How to get paid for talking to people online

You can make money talking to people online, but it isn’t easy. Using video chat to sell clothing or hawk savings accounts might be an easier way to go. But there are plenty of other ways that you can monetize your ability to talk with strangers.
You may not be able to set up a meeting with someone in person, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make money by talking to them. In fact, some of the best ways to get paid for communicating with people involve no physical interaction at all. Here are a few ideas for how you can monetize your willingness and ability to talk online.

Be a language tutor

Online language tutors are in high demand. Most people want to learn a new language, but few have the time and money for traditional courses. If you’re bilingual, you can make money by setting up a free account on a site like iTalki or Verbal Exchange and finding a student.

You can also charge for tutoring in person if you live in a major city. Just make sure you get proper credentials and insurance so you aren’t breaking any rules.

Run a survey panel

There are a handful of survey sites out there that will pay you to complete surveys and provide your opinion on products. While this isn’t a long-term gig and you won’t make much, surveys are easy to complete and pay out quickly.

The trick with survey sites is that they change often. It isn’t a reliable form of income, but it’s great for a few quick bucks. And many sites offer rewards and free products as incentives for completing surveys.

Write and translate

If you’re bilingual, you can easily make money by writing articles or books. There are a host of platforms that will pay for translation work if you know a second language.
And if you have written a book or are working on one, there are sites that will pay you as an author to write more.
Ello, a publishing platform, will pay you per book if you write in English.

Play games with people

This might sound strange, but there are real-money gaming sites out there. You can log into these sites with a virtual avatar and start playing games like poker or blackjack, or even go fishing.
If you’re really good, you can make a pretty decent living playing games like this, especially if you are playing at several sites at once. You can even play sports like golf or cricket.

Answer questions as an authority

If you have expertise in a certain field, you can make money by answering questions on sites like Quora and Stack Exchange. Just make sure to focus on the topics where you actually have knowledge.
Earning money by answering questions on those sites is pretty easy, but can be pretty time consuming. You can also get paid for answering questions on your own blog or website.

Take care of pets as a virtual assistant

If you love animals and can commit a few hours a week to caring for them online, there are sites that will pay you to be a virtual assistant.
Ebay and Amazon’s virtual assistant program are two examples of companies that will pay you to take care of their pets. This can include feeding, cleaning, and playing with the animals.

Join a collaboration platform

If you have a specific skill set and work from home, you can make a ton of money by joining a collaboration platform like UpWork or Freelancer.
Most of these sites will require you to have a high level of experience and a track record of success. But if you can make the cut, you can make thousands of dollars from a single client.

Whether you want to be an online language tutor, write and translate, or play poker, there are plenty of ways to make money by talking to people online. You just need to be willing to put yourself out there and put in the work. But if you want to make money by talking to people online, you can do it.