10 Tips and Tricks to Earn Income as a Translator in 2024

What are 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator? One of them is increasing relationships and testimonials.

Why is that important? Have you created an advertisement, but no one wants to use your services? Have you tried the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator yet?

If not, you might want to consider applying some of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator in this article.

Maybe some of you are still having difficulty getting clients, especially if you are still a beginner translator and have just opened a freelance translation service.

You probably have tried advertising here and there, but still haven't produced any results. You start to despair, and think pessimistically that you will never be able to become the professional translator that many people are looking for. On the other hand, try to stay calm and don't worry because there is a big possibility for you to get clients if you follow a number of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator which will be discussed in this article. What are the tips and tricks in question?

1. Increase Relationships and Testimonials

Increasing relationships and testimonials is one of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator. How can many people know your services if you don't have relationships and testimonials?

For example, you may have a relative who is studying abroad and he asks you for help translating his or her documents. What is more fun, he or she wants to pay you for it.

Or, you can also ask him or her to promote your services in his student group. Who knows, they might also need your help and pay you, of course.

2. Use the Language Exchanges Themed Friendship Application

Have you ever heard of language exchange themed applications such as Interpals? Yes, you can use such applications to meet new people who will later become your friends too.

This method is one of 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator that you can try. However, with such applications, even though they have a language exchange theme, there are still people whose intention is not to learn a foreign language. So, it all depends on luck.

Because few people are able to get connections on this kind of application, especially those who really want to learn a foreign language.

Using this application also allows you to offer your translation services to people who are interested in foreign languages or the languages you want to translate. However, once again, you need to be careful and smart when using this application.

3. Try Advertising Free Translation Services to Closest People as a First Step

This point is also important, even though it sometimes feels like you are not being sincere if your services are not paid for at all. However, consider this as one of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator, as well as a first step for you to get clients later.

For starters, you can offer your services to people closest to you by saying that your services are free. You can state the conditions, such as a maximum of 1000 words. But if the text is more than 1000 words, then they must pay.

Then, you can say that this free translation service is only valid for the first and fastest 5 people. Many people like free things, isn't it?

If your translation result is good, then people will talk about you. And then, they will be trusting you to translate other documents. This is the time for you to provide a price for your services. It's worth a try, right?

4. Visit Sites That Offer Translation Services

Next, one of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator is to visit sites that offer translation services.

Just mention sites like Fastwork, Projects, Fiverr and so on. There, you can register yourself by creating your own profile.

Of course, how each site works is different, you just need to learn a little. It's not that difficult.

5. Join the Forum of Translator or Task Jockey on Facebook

It doesn't sound important, but joining translation groups or forums or forums where many people hire the services of other people to do their assignments on Facebook is one of the main steps for you to get clients and of course money.

Moreover, in student groups, there are usually people who ask other people to do their assignments, and they are willing to pay for it. You can also offer yourself if they need document translations.

Or, before someone asks for your services, you can advertise yourself in the group by posting sentences that convince other people to hire your services.

Then, one of the other 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator is to join a Facebook group that contains freelance translators like you.

There, usually many people share vacancies regarding translators or advertisement posts from other translators who need other translation services to translate certain documents from their clients.

6. Be Careful and Avoid Scammers

One other way of the 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator is, of course, being careful, which is very important. In this case, you are certainly familiar with the term "scammer". You should avoid "those" who try to trick you.

Whether it's through Facebook, social media, or sites that want translation services, there are quite a few who actually want to trick you.

Call it Facebook for example, there are people who post advertisements, pretending to say that they need a translator. You might be interested, and try to contact the advertiser.

Usually, they will ask you to join a Telegram group. Just for your information, many people have been fooled by offers like this. Usually, after they use your services, you will not be paid by them, even though at the beginning they sound convincing, as if saying that they work under the company's name.

Then, even trusted sites are usually full of scammers. So, these sites advise their users not to accept offers of services or jobs if the advertiser invites you to communicate via Telegram.

Because these sites have their own way of working. Both the renter of the service, or the person providing the service, is obliged to communicate via the application or the site itself.

Plus, even though you can get paid upfront before starting the job, you also don't need to worry when the advertiser offers payment at the end.

Because this site will monitor whether the advertiser is deceiving you or not. Their system is the one that will pay for your services, either at the beginning or at the end. So, be careful of these kinds of scammers.

7. Apply for a Job at a Company That Needs Translators

Just like other job applicants, you can also try applying for jobs at companies that need a translator.

You don't need to visit one company after another just to ask for information regarding job vacancies as a translator.

Simply by opening sites that advertise job vacancies, or company accounts on social media that open job vacancies, you can easily find that several companies really need a translator.

Please apply for jobs (online), apply to several companies, and see the results. Do any of them require you to take a test or go straight to an interview?

You will be very lucky if you are accepted to work for them, especially if the salary given is also quite high, as a result you will also get money from the results of your hard work.

8. Ask Your Lecturer for Help (If You are a Student)

Be grateful for those of you who really have close relationships with lecturers in your campus. Why is that?

Because usually lecturers have relationships with people which are certainly broader than your relationships with people. By asking the lecturer for help, you may be promoted to the lecturer's contacts.

Or, if possible, the lecturer can help you apply as a translator at the company where he or she previously worked, or the lecturer has contacts there too.

As mentioned previously, in this case, relationships with people are important. Indeed, this kind of relationship will not care about your daily life.

Have you eaten yet? How is the family? Are you sick or healthy? How is your relationship with your fiancé? This is not the kind of question they want to know.

However, with this kind of relationship, there will be important information related to the world of work you get. So, taking advantage of your relationships is highly recommended as part of 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator.

9. Use Social Media Ads

Regarding 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator, today's technology is certainly increasingly sophisticated. Some of you are certainly familiar with the term "Adsense".

Yes, a kind of paid advertising that requires you to top up payment to display your ad in the target market you are aiming for.

Usually Adsense is available on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, even TikTok. Try to create an advertisement by promoting your translation services. Create attractive advertisements so that consumers are interested.

Create interesting images, graphics and words to make anyone who sees them interested in using your services.

As a translator who has extraordinary writing skills, of course you can play with words so that the words in the advertisement don't sound stiff.

For example, you can write an ad that reads:

"Want to translate documents but don't have foreign language skills? Want to hire a translation service but the budget offered is very high? Don't worry, because you can use Mrs. Jennifer's translation services.

Why should you use Mrs Jennifer's services?

  • Affordable costs, aka cheap
  • 3 fastest people, 70% discount
  • Can be completed according to the deadline
  • Translator who has extraordinary skills
  • Certified translator
  • Results are accurate and not monotonous, according to context**

So, people who see your ad will be interested and realise that you don't only offer services at low prices, but you also offer quality and deadlines of clients' dreams.

10. Create Content Related to Translation

Nowadays, of course many of you use social media. Just mention TikTok and Instagram.

With the "short video" feature, you can create a number of content related to translation on your account, including tips and tricks, and so on.

People who see your videos will realise that you have extraordinary translation skills, and they will be interested in looking at your profile.

When they see your profile, don't forget that you have previously written important information in your bio. For example, you write the word "translator".

Don't forget to link your Whatsapp link so customers can contact you immediately. That way, who knows, you might be flooded with orders to translate, right?

Remember to highlight your translator's image on your social media accounts. Make it the main theme in your social media content. Don't change themes, because the algorithm will be different.

Conclusion

Through the explanation above, have you got an idea regarding 10 tips and tricks to earn income as a translator?

Approximately, which tips and tricks do you think are most efficient to apply? Or, in your opinion, are all the tips and tricks worth trying?

Yes, all the tips and tricks explained above are very important to implement. It's just that you have to start one by one. Try all the tips, and see the results. What way makes it easier for you to make money as a translator?

Regarding this, it is important to remember that all results are of course obtained from effort. Sometimes, you may still have difficulty earning income because of the lack of consumers who want your translation services.

However you have to believe in yourself. If you try and pray, everything will come to fruition. Because the results will not betray the process. Before you become successful, of course there is extra effort that you have to do.

Extra effort which is certainly more extra than the effort that other people often do. Because to become a successful professional translator, you have to do it differently than many people do. Ups and downs are normal. However, you just need to motivate yourself to remain optimistic while trying and praying for success. Even successful people sometimes experience obstacles. It is not impossible that successful people do not experience obstacles in the world of work.

Remember, by becoming a freelance translator who is still looking for clients, you have taken the first step towards becoming a professional translator in the future.***