These 3 Freelance Jobs Grew by More than 1,000 Percent

Business People Working on an Office DeskThe “Uber of X” gig economy has opened up an entire new frontier for self-employed and freelance workers, and multiple freelance job categories are growing by more than 1,000%.

This April Freelancer.com published a report on the growing job market for freelance work. And although the results should probably be taken with a grain of salt — this is a conflict of interest if ever there was one — the report is just the latest sign that opportunities are growing for self-employed workers.

The survey of more than 1.4 million projects posted on Freelancer.com found that delivery jobs rose by an astounding 1,874% since 2014. Blog installation service jobs grew by 1,133%, while Swift programming jobs jumped up 566%. Social media-related freelance job postings also soared, with Instagram-related work alone growing by 1,328% in 2015.

The report quotes Guardian writer Suzanne Bearne as saying, “For many businesses owners, Instagram has not only catapulted brand awareness but also acted as a powerful sales driver.”

Social media and online marketing experts are tapping into a fast-growing sector of the economy. Even brick and mortar retailers are discovering the benefits of online marketing. Today 65 to 70% of consumers have been to a store after seeing a product online, and many people spend hours glued to their smartphones and laptops every day.

Whether it’s high-tech IT jobs, design work, or blue collar jobs like delivery services, more workers went freelance either full or part time in 2016. To help first-time freelancers prepare for the new gig economy, Forbes recently put together an article advising workers on how to successfully transition to self employment.

One of the most important pieces of advice? Don’t think of it as self employment.

“‘Don’t think of yourself as either self-employed (just because the IRS categorizes you that way doesn’t mean you have to) or freelance. You must think of yourself as a business owner. Otherwise, you’re just going from one job to another — a job with no benefits or vacation time! As a business owner, you create more than a gig; you create a legacy,’ said Debra Russell, Artist’s EDGE.”

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