Earn $30,000 Per Year With Transcription By Typing Out Audio
by Admin Joe
updated – Oct 16th 2020
Like me, you can indeed earn money from transcription. All this from such as simple task as listening to a conversation and getting it down in words.
Yes, you can even earn the amount of money specified in the title (believe it or not). Who’d have thought you could earn THAT much just from typing out a few words?
The vast majority of people have the ability to listen and type words which is why it’s so inclusive. The power is literally at your fingertips. In its basic form, transcription is essentially just typing out the spoken word onto the page.
Moreover, anyone who is capable of reading, listening and writing can take part and make money from it. You can also potentially earn a decent living solely from transcription work if you work at it. How exciting is that?
“There is basic equipment required: a headset, a Dictaphone to play the tapes that must be transcribed, and patience, a willingness to become a human conduit as the words of others enter through her ears, course through her veins, and drip out unseen through fast-moving fingertips.” – Amy Rowland (famous transcriptionist & writer)
As people, we speak 4 times faster than we type, on average. This should give you an outline of what this kind of work will entail.
How do I make money from transcription? I will now go deeper and explain how you can make the most of this awesome opportunity.
What is transcription?
It’s very simple. As I’ve mentioned in my introduction, transcription is transforming a voice into text or a transcript. You’re essentially turning an aural medium (video or audio) into a visual one (writing).
What does transcription involve?
Many beginners wonder what steps are involved in making money from transcribing. I will break it down for you in bite-size chunks:
- Sign up to a paid transcription website
- Pass the qualification test
- Fill in your profile questions
- Complete a transcription assignment
- Wait for your transcript to be reviewed
- Withdraw your approved earnings
What types of transcription jobs can I do?
There are two main styles of transcription. These are verbatim and non-verbatim (also sometimes referred to as clean verbatim). You will switch between the two quite frequently as a transcriber. Different clients want different things.
How does verbatim transcribing work?
The plain old verbatim method involves including every single word that you hear. This includes all the ‘ums‘ and ‘ahs‘ you might hear in everyday conversation.
It will include every little detail however unimportant you might think they are including sounds and actions. This can be farting, coughing, sneezing and the like.
If the speaker decides to talk slang in place of proper wording them you will have to transcribe that too. This might seem unnecessary, but let’s really look at it. You will be getting a 100% accurate and honest account of what the speakers are actually saying.
How does non-verbatim transcribing work?
Non-verbatim transcription is slightly different. This type of transcript has the intention of refining it down and cleaning it up a lot more.
You will only need to include enough to get the gist or flavor of what the people on the tape are saying. This means transcribing the important parts and throwing out the rest.
This is one way of simplifying the whole thing. You will omit repetition, hesitation and other unnecessary parts that fail to move the conversation along.
Who can take part in transcription?
Transcribing work is open to folks from all over the world. There is a demand for transcripts to be completed in different languages.
Anyone with a reasonable level of listening and writing skills can participate. If your spelling and grammar is better than average then that’s a bonus.
In terms of equipment, you just need a laptop and an internet connection in order to do this work.
You don’t really have to know anything about transcription to begin with (just like I didn’t initially). Although, it definitely helps if you do. It’s fairly easy to learn the craft along the way and still make money as I once discovered.
Which languages do transcribers need to know?
If you speak multiple languages then this is a huge benefit. You can access high-paying transcription jobs that other people can’t do.
You are in luck if you are fluent in some of the more obscure and lesser spoken languages. The rewards are very generous for these particular assignments.
How qualified do I need to be to do a transcription job?
You won’t really need any qualifications beyond a basic school education. After you sign up to most of these transcription companies, you will need to do a qualification transcription assignment.
This is a sample job that you will usually have to transcribe for no payment if you want to join. It’s a shame, I know.
It’s just to see if you meet the standards required to be a transcriber. To clarify, this usually involves spelling and grammar tests too.
How does the qualification test assignment work?
It’s not that difficult to pass, but if you do fail it (like I have in the past) you can always try the job again. Some transcribing companies give you a certain number of attempts.
They might force you to wait over a cool down period after each failed attempt. This could be a matter of weeks or months depending on the transcription website.
A strong grasp and fluency of the English language will help you pass the main assignment. Some people are naturally good at this aspect, but you can still teach yourself these skills if not.
The number of words per minute that you can type is also a key factor. If you are a fast typist, then the transcription jobs shouldn’t take you a long time to finish.
You will need to pass the test job in order for the transcription company to accept you as a transcriber. This will allow you do the most basic jobs. Like I say, this is so that they know that you have the skills to do the work at a satisfactory level or above.
Who will pay me for transcription?
“Lots of people” is the short answer to that question. Transcripts are used for all sorts of things in everyday life. It can range from the ordinary to the bizarre (it would surprise you).
Many businesses, organizations and individuals require the transcription services of someone like you.
It makes sense that there are tonnes of paid transcription companies that exist out there because of this great need. I have narrowed down some of the top transcription websites below:
- castingwords
- transcriptdivas
- doneitnow
- accutranglobal
- speechpad
- quicktate
- rev
- scribie
- tigerfish
- transcribeme
I would advise you to try all of the above companies for transcribing as they are all good in different ways. You will also increase your workload if you sign up to all of them, like I have.
Experiencing a drought in transcription work is no fun for anyone. Maybe you can find even more reliable companies not mentioned here to fill the gaps in your workload.
How much will transcription websites pay me?
I have found that it mainly depends on:
- transcript length
- audio quality
- number of speakers
Transcribers will make in the range of $0.20-$2.50 per audio minute or $12-$150 per audio hour.
Keep in mind that this is based on how long the audio or video file is. It’s not centered around the actual full amount of time it takes to fully transcribe and complete an assignment.
The very best transcribers are known to earn well over $3000 in a month. It can be tough, but it is very possible for you to attain that high amount too with time, if you work at it.
This is more money than you will earn from other online jobs like paid surveys or captcha entry, for instance.
Earning less money than that from transcription is still a very decent goal to achieve, in my opinion. It’s cliché, but shoot for the moon and then if you fail then you will reach the stars instead.
Will the pay reflect how accurate my transcript is?
You need to transcribe your work to a good standard otherwise the review team will likely reject it. If this happens then your employer won’t compensate you for your transcription work.
It will just be a waste of your time. My advice is to go through your transcript a few times, double and triple-checking it before you submit it.
Your pay per hour might also increase as you become a more competent and experienced transcriber.
Some transcribing companies pay more for more accurate transcripts. This all hinges on the quality and standard of your work. Higher paying jobs will become available as you pass the more difficult qualification tests.
Longer audio files will obviously pay more than the shorter ones. This make absolute sense as long transcripts will take up more of your time.
The full verbatim jobs are likely to pay more as there is more to type. Remember, you have to include every last bit of filler and utterance.
Can I earn bonus payments?
I’ve seen a few paid transcription websites that separately offer a base payment and also a bonus payment too. The base payment is what the site will pay you anyway if they approve your transcribing work.
The bonus payment is an extra that they add on or take away depending on the quality of the transcript.
You won’t get a bonus if you make quite a few mistakes. However, you will get the bonus if you really go above and beyond the minimum that you’re required or expected to do.
Your compensation should also increase if there are any other problems with the audio. It can be stuff like disturbance or unclear voices.
It takes sharp ears to distinguish and transcribe some words. Not everyone can catch every little bit of speech (I know that I struggle sometimes for sure). You don’t have to have ears like the BFG, but it helps.
If you can transcribe a word that 99% of other transcriptionists can’t understand then you, my friend, are valuable. The client will reward your value. Remember, you have two ears and just one mouth for a very good reason.
Which payment redemption options are available to me?
A lot of transcription companies offer PayPal and bank transfer redemption options, in my experience.
Some websites make other payment choices available. It can include options such as Amazon gift card balance and coupons for other stores on or offline.
Most of the transcribing companies that I have worked for send out payment individually for each job. On the other hand, it’s not uncommon for some websites to have a payment threshold. You will need to break past this before you can withdraw.
How fast do transcribers need to type?
You will need to be able to type a minimum of 70 words per minute. This is important if you want to make transcription worth your while.
If you are a slow typist then you will complete less work in an hour (let’s say). This ultimately means your earnings will suffer because of it.
On many transcripts, you will be working under a time limit. You will need to employ fast typing in order to complete the work before the timer runs down to zero.
The transcription company you work for may ask you how many words you can type per minute. This will happen beforehand so that they can take this into consideration during your application.
They can then accept or decline your application as a worker. You need to be honest when answering this question and avoid exaggeration too.
If you are a quick typist then you won’t need to pause, rewind and play the audio as frequently. You will find it easier to keep up this way. This is one of the ways that you can transcribe more words in less time.
How can I test my typing speed?
There are websites out there that allow you to check your typing speed for free. You can do this if you’re unsure of the exact amount of words you can type in a single period of time. Websites include:
You could use any of these sites or just ask a friend to time you with a stopwatch. With a little practice and experience, you should be able to improve your typing speed.
You will consequently also be improving your transcribing skill level too. You are not a lost cause if you type slowly as you can teach yourself to type faster quite easily.
Which other kinds of work can I do?
Transcribing isn’t the only thing you can do on these websites. You can also take part in more advanced typing assignments such as:
- QA testing
- grading
- checking audio quality
- approval and reviewing
- editing
These other tasks can earn you more money than regular transcription. Although, you will need to be even more skilled and qualified because of this.
You will need to pass additional tests if you want to work on these other assignments. If I were you I would master transcription first before you decide to move up to these other jobs.
It will help you because many of the transcribing skills are transferable between these differing jobs. The transcription sites will want experienced workers to fill these roles anyway.
What are rush jobs?
You have to be on your toes as some clients label certain audio files ‘rush jobs‘. This means that they have a much tighter time limit on them than most other transcription jobs.
The client obviously needs their transcripts to be processed quickly. Only accept these assignments if you are sure that you are capable of doing them in good time.
They will also be more willing to offer extra financial incentives because of how urgent this work is.
Where can I transcribe?
You can transcribe from any location just as long as you have a laptop and internet access. It’s best to choose a quiet and comfortable setting. You can then give your full concentration to transcribing the task at hand with few distractions.
Your headphones should cancel out most outside noise anyway. I personally prefer to transcribe at home. You should consider this seeing as you may well be working on one single transcript for a long stretch of time.
However, you can do this transcription work outside the home as long as there are minimal interruptions.
It would be wise not to work on the go somewhere where you know there will be crowds of people. You will get the transcribing done much quicker if you can focus your full attention on it.
Which devices can I use for transcribing?
You can use multiple devices to transcribe the same job if you like. This is fine as long as you log into the same transcription account. It’s useful if your laptop breaks down (in my case) or any similar unexpected problems occur.
I recommend that you don’t use smartphones or tablets for transcribing. You can’t transcribe as efficiently if you are using these fiddly little devices.
If you’re like me then your fat fingers will constantly hit the wrong letters. You may then continue to pathetically attempt to type and transcribe on the teeny tiny keyboard of a 5 inch screen.
It’s just not worth it so save yourself the bother. It can be a pain, especially during the editing process.
You really need a keyboard and a mouse if you are transcribing. I would advise you to work on a desktop or laptop computer instead. Make life easy for yourself as doing this will speed up your work.
What happens after I finish a transcription job?
All you can really do is wait in hope of payment for a job well done. It will take a few working days at the most for the reviewers to get around to approving or declining your work. They will look at your completed transcript and give it a status.
This will either mean that the transcription is fine and they will pay you. Alternatively, it might not be good enough and you will have to transcribe it again.
On the other hand, if you aren’t successful on your second attempt then they will pass it on to somebody else.
It’s really important that you learn from your mistakes. If you don’t then you will waste time on two failed attempts with no reward at the end of it.
Will I get any feedback?
You may also get a detailed breakdown of your transcript from the reviewer. They will give this after they’ve marked it if you’re lucky.
It’s actually one of the most useful lessons about transcription that you could possibly learn. At least it is for me anyway so perhaps you should see it as a blessing rather than taking any negative comment as criticism.
This will tell you what you did right or wrong in the transcript and why. They may also grade your transcribing work with a score depending on its quality.
Analyzing this as well as the accompanying notes thoroughly will definitely help you improve as a transcriber. It’s a great learning tool.
You are receiving advice from someone who knows what they’re talking about. This is mainly through years of experience in transcription from the reviewer so pay attention.
When will the transcription websites pay me?
The payment should clear at the same time that the website decides to approve your transcribing assignment. This will likely be a few days.
Most of the time your work will receive one final edit by a more seasoned transcriber. It’s one last finishing touch before it is sent through to the client for the final time.
This is just to give a little extra polish and to correct anything that you might have missed in the transcript. All this will usually happen if you they pay you or not so don’t see it as a jab against your transcription skills.
How much time do I have to transcribe an assignment?
The client or employer will prepare a set time limit for each transcript. They mainly do this so that no one transcriber will be working on (or hogging) a transcript for an overly long time.
It can feel like a mad rush at times especially as an amateur transcriptionist. Although, I can tell you that this will get so much easier with time and experience.
They will likely be quite generous with the time limit because they want you to have enough time to do a thorough job of it. The client should give you a few hours or longer to transcribe depending on the audio file length.
Can I take a break in the middle of a transcript?
If you accept a job then most transcription sites will allow you to:
- Take a break
- Close it down
- Return to the transcript later on
It’s useful for surprise interruptions or even emergencies that drag you away from your transcribing work. This is fine as long as you return to the job within the time limit.
Be aware that you only get a short amount of hours to fully complete a transcript. Don’t be too leisurely or leave it for too long.
I generally advise that you steer clear of doing this. I normally just finish all my transcripts in one sitting so it’s out of the way. You don’t have to worry about it anymore that way.
This is a more productive way of going about a transcription work, in my opinion. It also means you won’t forget about your active transcription job by accident.
If you commit a little effort and hone your transcribing skills then you should start seeing progress. Hopefully you will eventually reach the point where you can shave even more time off.
In time, you could find yourself typing up jobs in 2 or 3 times the length of the audio file (which is impressive). This is more or less the same standard set by most of these superhuman transcribers.
Can I request a time extension?
If you fear that the clock is going to run down to zero before you fully transcribe the job you’re currently doing then don’t panic. There is something you can do about that.
If you know for sure that the transcription assignment isn’t going to be complete within the time limit then you can request an extension.
This will add a little more time on top of the original time limit in order to help you out. You can then finish up and make your transcript the best that it can be.
There is a good chance that you will only be able to ask for one time extension per job.
If you can’t finish everything in all of this time including the extension then you will just have to submit what you have managed to transcribe so far. Most transcription sites offer this extension feature just in case.
What happens if I make a major mistake?
Believe me, it’s not the end of the world. Any transcriber at any level is sure to make a few minor mistakes every now and then. This is acceptable as long as it’s minimal.
Even the very best transcriptionists can’t always get it perfect all the time … well except for Cara J. That girl is a damn savage.
Aside from this, you may make a glaringly obvious error after you submit your transcript. This might be a significant mistake that you definitely know will guarantee an instant rejection of your work. It may involve entering the wrong text or something like that.
You need to contact the transcription site right away. Let them know about it as soon as possible. They may be able to send it back for you to transcribe again. This should happen preferably before it reaches the review team with a bit of luck.
You will need to correct any mistakes within your transcriber profile too when answering personal questions after signing up. This can be misleading for transcription companies if you give them false information, so be diligent.
Why am I struggling to find transcription work?
You may struggle to find transcription jobs as a newbie, as I did. Your reputation as a transcriber will be so low when you compare yourself to rival transcribers who have been at it a while.
You will be under-qualified to do the vast majority of assignments. This means you will have to be on the ball in order to lock down the most basic jobs.
Websites will bar you from lots of the advanced transcribing jobs at least before you pass the applicable tests. You can remedy this by passing as many tests as you are capable of doing.
There are lots of competing transcriptionists from around the world on all transcription sites. The workers can snap up jobs pretty quickly. It can feel like wild dogs fighting over the last chicken bone sometimes.
You may want to take a leaf out of my book and think about working at more obscure time. There may be more opportunities when there are fewer members online.
Another method of keeping the workload up is registering with multiple paid transcription sites. This way you can switch from site to site when the pickings are slim. You will have more choices available to you this way.
Can I do freelance transcription work?
Don’t just expect a steady workload. Go out of your way to find clients who actually need transcripts typed up. You might consider advertising your transcription services on a freelance basis. You can then wait for the jobs to come to you.
There are websites out there that allow you to do this such as fiverr and upwork. I have used both of these sites so I know that they are trustworthy.
You can even boost your online presence by promoting your transcribing business venture for free. Do this using social media channels and other low-cost routes.
What exactly will I be listening to?
Almost every industry requires the services of a transcriber. You could be transcribing a speech or conversation in literally any form. The client will either give you a video with accompanying sound or just an audio file by itself.
It could be anything where there is a demand for it to be converted into text format. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s the spoken word. That’s literally the only strict parameter.
However, other transcription site guidelines may rule out strong language and abusive content. You could be typing out transcripts for:
- meetings
- hearings
- interviews
- conferences
- discussions
- presentations
- focus groups
- phone calls
- memos
- voicemail messages
- letters
- podcasts
- court proceedings
- speeches
- lectures
- captioning
- scoping
- call auditing
Will I be transcribing a whole transcript?
There is a good chance that the audio file that you are transcribing on will just be a short snippet of a larger overall conversation. Transcription websites like to break down large transcripts into bite-size chunks for the mutual benefit of all parties.
There hints that will clue you in on when this happens. For example, the first and last sentences of the assignment may be cut off out of the blue. The tape might start or end abruptly without context too.
Why is there a demand for transcription?
So many varying companies and brands need transcription services for the majority of their audio and video content. It will please you to know that there will always be a demand for aspiring transcribers like you.
A good example of this is when you see closed captions or subtitles in movies and tv shows. This will mostly occur when watching something on television late at night.
You might also see the miniature lady or man who pops up in the corner of the screen. They then continue to do frantic and indeterminable hand gestures at you. You get the point.
Sometimes people just prefer to read something rather than listen to it. It may be more relevant for their needs if they digest the information in this way.
The client may well use your complete transcripts specifically for people with hearing impairments. There is that to think about too.
This is another reason why it’s important that your transcripts are accurate. It also goes to show how valuable we transcribers actually are. You will be helping out people who are struggling.
Why do we need transcribers?
For all you know, transcription may be something that the client could do themselves. Although, the typing can be quite time-consuming for them as you will find out.
More often than not, the client might be busy with other commitments. These might be more pressing tasks so they choose to delegate the transcription work instead.
This is a big reason why they decide to pay other people to transcribe for them. This is where you (the transcriber) comes in.
Does transcription work ever get boring?
I suppose it all depends on the subject matter. There is a lot of typing involved so it helps if you have an interest in what you are transcribing.
The transcription work itself might not sound that interesting from an outsider’s perspective. However, I can assure you that it can surprise you.
You may also learn new things about the world that may otherwise have passed you by. This is definitely true for me in my experience.
Which topics of conversation will I be transcribing?
Transcription covers a lot of ground and involves a wide range of different talking points. You could be transcribing a fun podcast or stand up comedy routine if you’re lucky.
On the hand, you might be typing up a 4 hour conference about the history of every different variety of asparagus that has ever existed … yeah.
The boredom can be magnified if the audio file is particularity long. You will have to maintain your attention for the duration of the assignment. The upside is that longer transcription jobs pay more, so there is that.
During my time as a transcriber I have personally come across interviews with champion dog sled racers. On top of this, I have also listened to therapy sessions involving people with severe mental health problems as well.
On the contrary, transcribing can be anything but dull. You can learn a lot about the subject that you are working on.
How will I receive the audio?
It will normally come attached with the transcription assignment along with the rest of the work notes and instructions. You can either stream or download the audio file, although some sites only give you the one option.
Both methods have their pros and cons. You may want to download if you have a slow or unreliable internet connection as buffering can be a problem.
Downloading also means that you can transcribe offline. This is helpful when you happen to be in an internet blackspot.
Any other advice about transcribing?
If you want to learn more than I could possibly teach you about transcription then you might want to give transcribe anywhere a try.
As a company, they offer useful and informative online courses at an affordable price about all things transcribing as well as some free courses.
I hope this has answered some of your burning questions about earning money from transcription. I’m sure it will help improve your own understanding of the work itself.
We can learn that it’s possible for almost anyone to earn a pretty good salary from transcription. You can earn more from this than some other entry-level day jobs.
We also know that the rewards will increase in line with the quality of your transcribing. You can’t always say the same with other online jobs which is what I think makes transcription so special.
I would recommend that you buy yourself some decent headphones and a keyboard. Go ahead and do this if you don’t already have these.
My other piece of advice is to practice typing. You can then work towards boosting your personal words-per-minute record.
You will also want to promote your transcription service so that you can find some clients to work with. Start with the free websites that let you advertise at no cost (like social media platforms). You can then try paid advertising once you run out of options.
If you can find regular customers then that’s fantastic. They will likely come back to you whenever they have more work for you to transcribe, if you’re reliable.
I have contributed some more tips about transcribing in order to help you save time. Discover these in my 69 tremendous transcription tricks post. This will vastly help improve your transcription work & increase your earnings in no time.
What’s the most interesting transcript you’ve ever worked on? Do you prefer to do verbatim or non-verbatim transcription? What is your favorite transcription website?
Please don’t forget to share this with your friends and like it on social media. You can subscribe to our newsletter and comment below too. Thanks for reading!
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