In the current digital world, most people are in a position where they want to add to their kitty by finding an online avenue that generates income. One of the most popular ways is through micro jobs. A micro job is a gig or small task assigned to an individual and performed in a short period of time, usually for a relatively small amount of money. These jobs do not need long-term commitment or highly specialized skills, hence most people can access them. With the emergence of the gig economy, micro jobs are one of the excellent passive income earners, be it part-time, a side hustle, or even primary in some cases.
This article will outline what micro jobs are, their advantages, and some of the hottest platforms where you can get micro jobs.
What is Micro Jobs?
It is also worth pointing out that micro jobs involve those activities that require only a little quantity of time to be in a position to complete, sometimes just several minutes and up to a few hours to finish. In the majority of the cases, such tasks pay less money; however, due to their simplicity and pace at which they are done, workers can easily amass money by doing numerous tasks.
Common examples of micro jobs include the following:
- Data Entry: Entering data into a computer for a company or categorizing it.
- Online surveys involve giving feedback by answering questions with regard to some products, services, or experiences.
- Content moderation basically entails reviewing and filtering of user-generated content on a website or social media platform.
- Website or app testing: giving feedback about the user experience and functionality to developers. Assistant: simple administrative tasks involve scheduling or email management.
The nature of a micro job ranges from relatively simple jobs to more specialized or creative jobs. A micro job is unified only by requiring little time and effort.
Top Sites for Micro Jobs
From general-purpose gig sites to those that narrow down into specific task types, there are numerous job platforms that list micro jobs. Below is a listing of some of the most popular and reliable micro-job websites for crowd workers.
1. Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk)
The best-known platform of micro jobs is Amazon Mechanical Turk. Here, everything is available, from data validation and research to transcription and labeling images within so-called HITs or Human Intelligence Tasks. Payment for every separate task may be different; for lots of tasks, the remuneration goes as low as several cents. At the same time, in case of continuous work, significant earnings can be accrued.
The key benefit with MTurk is that it has an enormous array of tasks, so you can often find one that fits your skills or even interests. Downsides include the fact that some tasks may take a great deal of time for low pay and competition among workers is often stiff.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is a job platform where freelancers can offer their services from five dollars. Since it started as a low-cost site, today it is more of a marketplace where freelancers can charge more professional rates for services. Top categories on Fiverr include graphic design, writing, video editing, and voiceover.
Fiverr allows the workers to post their gig listings, stating what they can do and for how much. A buyer buys a gig, and voilà-the worker does the work and gets his or her pay via the platform. For professional freelancers who wish to offer professional expert services from low to high rates, Fiverr is one of the best options.
3. Clickworker
Clickworker offers many kinds of micro jobs, such as data categorization, proofreading, web research, and survey jobs. The platform pays per task, and the amount paid would be different according to the difficulty of a job.
Clickworker is relatively simple to navigate, and workers can log in at any time and work on projects according to their schedule. Payment usually goes through PayPal, and workers can request a payout once they have reached a low minimum payout threshold. There’s also potential for higher-paying jobs via the platform if workers have experience.
4. Upwork
Although the site Upwork is known more for freelance work than for microjobs, it does have short-term gigs and tasks that could be described as micro jobs. Freelancers build a profile under Upwork showing their capabilities and experience, while clients post job descriptions for the task they want to get done.
While some of the jobs on Upwork are larger projects, there are lots of little gigs available that can be finished fast and quick, which can make the site a very viable option for micro jobs. Another great thing about Upwork is it allows workers to set their rates; thus, definitely higher earnings potential compared to other micro job sites.
5. Swagbucks
Swagbucks is a web-based rewards site where customers can earn money by taking surveys, browsing websites, viewing videos, or even conducting internet searches, among other activities. In return for using the website, members receive points, known as Swagbucks, redeemable for gift cards or PayPal cash.
While Swagbucks is not, strictly speaking, a micro job website, it does provide an easy way to earn small amounts of money through simple tasks. It’s perfect for those looking to make extra money in their spare time.
6. Microworkers
Various microworkers perform the following short tasks: Website testing, content moderation, data entry, research, etc. The majority of tasks take quite a bit of time to finish, and the workers may easily perform such tasks.
The platform pays per task, where the workers can request their payment once they achieve their threshold amount. Microworkers also have a reputation system, so that the workers can build up their profiles and qualify for higher-paying tasks over time.
7. TaskRabbit
TaskRabbit connects workers with local tasks, including but not limited to moving, cleaning, handyman services, and delivery. Since this is more or less a digital market for physical rather than digital microjobs, it is an excellent choice for anyone willing to complete short-term gigs in their local area.
At TaskRabbit, workers are able to set their own rates and choose what type of task they will complete. It is flexible in order to make money on a worker schedule and is good for the working individuals who love hands-on work.
8. Appen
Appen provides micro jobs in data collection, linguistic activities, and social media evaluation. This platform is famous for providing tasks related to voice recording, transcription, and data annotation. Many a time, Appen works with companies that need human intelligence to work on enhancing machine learning algorithms, which makes work interesting and varied.
Appen pays higher for some of the tasks compared to other micro job platforms; however, application and qualification into their platform is highly competitive. Many workers have to take qualification tests before more tasks are opened to them.
9. Lionbridge AI
With Lionbridge AI, there are different opportunities regarding working on various projects concerning AI and machine learning: data annotation, search engine evaluation, and language translation. The tasks are pretty similar to those at Appen, though the remuneration tends to be pretty competitive.
Most of the jobs in Lionbridge AI require more specific skills or qualifications from the job seekers, like proficiency in a given foreign language or technical knowledge.