Scrolling through platforms like Preply or the educational tags on Xiaohongshu, it is easy to feel discouraged. With skilled teachers from countries with a lower cost of living offering lessons for a fraction of a UK hourly rate, it can feel like the industry is in a race to the bottom. The good news? It is a race you don’t need to run. The Global Reality We must accept that the market has changed. Teachers from the Philippines and Latin America are often excellent, hardworking, and provide a vital service for students who need affordable practice. This isn’t unfair; it is simply global economics. However, just because they can charge less, doesn’t mean you should lower your value. Why You Shouldn't Compete on Price. If you try to match the lowest rates, you will burn out. More importantly, price dictates your student. - Low prices often attract casual "shoppers" looking for a chat. - Sustainable prices attract serious students looking for results. Sell Value, Not Time To stand out, stop selling "English lessons" and start selling specific outcomes. As a native speaker or a specialised tutor, you offer things that bargain-hunting cannot buy: - Cultural Nuance: Understanding how and why we use certain phrases. - Idiomatic Fluency: Polishing advanced speakers to sound natural, not just grammatically correct. - Specialisation: Solving high-stakes problems like IELTS exams or business presentations. The Verdict The market is big enough for everyone. There is a place for affordable conversation practice, and there is a place for premium coaching. Don’t look down on the low-cost market—just choose not to participate in it. Stand firm on your prices, highlight your unique expertise, and you will attract the students who are looking for you, not just the cheapest option.

Hi all, Been a while since I posted here What do people use for organising their freelance work schedule? Neil

There is some news floating about in China, it is saying that people that offer professional advice must be able to prove they have the qualifications to do so. Originally this was something that reared its head back in 2022, but as a thought to improve online content. Recently the news and noise is ramping up. It appears that the media platforms in China will be tasked with quantifying and checking 'professional' content creators credentials. It is not known how or when this will come out or what it will look like. As a teacher online, I am assuming it will be providing copies of certificates, on a side note this may mean the TEFL certification is going to be essential, again I have no clue just yet of what this will actually look like, I am just guessing. What it doesn't mean? Well if you are on a teaching platform, Preply, Cambly, iTalki etc, this should not impact you at all. If you are active in creating content with an educational theme, this is likely to impact you. I also suspect that official channels on Chinese social media will be looked at first and foremost, then moving onto other creators who post "professional' content. Reading between the lines, always dangerous! It seems any advice that is given, finance, medical, education....I am sure the list is not exhaustive, is likely to flagged to check the credentials of the individual. For those teaching online, and using Chinese media platforms, the way to take the focus away from from your content would be to pivot your content to purely life style content, daily conversations in English, with no explicit "do this Instructions. It is all new right now, and for me I am not particularly concerned, as I do not post content that "tells people what to do" it is more observational, but if I get asked to provide something I will gladly share my journey.

Here are some thoughts for those who are stepping up to teaching online, for those who want to target students, and ideas for those who are thinking about it. The High-Demand Niches: - Business English (ESP - English for Specific Purposes): This is consistently the highest-paying niche. Focus on sub-specialties like English for Lawyers, Medical English for Nurses, or English for Tech Start-ups. If you have a previous career background, this is your gold mine. - Exam Preparation: IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge FCE/CAE. Students are highly motivated, have clear goals, and are willing to pay for expert guidance. - Pronunciation and Accent Reduction: For professionals with a strong grasp of grammar who need to refine their spoken clarity for the workplace. (This comes down to regular lessons, and almost a rote learning method) - Age/First Language Specific: Targeting teenagers for university prep, or teaching English specifically to, say, Spanish or Japanese speakers (or, any language, allowing you to incorporate known cultural/linguistic challenges). Marketing Strategy for the Independent Nomad: - Content Marketing: Create targeted content (short videos/blog posts) on platforms like LinkedIn (for Business English), YouTube, or even specific subreddits/forums related to your niche. Example: "Three AI tools that are making Business English presentations effortless." (Be mindful of your market place, and any regional restrictions) - Referral Power: Actively solicit testimonials from previous students and leverage your network, as people trust a referral more than an advertisement. - Optimize Marketplace Profiles: Use a highly professional video, clearly state your niche in the title (e.g., "IELTS Speaking Expert. Casual conversations, Holiday English"), and charge a slightly higher rate than the average to position yourself as a premium service. So this month I have been posting a Halloween Advent Calendar on WeChat and the Little Red book everyday, and it's got me a number of new followers, but no business as of yet! The school event, English Day, at the school I attended last Friday, was great fun, I got 7 new students and hopefully a recall when the company does any other 'English Days"!

My social media’s finally starting to take off! 🚀 This time last year I was working fully remote with just two mental-health agencies, supporting university students online. I’d started late, with only one or two clients, slowly built up to around 20 by year-end… then everything crashed when the semester ended 😅. Fast-forward to now: I began this uni year in September with returning clients already waiting, new ones rolling in, and a new qualification to support autistic students too. I’ve since joined six more remote student-support agencies and two online counselling companies. Last month my socials hit 2.6k views — this month, halfway through, it’s already at 5k 🎉🤩 I’m now earning about double what I need to live comfortably in Thailand, all while working entirely online. It’s been unpredictable, but seeing it finally click feels amazing. I land in Thailand on 1st November to kick off the next chapter 🌴✈️ How about you guys — when did things start to click for you as a remote worker or freelancer? Was it sudden, or more of a slow burn? 😁🔥