Story: Learn from mistake

During my early days on UpWork(in 2020), I quickly earned around $10K. I kept using the platform until mid-2022. However, I became cautious about spending too much time making proposals for each project. This made me switch to working for a local design agency instead.

Things went well for about a year, but in the summer of 2023, the pace slowed down a bit. Since I started freelancing, I sincerely know that waiting for the next client is one of the hardest parts of freelancing. I have never wanted to myself put in that situation.

When the summer of 2023 arrived, I needed a new project. This made me go back to UpWork. I started sending proposals again and updated my profile, which I hadn’t changed for a year.

I admit that this was my own mistake. Once you start UpWork, please don’t stop. You can pace slowly sometimes, but keep earning online. I hope you can avoid the same problem. While working for someone is good, I’ve learned that, as a freelancer, it’s important to stand on your own feet first. Teamwork is valuable, but being self-reliant is even more important.

I set up the goal. $50K by the end of 2023. $100K by the end of October 2024.

Prepare for profile and proposal

How client choose you? There is not much area. What we can do is complete the profile and send an undeniable proposal. That’s it.

I learned UX and I created a client account on UpWork a long time ago. If you are willing to be hired, first of all, you need to understand who is your ideal clients are, and what a client thinks. You have to put yourself in their shoes.

Udemy Course

I am really fired up once I decide on the goal in 1.5 years. I bought 2 UpWork courses on Udemy and completed them in 2.5 days. To be honest, I preferred more advanced knowledge and technics. Anyway, at least I learned a couple of tips. You can find similar information on YouTube for Free. I did not want to watch YouTube videos randomly. Time is more valuable than money.

©Udemy

You don’t have to buy any courses on Udemy. I linked UpWork’s official channel on YouTube in this blog. You can find tips on it.

UpWork Profile

Purpose for the action:
– Understand how a client sees your profile when a client chooses candidates.
– SEO-friendly profile

UpWork profile allows us to put up to 5000 characters. It is a lot. We have to use this space efficiently, SEO friendly. I created a new profile, but I am not the best on UpWork. Please search for top creators on UpWork for learning and emulate.

Profile contents(5000 characters):
– 1 liner
– Client’s pain points + CTA
– Client’s industry
– Introduction
– Reviews
– FAQ
– Skills
– Capabilities
– Experiences
– Principle
– Message
– Social Media

UpWork proposal

The purpose for the action:
– Stand out in the 15+ candidates
– Use connects efficiently

In August 2023, freelance has to use connects to apply for jobs a lot. It was 1 – 6 before. Now, it costs often 16 connects per only 1 job application. It is for monetization.

Apply cost has increased. Even so, not every client checks our profile on the list. It discourages many freelancers. This is why many people drop out from UpWork. Please check on YouTube.

We have to show differences on the list. Many people say don’t copy and paste the same template which you created. That’s true, but we don’t want to consume our time to submit the proposal. I am using a hybrid.

Structure:
– Project catch copy
– Reflect on what a client says
– Relevant portfolio
– Introduction
– Name with lead copy instead of best regards,
– P.S. occasionally

What makes freelance disappointed is that we craft a proposal, but we don’t get many responses from a client. All apply cost us. How do we keep motive?

Now, we can have some tools on UpWork. My proposals page shows whether a client looked at our profile or not. My stats page shows some data. There are not much data for optimization, but at least there are some clues.

Personalized coaching by freelancer plus

If you decide to earn 6 figures on UpWork, you need a lot of connects. It is inefficient if you buy connects when it runs out each time. Therefore, I recommend being a freelance plus member. 

• You’ll be visible. We keep your profile active, even if you take a break
• You’ll gain insight. See what bids your competitors are making on a posted job
• You’ll get help engaging with clients. You’ll get 80 Connects per month (70 included with your plan purchase, and 10 FREE from Upwork!) to help you find great new projects
• You’ll stand out. We’ll give you a customized profile URL so clients can remember how to find you
• You can keep your earnings private. Want to keep your earnings confidential? You can with Freelancer Plus!

Basic math
$15/80 connects = $0.1875/connect
16 connects × $0.1875 = $3/application
80 connect/16 connects = 5 applications/month

It will not be enough connections for freelance. In the beginning, it will be very time and money-consuming.

Once you sign up for freelance plus, you may receive some notifications. I forgot exactly where, but it may be a top page. I did just one click to register for two weeks of personalized coaching. I received an email within a week.

I don’t know the value. It may be automated, I don’t know yet.

*Update: Novembr 2, 2023

I received an automated long email in 2 weeks, August 14-28, every morning. To be honest, I could not read everything. I preferred to focus on just working in the morning without disruption. Long email every single day was just too much for me. In addition, the email was an automated template. So, it did not ignite me a lot.

I tried to review everything, but it really long with references. It takes time to implement them. If you are in the early stage of UpWork. Just focus on developing the perfect profile in 2 weeks. It may be better than sending a lot of proposals. It could consume your connects(points for submitting an application) unnecessarily.

01. Welcome to Upwork coaching!
02. Is your profile up to date?
03. Tips for your rate strategy and showcasing your value
04. Let’s help you make the most out of your proposals!
05. Staying safe from scams and reporting suspicious activity
06. Negotiating and Communication Tips
07. Ideas for growing your business
08. The marketing power of a strong Portfolio and Project Catalog
09. Ways to help clients find you
10. You’ve completed Upwork Coaching!

Adapt to the new features

I feel that this is additional UpWork monetization, even though UpWork already charges for connects. Using new features should be straightforward. 

– Boosted Proposals
When I submit proposals, there is an option to boost my proposal, but I do not use this feature. As you know, connects cost money for freelancers. If you don’t have a strong profile on UpWork, I don’t think this is effective for you. Instead, I submit proposals with submissions of less than 10, and the connects required are fewer than 12.

– Availability Badge
If we exist on UpWork activity, UpWork charges freelance every day. I feel UpWork is really focused on monetization. 

– Boosted Profile
This is a new feature. It resembles Google Ads. I am currently testing it, but I am uncertain about its effects so far.

I often see that someone who uses 50 connects for 1 proposal and it is insane. I hope they can get the project. I don’t notice much difference, and I don’t want to waste connects. Nonetheless, if you’re on UpWork, let’s go with the flow.

3 Pillars for a Successful Freelance Career on Upwork

©UpWork

Let’s apply what top creators are saying. We don’t have to figure out how to succeed on UpWork. Nothing difficult. I assume that everyone can reach $100K if we don’t give up.

Conclusion: We can trust anyone, but don’t rely on anyone.

I have given sincere thought to the quote above. It might come across as detached, but as freelancers, we must shoulder our own responsibilities. Numerous individuals lend us their support, and we collaborate with many clients. However, ultimately, we should not depend solely on others., but please no misunderstand. This is not an entrepreneurship. These are my reflections on the summer of 2023.

I plan to provide an update on the outcomes by the conclusion of 2023. Stay tuned!

*Update: November 2, 2023

I reactivated my Upwork usage in August, and with only two months left in 2023, I have not yet achieved my goals. I’ve noticed that my proposals are being viewed at just a rate of 40-50%. I’m not waiting for the next opportunity; instead, I continue to submit proposals for projects where I can make a valuable contribution.

*Update: December 29, 2023

It’s the end of 2023. I received a couple of emails from Upwork. I don’t sense much exclusivity with Top Rated Plus yet. I prefer not to depend on others but to take action by myself and achieve results on my own.

*Update: January 16, 2024

Upwork has notified users about an upcoming price increase along with the addition of some features.

Before: $14.99
After: $20.00
20 connects = $3
What is the extra $2 for?

I believe this is a common practice among large companies – bundling services and raising prices without seeking user input on whether to stay with the current plan or upgrade. In the end, the free cash flow automatically increases. It’s an effortless way for companies to raise prices, with the user often being the victim.

Reference:

Upwork | The World’s Work Marketplace