How To Start A Freelance Transcription Service In The UK

Freelance transcription services have increased greatly in recent years, and involve people converting audio or video content into written content. With remote working very much a big thing during and since the Covid pandemic, transcription services are in high demand.

A freelance transcription business provides you with the opportunity to work the hours you want whilst making money. You can choose to take on the role as a main income or as a side hustle to top up your income.

This guide will explain what freelance transcription entails, the tools needed and how to start your own freelance transcription service.

What Is Freelance Transcription?

As a freelance transcriber you’ll operate on your own to turn spoken content into written content. You will listen to recordings and then create accurate and understandable translations as written documents.

This type of work is often done on a per-case basis rather than permanent employment.

Transcriptions tend to fall into one of three categories:

1 - General Transcription

• Non-specialised content - lectures, interviews, podcasts or videos

• No specific skills needed but good language comprehension required

2 - Medical Transcription

• Transcribing medical reports, patient interviews and doctor’s notes

• You need to understand medical terminology

• Requires the utmost confidentiality

3 - Legal Transcription

• Transcription of legal interviews, testimonies, court proceedings etc

• You need to understand legal terminology

• Requires a high level of confidentiality

Skills Required For Freelance Transcription

To run your own freelance transcription business, you need certain skills as a minimum:

• Strong comprehension - you must be able to accurately interpret and translate audio files even if background noises make parts difficult to understand.

• Typing skills - the majority of established transcribers can type a minimum of 60 words per minute so you will need both accurate and fast typing skills.

• Excellent spelling and grammar - you will need strong punctuation and grammar skills to ensure you produce error-free transcripts.

• Linguistic initiative - you’ll need to have the ability to identify subtle nuances in speech and pick up any missing words to make sure the transcription reads correctly.

Tools Needed For Freelance Transcription

It’s possible to get by with basic tools and equipment for providing transcription services but it would be beneficial to equip yourself with specific tools and software:

• Computer: a desktop or laptop with good processing speed and the latest version of Microsoft Windows and Office.

• Good Internet Connection: you’ll need reliable internet to process the downloading and uploading of files.

• Transcription Software: this type of software makes life a little easier for you and there’s plenty to choose from. Most offer new customer enhancements and a free allocation per month, which could be useful if you don’t plan to do a lot each month. Consider looking at transcription software on offer from GoTranscript, Rev and Otter. It’s also possible to get automated software but you need to be prepared for errors using those.

• Text Expansion Software: a productivity tool that can save you lots of time by automating frequently occurring phrases and sentences.

• Good Headphones: having a good headset such as noise-cancelling headphones can help improve the quality of audio, meaning you hear everything correctly.

• Transcription Foot Pedal: a clever bit of kit that allows you to control audio playback with your feet whilst you type. Considering the benefits they provide, transcription foot pedals are inexpensive with a decent one costing approximately £50.

How To Start A Transcription Service

Starting a transcription service is relatively straight-forward but it’s a non-starter if you don’t have good listening and typing skills. If you do, let’s crack on and have a look at what you need to do to get going with your new transcription service.

Decide Which Transcription Services You Will Offer

As we mentioned, there’s three main categories for transcription services:

• General Transcription: this is the easiest of the three as you don’t need specialised knowledge or qualifications.

• Medical Transcription: this has greater earning potential but will require knowledge of medical terminology and may need certification.

• Legal Transcription: as with medical transcription, can offer better pay but requires specialist knowledge.

Improve Your Skills

Whilst having the basic skills for transcription will do the job, you should always look at ways to enhance your services so you stand out from the crowd.

If general transcription services are your target, there’s plenty of training opportunities out there. Some job sites such as Reed and Indeed offer free transcription courses. Alternatively, you can pay a small fee for relevant transcription courses with companies such as Udemy and Training Express.

If you decide to offer medical transcription services, consider taking courses such as the British Society for Medical Secretaries and Administrators (BSMSA) Level 2 Certificate in Medical Audio Transcription. BSMSA offers a range of courses dedicated to medical transcription services. Having specific qualifications from a reputable body will definitely get the attention of potential customers.

As with medical transcription, there are specific training courses that specialise in legal transcription. The London School of International Business offers a Graduate Certificate in Legal Transcription. Pitman Training has collaborated with The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) to offer a Level 2 certification in Legal Audio Processing.

There’s an abundance of transcription training courses out there to suit all types of transcription services, so don’t restrict your job opportunities.

Equipment

See the ‘Tools needed For Freelance Subscription’ section for more detail, but here are the basic requirements:

• Transcription Software: will really speed up your work

• Foot Pedal: speeds things up and reduce tiredness

• Transcription Style Guides: help outline specific formatting for transcriptions

Marketing Your Transcription Services Business

You need to create a shop window for yourself that says 'buy me'. Creating a professional website with the right domain name can sway potential customers to use your transcription services.

• Ensure you have the basics of contact details, the services you offer and your pricing structure.

• Add customer reviews to your website and examples of your work (if you have your clients' permission).

• Utilise social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

• Get set up on websites that specialise in advertising freelance transcription services such as GoTranscript, Fiverr and Accuro.

• Try to contact potential clients directly. Get in touch with YouTubers and podcasters.

• Try to optimise your website by adding valuable keywords (for example, “freelance transcription”, “affordable transcription services” or “audio to text services”.

Pricing Structure

The rates can vary in transcription service and will depend on your skill level and how the customer prefers to pay. Some will offer a project price, some offer words per audio minute and some per audio hour. You should also bear in mind that you'll need to pay tax on your earnings if you make over £1000 per year from your side hustle.

These prices are just a rough guide as to what you might consider:

• General Transcription Services. The average rate for transcribing is £1.04 per audio minute but that’s not to say it won’t be higher or lower than that. The average salary for a general transcriber ranges from £18,000 to £25,000.

• Specialised Transcription Services. As these roles are specialised, they can command higher pay rates, with the average salary for a medical transcriber being £47,500 per year.

Possible Challenges You May Face

Of course, it won’t always be plain sailing and you might encounter the odd problem along the way.

• Bad Audio - on occasion you might get audio recordings that are sub-standard. You can try to overcome this by using noise reduction tools.

• Speech Issues - sometimes you may get audio that isn’t clear or has accents you struggle to understand. You could practice with diverse audio files to get used to a range of accents.

• Tiredness - to combat this, you should take regular breaks, as well as utilising ergonomic equipment and specialist tools such as a foot pedal.

Conclusion

Running your own freelance transcription service is a viable way to make money with plenty of scope for flexibility.

With the right skills and marketing strategy, there’s a great opportunity to run your own thriving transcription business.

Once you’re up and running, if you deliver work that is accurate and on time, you should be in a strong position to build your customer base and establish a good reputation.