Interviews, podcasts, meetings, lectures, videos – there’s always so much to be transcribed. That’s when the need for a transcription writer comes in. Of course, AI transcription tools can fulfill the same purpose. But, the truth is, most businesses prefer human transcriptionists to get their scripts written. And there are several reasons why.

Human transcriptionists can understand accents, slangs, unclear speech, and even background noise better than AI tools. This leads them to write accurate transcripts even if they’re dealing with overlapping dialogue due to multiple speakers. This opens new doors for freelance writers to earn a consistent stream of income!

So, if you have attentive listening skills, and a good typing speed, transcription writing could be for you.

Transcription writing: what’s in it for a freelance writer?
Freelance transcribers can earn between $41,000 and $61,000 per year, according to Glassdoor. This insight is definitely a motivating factor if you’re looking for some passive income. Plus, you don’t need formal education to turn spoken words into text. Just listen to the client’s audio (or watch the video) carefully, type fast, and avoid any spelling or punctuation mistakes. It’s that simple.

Industries that really need transcription writers
Here are some industries you can find work in as a freelance transcription writer:
– Commercial businesses: Your clients will be marketing agencies that want to transcribe focus group discussions, presentations, conferences, business meetings, and interviews.
– Healthcare industry: You can transcribe clinical trial information, doctor’s notes, medical procedures, and patients’ insights.
– Legal organizations: Legal firms might hire you for transcribing court proceedings and legal documents.
– Academic institutions: You can transcribe research data, lectures, educational videos, and students’ interviews.

Websites that pay for transcription writing

Wondering if you need to knock on the door of each and every client belonging to the above-mentioned industries? Not at all! Luckily, the following websites specialize in the transcription writing niche. They have their own clients from diversified industries. Just apply to these websites to get online transcription writing projects:

Go Transcript: They let transcribers choose their own projects. They pay up to $0.06 per audio/video minute. Work hours are flexible and the payment is released weekly.

Casting Words: They offer bonus-based transcription jobs to high-performing freelance writers. The quality of the completed transcription is evaluated on the basis of grading system. Here’s how it works: a transcriber scoring grade 5 will get the base payment whereas the one achieving grade 6 will get 1.5 times higher payment. The base payment ranges between $0.085 to $1 per audio minute.

Ditto Transcripts: This is a good option for those looking for better compensation rates. If you’re interested in writing legal, academic, business, or financial transcriptions, this website pays $0.80 per minute. But for medical transcriptions, you can earn as high as $0.10 per line. They release payments to freelance transcribers twice a month.

Rev: They give access to podcasts, interviews, audio, and video that need to be transcribed. You can pick a project and start transcribing it according to their guidelines. The pay rates range between $0.40 and $0.75 per minute. They pay every Monday.

Transcription Hub: They evaluate your transcribing skills first. Based on the evaluation result, they award you a bronze, silver, or gold rating. You’ll be getting $0.71 per minute.

Tigerfish: Providing transcription services to corporate giants for more than 30 years, they focus on excellence and commitment. If you’re able to meet strict deadlines while following a specific transcription style guide, Tigerfish is for you. They offer $0.03 to $0.04 per line.

How to reach potential clients who need transcription services
Applying at the websites I mentioned above is the easiest way out if you’re entering the transcription writing niche as a first-timer. But, if you want to go the extra mile to increase your earnings, here are some suggestions to directly reach new clients:

Build your online presence first: You can build a website, create a business page on Facebook, and make a LinkedIn profile that highlights your transcription writing skills and experience.

Research clients and email them: Search for academic, business, medical, and legal organizations on Google and explore the “About Us” page on their website. This will help you find the contact person (including their name and designation). Next, search that same person’s name (along with the company name) on LinkedIn. If you find them on LinkedIn, message them about your transcription services. They might respond positively if they need your services.

Let Google do half the work: Your potential clients might just be using Google to find a local transcription writer. But, they can find you in search results only if your profile exists on Google. Here’s how to make this possible: create your “Business Profile” on Google for free. You can do that here.

The takeaway
It’s no surprise that every new client might require some proof of your capabilities. The same is true in the world of transcription writing. You’ll need to pass a transcribing test before getting ahead. Some clients might also ask you to provide your transcribed samples. But, this shouldn’t be a challenge if you have what it takes. Remember this: If you know how to write well, you can definitely transcribe well!

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Jessy Faraday believes that words can influence people, decisions, directions, and above all: the readers! With the passion to explore writing opportunities, she feels joy in discovering the writing landscapes. She loves to be on the hunt to make her freelancing career remarkable so others can also be inspired.

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