Have you always wanted to work online but thought it was too good to be true? If the year 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that remote work is very much an achievable reality and in fact, it’s saved many businesses from total collapse during the coronavirus pandemic. There’s never been a better time to work remotely than right now, so let’s dive into the best online jobs that you can do from your couch in 2020. 

Social Media Manager

If you’re social media savvy, then this could be the perfect job for you. Pretty much all businesses have an online presence these days and social networks are powerful marketing platforms. Brands need someone who can create content, respond to comments and devise an effective social media strategy across multiple platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. You need to be creative and organized with a good eye for analytics, and basic graphic design skills don’t hurt, either.

Video Editor 

Vlogging is a very powerful content marketing strategy, which means that video editors are now more in demand than ever. It takes time, skill and effort to turn raw footage into a well-polished video, which means that companies and creators are willing to pay handsomely for it. 

Customer Service Agent

Working in customer service no longer means sitting behind a desk. You can work online as a chat agent to help customers with enquiries and complaints from the comfort of your own home – or wherever in the world you want to be, really. Unlike many of the other jobs on this list, customer service isn’t really something you can do freelance and you’ll need to have set working hours; whether that’s a good or a bad thing depends on your lifestyle. Sure, customer service might not be that exciting but it’s one of the best online jobs out there for beginners to get some all-important remote work experience.

Personal Trainer

Believe it or not, you can train clients from afar. It’s not a new thing, either; I first met a digital nomad personal trainer a few years ago. He trained his clients via video call and created their nutrition plans by the pool in Phuket. Since then, the coronavirus pandemic has certainly proven that personal trainers can work remotely, so if fitness is your thing then why not give it a go? 

Proofreader

Are you a bit of a pendant when it comes to grammar and punctuation? Embrace it! There are many writers out there who’ll pay you to go through their work with a fine-tooth comb. You can take on smaller projects like resumes and advertisements, or longer bodies of work like novels and white papers.

Web Design 

Every business worth its salt needs a beautiful website and web design is one of the most lucrative online careers around. If you don’t want to work as a freelancer, many companies are happy to hire out this position remotely – especially right now. If you’re tech savvy, web design is one of the best online jobs out there to rake in the dollar bills.

Graphic Design 

If graphic design is your forte, I can guarantee you that there’s someone out there who needs your help. Every business needs design in one form or another – believe it or not, there’s a lot more to it than leaflets and logos. Graphic design is a really in demand skill and you don’t need to have a degree to get started, just an impressive portfolio to show off.

Content Writer 

If you have a way with words, content writing might just prove to be your dream career. Content writers create eBooks, blog posts and social media captions for their clients. Remember that you’re writing as them, not yourself, so you’ll need to be able to step into your clients’ shoes and capture the right tone of voice. If you’re not sure where to start, blogging or writing a few posts for a hypothetical dream client is a good way to start building your portfolio. 

Copywriter 

A copywriter is different from a content writer, although the terms are often used interchangeably so don’t be too alarmed. A content writer focuses more on aspects like blog posts and social media content to organically grow a brand, whilst copywriting is all about sales. Copywriters tend to write static web pages and advertisements.  If you have experience in marketing and sales, this could be the perfect online writing job for you.

English Teacher 

Teaching English online is very popular among digital nomads. You’ll usually be teaching to students in China, either 1:1 or in small groups of up to six. These are extra lessons for Chinese students which take place outside of school hours, i.e. weekends and evenings, Beijing time. If you live in the US, this might mean some early mornings! 

The gold standard of online English schools is VIPKid, which only accepts North American teachers. However, if you don’t have a US or Canadian passport, SayABC, DadaABC and Landi are all good choices.

To start teaching English online you’ll need a Bachelor’s degree and a TEFL certificate. Some companies also prefer you to have teaching experience, but it’s not strictly necessary. 

Virtual Assistant

Virtual assistant is one of the best online jobs for beginners because you can try your hand at a wide range of skills and find out what you like. As a virtual assistant, your job is to be a business owner’s right hand man (or woman.) Your clients will outsource work that they just don’t have time to do.

Virtual assistants cover all sorts of duties in a wide range of niches. Some examples include: inbox management, booking accommodation, calendar management and note-taking. Your job is to take care of the day-to-day details so that your clients can focus on running their business smoothly and efficiently. 

Often as a virtual assistant you might also be asked to cover some entry-level duties related to the jobs I talked about above, like posting ready-prepared content to social media or basic graphic design. Often, specialists start out as virtual assistants and niche their services as they gain more experience. Just remember that as a general virtual assistant you’re there to implement your client’s vision rather than devise an entire strategy – if you’re the brains behind the operation, you need to up your prices! 

For more on the world of online work, check out this article on how bloggers make money and my quick guide to an effective email marketing campaign.