If you’re good at finding proverb needles in the haystack, keep reading! We have what you need to know about how you become an online researcher and find work from home internet research work!
How to become an online researcher
Working from home as a web researcher requires excellent internet research skills, excellent organizational skills, a high level of attention to detail and technical insight. You also need to become familiar with applications such as Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets. These are often used to store research findings.
If you are looking for a full-time research job as a W2 employee, you may need a bachelor’s degree in the area of ​​expertise you want. For example, if you want to work as a remote clinical research associate (CRA) running clinical trials, you will need another scientific discipline, such as nursing degree or biology.
Alternatively, if you want to become an academic researcher, you will need a master’s or doctoral degree. in designated areas of expertise. Alternatively, if you do research in the legal field and want to already pursue a degree, you can obtain a Paralegal Certificate. If you need a research career focused on editing and fact-checking, you may need a degree in communication, journalism, or marketing. However, this is not necessarily the case.
Don’t want to earn a degree or return to university? no problem. There are ways to tackle more generalized research tasks. Options for this route include freelance, starting your own business, or working as a virtual assistant or data entry clerk. Here, internet research is just a small part of what you do.
Where to find an internet research job
You can actually search for internet research jobs on traditional job sites such as LinkedIn, but these sites are so large that it can be difficult to find these positions. Additionally, there are many fake and fraudulent job lists, so you should thoroughly investigate each job.
Here are some other sites that we recommend using to find online research jobs.
1. FlexJobs
FlexJobs is a paid online job board that handles flexible work arrangements. FlexJobs screens every job for legitimacy, so I like it, so there’s no need to worry about being prey to fraud. There are also great sorting options, making it easy to find what you’re searching for on your website. You can sort jobs by type, schedule, job type, career level, position, location, or combination. Some keywords you want to explore include Internet research, online researchers, web researchers, and research assistants.
2. Fiverr
Fiverr is a freelance market where you can list and sell internet research services. When Fiverr first came to the market, it was assuming that individuals would sell freelance services for $5 (and therefore the name). Freelancers will maintain $4, while Fiverr will receive a $1 administrative fee. Today, freelancers sell their services for $5-10,000 per pop, and Fiverr receives a 20% administrative fee. Fiverr is free to participate. Listing freelance research assistant skills and specialized niches is an easy way.
3. Robert Half
Robert Half is the perfect staffing agency to find those one-off research jobs! When writing this article they had 110 remote research jobs. Some positions include UX researchers, research managers, information specialists, paralegals, data entry players, and more. At Robert Half you can find permanent, temporary, temporary employment positions. Position depends on location, but Robert Half has a remote job search button that lets you find virtual jobs!
4. Upwork
Upwork is a Freelance job boards include various tasks for freelancers to complete. Register for an account (free), search for Internet survey positions, and submit your bid. If your bid is accepted, you will complete the work and receive payment through the platform. Many freelancers complain about the low prices on these sites, but it’s a great way to establish yourself on the field and work with repeat customers. Also, check out this article from Danny Margulies. This article explains how to get 6 numbers from Upwork. He has a smart strategy for using the platform!
Companies that hire internet researchers
5. CannabizMedia
Cannabiz Media hires part-time virtual data researchers to collect, fact-check and analyze licensing information for the cannabis industry. Applicants must have a strong business or legal research background, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work 20 hours a week.
- Cannabiz Media has a 4-star rating on GlassDoor.com.
6. Click on Worker
LXT, which acquired ClickWorker, is a short task platform that allows you to make money by completing microtasks such as text creation, classification, editing, proofreading, and internet research. You can’t earn full-time income using this platform, but it’s a great way to bring in a little extra money. Sign up for a free account, fill out your profile, complete a short skill assessment, complete the full work, and pay weekly or monthly via SEPA or PayPal. Be sure to read the reviews before joining a clickworker. Some have had great experiences with them, while others have not.
- ClickWorker gets a 3.9 star rating out of 5 on GlassDoor.com.
7. DataAnnotation Tech
Data Annotation Tech will hire independent contractors in the US, Canada, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia to help shape AI tools. These part-time positions address tasks such as data collection, data annotation, chatbot interaction, fact checking information, and creating short form content. These are entry-level roles. However, you will need to pass the initial assessment and quality tests to get started. However, once approved, you have a flexible work schedule and earn $20 per hour paid via PayPal.
- Data Annotation Tech has a 4.1 star rating on GlassDoor.com.
8. Fancy Hand
Fancy Hands hires independent contractors to provide virtual assistant services to individuals and small business owners. This position will tackle tasks such as schedule appointments, internet research, data entry, and telephone acts (and therefore not just investigations). Assistants are paid between $3-7 per task, and payments are distributed via Dwolla every Tuesday. This is another site that receives a variety of reviews, so do due diligence before you join. Check out this post for companies that hire virtual assistants.
- Fancy Hands has a 3.2 star rating out of 5 on GlassDoor.com.
9. Bold
Owning FlexJobs, Bold is the perfect place to find legitimate work from your home position. However, they also hire part-time freelance job researchers to investigate and source legitimate jobs, businesses, and opportunities that could be published on their website. Salary is $15 per hour and 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 3.5 star rating out of 5 on GlassDoor.com.
10. Telus Digital
Telus Digital employs online data analysts, sometimes called search engine raters, to conduct research into search engine results. This role runs search queries in various terms to verify the relevance of the results of the provided search engine. To qualify for these jobs, you need to have excellent research skills and a strong understanding of local and national events and trends. These positions have flexible schedules and are employed all over the world, but as they work as an independent contractor, they must take money for self-employment tax.
- Telus Digital has a 3.6 star rating on GlassDoor.com.
11. Welocalize
Welocalize is a crowdsourcing company that hires workers for a variety of AI services, including data annotation, data validation, localization, research content writers, translation, video editing, and more. They have won full-time, part-time and freelance roles from around the world, including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, India, the UK, and the US! Each position has a different eligibility criteria. However, some positions do not require prior experience. You can search for the current job opening selection by location, team, or work type.
- Welocalize gets a 3.4 star rating out of 5 on GlassDoor.com.
12. Wonder Research
One company that hires internet researchers to gather information and find reliable sources is a mysterious research. In this role, you will work as an independent contractor, earning between $8 and $35 per respondent. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and previous research experience. As of now, they are not taking new applicants. However, you can bookmark your career page and check the openings regularly.
- Wonder Research has a 3.6 star rating out of 5 on GlassDoor.com.
Start your own Internet research business
If the above options aren’t what you’re dreaming about, you can always start your own Internet research business in your niche of choice. Here are some simple steps to get you started.
1. Educate yourself about running an Internet research business
No matter what kind of business you start, you need to educate yourself about the best business practices. Below are some resources that will help you understand and implement the basics of starting and running an Internet research-based business.
2. Write a business plan
Once you understand the basics of running a business, you need to create a business plan. Your business plan doesn’t have to be formal documentation, but you will need to create a list of steps to take. If you need a business plan template, get the free template here.
Here are some common questions that need to be addressed:
- How do you structure your business?
- What should you name your company?
- How do you accept payments?
- Do I need a license or insurance?
- Which office equipment do you need?
- How do you deal with self-employment tax and bookkeeping?
- Which marketing method do you use?
- How do you determine the price?
3. Set up the shop
Once you have a preliminary framework in place, you will need to set up a digital footprint including your website and social media profile. You also need to consider the communication, marketing and organizational tools you need to run your business.
Here are some useful articles and resources:
4. Get the client
There are many ways to get new clients, but perhaps the fastest way is to reach out to family, friends and past colleagues and let them know that you have started a new business. If you send an email to 100 contacts, I’m sure there’s at least one person who needs or knows who needs your services!
When I started my blog, this is what I sent: This is how I was able to build a blog viewer very quickly. Oh, use this template and change it for your business.
Hello friends and family,
As many people know, for the past 16 months, I have been researching, writing and working with graphic designers to launch a website for women and mothers who want to work from home.
As of today, all of my efforts have finally been rewarded, and I am proud to announce the official launch of Home at Home Woman! Online resource for women who want 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 be very grateful if I could forward this link to anyone who could benefit from this site.
Please follow me from home and follow me on Twitter and Facebook.
Thank you for your support, Holly
Make extra cash for market research
Another way to be involved in research is to become a market research participant. Both online research and focus groups allow you to sign up with various market research companies and make extra money just by sharing your opinions and insights.
Sign up and you will receive notifications of opportunities to meet your demographics. Sometimes you need to answer some screener questions to see if you are the ideal target audience for your research. Once accepted, you will be invited to answer questions in an online survey or participate in online or in-person interviews. A survey typically pays between $0.50 and $10 per survey, while a focus group pays between about $50 and $150 per survey. Of course, some opportunities may pay less, some may pay more. Use your time wisely.
To prevent emails from overflowing your inbox with emails from these companies, we recommend creating a new email account with just these side gigs. Finally, market research gives you insight into your brand and company about your life. Maybe they ask questions like you’re married? Do you own a house? And how much money do you make each year? If this makes you uncomfortable, you should avoid this opportunity.
Below are some reputable companies you can sign up for:
Internet research work wrap-up
There are many different ways to become an Internet researcher! Whether you want to find a freelance, work-from-home position, or start your own business, there are many viable options available. Choosing a niche that you have experience will help you hone the best opportunities for your skills.
Originally published on January 9, 2015. The content was updated in May 2025.