The internet is taking a large print in the world’s economy and the lives of people and especially Kenyans. Online writing in Kenya is growing daily and has become quite common among unemployed youth. Kenyan writers have been recognized all over the world because of their competency and their quality of work. Many Kenyans have started looking for alternative ways to increase their financial inflows, especially during this global pandemic. These have resulted in the formation of various platforms where one can do work online from the comfort of their homes.

However, as many, as there are platforms providing people with a means to increase their sources of income, one needs to be really careful about what platforms you enroll yourself in for work. Some of these platforms are created by fraudsters who want you to do work for free or to steal your money by multiple paid subscriptions. It is crucial to enroll in a certified and trusted platform since you will be required to trust them with private information such as your mobile and bank details.

There are various skills that are highly marketable in online working. Some of these skills include academic writing, affiliate marketing, copywriting, surveys, transcribing, virtual assistance, translating, online tutoring, web designing, and article writing. These jobs are easy to do and most often require little or no skills.

Once you decide on what skill and service to offer, the next step is to look for a trusted site. There are many sites on the internet for freelancers, and some of them include Upwork, Fiverr, and Freelancer.com.

 

Upwork

Upwork is currently the best freelancing website. It was created when oDesk merged with Elance. This website is very professional, usable, and profitable. It is a top-rated site, and many Kenyan freelancers have earned a shilling or two here. The payment on Upwork is very good because most freelancers who are consistent and deliver high-quality work are paid between 50USD to 200USD for 500 words. The amount of money paid depends on your contract and the experience you have.

The first step to take on Upwork is to create a professional profile that you then submit for approval. After your profile has been approved, you are required to verify your account whereby you get into a video call with someone from the Upwork team and, after which your account is verified.

Once your profile is approved, you are able to get jobs. Upwork is a bidding site whereby the clients post a job description on the site, and the freelancers send proposals to be reviewed by the client. One job post can get up to a hundred proposals from different freelancers, so it is your job as a freelancer to make your proposal as appealing as possible.

In order for you to send a proposal, you are required to have a certain number of connects. These connects are purchased on the site, and most jobs require a maximum of two connects in order to send in a proposal. These connects are relatively cheap, and you can get a hundred connects for about 9USD.

Once a client approves your proposal, they immediately set a contract with you and deposit the money to be paid in an escrow system. This guarantees your payment 100%. The payment is later released by the client to the freelancer upon the completion of the task given. Payments on Upwork are made through PayPal and can be transferred to your Mpesa account after two days.

 

Fiverr

Fiverr is another trusted site. This site requires you to first create a professional account. Once your profile is up, you are now required to create a gig. A gig is essentially you showcasing your service. Each gig usually describes a specific task that will be completed in exchange for a set price. The best part about this site is that your gig completely persuades the buyers to make a purchase of your service without you having to talk to them. Your gig is what markets you. There are many categories of what to sell on this site, so if you feel confused, you can visit the Fiverr’s category list to get some inspiration. Some of the gigs that really pay on Fiverr include SEO audits, user testing, and creating blog content. Fiverr has a seller level, which determines the number of gigs you can set up and the quantities for your gig deliverables.

As for the gigs, what makes them appeal to your clients first is the gig image. This image should be eye-catching, look professional, and reflect the services you are offering. After setting up your gig, it is advisable to check what your competitors are offering, especially the bestselling ones, in order to find out what kind of services you need to offer to make your gig popular and to also find out if there are any gig extras you can offer that they have not offered.

This website seems weird at first, but it does pay well and promptly. Most freelancers on this site earn about 100USD per week. Fiverr does not require any educational certifications in order for you to be a seller, so it is basically available to anyone who has the knowledge and ability to work on the services they have to offer.

 

Freelancer.com

Freelancer.com is another site where clients can hire freelancers to work in a huge range of categories. It is quite similar to Upwork because it also offers a bidding system. When joining this site, you are given a writer’s exam, which qualifies you to become a freelancer on the site. After passing the exam, you are required to make a professional profile and create an account. It offers free accounts and paid accounts.

A freelancer on this site is only able to do eight projects in a period of one month before they are required to upgrade to the paid account.

Freelancer.com also has an escrow system whereby a client is required to deposit payment immediately after establishing a contract with a freelancer. The money is available to the freelancer after completion of the project. The payment is made available to the freelancer through PayPal.


For more information check out my website https://instandoff.com/