Start a Genealogy Research Service

Millions of people hit a wall in their family tree after the easy online records run out; breaking through takes methodology, archive knowledge, and patience most hobbyists never build, and clients pay real hourly rates for exactly that, all doable from home on flexible hours.

1. 1

   Build real research methodology

   Learn the genealogical proof standard: exhaustive search, source citation, conflict resolution, and written conclusions. Clients hire you for the walls they cannot break, and methodology is what breaks them.

2. 2

   Develop a specialty

   A region, an immigrant group, military records, or DNA-match analysis. Specialists get referrals from generalists and from the genealogy societies where your specialty's community gathers.

3. 3

   Get the database access and skills

   Subscriptions to the major records platforms ($200 to $500 per year total), plus comfort with archives, courthouse records, and newspapers that never got digitized. The undigitized sources are where paid work usually lives.

4. 4

   Price in defined blocks

   Professional genealogists commonly charge $30 to $80 per hour, sold in project blocks (10 or 20 hours) with a written research plan and report. Blocks prevent the open-ended projects that burn out researchers.

5. 5

   Deliver documents people can hold

   A cited research report, an updated tree, and copies of every record found. Offer heirloom family history books and memorial tributes as premium projects ($1,000 to $5,000); they are the emotional product clients remember.

6. 6

   Market where the stuck people are

   Genealogy society directories, DNA-testing communities, library workshops, and referrals from overloaded professionals. Certification through the recognized genealogy credentialing bodies grows referrals as you build case volume.

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