16 Digital nomad jobs perfect for travel-lovers

15th February, 2023

Digital nomad jobs are a plenty nowadays. With increases in flexible working options and more jobs being available as remote work, being a digital nomad is easier than ever before. So what are your options for working as a digital nomad? Read on to find out…

What does the term ‘digital nomad’ mean?

Being a digital nomad essentially means working using your phone or laptop while living nomadically. If you want to go backpacking around the globe, getting a digital nomad job can be a great way of ensuring you don’t run out of money during your trip. It is all remote work. Due to the global pandemic which started in March 2020, many companies have made positions remote. This allowed people to safely stay at home and work while Covid-19 was in full force – however, in future it might give scope to those looking to continue in a job they love while travelling. Digital nomads work from coffee shops, libraries, co-working spaces and anywhere else they can get WiFi!

This type of work-life balance gives you the best of both worlds. You can continue to earn a living while exploring new places, without having to be stuck in one place. Below you will find the best digital nomad jobs and what they entail!

Freelance writing jobs

One of the most popular digital nomad jobs is freelance writing. Whether this be copywriting, blogging, journalism, ghostwriting or any other type of writing, it is a great way to earn money while travelling. By finding and communicating with clients online, and working on a freelance basis, you don’t need an office or a set location. Writing can be fun and allows you to give back by creating informative content. If you love travel – which you probably do if you’re searching for digital nomad jobs – then travel writing is a great way to earn money on the road. Finding writing clients and customers can be tricky. This is because there are endless freelance writers; but by marketing yourself well and keeping your eyes open on job boards and freelance working sites, you will be able to find work to fund your adventures.

Translating 

If your love of travel stems from your love of languages, or if you have learnt a language in order to go travelling, then this is one of the best digital nomad jobs for you. Find clients and customers online, and translate documents, stories, articles and more for a fee. Just a couple of hours work each day makes this a great way to fund your travels!

Taking online surveys – easy digital nomad jobs 

While this doesn’t tend to pay amazingly well, it can be great for beginners or those who just need a little extra spending money on their travels. It can easily be done from your phone, so if you have mobile data you can do this on those long overnight bus journeys where sleep seems impossible! There are surveys for every topic imaginable, too.

Virtual assistant 

This is one of the best digital nomad jobs for people who get bored easily. It is essentially a personal assistant role, done virtually. You will be tasked with doing small jobs for a person (influencer, model etc) or company. These are tasks you can do remotely from your phone, tablet or laptop. Whether it is answering emails, creating social media graphics, making travel arrangements or booking appointments, you’ll be busy! Jobs like this allow you to set your own hours, so you’re free to explore new locations and make amazing memories during your travels.

Editing – skilled digital nomad jobs

While there are some digital nomad jobs that can be done by pretty much anyone, there are also some that require certain skill sets. Editing is one of these. Whether that be video editing, podcast editing or using Photoshop for photography editing, you will find there are people looking for someone to do this for them. These are difficult skills for many so if you know how to do them (and do them well!) then you won’t struggle to find customers who want their creativity turning into something more polished. You will definitely find people looking for editors on sites like Fiverr.

Language teaching 

This is easily one of the most popular digital nomad jobs out there. While there are places you can move to and teach in a physical setting, it is also something you can do remotely. This tends to be over a software like Skype or Zoom. Many online language teaching organisations will require you to have a TEFL qualification, but this can be obtained online and gives you great skills as well as the opportunity to earn much more money from this job. You can teach both children and adults, either in 1-1 lessons or to a group. Again this is something that allows you to choose your hours, and fit it around all of your adventures.

Affiliate marketing 

Would many people class this as a job? No, probably not – but it is an excellent way to make passive income during your travels. If you have a blog, website or large social media following, consider looking into affiliate marketing. This means you can place links on your site/feed, to products or services that people would be interested in buying. These links go through an affiliate site, such as Awin or Shop Style, and if someone makes a purchase through your link you get commission. This is pennies, usually, but if you make enough sales it can be a great way to boost your bank account without really doing much! Pinterest is a goldmine for affiliate marketing, so it is well worth setting up an account.

Graphic design

This is another example of skilled digital nomad jobs. Graphic design is something that a lot of companies are on the lookout for, and many opt for freelancers rather than hiring in-house for this role. You’ll get to create exciting things and work on fascinating projects while earning money as you travel. Seeing your work out there is always a great feeling, too!

Website building 

There are many digital nomad jobs that require particular knowledge, with this being one of them. But if you know how to build websites and you decide to take your laptop travelling with you, then this is a great example of a job you could do while backpacking or on a road trip. Set your own fee and work at your own pace.

Voice acting 

As long as you have access to a clear microphone (you can buy them on Amazon or at a computer store on your travels) then voice acting is something pretty much anyone can do. Websites such as Upwork often advertise jobs for voiceovers and dubbing – you’ll be sent a script, and you simply record yourself saying whatever it is that is written in front of you. There tends to be a fixed fee for jobs like this, but it’s a fun and easy way to earn some cash while travelling.

Social media management 

This is a whole career path in itself, but is also one of the popular digital nomad jobs. While big companies likely would hire an in-house social media manager who would be office based, small businesses and solopreneurs (coaches and healers, for example) are often happy to hire social media managers on a freelance basis. This allows you to do the job from anywhere in the world! From coming up with funny Tweets to scheduling promotional Instagram content, the world of social media management is never boring.

Data entry – easy digital nomad jobs 

With no expertise required, pretty much anyone can give data entry a go. You will find ad hoc tasks advertised on job boards online, and they are generally really easy. It just tends to be work that needs to be done manually that is too time-consuming for companies to do: copying data into spreadsheets or the back end of a website, for example. While it definitely isn’t the most exciting or rewarding work, it is something you can do while sitting in an airport waiting to catch a flight!

Transcribing 

This is another digital nomad job that requires little-to-no expertise. Online job boards are filled with people looking for someone to transcribe notes, interviews, lectures and more. It can be time consuming but once you get into the swing of it, it can be fairly interesting too. Plus it tends to pay quite well.

Live-chat customer service representative 

While there is a little less freedom with this type of job, it *can* be done from anywhere. There is extensive training, so it might be worth looking into before you travel, but as long as you have access to a computer or laptop with solid internet connection, you can be a live chat agent offering customer service on behalf of various companies. This is generally shift work, so you will have to fit adventures around work rather than the other way around, but it is regular work that pays well.

Other digital nomad jobs 

The digital nomad jobs above are some of the most popular. However, there are plenty more that it might be worth looking at. These include:

• Website testing
• Blogging (an extension of freelance writing, but one that allows you the chance to grow a platform!)
• Programming
• App testing
• Illustrating
• Dropshipping/eCommerce
• Business or life coaching
• Running virtual classes – yoga, dance, cooking etc
• Photography 

Any skill you can put to use while being location-independent is an example of a digital nomad role!