The Complete Guide to Online Typing Jobs: Flexible Opportunities to Earn from Home
The internet has opened up a world of possibilities for remote work. Online typing jobs, which involve tasks like transcription, data entry, writing, and more, have become increasingly popular ways for people to earn an income even if they are unable to work outside the home. These roles offer unmatched flexibility, allowing you to set your own hours and pace while still bringing in a steady paycheck.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the most common and lucrative online typing jobs available today. Whether you’re looking for short-term projects or consistent work, a side hustle or full-time career, typing jobs can be the perfect fit if you have the right skills.
An Overview of Online Typing Jobs
Before we dig into specifics, let’s briefly overview some of the most prevalent categories of remote typing work:
Transcription involves listening to audio files and typing up the words spoken. General transcription focuses on transcribing straightforward recordings and meetings. Specialties like medical, legal, or court reporting transcription require additional training and vocabulary skills.
Data entry consists of inputting information into databases and online forms with speed and accuracy. Types of data entry work include ecommerce product listings, insurance claims processing, online survey completion, and more.
Writing encompasses everything from creative writing to technical documentation. The most common typing-centric writing gigs include content writing, copywriting, proofreading & editing, article writing, email writing, and creative fictional writing.
Other Typing Jobs – Virtual assistant roles, translation work, captcha solving, subtitle creation, and many other emerging typing-based jobs leverage technology to offer remote work flexibility.
Now let’s explore some of the most popular and lucrative typing job categories in more depth:
1. Transcription
Transcription involves meticulously listening to audio content and typing up the words into text documents. Strong listening skills, fast typing abilities, and mastery of spelling/grammar rules are essential for this role.
Transcriptionists capture every word and vocal nuance, including pauses and expressions like “um” and “uh." Their work preserves important conversations, interviews, focus groups, meetings, and more into written records.
Types of Transcription
General transcription focuses on converting clear audio from speeches, simple conversations, workshops, and similar content into text documents. No specialized vocabulary is required.
Medical transcription transcribes doctor’s notes, consultation records, diagnosis discussions, and other medical evaluations. Deep knowledge of anatomy, procedures, conditions, and pharmaceutical terminology is essential.
Legal transcription types up the official records of legal proceedings in courtrooms, attorney meetings with clients, and other confidential discussions. Familiarity with legal vocabulary and processes is a must.
Specialty transcription converts niche audio content from fields like academia, finance, tech, and more into text. Industry-specific vocabulary and background knowledge helps speed up this work.
The Transcription Process
The first step is to secure audio or video files that need transcription. Many transcriptionists find work by signing up for job boards or marketplaces that connect them directly with clients. Others choose to specialize in medical or legal transcription and work for transcription service agencies and healthcare/law firms.
Next, the transcriptionist listens to the audio, starts typing, and time-stamps each speaker. Most use specialized software like Express Scribe to better control audio playback. The most skilled transcriptionists develop their own shorthand to maximize speed.
After completing the raw transcription, the text is carefully edited multiple times to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and accuracy issues. Formatting is standardized before the files get sent back to the client.
Skills and Pay for Transcriptionists
- Expert listening abilities
- Above-average typing speed (60+ WPM)
- Excellent grasp of vocabulary, grammar, and punctuation
- Basic knowledge of transcription software
- Potentially industry-specific knowledge
Earnings depend on speed, accuracy, experience level, and content difficulty. Most general transcriptionists earn $15-30 per audio hour. Those working in medical or legal earn more ($40-75 per hour) due to their expertise and certification requirements.
2. Data Entry
Data entry specialists input information into various computer programs and online databases. Excellent typing speed and attention to detail are crucial for succeeding at administrative data entry work.
Responsibilities range from completing online surveys and forms to managing intricate company databases. Data entry clerks fuel better decision making by wrangling numbers, facts, figures and other vital info into organized digital records.
Types of Data Entry Jobs
Data processing involves inputting scanned or handwritten documents like surveys, prescriptions, and insurance claims into digital formats.
Text/image typing consists of manually typing out info from text-based files and image scans. Common examples include ecommerce product listings, document digitization projects, and business card contact uploads.
Database management requires updating existing digital datasets by finding and fixing outdated information and adding new data.
Online form filling means providing demographic info by completing online surveys and signing up for website memberships. This work generates consumer insights.
Ecommerce product listing entails creating new product pages for online stores by inputting product photos, descriptions, specs, prices, and more.
Skills and Pay for Data Entry Clerks
- Fast and accurate typing abilities
- Careful attention to detail
- Basic data entry and spreadsheet skills
- Solid grasp of data organizing best practices
Most data entry work pays per record, form, or other countable unit completed. Entry-level pay starts around $15 per hour. With specialized skills and speed, earnings can reach $25+ per hour.
3. Writing
From creative fiction to research reports, technical manuals to marketing emails, writing encapsulates a diverse spectrum of content and purposes. The unifying skill amongst all writing gigs is the ability to articulate ideas clearly.
Writers type up everything from complex research papers to simple social media posts. Excellent typing abilities allow them to translate thoughts from mind to document seamlessly without losing focus.
LET’S EXPLORE SOME OF THE MOST COMMON WRITING SPECIALTIES:
Copywriting involves crafting compelling marketing content like website pages, ads, commercials, and more that persuades readers to buy or act.
Content writing consists of authoring blog posts, articles, scripts, explainers, guides, and other informative materials for publications.
Creative writing means using literary artistry to compose fictional stories, prose, poetry, screenplays and more solely meant for entertainment and self-expression.
Technical writing requires explaining complex subject matter around science, tech, and specialized processes in simple, reader-friendly formats.
Proofreading/Editing consists of perfecting draft documents by fixing grammar, spelling, punctuation, and wording problems.
Email writing means creating professional email templates and newsletters that engage target audiences.
Grant/Proposal writing entails persuasively pitching ideas to secure research funding and business investments.
Skills and Pay for Writers
- Strong research and communication skills
- Excellent grammar and vocabulary
- Creativity and storytelling abilities
- Relevant knowledge for niche topics
- Understanding of audience perspectives
Most writing gigs pay per word, per page, per hour, per project or a mix. Beginner freelance writers earn around $10-20 cents per word. The top tier can make $1-5+ per word for high-level specialty work. Residual pay potential also grows over time.
Other Online Typing Jobs
Beyond transcription, data entry and writing, emerging digital roles also offer remote work flexibility:
Virtual Assistants provide administrative support to businesses and executives through email, calendar management, travel coordination, data entry, appointment setting and other typing-heavy tasks. They earn $15-50 per hour.
Translation services accurately convert content from one language to another. Fluency in multiple languages is required to bridge communication gaps around the world. Translators make $20-60 per hour based on language pair scarcity.
Captcha Solving generates online security by having real humans solve letter/number puzzles. Though payments per captcha solved are miniscule, the simplicity of this microtask makes it popular supplementary income starting at $1-5 per hour.
Subtitling/Captioning makes video content accessible to all by adding text captions synchronized to spoken words.Specialized skills in hearing impairment accommodation and translating slang make subtitlers $25-100+ per audio/video hour.
Online proctoring means guarding the integrity of online assessments by monitoring test-taker behaviors through typed notes and audio/video records. Detail-orientation and advanced tech troubleshooting ability is valued up to $20 per hour.
Is Remote Work Right for You? Keys to Success with Online Typing Jobs
Before diving headfirst into the world of online typing gigs, make sure this new frontier of virtual vocations matches your situation and abilities.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Can you work independently with minimal supervision?
- Are you comfortable using computers for extended periods?
- Does your home workspace enable focus despite potential distractions?
- Do you have strong self-motivation and time management skills?
- Can you professionally communicate with clients virtually?
If you answered yes to all, you likely have the fundamental qualities to thrive.
Next, evaluate your typing speed and accuracy. Aim for minimum 50-60 words per minute with 98%+ accuracy before applying to typing-centric gigs.
Finally, leverage your existing knowledge and experience. Pursue specialized transcription or writing opportunities that align with your background – no need to limit yourself to entry-level roles.
By playing to your strengths and proactively learning in-demand skills, your earning potential has no limit, no matter where you’re starting from.
Finding Legit Online Typing Job Opportunities
With scams abound, finding legitimate typing work takes proactive effort:
Vet opportunities thoroughly – Real remote companies explain pay rates and structures clearly before requiring any personal details. Never pay upfront fees. Search the company’s name online looking for reviews and feedback.
Start small – Don’t quit your day job until consistent pay gets established. Take on smaller typing tasks first during free hours as test runs.
Build your profile – Create accounts on trusted remote job boards like FlexJobs, SolidGigs, Remote.co and reputable skill marketplaces like Fiverr and Upwork. Complete tests to verify your abilities.
Specialized platforms – Find medical transcription openings through trusted industry players like MTBC, NuScribe and WayScript. Legal opportunities abound via 4n6 Worksheets, Allegheny Court Reporting and Esquire Deposition Solutions.
Direct applications – Keep an eye out for remote openings from major corporations and publishers with established WFH cultures like Amazon, Buzzfeed, Xerox, Kaplan, UnitedHealth and more to open doors to stable employment.
Conclusion: A World of Opportunity Available at Your Fingertips
Online typing jobs represent the vanguard ushering virtual vocations into mainstream acceptance. As remote work revolutionizes the labor landscape, typing-based roles offer unmatched access and flexibility for earning income on one’s own terms.
With careful preparation, realistic expectations, and commitment to keep upgrading your skills, you can succeed in whatever specialized pathway inspires you – whether helping doctors diagnose patients more accurately through meticulous medical transcription, informing global audiences by adding subtitles to video content, or finally channeling your creative passions into written art as an author.
So open your mind to the possibilities before you. Opportunities await at your fingertips. Now have the courage and dedication to put those typing skills of yours to profitable use!
