiate the assigned pay rate.
- Always research a company website or social media before accepting a job.
- Don’t take on more work than you can handle.
- Be open to new opportunities, and learn as you go.
- Look for the cheapest gig platforms.
- Use payment platforms that can offer you the best rates, and exchanges if you’re working from abroad.
- Build your contact list by collecting customer details.
Final Thoughts
Gig work might not be the most attractive job out there, but it’s an easy way for anyone to make a few extra dollars. Whether you have the skills to complete a certain task or not, there are ample work opportunities available, and it gives you the chance to learn from a different industry, and expand your network of contacts.
The better you become at it, and the more efficient you work, the easier it’ll be for you to grow your earnings and land more lucrative gigs. Just be sure that you’re aware of the terms and conditions that you’re being recruited for, and make sure you know what your recruiter is expecting from you.
Over time, you’ll get in the swing of things, and become more comfortable with having an extra side hustle that earns you some cash. Be sure to diversify your interests, and create a couple of profiles on more than one or two platforms. Gig work is easy work, but it also pays, and that’s basically what we all want - getting paid for doing the bare minimum right?
