As a digital nomad, you may think making money while traveling the world is impossible. After all, you can’t go into an office every day and earn your salary. However, the truth is that there are plenty of ways of financing yourself when you’re on the road — some of which don’t even require you to spend a dime!
In this blog post, I’ll share my top strategies for making money as a digital nomad. You can then start making money without waiting for an employer or client.
Start a Blog
Blogging is one of the best ways of making money as a digital nomad. Writing about something you’re passionate about and have experience in will make it easier to keep producing content regularly.
This is necessary if you want to have a successful blog. Once established, your blog can bring in advertising revenue from companies that advertise on similar sites (like AdSense), affiliate marketing commissions for referring people to products or services (like Amazon Associates), or even product sales by which readers purchase products directly from your site (like an e-book).
Become an Affiliate Marketer
Becoming an affiliate marketer is an excellent way of earning money worldwide. You can make money by promoting products on your website, blog, or social media account.
You’ll earn a commission for every sale you make, which can lead to significant earnings. The best part about affiliate marketing is that it doesn’t require any special knowledge or expertise; all you need is a website and people who visit it!
You can use your site or promote products through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. The only downside is that most merchants will restrict how many times per month you can promote their product(s), so keep this in mind while deciding which offers are right for you.
Sell Products with Shopify
Selling products online also helps to make money as a digital nomad. It’s also one of the easiest ways − especially if you’re not a techie or have limited technical know-how.
Shopify is the leading eCommerce platform for small businesses, and it’s easy enough for beginners to use. Shopify has a free trial so you can test its features before committing to buying anything, and there’s even an option to get your website up and running in just 24 hours!
After that, numerous themes and plugins (software add-ons) allow you to customize your store exactly how you want it.
And if something isn’t working well on your site, Shopify offers fantastic customer service, answering any questions or concerns within 24 hours (or less!).
Become an Influencer
Become an expert in your field and build a following on social media. This is the most popular way of making money as a digital nomad, but it’s also the most competitive.
You can get paid to promote products and services on your blog, Instagram account, or YouTube channel. Several different platforms allow you to do this: Chime In will enable influencers and bloggers to earn up to $1000 per post; RewardStyle offers micro-influencers (those with fewer than 10k followers) up to $500 per brand partnership; and FameBit pays anywhere from $50-$5000 per video, depending on view count.
Get a Job as a Freelance Writer or Journalist
If you’re a writer, digital nomadism certainly helps to finance your travels. Freelance writers and journalists can earn extra income by writing for various blogs, websites, and publications that pay per article.
There are many of them out there— however, to gain such employment, you’ll need specific attributes: good writing skills (duh), the ability to write quickly and accurately on deadline (also duh), and the ability to communicate well with clients while keeping in mind their needs.
Sell Your Photos
Photography can make you money as a digital nomad. You don’t need much equipment to get started, and even if you have an expensive DSLR camera, there are plenty of ways of earning money from your photos without selling them outright.
Look for photo contests and competitions:
Many websites host photo contests in which you can submit your best images in hopes of winning prizes such as cash or free gear. Some contests only accept entries once per month, so watch for those allowing multiple submissions!
Find opportunities to sell your photos:
Many brands and companies will pay photographers to take professional-looking pictures of their products or services. This can be done through stock photography sites like Shutterstock or iStockPhoto (although they’re not free), which work on a commission basis, by working with agencies such as Getty Images, or by pitching directly to clients via email with samples of your work attached.
Become a Product or Web Designer
While it’s true that some people are born with the gift of design, this is a skill that anyone can learn. If you have an eye for aesthetics and enjoy being creative, becoming a product designer may be the best way to make money while traveling as a digital nomad.
Many startups need help creating their branding and marketing materials but don’t have large budgets to pay for professional designers. This makes room for remote freelancers like you!
It’s also easy to start working online from home: you only need access to Adobe Illustrator or Sketch (or both) and basic Photoshop skills.
Become an Entrepreneur
The best is to become an entrepreneur. What this means is that you can combine various sources of income. For instance, you can hire a virtual assistant to create blog content and manage your SEO.
You can also have an eCommerce site, which a virtual eCommerce assistant can manage. Similarly, you can run book-writing courses and hold such workshops worldwide. Either way, a virtual assistant allows you to be independent and travel the world without being trapped in one location.
With creativity and luck, you can make money Anywhere in the world!
Nothing in life is free. You’ll have to put in some work if you want to make money as a digital nomad, just as you would in any other job. But it’s possible! The internet has made it easier for people to make their way. With some creativity and luck (but mostly the former), you can make money anywhere in the world!
If none of the jobs above interest you, you can find remote jobs at Jooble.
On a Final Note: The Best Ways of Making Money as a Digital Nomad
Making money as a digital nomad can be challenging, but it’s not impossible! If you’re willing to put in the time and energy, there are many ways.
Consider starting a blog, becoming an affiliate marketer or blogger, or simply selling products with Shopify. You can also sell your photos to stock photo sites like Shutterstock and Getty Images—or if you’re feeling particularly creative, design some products on sites like Etsy!
The world is your oyster here. Please take advantage of this opportunity while it lasts!
