I Graduated Debt-free. You Can, Too! The secret was learning how to freelance online
Disclosure: This story may contain affiliate links, from which I earn a small commission.
First, I’ll make myself very clear: I wasn’t rich by any means. In fact, many months I only made just over $1,000, which barely covered living expenses. I was a foreign student in Italy and had my own mouth to feed.
It was either making it online or returning home before my bank account ran dry.
(I could have taught English as a last resort — which I did, and it wasn’t for me — there weren’t any other in-person jobs for me since, at that time, I didn’t speak fluent Italian).
It was one of the most stressful periods of my life.
Not necessarily because of the freelancing itself, but more so because I was ineligible for scholarships, started writing 600-word articles for $4 on Fiverr (not recommended), and was studying full-time. I experienced insomnia and acid reflux almost nightly. But I made it work (after finding the four proven digital nomad frameworks) and learned a lot through the following freelancing services, and figured it’d be a waste not to share!
Freelancing Services to Make At Least $1,000 (Even in College)
These are the freelancing services I offered clients on Fiverr, Upwork, and from my own website.
1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
For businesses looking to expand their reach online, my organic growth strategies helped them get results. SEO is a huge area to cover and is really non-specific. For those looking to get into SEO work, it’s best to get Google certified.
I used a variety of strategies to increase website rankings, including: blog writing (so that business owners could become authoritative figures in their industry), running audits and editing websites so that they comply with Google’s standards, link building, backlinking, guest blogging, and more.
2. Amazon Listings and Enhanced Brand Content / A+
Of all the eCommerce platforms, I know Amazon best. I started writing Amazon listings on freelancing platforms and have probably churned out thousands. After much trial and error, and client feedback, I figured out what it takes to rev up Amazon sales! I offered (and still do — if you’re interested in hiring me, email me on my website or add me on LinkedIn) full-fledged Amazon listing services.
Everything from creating an HTML title, to keyword and competitor research, to creating Enhanced Brand Content for Amazon (including graphic design). To see my past work, view my portfolio.
3. Pinterest Marketing
Of all the social media platforms out there, Pinterest is king for small businesses (read: 6 Strategies to Skyrocket Your Pinterest Followers). Sure, I can help you with Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and have created content for a Facebook page with almost 700,000 likes, but my real specialty is Pinterest. Pinterest is different: it’s a search engine.
Unlike Instagram and Facebook (which requires an established following in most cases), Pinterest is less about the number of followers and more about creating organic, high-quality content. It doesn’t matter if you have thousands of followers — or just one — I’ll help you get pins and clicks on your website.
4. Copywriting
I don’t have any secret strategy when I write. I simply say what needs to be said without overthinking. And that’s the key in copywriting. So many other writers try to make their writing flowery and overly creative.
Not me: I try to keep things as simple and concise as possible. Why? Because that’s best for sales, clarity, and driving action. The product descriptions I’ve written have quadrupled daily average sales for major companies, and when I was freelancing in high school, I always hoped to do the same for the business and products I wrote for.
In Summary
I mostly wrote, managed social media (almost exclusively Pinterest), and designed Enhanced Brand Content/A+ Content on Amazon. It was stressful and led to burnout, but I’m grateful I was able to fund my studies in Italy independently (for less than $3,000 — total!) by learning how to freelance online.
To learn from my freelancing mistakes and start making money online, read my book “Laptop Entrepreneur”