Signing up in top freelancing marketplaces is aneffective way to get your first few clients. Through freelancing sites like Upwork, Guru, and Freelancer.com, you have the chance to find the best jobs that matches your skill, work history, level of expertise, and expected salary. In this blog, we will cover what you need to know about freelancing marketplaces and how you can start your career using these platforms. There are many ways to earn money online.
Freelancing Marketplace: What Is It?
A freelancing marketplace is a site where freelancers apply to jobs, and clients hire freelancersto help them with their business. Many freelancing job sites are available online, but not all of them perform the same in terms of effectiveness, ease of use, and technical support. You must learn the features of each platform and how to use them to your advantage.
Creating a profile on several platforms helps increase your chances of getting clients, but also causes you more time to manage multiple sites. You can also use the site to discover top freelancers within your niche. You can use their profile as a way to assess your competencies and your rate. Take time to read their profiles and compare them to your own. By doing this, you can get an idea of how to improve your profile and make it stand out from your competitors.
Some sites publish blogs that teach newbie freelancers different strategies to become competitive in their niche. For example, Upwork has a blog category where you can read success stories, market trends, tips and tricks, and other informative features that teach you how to create a better profile, send winning proposals, and develop marketing strategiesto reach more prospects. For more practical advice for freelancing, try Mike Volkins Freelancing Blog.
Some freelancing platforms like Upwork use an algorithm to rank its freelancers based on several factors. The ranking is represented by its Job Success Score (JSS), where a freelancer can get the highest score of 100%. Clients can set the minimum JSS that they would like to hire for the job. A higher JSS means thatyou are qualified to apply to more posts.
The same rule applies to Freelancer.com, where freelancers are ranked based on bids. Its ranking algorithm assigns a score to each freelancer. The clients will get to see the proposals coming from the top-rated freelancers first beforethe other bidders. If you know which factors affect your score, you can get an idea of how to rank better.
Most freelancing platforms have internal communication feature which allows freelancers and clients to send and receive messages. They can also take payment from the client on behalf of the freelancer. The amount is released once the client approves the time stamp or the submitted works of the freelancer.
How to Start in Freelancing Marketplaces
One of the biggest mistakes most newbie freelancers make is joining all the freelancing sites available to them. You don’t have to this because you’re just wasting your time in creating a profile and sending proposals on a website that doesn’t deliver good results. Here are the steps on how you can start in the freelancing marketplace:
Choose the best platform. Do your homework and search for the most trusted freelancing sites today and focus on two or three of them. Compare and contrast what are the pros and cons of each site before creating a profile. Here are some of the best freelancing sites based on feedback from freelancers and clients alike:
Upwork: With over 1.5 million clients worldwide, Upwork is one of the biggest freelancing sites today. There are thousands of opportunities being published daily on different niches, skill level, project duration, and rate. Upwork has blogs and group forums where you can learn valuable insights to become a successful freelancer.
Fiverr:What makes Fiverr unique compared to other sites is that you can create a job post based on the service that you can offer, rather than applying to the job posts that companies have posted. This system increases your chance to be noticed since hundreds of clients can view your posts every day. Mike Volkin, the King of Freelancing, suggests avoiding this site for two reasons. First, their customer service is horrible for freelancers. If there is a dispute, they always choose the clients side no matter how irrational. Second, and most importantly, you’re attracting clients who want the cheapest possible service. Mike suggests not waisting time with these types of clients if you are trying to build a long-term freelancing career.
PeoplePerHour:If you are looking for opportunities in digital marketing, SEO, and software engineering, PeoplePerHour is the place to be. This site has streamlined the freelancing processes by organizing payment, communication, and job management in one platform. Freelancers have 15 free connects to send proposals, after which they need to sign up for a premium account.
Other freelancing sites that you can consider include Freelancer, Guru, and Toptal.
Create a Complete Profile. A complete profile is your way of introducing yourself to the client. Fill out all the fields required, especially the expertise, work history, training and certificates, and contact details. Don’t forget to link your portfolio website if it’s allowed. A profile with a photo on is a magnet to many clients, so make sure you include it as well.
Apply to Jobs Within Your Niche. Always check for new job postings every day and apply ONLY to vacancies that are within your niche. To make your job search easier, narrow down your search options based on different categories: specialization, contract duration, payment type (hourly/fixed rate), etc. Then, write an impressive proposal, answer the interview questions, if any, and use a call to action statement in the end before summiting your application.
Check the Status of Your Application:Don’t forget to monitor the status of your application. If you receive messages from prospects, reply to them as soon as you can. If you haven’t heard anything after three days, you can do a follow-up email.
Creating an account in top freelancing marketplaces is one effective way to get clients even for newbies. With thousands of opportunities available, you really have a shot to be noticed if you apply regularly.
To know more about how freelancing platforms can help you kickstart your career, sign up for freelancer training like Mike Volkin’s Freelancer Masterclass. In this course, you will learn how to use a freelancing marketplace to get high-paying clients. Freelancing Masterclass is the ladder that you need to get you to the top quicker than other freelancers.