Freelancer.com (ASX: FLN) (OTCQX: FLNCF), the world’s largest freelancing marketplace by number of users and jobs posted, today released new figures revealing a surge in freelance creative writing jobs, growth in business marketing activities, and an increase in on-site photography and videography gigs.
The Fast 50 Q2 2023 report, a quarterly dataset ranking the fastest growing and falling jobs on the platform, analyzed over 280,000 jobs posted to Freelancer.com between April and June 2023. According to the data, the fastest growing freelance jobs by percentage growth in Q2 2023 were:
1. Creative Writing - up 58% (from 1,868 to 2,961 jobs)
2. User Interface Design - up 52% (from 2,017 to 3,075 jobs)
3. Twitter Marketing - up 41% from (1,650 to 2,334 jobs)
4. Photography - up 40% from (2,101 to 2,945 jobs)
5. Writing (Microsoft Word) - up 38% (from 3,175 to 4,401 jobs)
While the world debates whether AI will take human jobs or not, and therefore dramatically hit the labor indexes, the latest figures reviewed by Freelancer.com’s data science team revealed interest for freelance writing jobs are increasing on the platform over the last quarter. Other writing related skills also saw growth across the quarter, including Copy Typing (up 31.2%, 4,867 to 6,389 jobs) and Ghostwriting (up 22.8%, 5,212 to 6,404 jobs).
Other jobs which have been deemed as ‘at risk’ of being automated by AI, such as data entry, have also seen an increase over the quarter. Projects for Data Processing were up 21% (from 9,076 to 11,024 jobs) and projects requiring Excel as a skill also saw a 15% increase (from 13,246 to 15,301 total job postings).
“AI can’t replace creativity yet. While workers and businesses are benefiting from productivity gains offered by generative AI, the data suggests that the technology in its current form isn’t able to replace creative work. We saw a similar trend occur in the first quarter of the year, as creative design jobs were flourishing despite interest for generative AI tripling,” said Matt Barrie, Chief Executive at Freelancer.com.
The Fast 50 Q2 2023 report also reveals an increase in businesses investing heavily in freelance marketing support. This trend comes off the back of an unprecedented rise in jobs usually associated with the creation of new businesses and new ventures as found in the Fast 50 Q1 2023 report.
In addition to Twitter Marketing ranking as the third fastest growing job, growth also surged for the following marketing skills:
● Search Engine Marketing (SEO) - up 26% (from 1,840 to 2,328 jobs)
● Sales - up 23% (from 2,614 to 3,233 jobs) ● Marketing - up 19% (from 8,269 to 9,867 jobs)
● Social Media Marketing - up 16% (from 6,524 to 7,574 jobs)
● Facebook Marketing - up 14% (from 5,602 to 6,410 jobs)
Marketing jobs are some of the highest earning on the platform per project. Projects seeking SEO experts typically pay US$2,231 per project. General marketing jobs on average pay US$1,422 per project, while Social Media Marketing pays $584 per project.
Local jobs, which is where employers hiring freelancers in their local area to do service or physical-based jobs, are growing across the platform by 37%, from 2,122 to 2,905 total projects. The two key drivers for growth for these types of jobs relate to Photography and Videography which are up by 40% (from 2,101 to 2,945) and 32% (from 3,095 to 4,097), respectively. On average, projects for Videography attract US$70 per hour.
Fastest Falling Jobs of Q2 2023
The most significant declining trend observed in the Q2 2023 report shows that employers are easing their interest for tech and IT related skills. The Fast 50 report for Q3 2022 highlighted significant growth in a number of highly specialized and niche tech skills, such as software development, android app development, programming, and others. The catalyst for demand being global mass layoffs and hiring freezes across the tech sector towards the end of 2022.
The latest Fast 50 Q2 2023 data shows interest for niche tech skills is beginning to slow down, with software development (down 28%, from 1,308 to 942), API (down 26%, from 1,516 to 1,109), iOS Development (down 26%, from 1,220 to 894) and Microsoft SQL Server (down 25%, from 1,309 to 975) all decreasing over the last quarter.
Easing of these types of skills also aligns with Layoff.fyi’s tech layoff tracker also showing a reduction in the number of layoffs occurring globally.
Fast 50 Q1 2023 - Data Analysis
Relief For Writers As Data Suggests AI Can’t Replace Creativity
The main trend from the Freelancer.com Fast 50 Q2 2023 report shows freelance writing jobs, specifically those seeking journalists and editors, increasing on the platform over the last quarter. Despite having access to freely available generative AI tools, employers are turning to on-demand freelancers to help write creative content for their websites and blogs.
Creative Writing jobs were the number one fastest growing job on Freelancer.com in Q2, growing 58% from 1,868 to 2,961 jobs posted. Other writing related skills, such as Writing (Microsoft Word) (up 38.6%, 3,175 to 4,401 jobs), Copy Typing (up 31.2%, 4,867 to 6,389 jobs) and Ghostwriting (up 22.8%, 5,212 to 6,404 jobs), also saw an increase over the quarter.
Interestingly, other skills which experts predict will be overtaken by AI are also increasing on the freelancing platform. Data processing grew by 21%, from 9,076 to 11,024 in Q2. Jobs with Excel as a key skill also increased by 15.5%, from 13,246 to 15,301 jobs. Data entry recently ranked as the World’s Most Boring Job in Freelancer.com’s global survey measuring attitudes towards work. Data entry is also one of the most popular jobs that employers tend to delegate to on-demand freelancers.
Businesses Focus On Growth, Following Startup Boom, By Investing In Marketing
Jobs seeking Sales experts grew 23.6% and Business Analysis increased by 21.4% over the last quarter. This is another indication that businesses are focusing heavily on growth and strategy alongside promotion.
In Q1 2023, Freelancer.com observed an unprecedented rise in jobs usually associated with the creation of new businesses and new ventures. This was apparent with projects for logo design, corporate identity design and eCommerce all growing simultaneously and aligning with new business formation statistics released by the US Census.
While there isn’t data supporting another rise in new businesses in Q2 2023, what Freelancer.com is seeing is businesses now doubling down on marketing, sales and social media efforts to increase business. This aligns with global trends of big consumer brands, such as ones reported in Australia, slashing their marketing spend and look towards more self-driven or low budget or organic marketing efforts.
Twitter Marketing, which ranks third in the most in-demand skills for Q2 2023 after growing 41% over the quarter, is growing to become a popular option for businesses looking for social media support. Social Media Marketing as a skill increased by 16% and Facebook Marketing increased by 14%. Marketing, as a skill generally, is up 19.3%, growing from 8,269 to 9,867 total jobs in Q2.
Classic marketing tactics such as Search Engine Marketing (SEO) and Web Search grew by 26% and 21%, respectively. SEO and Web Search are both budget friendly ways for businesses to maintain a competitive advantage in search engines results.
A similar trend was observed in the Q3 2022 as many tech companies began mass layoffs and cut Search Engine Marketing spend as a way to reduce marketing spend. As a result, Freelancer.com observed growth in SEO related projects or social media marketing as both are cost effective marketing strategies.
Jobs seeking Sales experts grew 23.6% and Business Analysis increased by 21.4% over the last quarter. This is another indication that businesses are focusing heavily on growth and strategy alongside promotion.
Demand For Tech Jobs Slows Down As Layoffs Reduce Worldwide
Freelancer.com is beginning to see interest for niche tech and IT related skills reduce on the platform. A sudden surge in technology related skills was observed all throughout 2022, however, was largely apparent in the Fast 50 report for Q3 2022 which saw a significant increase in jobs relating to niche IT-related projects all being driven by a surge in tech layoffs.
The latest figures from the Fast 50 report for Q2 2023 shows interest is beginning to slow down as 16 of the top 25 fastest falling jobs are related to tech, which are the same jobs which climbed heavily towards the end of last year.
Software Development, which had sustained growth quarter-on-quarter throughout 2022, saw a decline of 28% from 1,308 to 942 jobs. Projects requiring API as a skill are down 26% (from 1,516 to 1,109) and iOS Development jobs are also down 26% (from 1,220 to 894).
Location-Based Photography & Videography Jobs Are Booming
Local Jobs are a specific type of job which are location based and are specific to a location. These jobs are typically service or physical jobs, such as local pick up, delivery, photography, gardening or cleaning services.
This quarter saw Local Jobs grow by 37%, from 2,122 to 2,905. The two key drivers for growth for these types of jobs relate to Photography and Videography which are up by 40% (from 2,101 to 2,945) and 32% (from 3,095 to 4,097), respectively.
Visual content will always be in-demand for any business, regardless of size. Whether it’s capturing an event or shooting footage to use for ads, real-life imagery will always be an important part of promoting businesses.
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Freelancer Fast 50
The Freelancer Fast 50 report is the world’s largest forward indicator of trends in online jobs related to industries, technologies, products, and companies. The data is based on 280,000 jobs posted to the Freelancer platform between April 1 to June 30 2023.
Fast 50 Q2 2023 Data
Fastest Growing Jobs - Q1 2023 vs. Q2 2023 | ||||
Rank | Skill | Job Count Q1 '22 | Job Count Q2 '23 | % Increase |
1 | Creative Writing | 1868 | 2961 | 58.51% |
2 | User Interface Design | 2017 | 3075 | 52.45% |
3 | Twitter Marketing | 1650 | 2334 | 41.45% |
4 | Photography | 2101 | 2945 | 40.17% |
5 | Microsoft Word | 3175 | 4401 | 38.61% |
6 | Statistics | 1359 | 1862 | 37.01% |
7 | Local Job | 2122 | 2905 | 36.90% |
8 | Videography | 3095 | 4097 | 32.37% |
9 | Copy Typing | 4867 | 6389 | 31.27% |
10 | Search Engine Marketing | 1840 | 2328 | 26.52% |
11 | Objective C | 1207 | 1505 | 24.69% |
12 | Sales | 2614 | 3233 | 23.68% |
13 | Ghostwriting | 5212 | 6404 | 22.87% |
14 | Data Processing | 9076 | 11024 | 21.46% |
15 | Business Analysis | 1967 | 2389 | 21.45% |
16 | Web Search | 4782 | 5795 | 21.18% |
17 | Marketing | 8269 | 9867 | 19.33% |
18 | Video Production | 5391 | 6369 | 18.14% |
19 | Social Media Marketing | 6524 | 7574 | 16.09% |
20 | Excel | 13246 | 15301 | 15.51% |
21 | Research | 4238 | 4887 | 15.31% |
22 | Corporate Identity | 3067 | 3536 | 15.29% |
23 | 2474 | 2852 | 15.28% | |
24 | Caricature & Cartoons | 2033 | 2342 | 15.20% |
25 | Facebook Marketing | 5602 | 6410 | 14.42% |
Fastest Falling Jobs - Q1 2023 vs. Q2 2023 | ||||
Rank | Skill | Job Count Q1 '22 | Job Count Q2 '23 | % Increase |
1 | Blockchain | 1339 | 859 | -35.85% |
2 | Digital Marketing | 1717 | 1169 | -31.92% |
3 | Metatrader | 1471 | 1006 | -31.61% |
4 | Arabic Translator | 1245 | 895 | -28.11% |
5 | Software Development | 1308 | 942 | -27.98% |
6 | API | 1516 | 1109 | -26.85% |
7 | iOS Development | 1220 | 894 | -26.72% |
8 | .NET | 3029 | 2234 | -26.25% |
9 | Microsoft SQL Server | 1309 | 975 | -25.52% |
10 | YouTube | 1575 | 1175 | -25.40% |
11 | Node.js | 4077 | 3047 | -25.26% |
12 | German Translator | 1209 | 904 | -25.23% |
13 | ASP.NET | 1370 | 1034 | -24.53% |
14 | Academic Writing | 1219 | 937 | -23.13% |
15 | Blog | 2324 | 1790 | -22.98% |
16 | Article Rewriting | 6045 | 4663 | -22.86% |
17 | Web Development | 1531 | 1188 | -22.40% |
18 | C# Programming | 5625 | 4423 | -21.37% |
19 | SQL | 1981 | 1608 | -18.83% |
20 | React.js | 3606 | 2939 | -18.50% |
21 | Linux | 4990 | 4067 | -18.50% |
22 | Amazon Web Services | 2354 | 1928 | -18.10% |
23 | Unity 3D | 1194 | 987 | -17.34% |
24 | AngularJS | 2084 | 1723 | -17.32% |
25 | React Native | 1380 | 1148 | -16.81% |
About Freelancer
Freelancer.com is the world’s largest freelancing and crowdsourcing marketplace by total number of users and projects posted. More than 67 million registered users have posted over 22.7 million projects and contests to date in over 2,000 areas as diverse as website development, logo design, marketing, copywriting, aerospace engineering and manufacturing. Freelancer also owns Escrow.com and Loadshift. Freelancer Limited is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under the ticker ASX:FLN and is quoted on OTCQX Best Market under the ticker FLNCF.
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