Although freelancing is a process where you have the opportunity to work from home, there are times when some of the projects or tasks will require you to work physically with your client from their own location.
The only thing that will help you to remain a freelancer, in this case, is the payment which will be done on a contract basis and not monthly as with a staff or office worker.
For this reason, freelancers who want to remain specific about their jobs as work-from-home deem it fair to coin a better definition that will fit them the most, hence the term “Remote Freelance”.
But before we look at the meaning of remote freelance, let us answer one question often asked by those who are seeking to get started with this profession.
Can I work remotely as a Freelancer?
You can work remotely as a Freelancer if you have the expertise and possess the needed skills as well as use the right marketing strategies that will enable you to attract potential clients.
Remote freelance does not require many tools or equipment as you can deliver lots of projects and tasks with just a computer system or a mobile phone that has an internet connection.
What is remote freelance?
Remote freelance is the process where you are contracted to work for a client without having to meet them in person. It involves negotiating the contract on the phone and chat and making the payment via online transfers.
For example, I built an e-commerce website for a particular client I have been working with for more than 3 years now without getting to meet her in person.
She chats with me on WhatsApp sometimes and if I am not quick to respond when will call me on the phone. and makes her payments via bank transfers.
It is also worth noting that some remote freelancers work specifically for brands that allow them to operate remotely but use communication tools to interact with the rest of the team that is working for the same brand.
This article will tend to place more focus on the latter remote freelance than the former since we can see the former as a form of freelancing.
Remote freelancing can be seen as a branch of freelancing and I have a better understanding of both, I am going to use the table below to break down the differences between both.
Difference between remote freelance and freelancing.
| Remote Freelance | Freelancing |
|---|---|
| Freedom: Freedom is oftentimes limited as some client or company you are working under might want you to deliver their work exactly on their own terms. And if the payment is good, you are likely not going to turn their request down. | There is a greater amount of freedom in freelancing because the client is expected to remain under your own terms and conditions while the task is ongoing. |
| Independence: Often times remote freelance clients or companies might want you to work under their own supervision. And as usual, you won’t be able to reject the offer if the pay is very attractive. | You will enjoy all amount of Independence because you and the client are both far off. |
| Flexibility: Sometimes certain decisions concerning a project or task are going to be made by the company you are working for. | In freelancing, it is a freelancer who decides where, when, and how to execute a project or task. |
| Work location: When it comes to remote freelancing, the location is always the freelancer’s home | Some clients may prefer you to work from their own preferred location and if the pay is good there is no way you will be able to turn down this offer. |
| Employment status: There is some remote freelance work that will appear as employment. For example, I am managing websites for schools and individuals that are paying me on a monthly basis. Though I am not required to go to their office as a staff but work from home and give reports from time to time, the salary and report make these kinds of remote freelance work appear as office employment. There is one of the schools that I always turn up to every Monday to get materials and instructions. | Freelancing is strictly based on self-employment. |
| Project or task duration: There are remote freelance projects or tasks that will take you so many days to accomplish. Sometimes those projects or tasks are managerial which means you must always access them from time to time. | The duration of freelancing work is often shorter because the Freelancer will be the one to choose how many days he is going to use in delivering the project or tasks. Even with managerial projects or tasks, the client might drop you without notice and employ the services of another Freelancer. In fact, I have observed from experience that most clients do not keep Freelancers for s long period of time. |
| Taxation: Remote freelance taxes may sometimes be paid by a company or client you are undertaking a project or task you. | As a Freelancer, you are going to bear all the responsibilities that come with taxation. |
| Payments: Payments are sometimes delayed or even uncompleted due to the hardheadedness of some clients and the ineffectiveness of the payment method being utilized. | There is no difficulty in payment because you are going to be physically connected with most of your clients. |
| Benefits: Benefits like awards, insurance, health care, etc, might be provided by some of the clients or companies you are working for. | You are in no way eligible for benefits because you are self-employed. |
| Teamwork: Often times remote freelance involves working with a team using communication technologies. | Teamwork is not a necessity for freelancing. |
Best remote freelance jobs in demand now.
Below are the best remote freelance jobs that are currently in demand now.
- Freelance writing.
- Graphics design.
- Online tutoring.
- Virtual assistant.
- Transcription.
- Marketing and PR.
- Editing and proofreading.
- Data entry.
- Virtual call center.
- Social media management.
- Bookkeeping.
1. Freelance writing.
There are different types of freelance writing jobs that are out there and you can work remotely. Some of them are:
- Copywriting.
- Content marketing.
- Social media.
- Website content writing.
- Screenwriting.
- Travel writing etc.
2. Graphics design.
You can work as a remote freelance graphics designer by creating graphics ranging from illustrations to logos, photos, layouts, infographics, etc.
You can also be hired by a brand to shape the virtual aspects of their websites, magazines, books, product packaging, exhibitions, etc.
3. Online tutoring.
During vacations, holidays, and even examination periods, lots of students would be looking for extra education and support that will enable them to progress academically.
You can therefore utilize this opportunity to provide private one-on-one tutoring to these students in any subjects you know very well.
4. Virtual assistance.
You can work remotely as a virtual assistant by providing administrative support for a team working to enhance the online presence of a company or brand.
These administrative tasks may include answering emails, scheduling meetings, making travel arrangements, etc.
You will require communication skills to fulfill these responsibilities.
5. Transcription.
Transcription is simply the art of listening to recorded audio or video and typing what you are hearing word-for-word.
The good thing about this type of remote freelance job is that it requires no experience.
6. Marketing and PR.
As a remote freelance and marketing PR officer, you are going to be responsible for managing the image and reputation of a brand or business.
Your responsibility will include using various communication channels like a website, social media, etc, to influence the opinions and behaviors is a company’s potential customers or clients.
7. Copy-editing and proofreading.
The responsibility of a copy editor and proofreader is to ensure all the materials that are going to be published are well-written, grammatically correct, and accessible.
8. Data entry clerk.
As a data entry clerk, you will be responsible for transferring data that are already in paper format into computer files or database systems.
You will be required to type in the client’s information, create a spreadsheet, and verify them against source documents at different stages during the process.
9. Virtual call center agent.
You can work remotely as a virtual call center agent providing customer support for a brand or business through various forums like emails, phone calls, sms, online chats, etc.
10. Social media management.
The responsibility of a remote Social Media Manager is to focus on increasing brand awareness by effectively utilizing different social media platforms. Below are the tasks you are expected to accomplish as a social media manager:
- Utilizing social media marketing tools for the purpose of creating and maintaining a company’s brand
- Developing social media marketing campaigns for the brands and companies you are working for.
- Using the company’s social media accounts to interact with their customers and other stakeholders.
- Being able to analyze the company’s digital marketing plan and social media strategy and recognizing their strategic weaknesses and using such analysis to make recommendations for improvements.
11. Bookkeeping.
The most important duty of a Bookkeeper is to track and manage a brand or company’s financial data. Unlike accountants, bookkeepers do not interpret financial data, and they focus less on analysis and more on creating and maintaining records.
Other responsibilities of a bookkeeper may include:
- Documenting transaction details
- Compiling financial reports
- Fact-checking accounting data
- Give any accounting error notice to the senior staff.
- Calculate interest charges
- Record financial transactions
- Track payroll data
