I know, I know.

You probably read that title and thought one of two things: 1) “Ok, that’s a total scam” or 2) “Nah, I could never do that.”

But since you’re here reading this post, I’m guessing there’s a small part of you that’s a little curious…

I can relate.

Two years ago, when I sat in my cube at my 9-to-5 job, I spent probably 1/4 of my time (I know, bad employee) googling “how to make money while traveling.”

I had a lot of doubt about the validity of such a prospect, but nonetheless, I was curious how others do it and if it might be possible for me as well.

Turns out, there are a ton (and I do mean a ton – like thousands and thousands) of people who do work that allows them to work from wherever they want and whenever they want.

And thanks to the Internet, that number grows every single day!

So I set off on a mission to work remotely while traveling the world and, well… Two years later (skipping over a lot), here I am: a full-time travel social media influencer and online entrepreneur.

Yep. I actually get paid to travel the world and share my experiences with my audience.

If the prospect of this kind of freedom-based lifestyle gets you super excited (or at least just a little bit curious), read on.

I’m sharing with you four ways you can make money while traveling the world. 

Let’s start with my job first!

Social media influencer and/or blogger

Contrary to popular belief, social media influencers & bloggers are not just posting pretty pictures all day!  

Every single one is running a business that turns a profit – anywhere from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.

Think of influencers as the new advertisers.

It’s been proven that advertisements like magazine ads, TV commercials and billboards are not nearly as effective anymore, so brands have moved large parts of their ad budgets over to this thing called “influencer marketing.”

In influencer marketing, a blogger or social media influencer is paid by a brand to promote their product or service on their Instagram or blog.

For example, a travel influencer could be paid to promote a new luggage brand or flown out to Peru by the Peruvian tourism board to promote the country. A beauty blogger could be paid to promote a makeup brand’s new eyeshadow palette, while a food blogger could be paid to promote the opening of a new retro diner.

Basically what this means is, as an influencer/blogger, you could be paid to do and share the thing you are most passionate about.

Travel? Fashion? Wellness? What’s your thing?

Can you imagine making a living sharing that passion online? And being able to do this from anywhere in the world?

It’s hard work, but it’s a pretty sweet deal.

Here’s how to make it happen:

Before I jump into what you should do to pursue this career, I want to quickly address that nagging voice in the back of your head telling you that you could “never be a social media influencer.”

Let’s just squash that voice right now.

Here’s the truth, here’s your permission: yes, you can.

The best part about being an online influencer or blogger is that, with enough hustle and commitment, anyone can make it happen. Seriously!

The reason I know this is because I became a social media influencer, I started a blog and an Instagram page from nothing.

I know it because I have taught over 1,000 students how to make it happen for themselves.

If I can do it, you can do it. Really.

Here are your first steps:

1. Define your niche. What are you passionate about? Do you want to post about travel, fashion, food, beauty, or something else? 
2. Pick a catchy name. You can either go by your own name, or choose something fun like “Sunsets & Sandals” or “Traveling Tammy.”
3. Start producing high-quality photos for Instagram and/or posts for your blog. Content is key as an influencer/blogger, so this should be a big focus.
4. Start your Instagram account and/or blog. Post that content, interact with other accounts and start to grow an audience. 

If you want to learn 5 things you can do to see a massive increase in new IG followers, I highly recommend you check out my free guide, ‘5 Ways to Jumpstart Your Success on Instagram’:

Social media manager

Here’s a 2018 truth: every company needs a social media presence, but not every company knows how to do it properly.

If you’re at least semi well-versed in social media, you can give yourself the title “social media manager.”

What this job involves is, well, managing brands’ social media accounts!

Every company will want to focus on different social media channels and will have different goals, but the majority of the time, they will want someone to draft and schedule posts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and/or Twitter.

They may also need that person to grow their social media pages (which you can charge significantly more for!).

There’s a huge amount of growth potential in social media management because, as you improve and get clients results, you can get bigger clients and charge even more! For example, at the beginning, you might work with small local businesses and charge $500 per month for your services. Maybe you’ll have 4 clients and be making $2,000 total per month.

As you grow your skillset, you can start charging $2,000 (or more!) per month per client and, with 4 clients, be bringing home $8,000 per month.

The other wonderful thing about being a social media manager is that you’re on someone else’s payroll, which will allow you to have a consistent monthly income!

Interested? Here’s how to land it:

1. Make sure your own social media accounts are on point. Since you’re pitching social media management, the first thing potential clients are going to do is check out your social pages. Ensure your accounts are aesthetically pleasing and high-quality overall and there is nothing off-brand or “inappropriate” on your pages.
2. Make a list of small businesses (either online or storefront) and write next to each some notes on how they could improve their social media pages.
3. Start pitching them! Make sure your email pitch clearly introduces yourself, shows off your skillset and what you can offer the company in terms of social media management. Be sure to link your own accounts and anything that gives you credibility.

Like applying for a 9-to-5 job, getting those first couple of clients is going to be difficult. 

But it will happen as long as you continue to work.

And once you do land your first clients, getting the next ones will be so much easier because you have experience, knowledge and references. 

Freelance photographer and/or videographer

If you have an eye for photography or videography, this remote job might be for you.

Also known as “content creation,” being a freelance photographer and/or videographer involves creating images for companies or brands to use on their own websites or social media platforms.

Doing this can earn you – at the beginning – around $50 per photo and $500 per minute of video, and – as you get more experience – upwards of $300 per photo and $4,000 per minute of video. Multiply that by the number of deliverables (# of photos & videos) for each client and then multiply that by how many clients you have! You’ll earn more than enough money to travel the world as a content creator.

And let me quickly clear up the most common misconception people have about content creation – that they already need to be a professional.

*scoffs* 

Please. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Every professional started somewhere.

Yes, you’ll have to put in a little work to learn how to use a professional camera and take high-quality photos/videos with great composition, but that’s nothing you can’t teach yourself with practice and by watching YouTube videos!

Ok, let’s land it.

1. Start taking photos and videos. Obviously! The first step to landing this job is practice. Teach yourself how to use a DSLR or mirrorless camera and practice, practice, practice. (Side note: don’t get intimidated by the prospect of buying a professional camera. Start out on a $300 used camera if you need to – as long as it lets you take professional photos, it doesn’t matter!)
2. Get familiar with editing. I recommend Adobe Lightroom – the editing tool of choice for all professional photographers.
3. Decide what kind of photos you enjoy taking the most. Create an online portfolio of those photos on your own website and on Instagram.
4. Pitch brands. Give them your information and links to your portfolio/work. Tell them what you can offer them and pitch the idea of doing content creation for them. Start with small local businesses, improve and work your way up.

Freelance web designer

Like social media management, every business needs a good website, but not all business owners know how to create one.

So, as a website designer or developer, you would have an endless amount of potential clients.

Plus, you can code, design and create websites for clients from anywhere you have Wifi and an Internet connection.

And companies will pay a pretty penny to have it done, too. I’m talking anywhere from $2,000 to $20,000 per website depending on your skill level, the size of the business and the complexity of the site.

You might be thinking, “Sounds amazing, but HELLO!! I have ZERO experience coding a website. Like would NOT even know where to begin.”

Hellloooo – That’s what all website designers said before they started!

You can do it.

Trust me. If you want it, you can do it.

Here’s where you can learn how to code:

There are so, so many places you can learn to code online. Here are some of the best:

CODECADEMY
FREE CODE CAMP
KHAN ACADEMY

If you’d like an in-person experience, I highly recommend checking out INSTITUTE OF CODE, a company that runs 10-day intensive coding courses in Bali.

Then, once you learn to code, you’re going to need to get clients…

1. Create a couple of basic websites for free so that you have something to show in your portfolio to potential clients.
2. Spend some time online and make a list of small businesses that are not killing it on the website front.
3. Pitch those businesses via email. Make sure to include information about who you are, your skillset/specialties and a link to your website with a portfolio so they can see your work.
4. Land one client at first, then two, then three… Soon enough, your clients will be referring you to other businesses that need new websites.

Hungry for more remote jobs?

I don’t blame you – this is a really exciting world!

Go take my fun quiz and find out the best remote job for you, PLUS the actual steps needed to get there! (And don’t worry – I’ll show you ALL 10 possible jobs too, not just your result).

Curious to hear from you in the comments…

Does the remote work lifestyle appeal to you? Which job do you get most excited about?

xo,

Christina