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When I began looking for work from home jobs, internet research was one of the first things I looked into. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I worked as a Clinical Research Associate (CRA) at a pharmaceutical research facility. I figured my experience conducting clinical research studies would be an easy way to spin my skills into a remote job.
While I wasn't able to find what I was looking for online, my networking efforts paid off, and I started doing freelance marketing research for a friend.
Since I began my remote work journey in 2007, times have changed significantly.
AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude have become the norm, eliminating jobs right and left. But it's not all doom and gloom. There are still internet research jobs out there, but you need the right skills and to know where to look.
What Does an Internet Researcher Do?
Web Researchers conduct online research across a wide variety of fields and industries, often focusing on qualitative (why and how) and quantitative (statistical and numerical) research. While simple research can be manually pulled from the web, more sophisticated research involving large databases may require knowledge of programming languages such as Python, R, Julia, or SQL. After you obtain your data, you'll then verify, organize, analyze, and submit the results to your client.
How to Become an Online Researcher
To work from home as a web researcher, you'll need excellent internet research skills, superb organizational skills, a high level of attention to detail, and tech savviness. You'll also need proficiency with applications like Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, as these are often used to store research results.
In today's tech-savvy environment, you should know how to use AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. These tools are free to use; just start using them and see how they work. While taking a course isn't necessary, it can get you up to speed a lot quicker than learning the ropes on your own.
If you’re looking for a full-time research job as a W-2 employee, you will likely need a bachelor’s degree in your desired area of expertise. For instance, if you want to work as a remote Clinical Research Associate (CRA) running clinical trials, you need a degree in nursing or another life science field, such as biology.
Or, if you want to be an Academic Researcher, you’ll need a master’s degree or Ph.D. in a specified area of expertise. Or, if you want to do research in the legal field and already have a degree, you can obtain a paralegal certificate. If you want a research career focused more on editing and fact-checking, you'll likely need a degree in communications, journalism, or marketing; however, this isn't always the case.
Don’t want to get a degree or go back to college? No problem.
There are ways for you to work on more generalized research tasks. Options for this route include getting an online certification, freelancing, starting your own business, and working as a virtual assistant or data entry clerk, where internet research is a small part of your work.
Where to Find Internet Research Jobs
You can try searching for internet research jobs on traditional job sites like Indeed or LinkedIn, but these sites are so big that it can be challenging to find these positions. You’ll also have to thoroughly research each job posting, as there tend to be a lot of fake and scammy job listings.
Here are some companies to explore for online research jobs.
1. American Institutes for Research
The American Institutes for Research hires online researchers for a variety of fields and industries, including economics, education, healthcare, community, and more. For these roles, you must live in the United States, and depending on the scope of the research, you may need an advanced degree and experience with data collection methodologies. Positions tend to be full-time, and they come with a wide variety of benefits.
- American Institutes for Research gets a 4-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com
2. BOLD
BOLD, which owns FlexJobs and Remote.co, hires online job researchers to find, research, and list legitimate work from home jobs for their online job boards. In these roles, you'll earn an hourly pay rate, and you must reside in one of the following states: CO, CT, FL, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NC, OR, PA, TN, TX, or VA.
- BOLD gets a 3.3-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
3. Clickworker
LXT, which acquired Clickworker, is a short-task platform where you can earn money by completing microtasks such as text creation, categorization, copy editing, proofreading, internet research, and more. You won't be able to earn a full-time income using this platform, but it is a nice way to bring in a little extra money.
Sign up for a free account, fill out your profile, complete short skills assessments, complete work, and get paid weekly or monthly via SEPA or PayPal. Before you join Clickworker, be sure to read reviews. Some people have had a great experience with them, others not so much.
- Clickworker gets a 3.7-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
4. DataAnnotation Tech
DataAnnotation Tech hires independent contractors from the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, and Australia to help shape AI tools. In these part-time positions, you'll work on tasks like data collection, data annotation, interacting with chatbots, fact-checking info, writing short-form content, and more. These are entry-level roles; however, you will need to pass an initial assessment and quality test to begin working. But once you're approved, you'll have a flexible work schedule, and you'll earn $20 per hour, which is paid via PayPal.
- DataAnnotation Tech gets a 4.1-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
5. Fancy Hands
Fancy Hands hires independent contractors to provide virtual assistant services to individuals and small business owners. In this position, you'll work on tasks like scheduling appointments, internet research, data entry, and making phone calls (so it's not just research). Assistants are paid $3-$7 per task, and payments are distributed every other Tuesday. This is another site that gets mixed reviews, so be sure to do your due diligence before joining. For more companies that hire virtual assistants, check out this post.
- Fancy Hands gets a 2.5-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
6. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a paid online job board that caters to flexible work arrangements. I like FlexJobs because they screen every job for legitimacy, so you never have to worry about falling prey to a scam. They also have great sorting options, so it's easy to locate what you're searching for on their website. You can sort jobs by type, schedule, job category, career level, job title, location, or combination. Some keywords you'll want to explore include internet research, online researcher, web researcher, and research assistant.
- FlexJobs gets a 4.1-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
7. Fiverr
Fiverr is a freelance marketplace where you can list and sell your internet research services. When Fiverr first came on the market, the premise was that individuals would sell their freelance services for $5 (hence the name). Freelancers would keep $4, and Fiverr would take a $1 administrative fee. Today, freelancers sell their services for anywhere from $5 to $10,000 a pop, and Fiverr takes a 20% administrative fee. Fiverr is free to join, and it's an easy way for you to list your freelance research assistant skills and the niches you specialize in.
- Fiverr gets a 2.6-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
8. Health Advocate
Health Advocate occasionally has remote full-time research associate positions. For these roles, you will need prior experience, attention to detail, and excellent organizational skills. The last time they had an opening on their website, the pay was $15 per hour. Health Advocate doesn't offer job alerts on its website, but you can sign up for them on LinkedIn.
- Health Advocate gets a 2.9-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
9. Robert Half
Robert Half is a staffing agency that is an excellent place for finding those one-off research jobs! When writing this article, they had 110 remote research jobs. Some positions include UX researchers, research administrators, information specialists, paralegals, data entry clerks, and more. On Robert Half, you can find permanent, temporary, and temporary-to-hire positions. Positions are location-dependent, but Robert Half has a remote job search button that makes finding their virtual jobs a snap!
- Robert Half gets a 3.6-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
10. Study.com
Study.com hires independent contractors from the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, India, and the Philippines to provide freelance services in the following categories: Lesson writing and curriculum design, Q&A homework help, research and copywriting, and reviewing and editing. Qualifications and experience needed vary depending on the project and subject matter. As a freelancer with Study.com, you'll get paid twice a month, and you can work at any time of the day or night.
- Study.com gets a 2.8-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
11. TELUS Digital
TELUS Digital hires online data analysts, sometimes called search engine evaluators, to conduct research on search engine results. In this role, you'll perform search queries on various terms to verify the relevancy of the provided search engine results. To qualify for these jobs, you must have good research skills and a strong understanding of local and national events and trends. With these positions, you have a flexible schedule, and they hire worldwide, but you'll be working as an independent contractor, so you'll need to set aside money for self-employment taxes.
- TELUS Digital gets a 3.4-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
12. Upwork
Upwork is a freelance job board containing different tasks for freelancers to complete. Register for an account (it's free), search for Internet Research positions, and submit your bid. If your bid is accepted, you'll complete the work and get paid through the platform, minus a small fee (5% to 20% based on the total sale amount). While many freelancers complain about the low rates on these sites, it can be an excellent way for you to establish yourself in the field and work with repeat clients. Also, check out this article from Danny Margulies, which discusses how he was able to earn six figures from Upwork; he has a smart strategy for using the platform!
- Upwork gets a 4-star rating out of 5 on Trustpilot.
13. Welocalize
Welocalize is a crowdsourcing company that hires workers for a wide variety of AI services, such as data annotation, data validation, localization, research, content writing, translation, video editing, and more. They hire for full-time, part-time, and freelance roles from all around the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, the UK, the US, and more! Each position has different qualifying criteria; however, some positions don't require any prior experience. You can search their current selection of job openings by location, team, or work type.
- Welocalize gets a 3.5-star rating out of 5 on Glassdoor.com.
Start Your Own Internet Research Business
If the above options aren't what you're dreaming of, you can always start your own internet research business in the niche of your choosing. Here are some simple steps to get you started.
1. Educate Yourself on Running an Internet Research Business
No matter what type of business you're starting, you need to educate yourself on the best business practices.
2. Write Your Business Plan
Once you understand the basics of running a business, you'll need to write your business plan. Your business plan doesn't have to be a formal document, but you will want to create a list of steps to take. If you need a business plan template, grab our free template here.
Here are some common questions you'll need to address:
- How will you structure your business?
- What should you name your company?
- How will you accept payments?
- Do you need any license or insurance?
- What office equipment do you need?
- How will you handle self-employment taxes and bookkeeping?
- What marketing methods will you use?
- How will you determine your prices?
3. Set Up Shop
After you have the preliminary framework in place, set up your digital footprint, including your website and social media profiles. You should also think about which communication, marketing, and organizational tools you'll need to run your business.
Here are some helpful articles and resources:
- How to Build a Website For Your Home Business
- A HUGE List of Free Resources to Help Run Your Home-Based Business
4. Get Clients
There are many ways to get new clients, but the fastest is to reach out to family, friends, and past colleagues to let them know you've started a new business. Just think, if you send an email to 100 contacts, you'll likely have at least one person who needs or knows of someone who needs your services!
When I started my blog, here is the email I sent out. This is how I built my blogging audience so quickly. Oh, and feel free to use this template and modify it for your business.
Hello Friends & Family,
As many of you know, for the past 16 months, I've been researching, writing, and working with a graphic designer to launch a website for women and mothers who want to work from home.
As of today, all of my hard work has finally paid off, and I'm proud to announce the official launch of The Work at Home Woman! An online resource for women who wish to work from home or become self-employed.
Please visit my site and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear your comments and suggestions!
I would greatly appreciate it if you could forward this link to anyone you know who could benefit from this site.
Feel free to keep up with The Work at Home Woman and follow me on LinkedIn or Facebook.
Thanks for your support, Holly
Make Extra Cash Doing Market Research
Another way to be involved in research is by becoming a market research participant. You can sign up with a variety of market research companies, both for online surveys and focus groups, and earn extra money just by sharing your opinions and insights.
Once you sign up, you'll receive notifications for opportunities that meet your demographics. Sometimes, you'll need to answer a few screener questions to see if you're the ideal target audience for the study. Once accepted, you'll answer questions in an online survey or be invited to participate in online or in-person interviews. Surveys generally pay $0.50 to $10 per survey, and focus groups pay around $50 to $150 per study. Of course, some opportunities pay less, and some pay more; use your time wisely.
To prevent your inbox from being flooded with emails from these companies, I suggest creating a new email account just for these side gigs. Lastly, with market research, you are giving brands and companies insight into your life; they may ask questions like Are you married? Do you own a home? And how much money do you earn annually? If this makes you uncomfortable, you should avoid this opportunity.
Below are some reputable companies to sign up with:
Internet Research Jobs Conclusion
There are many different routes you can take to becoming an internet researcher! Whether you want to freelance, find a telecommuting position, or start your own business, there are many viable options available. Choosing a niche where you have experience will help you hone in on the opportunities that are best suited for your skills.
Holly Reisem Hanna is the Founder and Publisher of the award-winning career website The Work at Home Woman.
