Alternate title: Freelancers Can Do More Than Just Content Writing. There’s a common misconception that hiring a freelancer is only something you would do if you need a writer, editor, or graphic designer. While these three skills are certainly something a freelancer can help with, there are actually hundreds of different jobs you can hire a freelancer to do. Here are five unique industries or skillsets where freelancers can expand your services or your team’s capabilities.

1. Podcasting

In 2020, Podcast Hosting Reviews calculated more than 1.5 million podcasts with over 34 million episodes available in the U.S. It’s a relatively new form of media, emerging for the general public in 2004. Today 75% of people are familiar with the term “podcasting”, and over 100 million people say they regularly listen to podcasts. Podcasts can help your company reach new audiences with whom to share your ideas. They offer an opportunity to:

• Grow your business
• Increase your audience
• Establish yourself or your brand as a subject matter expert
• Provide thought leadership content
• Create content for a niche market

The biggest barriers for someone trying to launch a podcast include lack of:

• Time to create content
• Appropriate broadcasting equipment for sound quality
• Technical skills to produce a podcast

A freelance podcaster can help with all these things. They can help with podcast scriptwriting, podcast editing, feedback, and review, as well as podcast promotion.

2. Dropshipping

Online e-commerce has been steadily on the rise (even before COVID-19), increasing from $1.33 billion in 2014 total sales to $3.54 billion in 2019. As more businesses sell products online, there is an increase in demand for dropshipping services. Dropshipping provides fulfillment services for online sales, removing the hassle and costs of maintaining an inventory and coordinating shipping logistics from retailers. If you’re interested in setting up a dropshipping store but unsure where to start, freelancers can provide services for all five steps to get your business started:

• Build a dropshipping site
• Research the best product(s) to sell
• Create product page(s) with quality photographs, descriptions, and videos
• Manage your e-commerce site and take good care of customers
• Market your dropshipping site with SEO, social media, and mobile campaigns

3. AR Filters & Lenses

If your target audience includes people, then your target audience is on social media. Sites like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook offer augmented reality (AR) filters for users to have fun and share with friends. From virtual makeup and fake eyelashes to sunglasses and cartoon animal faces, AR filters and lenses are growing in popularity so much that many social media platforms invited creators and designers to build their own filters and effects. This presents a great opportunity for brands and companies to build awareness, engage consumers, and reach a broader audience by building your own AR filters and lenses. Hiring a freelancer to create AR filters can help you quickly pivot to take advantage of this growing trend and remain relevant and competitive with your target audience.

4. eLearning

The global pandemic that swept the world in 2020 upended education everywhere. While eLearning and virtual school were not new concepts, they have taken on more urgency and importance as an increasing number of educators and schools rely on these resources to reach students. Getting eLearning up and running can seem daunting. Fortunately, freelance professionals are available to assist with eLearning content development as well as video production and animation—everything from developing quizzes and turning PowerPoint presentations into video, to in-depth curriculum and interactive lesson plans.

5. Translation

Did you know that 67.3 million people in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home? While some of these people also speak English with a high level of proficiency, as much as 9% of the U.S. population does not. That represents a significant opportunity for brands and companies to reach out to an audience in their native language. If you don’t have someone who speaks a language fluently enough to translate your website and other customer-focused materials, hire a professional freelancer for translation services.

Expand Your Capabilities with Freelancers

From small businesses to large corporations, freelancers are a great way to expand the capabilities and skills of your team without everything that goes into hiring a full-time employee. Find freelance talent for these five things, and so much more, on Ndiwano.