Are you curious to find out how to make money online in Kenya using your phone? If you are, read on as we walk you through the five simple steps you can take to start earning money quickly and easily. As technology continues to play an increasingly important role in our daily lives, more and more opportunities are arising to make money online in Kenya. With the power of your smartphone, you can now take advantage of these opportunities to generate some extra income. Here are 5 steps you can take to make money online in Kenya with your phone.
According to statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, over 70% of the population have access to a mobile phone and many are increasingly trying to find ways to use their phones to make money.
“The key is to leverage on online platforms that allow individuals to conduct business from their phone such as buying and selling of goods, taking up surveys, providing services and participating in online forums," according to technology entrepreneur Daniel Ulyatt.
In order to make money online in Kenya with a smartphone, it is important to have a sound business plan that includes understanding the online market trends, knowing the target market as well as understanding the regulations and taxation policies for digital businesses in Kenya.
Making Money Online in Kenya Everything You Need to Know
Start freelancing - Freelancing is a great way to make money online in Kenya. You can apply to be a content writer, virtual assistant, graphic designer, or even a web developer. All you need to do is search for jobs that are right for you and apply.
Become an online tutor - You can become an online tutor in Kenya and offer tutoring services in any field that you are knowledgeable about. You can offer your services through sites like TutorMe and MyTutor.
Sell products online - There are several platforms in Kenya where you can sell products online. You can create an online store on Shoppify, Jumia, and OLX, and start selling anything from clothes to electronics.
Invest in stocks - Investing in stocks is a great way to make money online in Kenya. You can open an account with a stock broker and start investing in stocks. The returns can be very lucrative, however, it is important to do your research before investing.
Join online surveys - Joining online surveys is a great way to make money online in Kenya. All you need to do is sign up for survey sites and complete their surveys. You can earn both cash and rewards for completing surveys.
1. Identify Your Skills
Identifying your skills is the first step to starting a successful freelancing career. To make money online in Kenya, you must first assess your capabilities and qualifications and look for opportunities related to your chosen field. Many online jobs do not require specific qualifications or an educational background, but the more knowledge and experience you have, the better position you are in for success. Once you identify your skills and talents, search job portals and websites for freelance job opportunities in Kenya that match your skillset. Most importantly, join any of the various freelancing platforms and sign up to browse and apply for suitable positions. You can also join relevant online communities and groups where potential employers may have posted job listing. This will help you land a job more quickly.
2. Research the Online Platforms Available
Before taking your career online, research the available platforms. Online platforms are important to getting started because this is where employers and clients look for professionals to hire. Do your research online and off. Read reviews from previous customers and ask former and current clients about their experience. Once you have an idea of what kind of services other professionals in the area are offering, create your profile on the respective platform and start looking for job postings suited to your skills and experience. Be sure to use engaging words that grab potential employers’ attention and highlight what makes you stand out from other applicants.
3. Create an Online Portfolio
Set up a website - Using a static site generator like Hugo simplifies the process of building an online portfolio or e-commerce store. Setting up the Hugo static site is cost-effective, requires minimal coding knowledge and provides a secure platform for your portfolio.
Determine your services - Once you have set up your Hugo static site, create a list of services that you are comfortable providing. This would include writing, editing, web-designing, virtual assistant, tutoring and other services that you are proficient in.
Collect references - Ask for references from previous employers and freelancing projects that you have executed. This will help to improve your credibility and increase the chances of landing more jobs.
Promote your services - Utilize free or low-cost marketing strategies such as word of mouth to promote your services. Join online communities such as Freelance Kenya, Upwork and Fiverr and showcase your portfolio of services.
Utilize technology - Make use of merchant payment services such as Paypal, Airtel Money, Pesapal to ensure that you receive payments smoothly and quickly. Additionally, take advantage of online tools like Skype and Zoom to communicate with clients.
Stay organized - Keep track of clients, projects, deadlines and payments in a document or an excel spreadsheet. This way, you can easily refer to the information and properly manage your freelance business.
4. Market Your Skills and Services
Make sure to focus on marketing the skills and services you have to offer. Before starting your freelancing journey, create an online portfolio of your work, which will help you showcase your skills and successes. This is the best way to make yourself stand out from the competition and give potential clients a better understanding of what services you can offer.
Utilize your social media. Social media is a great way to spread the word about your freelancing services. Use this platform to reach new customers and give important updates about your services. You can also use social media to create an online presence and build your brand.
Give a few samples of your work. To help potential customers gauge your skill level, it is important to offer some samples of your work. This gives them an idea of what they can expect from you and assures them that you are capable of providing the services you are offering.
Network with other freelancers. Building relationships with other freelancers in your area will help you to gain new clients and learn more about the freelancing industry. Take advantage of online professional networks that can introduce you to other businesses and customers.
Take on smaller jobs. Working on smaller projects and tasks will help build up your reputation in the freelance world and give you a good portfolio to show to bigger customers. Smaller jobs usually require less time and effort and can still be an excellent source of income.
Leverage your existing contacts. Reach out to your network of contacts for the best chances of getting hired as a freelancer. You may already know some people who need the services that you are offering, so make sure to tell them about your freelance business.
5. Get Paid Online
Use your existing skills for making money online. If you already possess some skills like web development, content writing, graphic design, virtual assistant or tutoring, you can use them to start making money online. All you need to do is search for relevant jobs online or in social media and apply.
Take advantage of freelance networks and marketplaces. There are a number of websites and freelance networks available in Kenya such as Upwork, Freelancer.com, Fiverr, Guru.com etc. which provide great opportunities to make money online.
Start a blog. You can start a blog and monetise it by displaying ads or offering services or products. This is the best way to make money from home and can be done with just a few hours of work per week.
Join affiliate programs. Most of the companies offer affiliate programs which allow you to earn commissions for promoting their products or services. You can join these programs and start making money online.
Sell your own products. You can also earn money online by selling your own products or services such as digital ebooks, software, web based services, videos etc. You can setup an online store or use existing marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc. to start selling your products.
Q. What are the 5 steps to make money online in Kenya with your phone? A. The 5 steps to make money online in Kenya with your phone are: 1) sign up with an online marketplace such as M-Pesa, or similar; 2) create a product or service to offer; 3) market it using online channels; 4) track and manage your online sales; and 5) withdraw your earnings using your phone.
Q. How do I sign up for an online marketplace like M-Pesa to make money online in Kenya? A. Signing up for an online marketplace such as M-Pesa is simple. First, you need to download the app from the app store. Then, you will need to provide basic information such as your name, mobile number, and bank details. Once the sign up process is complete, you can start making money online in Kenya with your phone.
Q. What kind of product or service can I offer to make money online? A. The product or service you offer is up to you. You can offer physical products such as clothing, accessories, and jewelry, or you can offer digital services such as graphic design, web design, and software development. You can even offer tutoring and consultation services.
Q. How do I market my product or service to make money online? A. There are many ways to market your product or service online. You can use social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to promote your products and services. You can also create a website or blog to showcase your products and services. Additionally, you can use search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to increase your visibility on search engines.
Q. How do I track and manage my online sales? A. Tracking and managing your online sales is an important part of making money online. You can use a payment processor such as Stripe or PayPal to manage your payments and a customer relationship management (CRM) tool such as Salesforce to track your sales. You can also use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to monitor your website traffic and measure the effectiveness of your campaigns.
