If you choose to become a freelancer today, you should believe in yourself, be patient, and certainly smart to follow the career path that generates the highest incomes.

Many people really want to believe it but think it's impossible and the most optimistic of them say it's too difficult. And that makes sense, as long as we don't have the full truth.

The truth is technically much more complicated than we think. Just because one skill has a higher demand or pays better than others does not necessarily mean that it’s the best path to follow.

There’s a reason why some writers earn $5 on Fiverr to write a 1000 words article while another is easily paid $150 for the same job elsewhere.

Being well paid depends on your level skill, experience, achievements and the quality of your work. Having said that, it's additionally critical to know your market and see which type of jobs and skills get paid the most with the goal that you can perhaps begin learning a new skill or plan for a future freelancing career.

For those who want to believe in their chances, who want to earn a stable income or take early retirement, these are the most profitable jobs in the self-employment market.

1- Programming and Software Development

Highly sought after in recent years, the developer's profession includes a whole range of specialities, each with its own field of application. HTML5 & CSS3, PHP Mysql, Jquery, J2EE, Symfony, Magento, Python or agile method are only a small part of all the concepts, technical skills and programming languages that you will need to master.

Your freelance assignments are vast and will depend on your specialization: Integrator, php developer, IT development, website development, application development, mobile development, the spectrum is wide, and you will have all the choice to do what you want, whether it is pure development or rather to become a webmaster by maintaining the site or a website redesign. You have the choice of being part of the large family of self-employed workers, looking for your first freelance assignment.

Internet businesses are constantly looking for new profiles to solve their problems by offering effective web solutions. In general, developers have completed diploma training to acquire the right skills and methods, but in this type of job, it is not uncommon to meet self-taught freelancers. So, don't hesitate to get started, whether you are more Frontend or backend oriented, you will always find project leaders looking for a way to set up their website and start their digital communication, especially by working with freelance web editors or freelance community managers.

Meet many application developers, I found that a large majority chose to leave a rewarding activity at large international companies to work freely for their accounts. Currently, an independent developer can earn more than $ 1,000 an hour easily.

Programming occupations, particularly mobile applications development, pays the most elevated for specialists. Simply because it's a knowledge that is very hard to ace and there aren't numerous great coders out there. That's why, the interest for good coders is quite high.

In case you need to make a salary like most freelance developers, start learning to code. Also, I do not mean learning through free courses on CodeAcademy or Udemy. They'll just take you through the nuts and bolts. You'll have to put some cash and time into learning and rehearsing to develop proper coding skills.

Obviously, you won't have the capacity to begin charging $1,000 an hour immediately. You'll need to slowly develop your notoriety. On the off chance that you have solid skills in programming languages like iOS and WebGL, you could begin charging some place around $150 per hour, or more.

2- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist /Manager

The SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Manager or SEO manager, can work in an e-marketing agency or directly on behalf of an advertiser. Its role is to optimize a website so that it appears in the best places on search engines on certain predefined keywords. His work aims to bring qualified traffic (people for whom the page is relevant) to increase the conversion rate (the number of sales for an e-commerce site or registrations for an editorial site).

It is imperative that the SEO manager knows how search engines work and the techniques to optimize a site. He must sometimes be required to program sites or pages and must also know search marketing.

He will define a natural referencing strategy (SEO) starting from semantic analysis, comparing it with the different queries on search engines, he will optimize the pages to improve their positioning and give recommendations on the evolutions and changes to be made.

On a daily basis, he will monitor the evolution of the site, the volume of traffic on the keywords defined using tracking tools. Finally, it will take the necessary corrective measures.

As indicated by payscale (December 2018 edition):
Freelance Jobs
Average Salary per year
Average Salary per hour
Sources
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist
$43,766
$17.36
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Analyst
$48,675
$19.00
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Manager
$66,437
$23.49

3- Copywriter

When we look at the word professions, it is impossible to miss the job of web editor. A new profession on the web, the editor tends to become a pillar in the construction of websites. Quality content is an essential element in building a solid reputation.

The history of the web editor is relatively new (10 years at most) and the profession is constantly evolving, due to the rapid and vertiginous evolution of the web world. Nevertheless, it remains very interesting and attracts new followers every year. However, this profession requires some skills to guarantee the customer a quality service and an evolutive web writing (natural referencing, structure, etc.). Often working in conjunction with a referrer and a developer, the web editor can perform very different tasks, in full compliance with the rules imposed by search engines and mainly Google.

The copywriter is a seasoned professional, different from content marketer and editor: he knows how to avoid the pitfalls of syntax and spelling, but above all, he knows how to write a clear, incisive and powerful message, calibrated to reach the audience targeted by his client, puts his style and talent at the service of professionals to enhance their image and start imposing a presence on the net.

The charge rates for Copywriters rely upon every freelancer’s dimension of involvement and ability. An experienced freelance copywriter, makes around $250 per hour.

If you take a gander at UpWork's rundown of best copywriters for example, you'll see that they charge between $15 per hour to $100 per hour for copywriting jobs.

4- Blogger (Blog Writer)

The blogger is a web content producer. Often specialized in one or more domains, his objective is to generate traffic on his blog in order to benefit from advertising revenues or other types (gifts, products...).

In addition to mastering the Internet tool, IT in general and social networks, the blogger must above all possess editorial skills, unlike youtuber, who mainly generates video content. Indeed, content production is very similar to the profession of Internet journalist since it involves, for the blogger, writing articles on various and varied subjects on an almost daily basis, the style of which will be adapted to the blog's target audience.

On the other hand, it is imperative that you have a relatively strong independent mind. Indeed, most bloggers practice their activity as freelancers and must, for the majority, exercise another profession to support themselves. As such, you must be sufficiently autonomous and diligent to work effectively at home. Always in search of popularity, the blogger must also be in constant search of new products or "trendy" themes. He must have a strong sense of analysis and anticipation. In short, the blogger must be able to launch new trends or arouse the interest of his target audience on a given subject.

Your tone (how you express yourself) - impertinent, funny or offbeat - will be your strength against the media or other bloggers to stand out.

Bloggers incomes in the United States range from an average of $41,889 per year for bloggers to $72,000 per year for blog writers, as indicated by the pay scale per payscale survey.

5- Content Marketing/Writing

Because of the blast in web based promoting patterns and the advancement of new strategies, as Inbound Marketing, content writing is presently considered as one of most smoking fields for freelancers.

You don't have to go anyplace to discover evidence of how well freelance writers are getting along. I personally know, at the present time, a lot of freelance writers who makes around $5,000 every month (in any event in many months) doing blogging work for businesses, writing, and content marketing work. What's more, I know there are other independent writers who earn much more.

In spite of the fact that, not every person can be a talented author. You need to write a lot, read a great deal, and you'll require an inventive personality to write astounding articles that pay well. Your graduate degree in writing and the A+ paper aptitudes from school won't benefit you in any way when working on the web either.

6- Social Media Specialist /Manager

Social media marketing is an essential piece of brand and business advertising methodologies. Pretty much every business, including little nearby cafés to enormous corporate brands, presently utilize social networks to advance their items and brand.

This opened a monstrous open door for freelancers when the greater part of these brands and organizations began searching for people who might manage their social media channels for them. Presently, it's its very own whole industry.

The social media manager will do everything possible to develop the strategic presence of his client's business on the web through social networks. After defining the marketing strategy to be adopted, this professional will take advantage of the web universe, work hand in hand with the brand manager and lead a team composed of web editors, writers and community managers. It identifies the main influences of the web and identifies all areas conducive to exchanges between Internet users: social networks (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn...) to identify the most followed communities and blogs particularly active of some Internet users.
In large companies (group), the media social manager is required to create performance indicators. In this way, it can measure successes and failures. Finally, it is responsible for communicating various reports to its hierarchy so that the latter can note the evolution of the strategy defined upstream and, possibly, modify certain aspects

Earnings for social media managers in the US extend from $46,000 per year and up to $72,000 per year, as indicated by payscale. A fast inquiry on LinkedIn raised more than 9,000 job results for Social Media Managers in the US alone, and more than 2,000 jobs in India.

7- Translator 

As a language professional, the translator-interpreter is charged with transcribing texts or conversations from a foreign language into his or her mother tongue, with a dual objective of accuracy and fluency. A business in strong evolution thanks to new technologies, with a field of intervention extended to audiovisual and Internet.

However, I will not go into details on this point, as I have already covered this subject in two articles on this blog:  BecomeTranslator,   Writing to translate.

8- Graphic Designer, Web

Posters, logos, packaging, websites... the imprint of the graphic designer is everywhere: in the press, publishing, advertising, communication and design... His mission: to design a visual that combines artistic flair with commercial and marketing issues and will appeal to the public. Their tools: everything that leaves a mark, from pencils to the most advanced computer drawing tool.

Through work on shape and color, the graphic designer visually conveys the message that this client intends to deliver.

He works in advertising and communication agencies, publishing houses, newspapers and magazines, graphic design studios. It can also be independent (freelance). A pro of desktop publishing software such as In Design, Illustrator or Photoshop, he is also very creative, curious and has a keen sense of communication.

The income of a graphic designer in the United States extend from an average of $ 43,000 per year for a simple graphic designer to $ 46,700 per year for a specialized graphic design web. A small training in drawing tools such as Photoshop or Illustrator with a Simple intelligent and creative effort will make easily $ 17.24 for an hour of fun work, as indicated by payscale (December 2018 edition).

9- Freelance Photographer

Whether he works in the world of fashion, the press, cinema or simply when he deals with individuals, or sells his services in the world of the web, the photographer has a busy but always varied daily life. This professional is first and foremost an image specialist, who is in charge of taking photographs, which does not only involve pressing a shutter button.

He can work in different organizations. He is of interest to the press for his photo reports. In an advertising agency, he must know how to create a perfect shot, but also ensure retouching during what is called "post-production". And then there is also the freelance photographer offering his services to individuals, companies of all kinds, web sites. These clients propose to take photographs to qualify a project or improve the quality of an online business service on the e-Commerce sites.

Opportunities to make money on the web as a freelance photographer and in an original way will never be missing and they are growing in the e-service market. Several platforms and sites are ready to offer money for a freelance photographer service with different levels of quality.

Just a few examples of job platforms for freelance photographers:

As indicated by payscale (December 2018 edition):
Freelance Jobs
Average Salary per year
Average Salary per hour
Sources
Freelance Photographer
$36,107
$25.27
Photographer, Commercial 
$46,024
$16.00
Senior Photographer
$64,754
$20.56

10- Video Editor

The video editor is an image stage director. It must, from many visual documents, often... images, raw video sequences, transform everything into a coherent and understandable whole. He must therefore master the technique of video editing, from an artistic point of view and in terms of work tools. The editor can work in various structures, in television, cinema, communication, advertising, events, the immense universe of the web and social media.................

A film/video editor must master integration techniques that allow audio files to be inserted and purified using Pro linear editing tools such as Final Cut Pro or other widely used tools such as Adobe Première Pro. The publisher is expected to be an image artist technician, able to make his visual product attractive by inserting the necessary special effects at the right time and placing the best sequence on the timeline of the editing system.

The editor is also responsible for post-production, which consists of calibrating the audio levels of the video, giving importance to cultural details in relation to the target category audience and inserting into the final phase audio and video extracts that meet the specific needs of the audience to which the video is addressed.
A freelance video editor in the United States can earn on average $45,622 per year, as indicated by payscale (December 2018 edition)


A Small Piece of Advice from an experienced freelancer:

1- There is a precious message hidden inside all the success stories: You must work hard to make money and not count on passive income that will blow up your bank account.

Do not think that WhatsApp has become a $ 20 billion application overnight, it took him over 4 years to get there. It took Mark Zuckerberg just five years to make Facebook a success.

2- If you want to earn a steady income and survive as a freelancer, choose to do a job that you are passionate about, a job that you are passionate about every day and a job that inspires you to learn something new every day.

This passion and desire to succeed will push you to be better at what you do and improve your skills, and maybe even win more than ever before.

3- Learn especially to be patient. Because it will take a while before you start earning a stable income. And do not forget the first rule, you only must work hard for a short time. It's just a matter of time.