12 creative careers you can still do remotely

POCreative is a first of its kind online marketplace for freelancers to work with businesses on a variety of creative projects

1. Actors / Actresses are not only people we watch on television shows, advertisements and movies. We see them in social media and website advertisements too.

In this digital age where small businesses are becoming more creative with advertising on a budget, you can hire professional and aspiring actors and actresses for a fraction of the agency prices to produce video content and affordable ads – particularly if you’re camera shy or do not want to be seen in your marketing material.

You can select them based on what appeals the most to your audience – like an ambassador for your brand.

They can work locally with you, or send you clips of content you’ve scripted for your website and social media.

With the right brief, you can get actors and actresses to create content about your work and become consistent in sharing what you do and why people should work with you or buy your product.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• voice-over work
• making visual video testimonials
• demonstrating your products
• show them taking a tour of your workspace
• ask them to interview some clients

2. Bloggers / Writers can help you communicate what your business or brand is about, and make it possible for search engines to be in your favour!

In order for websites to rank online, you need A LOT of content. Plus it has to be good content that stands out to make that number one spot on Google and other search engines.

You can hire Bloggers / Writers for a once-off project to write up all your content. You can also have them on an ongoing basis writing blog posts and captions for your social media.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• website copy
• copywriting for print material
• social media copy
• presentations
• press releases
• editorial
• ghost writing

3. Fashion Designers are not commonly top of mind when working on creative digital marketing campaigns.

This is where thinking out of the box and having a unique vision can come in handy.

If you think about it, what makes a lot of visually appealing advertisements and social media posts are trendy images of people. That is the current climate we’re living in and why the influencer culture continues to grow.

Add that human touch and feel to your campaigns by partnering with local or international designers. They can help you steer away from the cookie-cutter way of doing things so you create posts that make people want to stop and engage with your brand.

By incorporating models, photographers and videographers you can create an out of this world approach to how people view your brand, whatever line of business you’re in.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• styling photo and video shoots
• unique brand merchandise
• styling your press or media features

4. Graphic Designers are probably one of the most sought after creatives in digital marketing campaigns.

You need them when you first start your business as they can create your logo and initial brand guide.

After that, you may need ongoing collateral, social media visuals, the list is endless.

You can easily work with Graphic Designers remotely, or find one that truly gets your brand and vision then stick with them.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• logo and branding
• print artwork
• social media graphics
• illustrations
• merchandise artwork

5. Collaborating with Influencers / Models is a way to spread out your reach and through different voices and on multiple channels. Influencers work independently and have their own set of rules and guidelines, and you can hire models for particular photoshoots or event appearances.

Depending on the business you’re in, or your location, it may be good to get as many external people recommending your product/brand and convincing your target audience that it’s something they need too.

Of course, with Influencer marketing you need to prove it’s a genuine collaboration and be honest in the advertising by mentioning that they are being paid to talk about or model the brand.

You also have the chance to use real people that look like what you’re trying to attract, instead of the generic stock imagery. Customers tend to feel more confident in a purchase when they see other humans promoting certain things.

Influencers / Models can be hired remotely and given a full brief instructing them for your campaign. You can also use several individuals for maximum reach.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• brand ambassador
• product demonstration
• product launch
• event marketing
• website images or video content

6. Musicians / Bands can be used to create unique content for your brand, although a lot of people do not realise it.

Most businesses use boring corporate jingles in their videos, and that makes some of the content sound boring which can reduce watch time, or lower the attention span of your audience.

You want to not only showcase good visuals, but have memorable music playing in the background too.

Some musicians are also great at sound engineering, and can be your go-to people to learn the basics of recording podcasts. This is still an untapped market and there is a huge opportunity to collaborate with the sound and musically gifted in many interesting ways.

Other musicians are better performance artists, and can liven up any venue or entertain guests at your next function. This includes doing cover music if you still want to pick out certain songs, although sometimes original music can be a better deal.

Sample some music and think out of the box about how this can bring your next campaign to life!

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• composing jingles
• royalty-free music
• event performers
• recording podcasts

7. Photographers can help any business in any industry visually look more professional. With the right imagery, people can easily understand what your business is about.

Working with photographers remotely can be a way to mass produce visual content. It can work out to be cheaper than buying stock images, and you get to request the type of images you want.

You can share your marketing plan and themes with your chosen photographer so that they come up with concepts for your next campaign. You can choose to do this weekly, monthly, quarterly or have them work with you on longer contracts.

If you want real images of your location, or branded products, you can hire photographers near you on a short or long-term project basis to come in rather than using your phone. This improves the quality of your end result and will be worthwhile for your business growth.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• catalogue/product shoots
• editorials
• professional headshots
• website and social media content
• print material
• product launch
• event photos

8. Speakers can be any credible person who can serve as a keynote at your event, host your podcast, or give talks about your business on your behalf.

They are usually qualified in a particular industry similar to yours, and can therefore help bring an authentic voice to the work you do.

Getting a speaker to endorse or represent what you do helps gain the trust of clients because they are getting that human touch from interacting with your business. It is also refreshing to see other people talk about a business apart from the owner or its employees. This brings an extra sense of trustworthiness.

Credibility is everything when it comes to putting your products or services out there, and some well known speakers in your field can help you reach certain goals.

A few good speakers can also be motivational, or help coach your customers into the mindset you’re bringing forward.

You can hire local speakers as guests for functions, or request video content, live footage hosted on your platforms, and many other ways to collaborate in person and remotely.

Another mutual benefit of collaborating with a well-known speaker is if they mention you to their own audiences, increasing your reach and expanding your network.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• hosting webinars and podcasts
• special guests
• making visual video testimonials
• motivation and coaching
• demonstrating your products live
• ask them to interview some clients

9. Videographers help with the visual storytelling element for small to large businesses. A combination of written and visual content which is easily consumed always wins for various audiences.

Search engines are looking for content that engages viewers. Nothing entices more numerous and longer page views quite like a video. Not only that, YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. If you put your video on YouTube as well as your website, your visibility and opportunity to show up in search is greatly increased. What’s more, if you promote your video via social media, your chances of getting found go through the roof!

As we now have shorter attention spans, videos can captivate people who are always in a rush and do not take the time to read your content. What’s even better is when you can demonstrate what you do or what your business does.

The smartphone has put your clients and customers right inside your business, it’s time to tell them something engaging and offer something that is unique and persuasive.

Start creating and sharing compelling video content from beginning to end, to support your strategic campaigns, branding and overall marketing approach.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• Social video content
• Event coverage
• Explainer videos
• Training films
• Testimonials
• Product launches
• Interviews
• Case studies
• Promotions
• Drone aerial photography
• Virtual tours

10. Virtual Assistants provide various services to entrepreneurs or businesses from a remote location.

From digital marketing tasks, scheduling appointments and managing events to personal errands. You can make a virtual assistant do almost anything. They can save you both time and money.

Working with a Virtual Assistant is the perfect setup for busy people who no longer have the time to attend to the menial tasks of life. Between demanding jobs, families, travel, weekend projects and whatever else comes up. They become a team member who just happens to work remotely.

Used in the right way, virtual assistants make digital journeys quicker for your customers and more efficient for you, helping you evolve towards digital-first customer service.

Virtual Assistants can help support your business in many ways from admin assistance, invoicing clients, bookkeeping, copywriting, managing your emails, social media management, keeping you organised and able to focus on other areas of your business.

A virtual assistant is generally self-employed or a contractor and provides all of their professional administrative, technical, or creative assistance to clients remotely from a home office.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• Managing calendars, appointments and emails
• Preparing reports
• Personal tasks like booking hotels and restaurants
• Simple digital marketing tasks
• Event management

11. Visual Artists and Crafts Professionals create visual two- and three-dimensional concepts and forms through painting, drawing, carving, sculpting, modelling, printmaking, video, multimedia, found objects, ephemera, soundscapes and other media to communicate concepts and ideas.

They can do this work for themselves, or for commission meaning you have to be clear whether you’re buying their work and not manipulating how it has been created, or requesting a custom and unique piece.

Because Visual Artists make many creative decisions, the job comes with a great deal of independence. When collaborating with them, you are in partnership allowing them to lead with their creative vision.

You can also work with some artists, depending on their area of expertise, to produce unique merchandise designs for personal or commercial use.

In addition to creating the works of art, a visual artist must be able to communicate back with clients and use their input to create visually appealing pieces.

Some Visual Artists are also tech savvy and can do digital artwork or design websites, making technology skills advantageous for success in this field.

Architecture firms, film companies, museums, restaurants/venue spaces and art associations are just some of the employers that hire Visual Artists.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include:

• Animator
• Fine artist
• Illustrator
• Interior designer
• Jewellery designer
• Set or Venue decorator

12. Web Designers organise information and content, then design the layout of the content on a web medium. For small or local businesses in particular, creating a website is crucial for attracting a loyal audience and growing over time.

It is the designer’s job to review the needs of their client or the goals of their assigned project to design images and web pages that will create a user with a unique experience while still communicating a message.

People rely on search to find local businesses, so to compete with large chains, you need to show up in local search results.

If your business isn’t online and relies on word of mouth or traditional advertising to attract new customers, you’re likely missing out on potential customers.

A website is the foundation of your digital marketing strategy.

It’s where customers go to find information about your business, products or services. It’s what journalists or bloggers link back to. It’s part of your marketing campaign.

The scope of the project will be dependent on the communication problems a client wants to solve or the current status of a company’s website.

Some other responsibilities include designing navigational elements, translating needs of clients and users into concepts, presenting content, designing to search engine optimisation and rankings, and can be kept on for updating the website as needed.

Some roles you can partner up with this profession for can include

• new business launch
• website redesign
• e-commerce stores
• app design

Now that you have discovered new ways to use your creative talents, register for a forever-free profile on POCreative to start finding work in these fields.