7 Top ways to earn money online in Saudi Arabia
The internet has opened up a world of opportunities for people to earn money online in Saudi Arabia. With increasing internet and smartphone penetration in the country, more Saudis are leveraging the digital economy to generate income. The traditional job market can be competitive, so online work provides an attractive alternative for those seeking flexible, location-independent work.
Some key benefits of online work for Saudis include setting your own hours, working remotely, and getting paid for skills you already have. Online platforms allow you to find clients and jobs worldwide too. With Saudi Arabia’s young population and high smartphone usage, the potential to earn online is tremendous.
There are now many ways to make money online in Saudi Arabia, from freelancing to running an e-commerce business. This article will explore the top 7 proven methods. The opportunities span a range of skills from writing to programming to social media marketing. By matching your abilities to the options below, you can start earning income online and achieve financial goals.
Sell Products Online:
Selling products online is one of the most popular ways to earn money in Saudi Arabia. With high internet and smartphone penetration rates, e-commerce has seen rapid growth in recent years. Some of the most popular online marketplaces include:
Noon Launched in 2017 as a joint venture between Emaar Malls and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Noon has quickly become the largest online retailer in the country. It carries over 20 million products across categories like electronics, fashion, home goods, and more. Sellers can sign up to list their products on Noon and take advantage of its wide reach and delivery network.
Amazon Saudi – Amazon entered the Saudi market by acquiring Souq.com in 2017 and rebranding it as Amazon.sa in 2019. It has an extensive selection of products and fast delivery through its Amazon Prime membership program. Selling on Amazon Saudi opens up possibilities for sellers to also export products to other Amazon marketplaces worldwide.
Jarir Bookstore – Jarir is a popular Saudi-based bookstore that expanded into e-commerce in 2010. It focuses mainly on books, office supplies, and electronics. Jarir provides a marketplace for third-party sellers to list new and used products.
Namshi – Specializing in fashion, Namshi features over 2000 brands with fast shipping across Saudi Arabia. Local entrepreneurs and designers can sign up on Namshi to showcase and sell their latest apparel and accessories.
With the growth in online shopping, selling products through e-commerce is an attractive income opportunity for Saudi-based entrepreneurs, businesses, designers, and more. The major platforms make it easy to get started selling online by providing the technology infrastructure and built-in customer base.
Provide Freelance Services:
Freelancing has become an increasingly popular way to earn income online in Saudi Arabia. Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, and People-Per-Hour allow you to sell your services to clients worldwide.
Some of the most in-demand freelance skills include:
- Web and app development
- Graphic design
- Copywriting
- Video editing
- Data entry
- Virtual assistance
To get started, create a compelling profile highlighting your skills and experience. Have some samples of your work ready to showcase your abilities.
Bid on projects that match your expertise. Provide detailed proposals to clients explaining how you’ll complete the work. Communication and delivering excellent service is key.
The main benefits of freelancing online include setting your own hours and rates. You can work for multiple clients and steadily build up your earnings over time. While it takes effort to get established, freelancing gives you the freedom to become your own boss.
Become an Influencer:
In recent years, influencer marketing has exploded in popularity across the globe, and Saudi Arabia is no exception. Instagram in particular presents a major opportunity for Saudis to earn money as influencers.
With over 10 million active Instagram users in Saudi Arabia, there is a huge potential audience for Saudi influencers. Lifestyle, fashion, travel, food, and parenting are some of the most popular influencer niches. Brands are increasingly looking to partner with Saudi micro-influencers who have between 10,000 to 100,000 followers to promote their products and services to targeted audiences.
The key to success as an influencer in Saudi Arabia is to build an authentic brand and connect with your audience. Post high-quality, consistent content showcasing your personality and lifestyle. Use relevant hashtags and tag brands you’re partnered with. Collaborating with brands on sponsored content is one of the main ways influencers monetize. The average rate for a sponsored Instagram post is around $100 per 10,000 followers.
As the influencer marketing industry grows in Saudi Arabia, there is huge potential for everyday Saudis to turn their social media passions into a lucrative career. With creativity and persistence, becoming an Instagram influencer can become a viable way to earn money online.
Start a Blog:
Blogging is one of the most popular ways to earn money online. With a blog, you can share your thoughts, experiences, and expertise on a topic with a worldwide audience. Monetizing a blog can generate a steady stream of income. Here are some tips for earning money with a blog:
Popular Blogging Platforms:
Some top blogging platforms to consider are WordPress, Blogger, Medium, and Tumblr. WordPress offers the most customization options and monetization features. Blogger is easy to use if you want a no-frills option. Medium has a large built-in audience. Tumblr focuses on short-form writing and social sharing. Choose the platform that aligns with your blogging goals.
Monetization Strategies :
There are several effective ways to monetize a blog:
- Display ads – Sign up for an ad network like Google AdSense to show ads on your site. Earnings increase with more traffic.
- Affiliate marketing – Earn commissions promoting other company’s products you recommend. Amazon Associates is a popular program.
- Sponsored posts – Get paid by brands to create branded content and reviews.
- Products and services – Sell your own digital or physical products, courses, and consulting services.
- Donations – Allow readers to send tips and donations if they find value in your writing.
With smart monetization and consistent high-quality content, blogging can become a lucrative income stream. Start building your audience and aim to diversify your monetization over time.
YouTube Content Creation:
YouTube presents a great opportunity to earn money online for creative people in Saudi Arabia. With over 31 million active YouTube users in the country, there’s a large potential audience.
To make money on YouTube, creators can monetize their videos through the YouTube Partner Program. Once their channel hits 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the previous 12 months, creators can begin running ads on their videos. YouTube pays out 55% of the ad revenue generated. Popular YouTube categories in Saudi Arabia include comedy, gaming, tech reviews, family vlogs, and Islamic content.
Some of the top Saudi YouTubers earning money on the platform include Aziz and Anas, who create comedy skits for their 7 million subscribers. Dalia Al-Fayez posts daily family vlogs to over 3 million subscribers. Youtubers like Jarri Vlogs, Nawaf Alhoshan and Shayef Gaming all have over 1 million subscribers as well.
The key is consistently creating engaging content that appeals to Saudis. With enough views and a loyal audience, Saudi creators can start earning a steady income stream through YouTube. It provides a great opportunity to get paid for doing something you love – making videos.
Online Tutoring:
Online tutoring has become a popular way for people in Saudi Arabia to earn money from home. There is high demand for tutors in subjects like English, math, science, computer skills, and test prep. Online tutoring platforms connect tutors with students looking for extra help.
Some of the most popular subjects that students in Saudi Arabia seek tutoring help for include:
- English language learning and conversation practice
- Mathematics, especially high school and university level math
- Sciences like physics, chemistry, and biology
- Computer programming and tech skills
- Test preparation for exams like SAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL, IELTS
- Business subjects for university students
The most widely used platforms for online tutoring in Saudi Arabia include:
- Skooli – Connects tutors with K-12 and college students seeking help in academics, test prep, and more.
- TutorMe – Allows tutors to set their own rates and schedule. Covers over 300 subjects.
- TutorOcean – Specializes in pairing Saudi students with tutors based in the region.
- LearnPick – Caters to corporate training in addition to academic tutoring.
- Chegg Tutors – Popular for university level tutoring in subjects like math, science, business.
The demand for qualified tutors in Saudi Arabia continues to grow as more students seek additional learning support online. Tutoring locally or globally through online platforms can be a flexible way for knowledgeable individuals to earn income. Focusing on high demand subjects and leveraging reputable tutoring platforms are keys to success.
Data Entry Jobs:
Data entry jobs are a popular way to make money online in Saudi Arabia. There are many reputable online companies that hire for remote data entry work, such as Appen, Lionbridge, and iSoftStone. These companies hire data entry workers on a freelance, contract, or part-time basis.
The average pay for online data entry jobs ranges from $5 to $20 USD per hour, depending on your skills and the specific tasks involved. Entry-level data entry work tends to be on the lower end of this pay scale. More specialized data entry jobs involving data annotation, transcription, or translation pay higher hourly rates.
When evaluating data entry job opportunities, look for companies with positive reviews online. Legitimate data entry jobs will pay you promptly as promised. Be wary of jobs that ask you to pay upfront fees for training or software. Reputable companies provide the tools and training required for the job.
Data entry can be a flexible way to earn income online from home. Just be sure to research companies thoroughly and start with small data entry jobs to assess their legitimacy before taking on larger projects or assignments. With some experience, data entry can become a steady source of part-time remote income.
Translator Jobs:
Translating documents from one language to another is a great way to make money online. There are many platforms that connect freelance translators with clients who need translation services.
One of the most popular is Gengo, which allows you to sign up as a translator and get paid for completing translation jobs. You can translate between many different language pairs like English to Arabic. Gengo has a large pool of clients including individuals, startups, and large corporations.
Another excellent platform is One Hour Translation. It operates similarly to Gengo, connecting translators to translation jobs. You can apply to be a translator on their platform and get notified when a project matches your language pair. The pay rates are also competitive.
The benefit of platforms like Gengo and One Hour Translation is that they handle client acquisition and project management. As a translator, you can focus on completing translations and getting paid for your work. These sites have thousands of clients worldwide, so there is ample opportunity to earn substantial income as a freelance translator online.
Overall, translation is a skill that is in high demand. With so much global content and communication, there is a constant need for translators. Signing up on sites like Gengo and One Hour Translation allows you to monetize your translation abilities and work flexibly from anywhere. It’s a great online job opportunity for bilingual individuals.
Conclusion:
Earning money online provides a lot of flexibility and opportunity, especially in Saudi Arabia where traditional jobs can be limited for some groups. The methods discussed offer ways to earn income working from home or anywhere with an internet connection.
Some top recommendations are to sell products online through platforms like Instagram or e-commerce sites, provide freelance services in areas you have expertise, start a blog or YouTube channel, or teach online. Data entry and translation can provide steady work. Becoming an influencer takes time to build an audience but can become profitable.
Useful resources for finding online work include Upwork, Fiverr, and job boards for remote work. Building up a profile on LinkedIn and networking can lead to freelance gigs. Check forums and groups related to your skills where clients post projects. With some effort and patience, you can absolutely earn money online from Saudi Arabia.