15 In-Demand Freelance Jobs That Didn’t Exist 10 Years Ago

Thanks to the internet, starting a freelance business is easier than ever. Social media, virtual job boards, and other online networking spaces make it possible to connect with potential clients both near and far.

Currently, 28% of Americans are full-time freelancers. This figure has nearly doubled since 2014, which truly showcases the growing popularity of freelance jobs.

Let’s review 15 in-demand freelance jobs that didn’t exist a decade ago.

1. Graphic Designer

Graphic design is a freelance career that’s becoming more and more popular. Graphic design is a digital art form used to communicate ideas and create experiences for viewers. Although graphic design has been around for quite some time, it’s becoming more popular as a freelance job.

There are a few directions you can take as a freelance graphic designer. Two common routes are website design and brand design.

Website designers, often referred to as “web designers,” create the layout and aesthetic for websites. Their job is to create sites with a cohesive look and a positive user experience. A good freelance web designer can create a site that drives intentional action from viewers.

Brand design is slightly different from web design, but the two services go hand-in-hand. Brand design involves creating all of the assets for a brand’s visual identity. This includes logos, fonts, color palettes, icons, and so forth. 

2. Blockchain Analyst

Blockchain is swiftly becoming an essential and significant technology as a result of the emergence of bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies. Similar to cloud computing a few years ago, more businesses are switching to blockchain development.

But in order to accomplish this challenging objective, many companies are using blockchain experts. These experts create and set up resources and accelerators that can help with the creation of a network that can communicate with the blockchain IoT development company.

3. Telemedicine Physician

Although telemedicine has been available for a while, it has just become more popular in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak. The sector’s expansion has resulted in a massive increase in new jobs and even a change in how doctors practice medicine.

A telemedicine doctor provides remote patient care by telephone, video consultations, and other electronic means of contact. A doctor can perform a lot of their regular tasks online when not seeing patients. For example, they can use an EHR solution and RCM service to handle their medical billing.

While physical clinics will always exist, they are now adding a new dimension to the way doctors interact with their patients and a new way for high-paid professionals to bill their clients.

4. Big Data Scientist

Ten years ago, terms like big data, machine learning, and data mining were the only concepts. They now form an integral element of how businesses, research facilities, and academic institutions function.

You aren’t trying if you aren’t making use of these technological improvements. In order to maximize the effectiveness of the information, big data scientists acquire and analyze vast volumes of structured and unstructured data from a wide range of sources, such as Twitter feeds or Google search results.

The need for data scientists will undoubtedly increase since big data is only just getting started.

5. Cloud Architect

Many businesses are finally giving in to their fears of this highly successful technical advancement and moving to the cloud. To whom are they currently turning? Cloud architects are one of the most well-liked STEM disciplines.

These IT professionals create the cloud application design, implement a cloud administration and monitoring system, develop the company’s computing strategy, and devise plans for using the cloud. In 2011, cloud computing was still in its infancy; since then, it has grown tremendously.

6. Mobile App Developer

Similar to web developers, there are many opportunities for mobile app developers. The demand for this type of freelancer is growing as many businesses aim to create continuous brand experiences across all types of devices.

Mobile app development is typically a bit more intricate than normal web development since there are fewer templates and tools for creating apps. There’s much more custom building required. 

While getting into this sort of freelance career is a bit more challenging, it’s by no means impossible. It just requires a bit of learning.

7. Content Writer

Freelance writing may have been around for longer than 10 years, but many new freelance opportunities have popped up under the writing umbrella in recent years.

For example, content writing has become massively important. Content writing is a service that many businesses use to create written content for their websites, social media profiles, sales materials, and more. Freelance writing for search engine optimization (SEO) is a specific path many content writers take since it’s in high demand.

Also Read: Best content writing tools for writers

A decade ago, no one could have imagined that internet forums like Quora, Wikiask, and so forth would become so large-scale and comprehensive. They are a reliable and reliable source of information for freelance writers today, which means that anybody with strong writing and research skills can dip their toes in freelance writing. 

Another job related to freelance content writing is freelance editing. Freelance editors can work for authors, publishing companies, magazines, marketing agencies, growth hacking agencies, and more.

8. Podcast Producer

The podcasting industry is currently worth $2 billion, and the value is expected to double in the next two years. With this growth comes opportunities for anyone involved in podcasting, including podcast producers. 

A podcast producer directs and edits podcast episodes to include intros, outros, ads, and any other elements that need to be woven in after an episode is recorded. This professional also ensures the sound quality is smooth, sometimes mixing the audio or curating an optimal recording setup.

In some cases, a podcast producer also acts as a manager, finding sponsorships, guests, and other partners that the podcast needs to grow. 

Sometimes, a podcast producer works with a media network or production company. Still, since there are so many small podcasts popping up, there are many opportunities for freelancers to step in and help these shows grow.

9. Influencer

If you’re not familiar, an influencer is a content creator or public figure who has a loyal following. Typically, their followers look to them for product recommendations and advice, which makes them great brand representatives.

An influencer typically operates as a freelance job since the individual negotiates deals with brands. These deals can involve product promotion, product collaboration, affiliate marketing, and more.

To be an influencer, you must be able to create content that engages with an audience so that you can create influence.

10.  Photographer

Freelance photography is another gig that’s been around for quite some time, but with the growth of social media and the internet, the demand for professional photos has become more prevalent.

There are a few directions you can take your freelance photography business. These include:

• Brand photography
• Product photography
• Wedding photography
• Family portrait photography
• Nature photography
• Stock image photography

There are plenty of tools that freelance photographers can use to streamline their operations. Take PicsArt’s Upscale API, for example. 

This software is designed to improve photo quality and image sizes. Some other valuable tools include Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Lightroom. 

11. Freelance Driver

Becoming a freelance driver is a great option for people with different interests, capabilities, and income goals. 

In the age of rideshare apps, freelance driving has become a full-time career for many people, and an easy side hustle for even more people. Apps like Lyft and Uber have basically made this accessible to anyone with a clean record and an appropriate vehicle. 

However, when it comes to freelance driving, rideshare driving is just the beginning. There are also freelance delivery drivers, food drivers, and even truckers.

Of course, truck driving has much higher stakes, but the fleet management industry has evolved a lot in the last decade. From advanced GPS fleet tracking to the first driverless fleet trucks, we might expect freelance driver jobs to be common in the next few years and so is going to be the need of leading delivery route apps on the go.

Also Read: Freelance vs regular job. What is better?

12. Virtual Assistant

The position of a freelance virtual assistant is very popular today. Many companies and private employers are happy to hire virtual assistants to perform various tasks to free up time for their leaders and executives. 

They may need someone to create a data-driven ICP or someone to help with data processing or scheduling. This position can include quite a variety of tasks.

There are no set qualifications required to become a virtual assistant. However, some useful skills include great communication, organization, the ability to stick to timelines, and attention to detail.

13. Videography

Many of the most popular modern social media platforms started out as places to share text and image posts. However, with the rise of TikTok, platforms like Instagram and Facebook have shifted to highlight video content now more than ever. 

In addition to social media, brands are leveraging video to connect with their audiences on various destinations. This is because video content is notably engaging and often more interactive than static content. In some cases, there may be need for technical skills as well. When a company wants to integrate a video editor SDK React Native, this is where freelancers should at least know who they need to address for solving this step.

Creating video content is a lot of work, which is why more and more businesses are beginning to outsource this task. This creates a demand for freelance videographers. Some popular freelance videography services include video editing, production, directing, and more.

14. Marketing Strategist

We’ve discussed several freelance opportunities that involve creating digital assets for marketing purposes. Still, it’s worth noting that these pieces need to be pulled together with a marketing strategy.

Many businesses have in-house marketing departments that strategize and execute their marketing plans. However, some small businesses and startups don’t have the resources to create a marketing department, so they outsource to freelancers instead.

A freelance digital marketing expert comes in to help these businesses organize their marketing efforts.

Social media marketing is another popular freelance job that deals only with social media. This type of freelancer is valuable even to businesses with a marketing team because it’s a specialty with which some veteran marketers have less experience. 

15. Data Scientist

Although the term “data science” has been used since the 1960s, it wasn’t until the mid-to late-2000s that the field really began to take off, which involves gathering, cleaning, and interpreting enormous data sets.
One of the industries with the fastest job growth is undoubtedly technology. The world will continue to change during the next ten years as new technologies arise and become more widely used.

As a result, a flood of big data occupations might be expected in the near future. Data science professionals are in extremely high demand right now all across the world. More than 1.5 lakh new job possibilities would be generated by these employment prospects.

Summary

Remember to prioritize value and transparency, no matter which freelancing opportunity you decide to pursue. Only sell services that you can do with confidence to provide results.

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a freelancer or simply freelancing to make some money on the side, it’s worth trying the opportunities we mentioned above.