Do you dream of becoming a digital nomad?
The digital nomad lifestyle has become increasingly popular in recent years. It’s a great way to explore the world while still earning money.
But the truth is that you must have the right digital nomad skills to make the lifestyle work long-term. And the better your skills…
The more business and job opportunities you will create for yourself.
In this blog post, I’ve listed 27 in-demand digital nomad skills that will let you live, work and travel anywhere in the world.
Don’t have a lot of experience?
Don’t worry! In the last section of this blog, I’ve listed 4 digital nomad skills that require no experience.
Let’s get started!
What Are Digital Nomad Skills?
Digital nomad skills are-
- Talents
- Expertise
- Knowledge
- Abilities
That you can use to work and live anywhere in the world. Digital nomad skills will help you earn money and manage the nomadic lifestyle as you travel full-time.
The key to digital nomad skills is being able to use them online.
But that doesn’t mean your skills must be completely “online-based.” You could have fitness and nutrition skills that help you provide services over Zoom. But the best digital nomad skills give you create opportunities to live the lifestyle you want.
Below I have broken all 27 digital nomad skills into 6 categories:
- Essential digital nomad skills
- Writing skills
- Design skills
- Web development skills
- Digital marketing skills
- No experience skills
Each skill is in-demand right now! If you have it, you’re well on your way to living the digital nomad life. So let’s explore the top digital nomad skills in more detail…
Essential Digital Nomad Skills
First up is essential digital nomad skills.
These are soft skills that every digital nomad should have. No matter where you are from, what you do, or the lifestyle you want to live – these first 5 essential soft skills will apply to you.
Don’t breeze over these digital nomad skills. Pay attention and make sure you grasp them properly.
1. Communication
Communication is a must-have digital nomad skill. It will allow you to-
- Build meaningful relationships quickly
- Collaborate easier with online projects
- Communicate your tasks and work accomplishments
Even if you are excellent at what you do, you won’t get very far without good communication.
Good communication skills will help you create more opportunities for yourself in life and work. By developing excellent communication skills, you’ll enjoy the nomadic life more and the stress of remote work will be minimalized.
2. Organization
Want to stay on top of your tasks and responsibilities?
Organizational skills are a must. As a digital nomad, you will travel often. If you don’t have the simple things in life organized, the nomadic lifestyle can wear you down.
The truth is that working remotely means you won’t have the same support and systems as traditional office workers. We’ve seen tons of digital nomads not cope because they just weren’t organized.
Don’t get caught out doing everything last minute.
Create lifestyle systems and processes that mean you clockwork many day-to-day things. This will help you get work done and give you the time to properly explore each of the digital nomad destinations you visit.
3. Self-motivation
Self-motivation is the fuel to digital nomad success.
In fact, I would argue that all digital nomads are highly self-motivated. It’s easy to get caught up in digital nomad life and not actually get any work done. You’ll constantly be distracted and won’t move forward with tasks, projects or your career.
Self-motivation will give you direction and energy to stay on track. Practice discipline and take inspiration from others.
Make sure that you motivate yourself to hit your own goals.
No one else is going to do that for you!
4. Time Management
Being a digital nomad requires the ability to manage your time effectively.
This means taking into consideration the fact that you will need to be able to work while still exploring and enjoying new places. With good time management soft skills, you can balance work and play without sacrificing either.
Remember this:
Good time management skills will create the freedom to live the nomadic life the way you want. It’s as simple as that!
5. Flexibility & Adaptability
This almost goes without saying.
The digital nomad lifestyle is unpredictable. You must stay flexible and be prepared to adapt to each situation.
Travel, in general, requires you to be flexible. But when travel is your life – it goes up another whole level! Be ok with the unknown and be ready for things not to go to plan.
Don’t just react to every situation as it happens. Instead, take the time to assess and then make a practical decision. I promise this will help you enjoy the lifestyle more!
Writing Skills
Writing is a huge industry.
Tons of digital nomads have strong writing skills. This allows them to work on lots of different projects.
The truth is I think that digital nomads are creative and interesting people. That’s what makes them such good writers, naturally. Thinking about working online as a writer?
Here are some digital nomad skills you will need.
6. Content Writing
Content writing is an essential skill for digital nomads that want to write.
Businesses and brands will pay you a lot of money if you can tell their stories effectively. Content writing can develop brand loyalty, create trust, drive organic traffic, boost search engine rankings and build customer relationships.
All of these outcomes are essential for businesses that want to grow!
Content writing will make you very employable whether you work freelance or for a company.
Make sure you check out our complete guide on how to become a content writer and make 6-figures per year!
7. Copywriting
Copywriting is the art of using persuasive and compelling words to get people to take action.
Copywriters are usually hired to write blog posts, emails, sales pages, and digital products such as lead magnets. The goal with copywriting is always to persuade someone to do something – whether that’s signing up for an email list, buying a product or sharing even just sharing content on social media.
Copywriting is an incredibly in-demand digital nomad skill that people need. Not only will copywriting be a skill that people pay well for, but you’ll also find it can help you in everyday life!
There is nothing wrong with knowing how to build rapport quickly and persuading people to take a desired action. That’s what good copywriting does!
8. Blog Writing
Are you a digital nomad who loves to write?
Blog writing might be the perfect digital nomad skill for you. Blogging is an essential digital marketing tool used by businesses and brands worldwide.
Writing awesome long-form content that people actually read and engage with is essential. It’s not just about producing quality content either. It’s also about providing tons of value to help your readers accomplish their goals.
Now you can see why we love running a digital nomad blog so much!
You can use this skill to write for other blogs or create your own blog. It’s a timeless skill that gives you lots of options!
9. Proofreading & Editing
Proofreading and editing are digital nomad skills that often go overlooked.
It is always important to produce quality work, so having the ability to proofread and edit your work is invaluable. Not only does it help you be a better content creator, but it also helps you save time by not having to constantly double-check your work.
The best proofreaders and editors create long-term careers out of it. But even if you don’t, this skill will serve you in everyday life too!
If you are a digital nomad who is passionate about producing quality content, consider working on your proofreading and editing to add to your list of skills.
Design Skills
Design skills can help you land high-paying jobs.
And the best part?
You will never run out of work. It’s so normal for large and small businesses to use online designers who work remotely. Most even prefer it.
Here are some design skills for the creative digital nomads out there.
10. Graphic Design
Whether it’s creating logos, illustrations or web designs, having a good eye for graphics and an understanding of graphic design principles is a great skill.
You don’t even need to be an expert graphic designer either.
Even basic skills in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop or InDesign can be enough to earn decent money. Good graphic design is more about following a brief and executing it.
If you can do that, this skill will serve you well!
11. Branding
Branding skills go beyond a logo and colors. It’s all about creating a unique identity for your clients that resonates with their target audience and sets them apart from the competition.
Sound like something you would be interested in?
Branding involves understanding customer needs, researching what visuals resonate with them and developing messages that connect customers to the business. It’s a combination of creative thinking and design skills!
If you have that – then this digital nomad skill could land you some very high-paying work
12. Logo Design
Creating logos is one of those digital nomad skills that will get you work anywhere in the world!
Logos are an essential part of branding.
When done right, they can be a powerful representation of the company’s identity and values. If you choose to develop this skill, think about learning how to create logos for companies with higher-ticket products.
This is where you will make more money!
Got an eye for design? Just get some experience with digital tools such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. You can then start creating logos for different types of businesses.
13. Packaging Design
I personally love this skill.
Lots of companies spend a fortune making their packing look good. It makes sense, right?
The design draws attention to the product on the shelf and gives customers an idea of what they can expect from the product inside.
A packaging designer is responsible for creating eye-catching, visually appealing packaging designs tailored to the individual product or brand.
If you want a niche digital nomad skill that pays well, this is a great one. Just be aware that you will need to put in the right period of time to become a real expert!
14. Sales Funnel Design
Sales funnels are like one-page website pathways that guide potential customers through a purchase.
Here’s what I mean:
A sales funnel typically starts with a landing page. This is the page a potential customer first lands on when they visit your website.
The goal of the landing page is to capture their interest and encourage them to take action – like signing up for an email list or downloading a digital product.
The next step of the sales funnel might be a checkout page, followed by a simple thank-you page or an upsell offer. It doesn’t matter what the strategy of the funnel is.
The most important thing is that the sales funnel looks good. The design alone can have a massive impact on sales and conversions.
That’s why companies pay a lot for someone with excellent sales funnel design skills.
Web Development Skills
Web development is fast growing industry.
It spans lots of digital skills and jobs. There are tons of digital nomad developers that work remotely and have a great lifestyle. Companies also often pay developers well!
Interested in web development?
Here are some of the top skills you should focus on.
15. App Development
Apps are hugely popular right now and there is a lot of demand for app developer skills.
App development involves creating mobile applications that people can download on their phones or tablets. Good app development skills don’t just mean building an app. You will also need to understand the target market and be able to create an app that delivers value to its users.
Of course, you also need to have indepth knowledge of programming languages such as Java, Python, C++, Kotlin, Rust, and more to build great apps.
16. WordPress Development
WordPress is the most popular website builder in the world.
How popular?
Over 810 million websites use WordPress today. The platform powers up to 43% of all websites globally. And if that’s not enough…
It’s estimated that love 500 new WordPress websites are built every day!
WordPress development is one of those highly in-demand digital nomad skills businesses need right now.
17. Web Development
Web development is generally a digital skill in high demand. To become a web developer, you must learn many different technologies.
The required languages you need to know included HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP and Python. It also helps if you know about database systems such as MySQL and NoSQL and content management systems like WordPress and Joomla.
Understanding these technologies will give you the skills to build unique websites that businesses want. If you’re not overwhelmed yet, web development is a skill you should consider.
Plus, it’s well paid digital nomad skill too!
18. Software Development
Software development is an incredibly valuable digital nomad skill.
Software developers create and maintain digital systems, software programs and applications used by businesses and people around the world. Examples include video games, mobile apps, audio players, operating systems, cloud computing services and SAAS.
If you want to become a digital nomad with a high-paying job, software development skills are something you should investigate more.
19. Information Security Analyst
Cybersecurity issues are at an all-time high!
And companies are really worried. That’s why they are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to protect their business, employees and customers.
An information security analyst helps protect businesses from unauthorized access, cyber-attacks and data breaches. They use various tools to monitor digital systems and look for possible threats.
This is another digital nomad skill that can lead to a high, steady income and benefits!
Digital Marketing Skills
Digital marketing skills are valuable because they enable you to have a flexible digital nomad career that you take wherever you go.
You can build your own online business or work for a company. The choice is yours!
There are endless possibilities for how online marketing skills can help you in your career and life. Here are some of the top digital marketing skills you should consider learning as a digital nomad.
1. Social Media Management
Social media is one of the biggest digital marketing channels.
It’s estimated that 4.89 billion people use social networks today.
That means there’s a huge potential for businesses to make money and build an audience using social media. And that also means there is a lot of opportunity for someone with good social media management skills!
A Social Media Manager is responsible for creating content and managing digital accounts on social networks such as Facebook, TikTok and Instagram. They also need to be able to track metrics and analyze data to increase their posts’ reach.
The best part is that social media management is generally pretty flexible!
That means you can enjoy a comfortable location independent life as long as you have a decent wifi connection.
21. Media Buyer (Paid Social Ads)
A media buyer is someone who runs paid ads on social media platforms like:
- TikTok
And more. Why is media buying such a great digital nomad skill?
The truth is that people will pay you (well) if you can make them money. That’s what media buying ultimately is. You run ads on social media for clients and make them more money than they spend.
Sounds simple, right?
It’s no surprise then that media buyers generally have excellent incomes!
22. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO is another digital marketing skill with great potential for digital nomads!
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It’s the process of optimizing web pages to appear higher in search engines like Google. The higher you rank a website, the more organic (free) traffic it will get!
If you have good SEO skills, you will be in demand. Plus, it’s one of those skills where you aren’t really trading time for money.
That means clients usually pay per project, not per hour. As long as you can bring results, this is a great skill to have!
23. Data Analysis
Data analysis skills are becoming more and more critical in digital marketing.
Generally speaking, the world now has a ton of data on almost everything you can think about. What we need now is more people to process and understand that data.
This is what makes it such a valuable digital nomad skill to have.
Almost every industry (especially digital marketing) requires someone who has good data analysis skills. If you love charts, graphs and data – this could be your ideal!
No Experience Skills
Have you looked through the other skills on this list and feel slightly overwhelmed?
All the other digital nomad skills on the list will require experience, formal education, or certificate training. These following skills don’t require any experience.
24. Virtual Assistance
Virtual assistant skills involve providing digital services to businesses, such as remote administration, customer service and basic digital marketing. A virtual assistant (VA) is someone who can provide support to a business owner from a remote location.
Virtual Assistant skills help businesses reduce costs and streamline their operations.
A VA is good at helping others accomplish more by taking care of simple day-to-day tasks. It’s a great digital nomad skill to have because you can offer your services from anywhere in the world!
25. Translation
Do you speak another language?
Being bilingual is a tremendous digital nomad skill that many people overlook. With the power of technology, you can now offer translation services to businesses and individuals from anywhere in the world.
You can also use this digital nomad skill for freelance writing gigs. You can translate articles and blog posts from one language to another. Lots of translators even help translate formal documents like government grants and contracts.
This digital nomad skill is a great way to make money from speaking another language!
26. Teaching English
Want to teach English (or any other language)?
You don’t need any formal qualifications or previous experience to become an online English teacher. All you need is a computer, a good internet connection and the ability to teach!
There are lots of websites out there that offer online English classes. You can pick your own hours and get paid per hour or per class. This digital nomad skill is ideal if you a looking for a skill that can make you money quickly!
27. Customer Support
Do you have great customer service skills?
Customer support is another digital nomad skill that doesn’t require any experience. All you need to do is provide excellent customer service to people around the world via phone, email or live chat.
To get paid well, you will probably have to do a bit of digging. But if you can find the right company, offering good customer support can provide you with a comfortable location independent lifestyle!
The Difference Between Digital Nomad Skills & Jobs
Digital nomad skills are different from digital nomad jobs.
Jobs are something someone pays you to get done. They usually require multiple skills to get them done well – but often rely heavily on one specialized skill.
That’s why digital nomad skills and jobs work hand in hand. This next piece of information changed my life…
“Companies want to hire T-shaped people.”
Here’s what I mean:
Think of the letter T. The top of the T is made up of skills you need to know to do a job well. The vertical line in the middle of the letter T represents the one skill you are an expert at.
Here’s an example of a T shaped “copywriter”:
The T-shaped copywriter is an expert at copywriting. But they also have a good understanding of other skills like sales funnels, website design, social media, SEO etc.
They may not know how to do all those other things super well, but they have good basic knowledge about them. This allows them to be excellent at their expertise – copywriting.
The bottom line is this – Be excellent at one skill and good at a few other related skills.
This will make you very good at your job!
Wrapping It Up
If you want to become a digital nomad, having the right digital nomad skills will help you get there.
With the power of technology at your fingertips, making money online and living anywhere has never been easier!
Here’s my recommendation from this digital nomad skills list:
Choose one skill that you want to get good at. Then go develop that skill until you become an expert. From there, you can start to develop other skills that support it.
This will help you land higher-paying jobs and create a lifestyle you love!
