Picture the scene: there’s sand between your toes, the sun is shining, and all you can hear is the sound of the waves crashing against the shore… And the tapping of your laptop keys. You are not, in fact, on vacation. Thanks to the wonders of remote work, this is a standard day in the office.

Ok… so, it’s actually pretty rare that digital nomads are going about their day job on the beach, cocktail in hand. But that’s not to underestimate the freedom being an online freelancer gives you, especially with the growing global trend of coworking and coliving spaces. With a strong WiFi connection, you’re virtually good to go — but what if you’re not yet aboard the digital nomad train? These are the top four skills you can teach yourself to get one step closer to having serious travel freedom while making a living.

1. Social Media Marketing

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past ten years, it’s likely that you’re familiar with at least running a personal Facebook account. So, why not build on this basis knowledge and earn some money in the process?

A great social media marketing campaign is crucial for any modern business, and companies are paying top dollar. In fact, many organizations don’t know how to use the tools of sites like Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as effectively as possible, let alone keep up with running them.

Taking over companies’ social media accounts is a perfect way to make money that doesn’t require much technical knowledge. There are a bunch of online courses you can take to train yourself how to leverage social media to help businesses connect better with their consumers. Check out this one on Udemy or this one by Lynda.

2. Teach English Online

If you’re a native (or close to native) English speaker, teaching online is one of the easiest ways to make guaranteed money while you’re on the move. If you have a relevant university degree, previous teaching experience, or a TEFL/TESOL qualification (some of which can be completed easily and cheaply online) it’s certainly worth looking into teaching English for companies like VIPKid or DaDaABC.

Most of the companies that are hiring online English teachers are focused on the Asian market, with the majority of the students being children. This might mean some early starts dependent on your time zone, and it’s not exactly a job you can do from your sun lounger – but it pays relatively well enough to comfortably take care of living costs in many countries in Latin America or Asia (anything between $15-25 an hour). And if you aren’t a fluent English speaker or don’t fancy teaching English, there are many other tutoring opportunities out there for whatever academic experience you may have.

3. Copywriting

Copywriting is another example of an in-demand skill that you don’t need much experience to hone. If you have a computer, a WiFi connection, along with an interest in writing and the ability to keep to deadlines, this might be the best option for you.

Copywriting is the skill of writing persuasively to get people to take action, whether it’s to buy a product, donate to a cause, or download a free resource. It’s a skill that’s needed everywhere today, as the amount of tools and tactics used by advertisers and marketers continues to explode.

There are a myriad of online courses you can take to develop your copywriting skills, be it online content or SEO writing. So, if you fancy writing to make some money, take a course, start to build up your portfolio, and you’ll be well on your way to a remote copywriting career.

4. Web Developer

This one might be a little more technically demanding than the above, but if you have an interest in building and maintaining websites, and are dedicated enough to learn how to code, it could seriously pay off in the long run. As well as knowledge of scripting languages (JavaScript, CSS, HTML, etc), you’ll need communication skills to be able to sell your services and maintain client relationships.

As digitization of businesses only increases, so does the demand for web developers. So, to get started as a nomad developer, jump into some online learning services like the ones offered by Udacity.

Hopefully, the path to making money as a digital nomad is now a little clearer. All that’s left to decide is: where to? At Flamingo Santa Marta, you can work under a palm tree while making the most of being in a busy city hub. Not to mention, the city’s close proximity to the beautiful beaches of Tayrona National Park and the majestic mountains of the Sierra Nevada. Come and pay us a visit as you start your digital nomad journey.