As our overall global economy continues to sputter, there are in fact several bright spots in the picture. One shining example is the rapid rise in demand for online freelance workers.
This economic boost is being driven in no small part by historic increases in the demand for online workers with mobile app development and creative skills. Growth in these two quickly-emerging sectors of the online workforce is accelerating dramatically in 2012 (with no signs of slowing down in the months and years ahead).
Mobile Explosion
It is easy to see why this growth is occurring, as the world’s businesses and consumers all turn to mobile devices at a record pace. Mobile-related products are key to our global future development, yet tapping into this demand is difficult for small businesses with few resources and limited access to skilled workers. Hence entrepreneurs are turning to online freelancers to build their mobile apps, as well as creative personnel to promote their products and services. At an affordable price, they can quickly get work done and compete with much larger companies.
This growing trend is seen in the number of mobile app developers hired at Elance. Through Q3 of 2012, businesses have paid mobile app developers over $9.4 million for work—up 188 percent over last year. Similarly, businesses are hiring freelance creative personnel at Elance in record numbers: through Q3, nearly $13.5 million was spent on creative services (ranging from graphic design, web design and logo creation to infographics, web content and translation). To put this into category’s growth into perspective, creative spending has seen an impressive 53 percent increase from one year ago.
Economic Engines
These are pretty impressive numbers when you look at the overall economic picture we’re facing. But then again, more than simply these two micro talent sectors, the entire online freelance category is growing tremendously. In America alone, an estimated 30 percent of the workforce today is either self-employed or working part-time. That amounts to roughly 42 million U.S. workers ready, willing and able to work on individual projects at the drop of a hat. Worldwide the number is even larger, with Elance having a community of over 2 million skilled online freelance workers globally.
With significant time and money savings for businesses, these quick and affordable online jobs are exactly the sort of projects businesses will continue to gravitate toward. Bottom line, with online projects spurring job growth and spending, it’s only a matter of time before larger sections of the economy begin to benefit from the positive effects of freelance work.
Has your small business hired contractors or freelancers? What kind of projects have they tackled?
Fabio Rosati is CEO of Elance.
Photo: Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images