What do you think of when you hear the term “digital nomad”? While some people immediately think of business entrepreneurs with laptops in exotic destinations, others might be imagining a teenage hacker lounging in his parent's basement — or an entirely different, imagined scenario.

The term “digital nomad” is used to refer to someone who works remotely and chooses to live abroad so he or she can travel frequently, usually only for extended periods of time.

I'm sure you've heard about the perks of the digital nomad lifestyle.

Maybe you're just starting out, or maybe you've just returned home from a long trip. If you haven't, here's some information to help fuel your desires to travel.

The most common way people make a living while being location independent is freelancing, or working remotely as they travel the world.

Here is a list of 9 digital nomad jobs you can start or do while traveling. If you’re looking for a job that will pay you to travel the world, these are some options to explore.

1. Blogging

Blogging as a digital nomad career is the path I decided to take back in 2015.

There are many ways you can use your skills to make money while traveling, but blogging is one of the easiest and most flexible ways to earn money online in my opinion.

I have been able to work remotely as a blogger for many years and share my experiences as a digital nomad with others who want to do the same.

But, as you may have noticed, not all blogs are created equal.

Some blogs make thousands of dollars per month while other blogs struggle to get more than $100 in advertising revenue each month.

The goal is to multiply your streams of income as soon as you can. With blogging here are the various ways you can earn money

• write sponsored posts

  Sponsored posts are the most common way that bloggers make money. You can write sponsored posts for your own blog, or you can write them for other people’s blogs. The latter is more common and easier to get started with because you don’t have to worry about creating a brand or following yet.

• Affiliate marketing

  Affiliate marketing is a form of advertising that allows you to make money by promoting other people’s products or services. You’ll usually get paid when someone clicks on your link and makes a purchase, but it can also work with subscriptions and memberships. You can use blogger networks like BloggerLinkup and Amazon Associates to find affiliate offers. Here are more resources to help you get started with affiliate marketing.
  
  Affiliate Marketing For Bloggers
  Low Ticket VS High Ticket Affiliate Marketing

• Sell advertising placements
  You can sell advertising placements in your blog. This is what most people think of when they hear “make money with a blog” because it was once the primary source of income for many bloggers. There are many different ways to do this, but the most common ones are:

• Sell digital products
  You can sell your own digital products like e-books, courses, or other digital content. You can use platforms like Gumroad or Shopify to create and sell these products.

• Sell physical products
  You can sell your own physical products like t-shirts, mugs, posters, etc. You can use platforms like Printful or Teespring to create and sell these products. This is a great way to build your brand and get new customers into your sales funnel.

• Sell services
  You can sell your own services like coaching or consulting. This is a great way to build your brand and get new customers into your sales funnel. You can use platforms like Fiverr, Upwork, or Dribbble to find people looking for services like yours.

If you are interested in going down the blogging path, have a read at this guide I wrote about How To Make Money With A Blog For Beginners.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

In the past, SEO was the realm of webmasters. Today, with the rise of digital nomads, SEO has become a job for freelancers.

They are responsible for ensuring that their clients’ websites are optimized for search engines. They do this by creating content that meets specific criteria and then promoting the content through various channels.

The best SEO experts can help you get more traffic and conversions, but there are many things that can go wrong if you don’t know what you’re doing. That’s why it is preferable to hire an experienced professional who can do everything from keyword research to link building.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a competitive niche, especially when it comes to backlinks (the links pointing back to your website). Because there are so many other SEO experts out there, aiming for the same keywords to rank among the search engine first results page, and trying to build up their backlinks.

It can be difficult to make money through SEO alone without some type of marketing funnel or funneling strategy.

3. Social Media Manager

Social Media Manager is a popular job nowadays. It's an online job, so it's perfect for digital nomads. You can work remotely and be location independent. You'll have to have good knowledge of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.

To become a social media manager, you need to have excellent writing skills as well as good knowledge of the platform's algorithms.

The work involves researching and analyzing topics relevant to your audience and posting them on the platform. You also need to create content that will generate traffic and engagement for the brand or business you represent.

Many bloggers are looking for a Social Media Manager who can help them out with their blog by posting regular updates on their blogs and social media accounts, along with handling their email subscriptions, comments and inquiries from readers.

4. Proofreader

Proofreading is a great entry level job for digital nomads. That's because it's an easy and fast job to verify text files.

You can do it at home, on the beach or even in a coffee shop.

Proofreaders are able to work remotely, which makes them ideal for digital nomads who want to work from home or travel around the world.

Proofreading is an easy job that anyone can do with just basic skills and knowledge of English grammar and spelling. You don't need any experience or degree to become a proofreader!

5. Translator

If you speak another language fluently and have a knack for translating documents, then this could be a great opportunity for you.

Translating is usually done through freelance websites like Upwork or Freelancer, but it's also possible to do this kind of work as an employee of a company who has international clients or partners.

Translating is a great way to make extra money as a digital nomad. You can work from anywhere in the world, and often, clients are willing to pay for your translation services before even seeing them.

The best part about translation is that you don't need any training or certification to get started. All you need is access to the Internet and a good working knowledge of another language (or two).

Translators are often paid per word or per page, depending on how busy they are or how much they charge their clients. It's not uncommon for translators to charge between $1 and $10 per word, which translates into roughly $100 per hour. This means that if you're translating an average-length novel (50,000 words), it'll take you approximately 10 hours of work at $100 an hour – or just under $1,000 total!

6. Freelance Consultant

A freelance consultant is someone with specialized skills who provides advice and assistance in a specific field of expertise. They may work as part of a larger company or independently as an independent contractor (IC). Consultants are usually paid by the hour or day for their services.

Consulting work can involve anything from general advice about a broad topic like marketing or human resources management, to specific advice on an individual project such as building an ecommerce website or training staff on corporate policies and procedures.

Consultants might work with one client at a time or with several clients simultaneously depending on the nature of their business and specialty areas of expertise.

You can find jobs on Upwork, Fiverr and other similar sites. You could also create your own website and list yourself as an expert in a particular field.

7. Graphic Designer

If you're good with graphics, then this is an excellent option for you. There are many graphic design jobs available on sites like Upwork and Freelancer.com, but what's more interesting is the idea of becoming an online freelancer. You can offer your services to companies all over the world and make money while you travel.

Graphic designers can also create their own freelance businesses by creating products such as e-books or courses that teach people how to become better at graphic design.

The best way to make money as a graphic designer is to become a freelance contractor. You can find work not only through sites like Upwork but also by networking with other designers and agencies on LinkedIn. And there are several other ways to make money as a graphic designer, including:

Becoming an in-house graphic designer at a company or organization. This option may be better suited for those who have experience working in an office environment and have a more traditional background in design and art.

8. Web Developer / Coder

The online world has become so big that it's impossible for any one individual to know everything about the field. That's why it's important for you to specialize in a specific area of web development.

Here are some of the most common areas of specialization:

Front-end development: Working on the front end means creating HTML, CSS and JavaScript code. You'll also be responsible for testing and debugging your code before it goes live.

Back-end development: Back-end developers work on the "behind the scenes" functionality of websites by writing code in languages like PHP or Python. They're also responsible for making sure that all data flows smoothly through your website without any disruptions or bugs along the way.

Mobile app development: Mobile apps can be games, productivity tools or simply tools that allow users to interact with a company or brand. These apps usually require a lot of programming knowledge but they can also be created by using drag-and-drop templates like those found at www.appmakr.com

It's not as easy as it sounds though, especially if you're just starting out. The first step is to learn how to code and then make sure that you have some projects on your resume before applying for remote jobs.

9. Photographer

If you have a passion for photography, you can use it to make money as a digital nomad. The internet is full of people who will pay good money for quality photos, especially if they’re taken by an expert in the field.

There are many different types of photography jobs available as a digital nomad.

You could be hired by someone to take photos at an event or even just take product photos for their business. If you’re more interested in travel photography, then there are plenty of agencies that will hire you to shoot photos while on your travels.

You may also be able to make some extra income by selling your images online through sites like Shutterstock or iStockPhoto.

Check out these Top 5 Ways To Make Money As A Photographer article I wrote where I share my personal experience working as a photographer.

My personal experience

It took me 2 years to transition from an office job to working remotely. I had to build up the skills necessary to sustain an income online with my blog.

I have a background in digital marketing. So, I also decided to offer my services as a digital consultant to help people brand themselves online and attract the right clients to their business.

That allowed me to transition into the digital nomad lifestyle.

I then started to learn photography to document my travels around the world. And as my Instagram account grew in popularity, brands started to reach out to me for collaborations.

This allowed me to diversify my streams of income using social media platforms.

Today, I work remotely with a company as a contractor and have my business on a side.

How do I manage everything while keeping a work life balance you may wonder?

One word: Automation!

The beauty of Internet marketing is that everything can be automated.

And that’s become my specialty: Leverage technology to simplify my life.

If you need some help automating parts of your business or need any marketing advice, do not hesitate to schedule a call in my calendar and I'd be happy to offer you some guidance.

The best digital nomad jobs can give you the freedom, flexibility and income to travel more often.

But bear in mind that it is a lifestyle and there are challenges to travel often while working remotely. It is not always as cool as it looks. It takes time and hard work and it can get lonely if you do not know where to find the right community.

But once you got the basics covered, you will never look back.

If you liked this article, make sure to like it, it actually makes a difference. And if you’d like to learn more about the digital nomad lifestyle, I’d encourage you to join my new Facebook group where I share more regular information.

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