Transcription: A Great Way To Earn Money Online!
I’m sitting on my desk, listening to an audio file as I type it out. The psychologist is talking about the importance of praising your children. He’s talking about personal praise versus effort based praise.
I’m really enjoying this. I got myself a few tips I can practice on my five year old.
Within five hours I’m through. I go over my work, proofread it, and send it out to my client. He loves the work and sends me a message.
“Love the transcript. The audio was difficult but you managed to get every word in. Thanks!”
When my client is happy, I’m happy. Three hours later I check my email.
“Escrow funds released”
I’m 40 dollars richer.
Yippee!
I can’t wait for the next audio file from this client.
So, what is that all about? Transcription!
I must say I enjoy it thoroughly! I get to be my own boss, learn a lot of things and I don’t have anyone looking over my shoulder. If I fail, if I succeed, it’s solely by own efforts.
Transcription is a big word that simply means the conversion of audio to text or written form. You simply listen to an audio or video recording and then type it out as a written transcript.
So, what do you need to start earning money online in Kenya as a transcriptionist?
Relevant Skills for Transcription
Typing skills
You need a fast typing speed.
Excellent spelling and punctuation are important too. It takes me about five hours to transcribe a good quality one hour audio so you can see why you need to be fast.
You definitely need to be accurate. I have noticed that for some clients, speed isn’t an issue as much as accuracy. Why send a client work right on time with 50% errors? It will set you back when it comes to feedback.
Research skills
In addition to being fast and accurate, you need excellent research skills.
It’s often necessary to search for unfamiliar or technical names, towns, etc. Google becomes your best friend and helps you produce very good quality work.
Listening Skills
An enhanced ability to hear is very important. You will come across different accents and some audios will not be of such good quality. Therefore you need the uncanny ability to hear words and phrases which not everyone can hear. This will build your reputation as it is a necessary skill as a transcriptionist.
Comprehension Skills
Last but not least, you need comprehension skills.
Transcription is not about typing blindly. You need to able to put two and two together so that even if you miss a word you can be able to figure it out based on the overall content of what the speaker is saying. Put on your thinking cap dear!
Transcription Tools
Apart from the usual, a good computer and internet connection, you will also need good quality headphones. This will go a long way in enabling you to get every word in.
Also, you will require Express Scribe which is free software that you can download and use. It’s a great tool that allows you to play, forward and rewind without using the mouse.
You will only use keyboard keys and type away. A foot pedal is sometimes required but I have found that it makes little difference to me since I use Express Scribe. Therefore, it really isn’t strictly necessary.
How Much Does Transcription Pay and which are the best transcription sites?
I really love Upwork when it comes to transcription jobs as I have discovered the clients pay very well. You can also sign up to other transcription websites. Another expert method is pitching directly to podcasting companies. This can give you great direct clients who pay very well.
A one hour audio will pay you anything from $25 dollars to $100+. Once the jobs start coming in, the money is good.
An audio a day keeps poverty away
My suggestion: The more difficult the audio file, the higher the price you charge. The client may also need you to do the transcript relatively fast which is more expensive than when they give you more time, say, 24+ hours to deliver.
Sites like Upwork have different payment methods such as PayPal, M-Pesa and Payoneer. If you work directly with clients, you can also consider Wise (formerly TransferWise) and Paxful.
Like any other home business, it will take time to build up your income. However, for the short time I have been doing transcription, I do not consider my earnings to be insignificant at all.
I may not have become wealthy yet but the money I have earned over that short period of time is actually a very vital part of my household budget and lifestyle.
So, what’s the call to action? Get those headphones, begin applying and start earning your money online right now!
About the Author
Sheeroh Kiarie is a work-at-home mum who’s passionate about online entrepreneurship and women empowerment. She loves the fact that she can work from home, around her children, and also be able to teach others how they can make money online.
