How to Make Money as an ESports Gamer

Reading Time: 4 mins

In the past decade the gaming industry has seen a massive surge in popularity. It’s gone from a hobby and way to unwind to a full-blown sports league. If you love playing video games, have the exception skills needed, and are willing to put the hours of practice in, then you may be able to earn money as an esports gamer.

• What is eSports?
• How Much is the eSports Industry Worth?
• How to Make Money in eSports
• Make Money on Twitch
• More Useful Reading

What is eSports?

eSports describes the rapidly growing world of competitive, organised video gaming. Competitions and tournaments are hosted where teams of gamers play against each other at a professional level, regularly winning large sums of money as prizes. The players in these competitions are among the best in the world at their respective game.

Organised competitions have been a part of video gaming culture for decades now, but it has only been in the last several years where gamers have become professional players with spectatorship in these events soaring. Now, gaming events are watched and followed by millions of fans worldwide. Some gaming tournaments are held in stadiums where people are able to attend live, however, the majority of viewers tune in to watch online. The increasing availability of online streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch, are central to the growth, promotion, and popularity of eSports competitions.

How Much is the eSports Industry Worth?

The eSports industry has grown massively in the past decade, and shows no signs of slowing down. According to Statista, earlier this year the global eSports industry was valued at just under $1 billion, estimating that it will reach $1.6 billion by 2023. In just another 3 years Statista predicts there to be a massive 300 million frequent viewers of eSports worldwide. Showing just how much the eSports industry is expected to grow in the coming years. Opening up a new market for more job opportunities.

eSports is not only profitable as an entire industry, but opens up plenty of opportunities for individuals to make vast sums of money. Plenty of the top players have earned upwards of $5 million, with these numbers only expected to continue growing in coming years. With a total global audience of 495 million already as of this year, a year-on-year growth of 11.7%.

The majority of the eSport revenue comes from sponsorship and advertising. In fact, this year, $822.4 million, nearly three quarters of the total market, in revenues will come from media rights and sponsorship.

How to Make Money in eSports

The eSports industry is booming and if you have the skills, becoming an eSports gamer is a great way for you to start earning! The prize pools for some global competitions like Data 2 International, have reached over $25 million. eSport tournaments will have a prize pool The better a pro gaming team does in the tournament, the more money they’ll take home. Not something to be sniffed at, and definitely worth trying to get a piece of.

For both streamers and pro teams though, most of their income comes from sponsorship, which involves promoting and selling gaming items. These can be anything from eSports drinks, to jerseys and t-shirts, or even much pricier gaming keyboards and chairs.

However, the big leagues isn’t the only way to make money in eSports. If you think your skills are better suited to entertaining people online while gaming than playing at a competitive level, you may find you’ll have a better chance at making money streaming.

Types of eSports Revenue

• Sponsorship – Most eSports teams make the majority of their revenue from sponsorships, advertising, and promotions.
• Prize Money – The winning amounts are increasing at an incredible rate. The prize pools for most large competitions now reach several million dollars.
• Merchandise Sales – Similarly to traditional sports, eSports sell related merchandise. This can be the usual clothing items, or be more targeted towards their unique audience.
• Content Creation – eSport gamers can also make significant amounts of money by creating content for streaming platforms YouTube and Twitch. YouTube allows potential advertising revenue on each view, while Twitch offers affiliate programmes for streamers. This sector also has great additional benefits of reaching new audiences and expanding their fanbase, which is key to attracting sponsors.

Make Money on Twitch

In recent years we’ve seen a considerable upsurge in live streaming. Twitch is the biggest and most popular streaming platform out there for gamers. Realistically, not everyone is able to become a full time eSports gamer competing in global competitions. In fact, most gaming influencers will earn their income from a mix of Twitch streaming and YouTube videos. It’s only in some cases that people will be involved in professional game playing as well.

To start making money on Twitch you need to become a Twitch affiliate. To do this you need to:

• Have streamed for at least 8 hours in the past 30 days.
• Streamed on at least 7 days out of the past 30.
• Receive an average of at least 3 viewers per stream.
• Grow your audience to 50 followers.

As part of the Twitch affiliate programme, you can start earning by encouraging your followers to subscribe to your channel for either $4.99, $9.99, or $24.99 a month. The money collected is split between Twitch and the streamer 50/50, providing a reliable, regular source of income.

Twitch affiliates can also earn through game sales. When a streamer is playing a game on Twitch that is available for sale, or where you can make in-game purchases, a purchase offer appears below the streaming window. When viewers make a purchase, affiliates will earn a 5% revenue share of all purchases that are made through their channel page.

More Useful Reading

Looking for more ways to make money online? Why not check out these articles next:

• How to Earn Cash With MoneyMagpie Marketplace
• How to Make Money on Social Media
• Make £25 an Hour as a Virtual Assistant
• Make Money as an Online Translator
• How to Make and Sell Online Courses for Passive Income

The post How to Make Money as an ESports Gamer appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to Make Money as an ESports Gamer

Reading Time: 4 mins

In the past decade the gaming industry has seen a massive surge in popularity. It’s gone from a hobby and way to unwind to a full-blown sports league. If you love playing video games, have the exception skills needed, and are willing to put the hours of practice in, then you may be able to earn money as an esports gamer.

• What is eSports?
• How Much is the eSports Industry Worth?
• How to Make Money in eSports
• Make Money on Twitch
• More Useful Reading

What is eSports?

eSports describes the rapidly growing world of competitive, organised video gaming. Competitions and tournaments are hosted where teams of gamers play against each other at a professional level, regularly winning large sums of money as prizes. The players in these competitions are among the best in the world at their respective game.

Organised competitions have been a part of video gaming culture for decades now, but it has only been in the last several years where gamers have become professional players with spectatorship in these events soaring. Now, gaming events are watched and followed by millions of fans worldwide. Some gaming tournaments are held in stadiums where people are able to attend live, however, the majority of viewers tune in to watch online. The increasing availability of online streaming platforms like YouTube and Twitch, are central to the growth, promotion, and popularity of eSports competitions.

How Much is the eSports Industry Worth?

The eSports industry has grown massively in the past decade, and shows no signs of slowing down. According to Statista, earlier this year the global eSports industry was valued at just under $1 billion, estimating that it will reach $1.6 billion by 2023. In just another 3 years Statista predicts there to be a massive 300 million frequent viewers of eSports worldwide. Showing just how much the eSports industry is expected to grow in the coming years. Opening up a new market for more job opportunities.

eSports is not only profitable as an entire industry, but opens up plenty of opportunities for individuals to make vast sums of money. Plenty of the top players have earned upwards of $5 million, with these numbers only expected to continue growing in coming years. With a total global audience of 495 million already as of this year, a year-on-year growth of 11.7%.

The majority of the eSport revenue comes from sponsorship and advertising. In fact, this year, $822.4 million, nearly three quarters of the total market, in revenues will come from media rights and sponsorship.

How to Make Money in eSports

The eSports industry is booming and if you have the skills, becoming an eSports gamer is a great way for you to start earning! The prize pools for some global competitions like Data 2 International, have reached over $25 million. eSport tournaments will have a prize pool The better a pro gaming team does in the tournament, the more money they’ll take home. Not something to be sniffed at, and definitely worth trying to get a piece of.

For both streamers and pro teams though, most of their income comes from sponsorship, which involves promoting and selling gaming items. These can be anything from eSports drinks, to jerseys and t-shirts, or even much pricier gaming keyboards and chairs.

However, the big leagues isn’t the only way to make money in eSports. If you think your skills are better suited to entertaining people online while gaming than playing at a competitive level, you may find you’ll have a better chance at making money streaming.

Types of eSports Revenue

• Sponsorship – Most eSports teams make the majority of their revenue from sponsorships, advertising, and promotions.
• Prize Money – The winning amounts are increasing at an incredible rate. The prize pools for most large competitions now reach several million dollars.
• Merchandise Sales – Similarly to traditional sports, eSports sell related merchandise. This can be the usual clothing items, or be more targeted towards their unique audience.
• Content Creation – eSport gamers can also make significant amounts of money by creating content for streaming platforms YouTube and Twitch. YouTube allows potential advertising revenue on each view, while Twitch offers affiliate programmes for streamers. This sector also has great additional benefits of reaching new audiences and expanding their fanbase, which is key to attracting sponsors.

Make Money on Twitch

In recent years we’ve seen a considerable upsurge in live streaming. Twitch is the biggest and most popular streaming platform out there for gamers. Realistically, not everyone is able to become a full time eSports gamer competing in global competitions. In fact, most gaming influencers will earn their income from a mix of Twitch streaming and YouTube videos. It’s only in some cases that people will be involved in professional game playing as well.

To start making money on Twitch you need to become a Twitch affiliate. To do this you need to:

• Have streamed for at least 8 hours in the past 30 days.
• Streamed on at least 7 days out of the past 30.
• Receive an average of at least 3 viewers per stream.
• Grow your audience to 50 followers.

As part of the Twitch affiliate programme, you can start earning by encouraging your followers to subscribe to your channel for either $4.99, $9.99, or $24.99 a month. The money collected is split between Twitch and the streamer 50/50, providing a reliable, regular source of income.

Twitch affiliates can also earn through game sales. When a streamer is playing a game on Twitch that is available for sale, or where you can make in-game purchases, a purchase offer appears below the streaming window. When viewers make a purchase, affiliates will earn a 5% revenue share of all purchases that are made through their channel page.

More Useful Reading

Looking for more ways to make money online? Why not check out these articles next:

• How to Earn Cash With MoneyMagpie Marketplace
• How to Make Money on Social Media
• Make £25 an Hour as a Virtual Assistant
• Make Money as an Online Translator
• How to Make and Sell Online Courses for Passive Income

The post How to Make Money as an ESports Gamer appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

How to Set Up Your Freelance Business in Under One Week

Reading Time: 7 mins

Setting up a freelance business might seem daunting – but you could be finding your first clients within the next week! In these unstable times, having a side hustle or going full-time freelance is an appealing career option for many of us.

A freelance business can cover all sorts of things, from writing and graphic design, to cleaning, to trades like woodwork and plumbing. Some may take longer to really get going – but there’s nothing stopping you from setting up your freelance business in one week flat! Once it’s created, you’ve got a solid grounding to start building your business on and start finding those all-important clients. Here’s how to do it on limited funds AND in a short period of time.

• Decide on Your Business Type
• Research Your Competitors
• Choose Your Business Name
• Register with HMRC
• Create a Website
• Draw Up a Business Plan
• Set Up a Business Bank Account
• Seek Funding and Mentorship
• Identify Your Marketing Channels
• More Freelance Tips

Day One: Decide on Your Business Type

So, you want to run a freelance business. Doing what? Perhaps you want to take the knowledge and skills from your day job to start out on your own. Great! Many freelance businesses, such as marketing agencies, virtual assistants, graphic designers, and even customer service consultants start out in that way.

Perhaps you want to do something totally different. Tired of answering complaints calls every day, but have a knack for baking? A freelance business as a special occasion baker is something you can run alongside your main job – or turn into a fully-fledged job altogether!

Think about your skills, interests, hobbies, and passions. Consider the things you love about your current or previous jobs – and what you’d avoid doing ever again. Use this to help you shape your business idea.

Research Your Competitors

When you know what type of business you want to run, look at the competition. Consider the competition on a local and national level, too. Even take a look at international competitors – especially if they can’t encroach on your patch (such as if you’re a dog walker!) – as they could have some cool marketing ideas or strategies you could use.

Spend a day (yes, a whole day of your precious week-long setup target!) to look at competitors. Branch out a bit, too: look at related companies that would target the same customers as you. It might give you inspiration for a niche opportunity to bridge the gap, or help you develop ideas for extra services to offer clients.

Make a list of the pros and cons of each competitor. What do they offer? What’s lacking? How could you challenge their place in the market? This will help you decide your specific business angle, and that helps with the next steps of a business plan and marketing.

Day Two: Register with HMRC

Even if you’re setting up your freelance business as a side earner, you need to register with HMRC as a sole trader. You could become a Ltd company, too – but that takes a little extra time and cost. You can always switch over to being a Ltd company when you’re more established. When you’re starting out, it’s usually beneficial to stay a sole trader.

Even if you’re not expecting to earn enough this tax year to pay anything, you’re still going to pay Class 2 National Insurance contributions. So, it’s really important to register as self-employed with HMRC as soon as you start creating your business.

Choose your business name before you register. It makes the whole process much easier – and helps you when it’s time to start your marketing, too. Use a business name generator tool if you’re stuck for ideas – and check Companies House to make sure no one else has the same business name, too.

Create a Website

You don’t need to be an internet whizz to set up a website. These days, it’s really easy to create one! Most of the popular website hosts, like Wix, WordPress, and Squarespace, have drag-and-drop editors and simple to use admin panels. It’s really important, however, that you have even a basic site so that potential customers can find you.

Your website doesn’t need to be expensive or fancy when you start out, either. Remember: you can always expand your functionality and services as your business grows. You need to include basic information, such as:

• What product or service you offer
• How the product or service benefits your client
• A price list
• Contact information
• An ‘about you’ page – people like to know who they’re buying from!

You should also claim your social media handles, too. It’s often best to focus on just one or two platforms (especially at first) – but it’s a good idea to claim the handle on each one. This stops people impersonating you online – and also means you can keep the same name across all platforms if you want to expand. A really good site to try is Namecheckr – it’ll tell you which platforms have your chosen handle available. Try to choose one that reflects your website and business name, that you can claim on as many platforms as possible.

Day Three: Draw Up a Business Plan

Your business plan helps you work out how to get started – and then how to maintain growth in your first year. For example, you’ll need to decide what products or services you’re going to offer customers from the outset. How much will they cost to provide? What profit margin do you need on them?

Work out the cost of your overheads, too. This gives you a financial target to aim for in your first year – and helps price your services or products. You’ll need to think about rent, bills, business rates (if you’re renting a premises), insurance, inventory, and so on. Remember, too, that your first year means investing in assets like computers or other equipment.

Use a business plan template to make sure you’ve got everything covered. This will help you to decide if your freelance business will be viable as a profit maker. Your first year (or two) may not turn profit if you need to invest in a lot of equipment or inventory, so don’t be disheartened! However, the plan will help you see the costs you need to cover (including your own living costs) – and this helps you to know where to turn for funding.

Day Four: Set Up a Business Bank Account

As a sole trader, you don’t legally need a separate business bank account. However, it’s always a good idea to set one up to keep your own finances separate from that of the business.

Starting out, you don’t need to pay for a proper business bank account, either. You can set up a basic current account in your own name – just keep it for business income and expenses only. This really helps when it comes to doing your annual tax return, too!

Seek Funding and Mentorship

There is a TON of help out there for new business owners – you just need to know where to look.

If you’re currently unemployed and receiving Universal Credit, ask your job coach about the New Enterprise Allowance. This is a scheme to help you get started with your own business – and opens doors to business mentorship as well as startup loans and funding.

For those not in receipt of benefits, there are still lots of ways to fund your new startup. First, speak to your local library, council, and job centre. They may all have different schemes or be able to recommend local services that offer free business advice or help for new freelancers.

And remember, we’ve got some articles covering funding and benefits for the self-employed, as well as sources to find funding for your startup.

Why look for mentorship?

Your local job centre or council is likely to run schemes for new business owners. It’s important to seek advice from experienced business professionals, and if you can get free advice, that’s even better! Without guidance from a business mentor, you could fall into the common traps new freelancers make – such as not budgeting for no-income months – and end up without any profit.

Talk to your local Chamber of Commerce or the Federation of Small Businesses, and look for ‘digital hubs’ in your area, too. There are often free workshops and sometimes even reduced-fee or free workspaces for new businesses if you do some research. Wrexham Enterprise Hub, for example, is free – and gives you somewhere to work, have meetings, and also runs free training workshops.

Day Five: Identify Your Marketing Channels

When you’re starting out, you’re on a tight budget. So, marketing to all and sundry isn’t the most cost-effective way to spend your pennies!

You DO, however, have to spend SOME money on marketing to draw those first clients in. Once you’ve got them, they’ll offer reviews or word-of-mouth recommendations, which is free marketing that generates much stronger customer relationships, too.

Think about who you want as an ideal customer. What do they read? Which websites do they visit? Where do they go in your local community? Mix some online and offline marketing to get the best results. Try flyers in your local area, and digital adverts on social media platforms that are targeted at your ideal demographic.

Use the MoneyMagpie Marketplace

One option to find new clients in your area is to advertise on the MoneyMagpie Marketplace! It’s brand new – which means it’s currently free to list your adverts. After three months, the charge is only 8% of the customer spend – which is far less than other online platforms! Plus, you only pay when someone books your service or buys your product – which means you’re not paying for marketing until it’s successful.

More Freelance Tips

Creating a freelance business is an exciting time for every career-driven person. However, there’s so much to consider as you grow your business that it’s easy to feel lost. Read these articles next to arm yourself with all the vital info you need.

• The Best Part-Time Freelance Jobs You Can Start Now
• 7 Tips to Manage a Freelance Work/Life Balance
• What Is Access to Work and How Does It Help Freelancers?
• The Best Places for Freelancers to Find Clients
• 10 Ways to Stay Motivated as a Freelancer

The post How to Set Up Your Freelance Business in Under One Week appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Things To Consider Before Joining Survey Sites To Earn Easy Money

Reading Time: 4 mins

Earning money by taking paid surveys is easy if you know how. Paid surveys are a great way to earn extra money. It can never be a complete solution for making a full-time income online; but, if you need an extra source of instant money payouts, they are the perfect solution.

The main reason paid surveys are the go-to method for making money online today is because of their ease of access. Most people want more out of their internet-based business. They want to make it easy for themselves and their customers, and paid survey sites are doing just that. Paid online surveys are actually pretty simple to do. Just log into your account and start earning money right away. That’s all there is to it.

There are plenty of places that you can take paid online surveys. Some of them are free while others require you to pay a one-time membership fee to get access to their database of paid survey offers. More so, there are also sites such as Survey Guide that can give you insights on how and where to get started with paid surveys. To ensure that you’re signing up for legitimate websites, there are certain factors you need to consider. This article gives you a few of these.

 

1. The Presence Of A Privacy Policy

While there are so many paid survey sites that you can join, not all of these are equal. Unfortunately, there are those that are simply in it to take your private details, or worse, take money from you. This is why you have to be very cautious with the choice of websites to sign up for.

To narrow down your options, a good place to start is to choose an online survey site that has a privacy policy. If they can’t bother to take time to have a privacy policy in place, then it’s safe for you to conclude that they also can’t be trusted enough to give you payment when it’s due.

 

2. The Means Of Earning Cash

Before you completely jump right into a survey site, take time to browse through the feedback section as to how the site actually gives their payout. That way, you can double check to see whether or not they do pay out regularly. This is very important as, with surveys, you shouldn’t really expect to earn that much per survey. It may take you time to accumulate the minimum cash withdrawal or payout requirement.

If the choice is available, you can also choose the best option on how to make the most out of the different ways to earn cash. There are different ways by which you can take advantage of this source of income, some of which include:

• Sign up for multiple sites, so you can take multiple paid questionnaires a day, when you’ve got the time, on top of your full-tine job;
• Always do your research, to ensure that you’re working with a legitimate site;
• Prove feedback when asked, as the more feedback you give, the higher the likelihood that companies will ask for your insights for future surveys;
• Always review the customer support section, so you know you’ve got the support you’ll need just in case you’ll encounter problems with payouts, etc.;

 

 3. The Amount Paid Per Survey, Or Question

If there’s any down side to taking surveys for money, it’s that each question or survey in total isn’t going to pay you out very well. It’ll take some time before you can accumulate the minimum amount for withdrawal. Hence, take the time also to compare across different sites the amount they’re willing to pay per survey or question.

For you to assess how much you can possibly earn by taking surveys, take note also of the following personal factors:

• The number of paid surveys you can take in a day
• The amount needed before you can withdraw
• The different payment options, such as whether it’ll be through cash or credits on gift cards

If there’s one that pays more, then sign up to that. In doing this research process, you’re avoiding the situation where you’re stuck with a website that pays way less than the others do. You’re not able to maximize your earning potential. Generally, the sites that pay the most can also be the most trustworthy. It means they’ve been around long enough for them to afford the higher payout.

 

4. The Availability Of Free Trial Offers

Another good way for you to ascertain whether or not a particular site is reliable is to double-check the availability of free trial offers. That way, it’s easy for you to leave the site, without any obligation to stay. For instance, you haven’t paid a registration or start-up fee yet. If a certain website ties you up immediately without that easy option, then that should be another red flag for you.

With a trial offer, you’ll also have a feel as to what it’s like to take paid surveys to earn money. You can also practice to see how much you can do during your free time, so you can have a clearer sense as to the total amount you can make in a day or week.

 

5. The Clear Presence Of The Rules Or Fine Print

Another very important thing for you to consider before signing up to a survey website is the clear availability of the rules or fine print for signing up to that particular website. You should know what you’re getting yourself into, so that your expectations are at par with what the company can actually give you. Otherwise, you might mistakenly think that you’re entitled to certain perks by signing up, when, in fact, there were other fine prints involved.

 

Conclusion

Paid surveys can make you extra online money, and there’s no reason to pass up on getting started. Just read the terms and conditions of each paid survey site carefully and you’ll get started on earning from online surveys today. Remember that you’re signing up to earn, and not for them to take money from you. If there’s anything that’s a red flag for you, follow your instincts. When there are so many survey sites for you to choose from, there’s no reason for you to settle with the very first website you come across. Be very prudent with your selection, by checking the factors above.

 

 

The post Things To Consider Before Joining Survey Sites To Earn Easy Money appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Paralympian Liz Johnson and Podium: The Disabled Freelancers Platform

Reading Time: 4 mins

Freelancing is a popular option for people with disabilities who have found that the 9-5 doesn’t cater to their needs. We caught up with Paralympian gold medallist Liz Johnson, who turned from athletics to disability inclusion in the workplace with The Ability People – and learned more about Podium, their new platform.

• What is The Ability People?
• Freelancing as a Career Option
• What Is Podium?
• More Freelancing Tips

What Is The Ability People?

Liz set up The Ability People when she realised there was a disconnect between employers wanting to hire people with disabilities and their processes to help those employees stay in work.

Difficulties getting a job

For many, it’s tough to get a job when an employer doesn’t think they can offer the required adaptations for an employee. Instead of seeing the benefits, some business owners look at things like additional costs, or the time investment of changing processes.

However, times are changing and more employers are cottoning onto the fact that people with impairments offer a unique perspective.

“We’re always adapting to the world around us, every day,” says Liz. “We have to make things work in a world that’s not built for us – which means people with disabilities are excellent problem solvers, they’re resilient, and bring a unique perspective to things”.

Help for employers

Often, Liz says, employers think they’re offering an accessible workplace – but, in reality, the processes they have in place can prevent this. “It’s not just about making the building accessible”, she says – but rather, about catering for all types of disabilities.

This means working with businesses on everything from disability awareness training for staff, to helping them revise how day-to-day processes work to make sure they’re accessible. Many companies work with an intranet, for example – and they won’t always work with screenreader software. Or, businesses insist on set working hours without the flexibility to commute outside of rush hour.

The Ability People helps employers realise the wide range of disabilities people can have – including invisible ones – and shows them how to make their business as inclusive as possible.

Freelancing as a Career Option

However, even though many businesses are willing to take on training and change their processes, many people with impairments choose to create their own path.

Freelancing is tough for everyone who attempts it – but people with disabilities often find it’s a great way to forge a career that works around their impairments. Being your own boss is a brilliant way to work flexibly, and you can work in ways that suit you.

There’s also a lot of help out there for people with disabilities who want to go self-employed. For example, the Access to Work scheme helps fund essential adaptive equipment, or services like sign language interpreters.

More than anything, self-employment is the perfect way to establish your career in a way that suits you. Your unique experiences and problem-solving attitude mean you can bring a fresh perspective to your clients.

Being self-employed as a person with disabilities or impairments does one further important thing: it centres your abilities and knowledge, instead of spotlighting your disabilities.

What Is Podium?

Liz and The Ability People realised there is market for employers who want to hire freelancers with disabilities. However, there was no dedicated forum to connect the two!

Many freelancers with disabilities or impairments find it’s tricky to know when to tell clients they’re disabled. They worry it will put clients off working with them – and that it could eliminate them entirely from potential work. On the other hand, finding clients who actively want to hire people with disabilities was also a minefield.

Podium removes that worry altogether. You know the employers using the new platform are actively seeking freelancers with disabilities to join their extended teams. There’s no stigma attached: you’re selling your services to someone already interested in what you’ve got to offer!

Podium is a new platform that connects employers and freelancers with disabilities. It’s free to post your advert – and you’re in charge of what you choose to charge.

You can find out more about The Ability People, Podium, and becoming a freelancer on our latest podcast with Liz Johnson – available here.

More Freelancing Tips

Freelancing is a perfect solution for many people who need to be flexible in their working hours, location, or type of work. However, we know it’s a daunting mission to start on, which is why we’ve got tons of articles to help! Read these next:

• Pensions for the Self-Employed Explained
• Benefits and Funding for the Newly Self-Employed
• What’s an Allowable Expense on Self Assessment?
• The Best Part-Time Freelance Jobs You Can Start Now
• How to Set Up a Website for Your Freelance Business

The post Paralympian Liz Johnson and Podium: The Disabled Freelancers Platform appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

3 Ways to Prime Your Small Business for Growth

Reading Time: 2 mins

The key to progress is preparation. If you want to run a marathon, you have to train for it. In the same way, if you want to build a successful business, you have to plan for growth right from the start. Otherwise, you could miss out on big opportunities to advance your company and establish yourself in an industry. The good news is that it’s possible to chart a course for your small company that accounts for growth potential right now. Here are three ways you can prime your small business for growth that you’ll want to keep in mind at all times:

 

Prioritize Education

Not only should business leaders seek to expand their own skill set and knowledge base, but they should also make it a priority to educate their staff as well. Training your employees will help them take on new tasks, grow into larger roles, and allow your company to transition into new markets seamlessly. On the other hand, the cost of not training employees is quite steep, and not doing so could prevent you from growing your company as you envision.

 

Create a Strong Digital Foundation

Digital marketing and advertising efforts can take a long time to produce meaningful returns. As such, forward-thinking business leaders would do well to develop a strong digital foundation for their small business ASAP. Improving your site’s SEO, launching features like an online shop, and reaching out to new leads on social media are all tactics that can produce serious results down the line –– even if you don’t see big changes at first. By doing this work now, though, you’ll position your business to expand in the long run.

 

Retain a Customer Base

Yes, customer acquisition is obviously necessary to grow a business. However, without a strong ability to retain a current customer base, no business will be able to scale up in a sustainable fashion. It simply costs too much to replace reliable consumers on a consistent basis. So small businesses must go above and beyond to deliver positive outcomes for their most loyal customers. (Which is why customer service and product implementation are so vital.) These consumers won’t just keep your business going, they can also actively bolster it by writing positive reviews and sharing your message with others.

 

Conclusion

Business growth requires hard work, patience, and –– of course –– a little bit of luck. Thankfully, if you focus on the areas outlined above, you’ll have everything in place when it’s time to scale up your business.

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How to Switch Careers at Any Age

Reading Time: 4 mins

You might think switching careers is a young person’s game. After all, those in their 20s or 30s might be less likely to have families, mortgages or other responsibilities that could make it harder to switch careers to something completely new. 

In reality though, there are a lot of ways you could switch careers later in life. There’s no reason why having commitments should stand in the way of you being able to pursue your ambitions. Switching careers is actually very possible wherever you are in life – we promise! 

Here, we’ll think about a few ways that you could switch careers at any age…

• Pivot to Self-Employment 
• Become a Consultant
• Consider an Apprenticeship 
• Extend Your Side Hustle 
• Consider Going Back to University 
• More Money-Making Tips

Pivot to self-employment

If you’ve spent a long time in one career area, it’s likely that you’ll have built up a strong network of contacts in the industry that you’re in. If that’s the case, you might be perfectly positioned to make the switch to becoming a career freelancer. You can do this in lots of areas – whether you’re a statistics expert or a project manager or a copywriter or a web designer. 

What does this entail? Well, choosing your niche is the first thing that you should do. Decide on your offering. Follow that by setting up your marketing channels (for example your website) and making sure the industry knows that you’ve made the switch. Ready to start your freelance work? Contact old clients or those you’d like to work with to make sure you’re giving yourself the best start possible. 

Of course, if you no longer have children to support or if you’re close to paying off your mortgage, your freedom is only increased. So, why not use this time (and potential extra income!) to start the new phase of your career? The flexibility and opportunities it affords to take on work that you really want to do will be a refreshing change after years of being employed. The freelance market really is booming, and there are lots of resources available to help you on your way. This is true whichever industry you’re in. 

Become a consultant

If you’ve got significant experience and think being self-employed is for you, you might want to consider becoming a consultant. Consultants usually have at least 15 years in their field, allowing them to bring the best levels of expertise to their clients. Usually, they will work with clients on specific projects, offering targeted and practical advice. 

As a consultant, you can charge by the hour or by the day. You should look into the typical day rates for consultants within your sector if you’re thinking you might switch careers in this way. Don’t be afraid to charge what you’re worth, even if it sounds incredibly high initially! And remember the golden rule: network, network, network! 

Consider an apprenticeship

No, apprenticeships aren’t just for 19 year olds! In fact, there are specific resources and schemes for apprentices over the age of 25. The Government wants to encourage people into these schemes. You can find out more about the specifics here.

If you want to switch careers entirely, or if you want to do something practical after years in a white collar job, an apprenticeship might be for you. Apprenticeships don’t just exist in plumbing and hairdressing, though. In fact, there are opportunities in almost every sector, from accounting to social work. Whether you want to retrain with a view to starting a new corporate career or because you want to give back to your community, there’s likely to be an apprenticeship for you.

There are different levels of apprenticeship, and they take between one and five years to complete. The levels range from offering a GCSE to a master’s degree. There is more information on apprenticeships on Gov.uk. 

Extend your side hustle

Got a side hustle or mini business that does well when you get the time to invest in it? If you want to leave your current industry, you could think about whether extending your side project could be a sustainable way to switch careers. 

Of course, only you will know whether you have enough money to put into your side project, whether you can afford to cut your working hours to spend more time on it, or whether it has potential to be a bigger business than it currently is. These are all things that you could think about if extending it sounds appealing. Are your answers to these questions yes? Go on – take the risk! 

Consider going back to university

Want to retrain in an area that requires a degree? Learning is lifelong, and there’s no reason why you can’t go back to university if you can find the funding to do so. 

If you already have a degree, you are unlikely to be entitled to another loan from the Government. However, lots of people who want a second round at university can get sponsorship from an employer if they’re likely to work there afterwards.

In the process of switching careers and are working part-time in the industry that you want to move into? It might be possible for your employer to sponsor you to go back to university. If you’re going to approach them to see if this is possible, you should make sure you’re clear in what the benefits to them will be. Having an upskilled workforce is likely to be a benefit to them in the long-term, so the conversation is likely to be about how long you’ll stay with them if they make the investment in you. 

Have you had success switching careers in later life? Taken on an apprenticeship, launched a consultancy business, or taken the leap into freelance? We’d love to hear about it. Share your story over on the forums.

More Money Making Ideas

If switching careers is still daunting, or you’re worried about taking a dip in your income, read these articles next.

• How to Earn Cash with MoneyMagpie Marketplace
• Make £25 an Hour as a Virtual Assistant
• How to Make Money Flipping Thrift Items
• 45 Ways to Get a Job
• How to Make Money Ethically in Your Community

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The Best Part-Time Freelance Jobs You Can Start Now

Reading Time: 5 mins

Got a taste of the work from home life and want to start working for yourself? Looking for new freelance work this autumn? Part-time freelance work has become increasingly popular, especially amongst young people, over the past few years. You’re definitely not alone in wanting a slice of the freelance pie for yourself! 

The flexibility and opportunity for creative work are just two of the reasons why people might consider taking on part-time freelance work rather than having a regular 9-5 job. Remember that if you’re taking on part-time freelance work, you’ll be responsible for saving up for and paying your own taxes. You should be aware of this even if you only want to take on a small amount of work. It’ll all add up!

You need to think about pensions, too. But that’s a subject for a different article. Here, we’ll think about a few of the part-time freelance jobs that you can start right now, before offering an idea on how MoneyMagpie can help… 

• Good with Numbers? 
• IT and Digital Skills 
• Online Teaching and Tutoring 
• Content Writing 
• Become a Virtual Assistant 
• Become a Seller on the MoneyMagpie Marketplace
• Find Clients Using Online Marketing

Good with numbers?

The Daily Mail outlines the significant spike in freelance job opportunities in recent months. The article identifies jobs within maths, stats and engineering as being the most high in demand. Apparently, there has been an 80.7% jump in demand for engineering jobs globally in recent times. For maths jobs, the growth was a whopping 99.6%. Not numbers to be sniffed at! 

According to the site, “The significant rise in data was due to tracking and tracing of coronavirus cases, hospitalisations, mortality rates, tests conducted and the impacts of the pandemic.” So not the happiest of reasons for a spike in potential jobs, but an opportunity to use your skills in this area if you do have them. 

IT and digital skills

Similarly to the above, those with digital and IT skills are in high demand at the moment. This is a broad remit, but as the BBC points out that these skills are useful because they’re needed across all sectors. Those that will need to increase the numbers within their digital and IT savvy workforce post-pandemic include everything from ecommerce (eg, online retail) brands to those in automation. Jobs that are likely to be in demand include:

• Designers 
• Web developers 
• Software engineers 
• Web security specialists 

There is strong competition in the market for these kinds of jobs, though, so make sure your skills are sharp!

Online teaching and tutoring 

A bit of a no-brainer, this one. Whilst schools are technically open again, demand for tutors will remain high as children miss classes due to quarantine or find that they’re only in for part of the week. With teachers already stretched, many have been unable to provide the high quality level of remote teaching that children need. Online tutors can be there to plug the gap. Look online for tutoring services, decide on your area of expertise and the age you want to tutor, and get yourself signed up!

Content Writing

Always a good bet if you want to take on part-time freelance work that you can do from home! Brands always need writers to populate their websites, and this need has hugely grown in the past couple of years. For the same reasons that we mentioned above when we discussed IT and digital skills, the trend is only likely to continue. 

Find copywriting jobs by looking on the jobs pages on LinkedIn, and keeping an eye on the social media feeds and job sections of your favourite brands’ websites. If you’ve got a particular desire to write for a brand, you could always email their marketing department detailing your experience too. We promise that we’ve heard of more than one writer gaining a regular client this way! 

Become a virtual assistant

A great option if you’re super organised, and one that will often allow you a bit of creativity to boot. Lots of people who run their own businesses hire virtual assistants (VAs) to take on the things that they don’t have time for. This could be everything from sending their invoices to booking their travel to looking after their brand’s social media presence. 

Virtual assistants could do everything from diary management to social media. It’s a really varied role and often a way to get regular work from a few clients every month.

Become a seller on the MoneyMagpie Marketplace

What is the MoneyMagpie Marketplace, you might ask? It’s a very good question. In short, the MoneyMagpie Marketplace is a place where you can sell easily online, whether you’re a crafter or you’ve got a particular skill to sell. Our most popular channels include: 

• Beauty, fitness and therapy services
• Business services, eg designers, writers and IT professionals 
• Selling old VHS tapes, DVDs and CDs (these pages are catnip for collectors!) 
• Handmade items, eg crafts  
• Vintage clothes selling 
• Home skills, eg childminders, cleaners and dog walkers 

If you’ve got something to sell, or have got a skill in one of the above areas, you could pull in some extra cash by signing up to the MoneyMagpie Marketplace. So, what are you waiting for?! Find out more details here.

Find clients using online marketing

If you’re looking to start freelancing, you need to be savvy about your marketing. That is, how people are going to find out about your services. And these days, that means knowing how to find your potential audience online. 

Here are they key ways that you can do that:

• Creating pages on social media (primarily Facebook, Twitter and Instagram)
• Using local community apps, groups or websites to make sure people know about your product or service (eg Nextdoor) 
• Making sure you have a website that displays your product or service clearly, and updating it regularly 
• Knowing who your competitors are, and making sure your offering is displayed as well as (if not better than) theirs 
• Developing a newsletter so that your regular or potential customers can sign up to to keep up to date on your work 
• Working on your SEO to ensure that your search rankings are high 

Have you started a new part-time freelance job this year? Tell us all about it on the forums!

Now read:

• Anybody Can Make Money with These Work From Home Jobs
• What Is Access to Work and How Does It Help Freelancers?
• Could the Kickstart Scheme Help Your New Business?
• The Best Places for Freelancers to Find Clients
• Money Saving Hacks for Freelancers

The post The Best Part-Time Freelance Jobs You Can Start Now appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

Equipment Financing: What It Is And How Small Business Can Benefit From It

Reading Time: 4 mins

Every business has equipment it simply can’t be without when it comes to providing its products and services. Oftentimes, this equipment can be quite costly, especially for startups and small businesses that operate on limited budgets and can’t afford to buy new tools or update the old ones in order to stay competitive. 

This is where equipment financing comes in. Although there’s a great number of loan products small businesses can choose from, equipment financing remains one of the most popular options. In fact, research has shown that up to 80% of businesses choose financing when they need to purchase new equipment. 

One of the main reasons why small businesses opt for equipment financing is the favorable interest rates, starting in at about 7.5%, as well as the favorable terms, which fall between 1 and 5 years. 

The equipment financing amounts you can qualify for vary depending on the specifications of the equipment you want to buy, such as its value, whether it is brand new or second hand, etc. 

But how can your small business benefit from equipment financing? Read on to find out the 7 biggest benefits. 

 

1. Equipment Financing is Quite easy to Obtain

Taking the conventional route of turning to a bank for a loan can prove to be a very frustrating experience. Besides being time-consuming, banks also tend to reject most of the loan applications (85% of them). 

Equipment financing is a great way to save your resources and time as it is much easier to obtain. In order to qualify, you need to:

• Have your business for at least one year
• Earn at least $50k in yearly revenue 
• Have a credit score of at least 650.

 

2.No Risk of Losing Your Property

Another great thing about this type of financing is that you don’t have to offer your home as collateral to your lender; instead, you can use the equipment you are buying. 

If you stop making your payments according to schedule, the lender will be able to take possession of your equipment but at least you won’t have to stress about losing your home!

 

3.Minimal or No Down Payment

If you want to invest your money for expanding your small business, boosting your marketing efforts, launching a new product, or hiring new employees, then equipment financing is just for you. 

It’s possible to put down just a fraction of the financed amount at the beginning of the process and in many cases, no down payment is needed. Such terms enable small business owners to use their cash for other purposes while at the same time reaping the benefits of using new equipment. 

 

4. Get Approved Fast

With equipment financing, you won’t have to wait for months to get your hands on the funds. If a vital piece of equipment breaks down, enduring for up to 3 months could be very difficult, if not impossible. 

Equipment financing is designed specifically to avoid situations like this. In times of equipment crisis, business owners cannot afford to sit around and wait for a solution – they need money and they need it fast. 

With equipment financing, filling in the application usually takes no more than 10 minutes and,  once your request gets approved, you can get the money within 24 hours!

One of the main reasons for such efficacy is the fact that the process is quite streamlined. As we mentioned earlier, you don’t need to put up collateral, which helps a great deal to make the process simpler. In addition, more relaxed qualifications mean less paperwork, which makes things even easier. 

 

5. Find a Loan Option Online 

Today, online lending allows you to explore various loan options and find the one that best fits your needs faster than ever. 

According to experts, small businesses will continue to turn to mobile and online financing. The generational shift in business ownership is one of the main factors that will turn mobile and online into core channels for equipment financing. And as mobile technology and lenders strive to align in order to provide better service for small businesses, online financing is expected to become a norm. 

 

6. Tax Benefits

There are also tax benefits to equipment financing. Some equipment financing options are tax-deductible. Customized financing is also available to suit the unique tax objectives of a small business. 

7. Take Advantage of Cutting Edge Technology

Whether you’re in construction and you need to procure new excavators, trucks, compressors, hydraulic lifts, and backhoes, or simply need new solar panels for your office, equipment financing is a versatile solution to your financing needs. 

Equipment financing enables small businesses to acquire the latest equipment and machinery that will help them improve their efficiency and productivity. Having cutting-edge technology at your disposal could mean out-producing your competitors, and that is definitely a competitive advantage every business needs. 

 

Final Thoughts

When it comes to procuring the right equipment necessary to guarantee success, many small business owners experience hardships. Oftentimes, the tools they need in order to do their job are costly, and not every small business is able to pay large sums up-front. Luckily, there’s a great number of equipment financing programs available. 

Equipment financing can be used to obtain all kinds of equipment- from large machinery and vehicles to solar panels and furniture  – and small businesses can take advantage of it to purchase equipment at lower interest rates than with conventional loan options.

The post Equipment Financing: What It Is And How Small Business Can Benefit From It appeared first on MoneyMagpie.

4 Ways To Increase Your Customer Base

Reading Time: 2 mins

Your business relies on customers to keep all you do running smoothly. Increasing your customer base will equate to more sales and, in turn, more profits for you. Your customers are the foundation of your business. It would help if you had loyal clients on your side who will stick by you and allow your company to grow and expand.

You can’t sit back waiting and hoping that consumers know about your business and what you do. There are four ways, in particular, that you can increase your customer base and gain more attention. Give them a try to see which ideas work best for your company and offer the greatest return.  

 

1. Update Your Website

These days more and more consumers are performing research and shopping online. They want to access and view your website to gather more information and insights before spending any money. Increase your customer base by taking the time to update your website. Include fresh and relevant content that informs the public about the benefits of working with you and your products and services in detail. You may also want to consider launching a blog as a way to show you’re the experts and get consumers interested in your business.

 

2. Create Special Offers & Run Contests

Another way to increase your customer base is to make special offers to get people to try your products or services. Let your customers do the talking for you by encouraging them to bring others along to try out your products or services. Also, think about running contests and giveaways to drum up excitement about your company. You can use a QR code Generator to advertise what you’re doing so people participate. You can get consumers involved using technology, which will be very appealing to most.

 

3. Promote Your Business on Social Media

It’s also a wise idea to get more involved on social media since these platforms are growing quickly, and people are spending more time engaging on them. Promote your business and blog through your online pages. You can also use your social media accounts to respond to customer service inquiries and keep your followers updated on what you’re rolling out next. Use a mix of organic and paid means to get in touch with your target market and increase your customer base.

 

4. Consistently Deliver on Your Promise

Most importantly, commit to offering exceptional customer service at your business if you want to increase your customer base. Be consistent, and always deliver on your promise by keeping your word. Customers appreciate this type of service and will reward you for it by leaving positive reviews and speaking highly about you to friends and family members.

Put policies and procedures in place at your business so you can be more consistent in how you operate. Your employees will be able to perform their jobs better, and your customers will be more satisfied. Make sure you ask for feedback so you can monitor how you’re doing and make any necessary adjustments.

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How to Build an eCommerce Website Fast

Reading Time: 6 mins

Before the internet revolution, traditional retailing was the norm. It was almost unfathomable that one day, customers could make purchases from any location at the click of a button. Today, building an eCommerce website is possible for anyone wishing to sell online.

The good news is that you don’t need advanced coding skills to start online retail. You can easily build and launch an eCommerce site powered by Zyro. Zyro is a website building and hosting tool that additionally offers AI services.

It was launched by Hostinger to offer easy and fast solutions for clients who wish to start selling online. Users can access free and premium plans for their different needs.

In this article, I’m going to show you how you can create an eCommerce website fast, with the help of Zyro.

 

Getting Started with Zyro

First things first, you’ll have to create an account. Once done, the builder then allows you to select the templates you wish to use for your site.

Zyro prides itself on having the efficiency of a Swiss Army knife, and it takes no time to notice this. The interface is neat and easy to use. Think more like taking a leisurely stroll navigating the various eye-catching features on the site. Users will never feel lost on the site.

 

Choosing a Template

Now it’s time for you to select a template. You will find more than 70 beautiful options that serve as the building blocks for your eCommerce site. There is the promise of even more dynamic templates coming onboard.

The templates are all customizable and feature a responsive design that adjusts your site accordingly on mobile or desktop. They cover various industries like hospitality, art and design, fashion, and many more.

 

Customize Templates

Zyro provides users with a grid-based layout editor for customizing the online stores. Using the drag-and-drop feature, you can drag a component and place it anywhere you want it to appear on the web page. You can then click on this web element to edit it further.

The grid tool helps newbie site builders to spend less time tweaking items to fit perfectly. You can use the grid layout feature to fit elements like videos, maps, images, social icons, contact information, and text.

Every few seconds, the site autosaves as you build your site. This is a guarantee that you don’t lose any content. If not satisfied with your work, just click on undo and your site reverts to the previous state.

You also don’t have to hire a photographer or scour the internet looking for the perfect images for your web pages. Zyro has an image library of over 1 million images ready for you, courtesy of Unsplash.com.

 

Add eCommerce Elements

And you’re practically in the home stretch. Select “Elements” at the top, and choose the eCommerce, and choose the features that you need by dragging and dropping them onto the page.

 

Access Business Tools

Beyond the images, videos, and text, you can get eye-catching logos for your online business powered by Zyro. With the free logo maker tool on the site, free images on Zyro’s vast library can be placed on a canvas to make logos. You can then apply text and adjust the image positioning accordingly.

If you are wondering how to name your business, Zyro has this sorted out through the business name generator. All you need is to input a few keywords specific to your industry and several suggestions are generated, all for free.

The slogan generator is similar to the business name generator and is free as well. You can choose from a host of catchy slogans generated by this tool.

 

AI Tools

Zyro employs the latest AI tools to improve user experience, help users with marketing, and ultimately increase conversions. They include:

AI Writer

Newbie eCommerce site builders need not spend long hours writing copy for their sites. The AI writer is perhaps one of the best features we found on Zyro. This powerful tool uses cutting-edge AI technology to churn copy for your site and it is quite simple to use.

How to Use the AI Writer

To use the AI writer, select your business categories like Sustainability or Events and Weddings. You then have to specify the sub-category specific to the topic you want. For instance, under the Art & Design category, you will find sub-categories like Ceramics and Architect Portfolio.

You can also choose the segment you want copy for, like the About Us segment, and click continue.

The AI writer will then generate different versions of the copy requested. Since it is machine-generated text, some editing might be needed to add a human element to it.

AI Heatmap

The AI heatmap tool is designed to predict accurately how visitors navigate your eCommerce site and what catches their eye. When you upload an image of your eCommerce site, the heatmap analyzes and gives results via a color-coded system, from hot to cold.

Using the results powered by Zyro, you can then optimize your landing page, arranging elements to catch the attention of your clients and thereby boosting conversions.

Third-Party Integration

Zyro offers integration with third-party service providers like Facebook Messenger, Google Analytics, Google Ads, and Hotjar starting with the Basic plan. Third-party sites help to keep track of your eCommerce site’s growth through functions like tracking data.

Choose Payment Options

Zyro accepts most of the major payment methods like PayPal, credit and debit cards like MasterCard, Discover, Visa, and American Express. You can decide to integrate all these to your eCommerce site to give your clients more options.

 

Enjoy Strong Infrastructure

Zyro boasts of a robust infrastructure for web hosting that ensures excellent uptime. When you create your site, you will enjoy guaranteed security through SSL encryption and a fast load time. Slow load times might frustrate visitors and they might leave before making purchases, leading to slower conversion rates.

 

Customer Support

Having questions about your eCommerce site? Customer support is available 24/7 on Zyro through their chatbox. You can chat with a bot or choose to engage a human representative via en email app.

 

Pricing and Plans

Zyro is one of the most affordable website builders.

For those on a budget, the free plan comes with several perks like:

• AI branding
• SEO assistance
• 500 MB storage
• SSL security certificate

The Basic plan is designed for personal brands and goes for $1.30 per month. This package unlocks the following features:

• You can remove Zyro ads
• 1 GB storage
• SEO assistance
• You can connect your own domain

For small businesses looking to expand their online reach, the Unleashed plan is suited for their needs at a cost of $1.79 per month. It has the following advantages:

• Unlimited storage and bandwidth
• You can connect your own domain
• Integrate third party sites like Google Analytics, Facebook and Google Tag Manager
• Free domain for 1 year

The eCommerce plan unlocks several selling features including:

• Up to 100 products can be sold
• Order tracking
• Integrate multiple payment options
• Inventory management
• Receive email notifications
• No transaction fees

The eCommerce+ plan unlocks additional features like:

• Have your store in multiple languages
• Sell on social media platforms like Instagram Store, Facebook Shop and Amazon
• Sell unlimited products

 

Wrap Up

You no longer need a team of talented devs to launch an eCommerce website fast. Thanks to website builders like Zyro, you can start working on expanding your business without the hundreds of hours needed to spend build the site itself. Thanks to such

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