What is Upwork and how to Earn from it?

 Published by Graphic designer: Ghania Fahad.

In the world, there are a lot of freelancers who are actively looking for a job or work but in many cases, they're failed at it. Now you may be thinking why many people are becoming freelancers? 

Well, becoming a freelancer is a popular choice because it lets you work on your own schedule and from anywhere. Among the many freelancer platforms available, one of the biggest platforms that people get their Clients is Upwork. Before we discuss how to work on Upwork, it is important to know what Upwork is.

Photo by Zesan from Pexels

What is Upwork? 

Basically, Upwork is a platform where freelancers can apply for jobs or projects and connect with New clients who are looking for their services. The platform Upwork started in 2015 when two other freelance websites, Elance and oDesk, merged. Now they're are different Upwork Jobs that one can do some of them are:

1. Writing and Content Creation job

2. Graphic Design

3. Web Development

4. Digital Marketing

5. Virtual Assistant hob 

6. Mobile App Development job 

7. Translation and Localization

8. Video Production and Editing

9. Sales and Lead Generation

10. Consulting and Business Services

How Does the Upwork Platform Work?

To begin, the first step is to sign up for an Upwork account. You can register either as a freelancer, where you'll describe your skills and experience level.

Setting up your profile is next. Make sure to add a good photo, write an interesting bio, and list your abilities and work history.

On Upwork, clients post job listings in the job portal. You can search for jobs that match your skills and interests. When you find one, you'll send a proposal detailing your qualifications and pricing. Clients then review the proposals and may ask for interviews.

When you get hired, Upwork helps with the contract process. Payments are usually done through the platform, ensuring a safe transaction.

What is the difference between Freelancers and Clients on Upwork?

Freelancers are people who work by themselves and offer their skills to do projects for others. They make profiles on Upwork to show what they can do. They look for jobs posted by potential clients, send in applications, and if they get hired, they do the work and get paid through Upwork.

Clients are people or businesses that need help with projects. They post job listings on Upwork saying what they need and how much they're willing to pay. They look through the freelancers' applications and choose someone to work with. They talk to the freelancer through Upwork, give feedback on the work, and when it's done, they pay the freelancer through Upwork too.

Tips for Setting a Professional Upwork Profile:

1. Create a Great Profile:

Your Upwork profile is like your online resume. Make it stand out by adding a nice photo, talking about your skills and experience, showing off your past work, and setting your rates.

Let me give you an example. For suppose I am signing up on Upwork as a graphic designer. 

Here's how I will Make my profile professional:

I'll start by adding a Profile Picture that shows me clearly and a quick tip try to pick a picture that has a solid background. 

Then I'll add a clear bio and To the point like "Graphic Designer with 5+ years of expertise". 

Next, I will add a portfolio of my past work (or if you're a beginner they're many tutorials out there to make a professional portfolio)

Finally, set my rates clearly, like an Hourly rate: of $30/hr' or a Fixed price of $200 for logo design.

This way, clients can see what you offer, your expertise, and how much you charge, making your profile professional and attractive to clients.

2. Write a Good Proposal: When you apply for a job on Upwork, write a personalized message to the client. Talk about why you're perfect for their project and mention similar jobs you've done before.

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is using Chatgpt while writing. I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but what they’re doing is they’re writing a message that’s either too Ai or too hard that when a client reads they skip it in the first place.

Instead of this write a clear and understandable letter or message that's easy to read and the client can understand its meaning easily. Below I gave you an example of a message that you can write:

Hi [Client's Name],

I'm excited about the opportunity to work on your project! With over 5 years of graphic design experience and expertise in Adobe Photoshop, I'm confident I can create a logo that represents your brand effectively. Check out my portfolio for examples of my work.

Let's discuss your project further!

Best regards,

[Your Natheme]

3. Pick the Right Projects: Look for jobs that match your skills and interests. It's easier to do a good job when you enjoy the work.

If you're a logo designer try to stay in your niche so you can find the right work that matches your skill.

4. Choose Your Rate Wisely: When you're starting out, you might need to lower your rates but remember do not lower your rates so much that it starts to look as if your work is not professional as too low prices can also draw the interest of clients.  Instead, you can increase your rates as you get more experience.

For example, if you're starting as a graphic designer, don't start at $10 per hour. That's too low for your skills! Start at $25 per hour, which shows that the price of your work isn't too high or too low and you're serious about your work. If you go too low, clients might think your work is cheap or low quality. They might even wonder if you're inexperienced.

As you gain experience and get good reviews, you can higher your rate up to $30 or $35 per hour. Remember, clients want quality, and they're willing to pay for it. So, don't try to put prices that are too low. Choose your rates wisely, and you'll attract clients who value your skills and pay you what you deserve.

5. Be Honest and Clear: Always be honest about what you can do. If you promise something, make sure you can deliver.

6. Communicate Well: Good communication is key. Ask questions if you're not sure about something, and keep your client updated on your progress.

7. Show Off Your Work: Create a portfolio on Upwork to showcase your best projects. Clients like to see what you've done before hiring you. Show the best of your work whether it's your past work or projects you've made for example.

8. Be Patient and Keep Trying: Freelancing can be tough at first but don't give up. Keep learning and improving, and you'll get there eventually.

Can u Earn a Good amount from Upwork?

Yes, you can earn a good amount of money on Upwork. If you are just starting out with freelancing or just want to do a bit of extra work online, Upwork is a great place to start. You can select your hourly rate for your work and earn a good amount.

The problem with Upwork, though, is that there are a lot of other people out there looking for work. Some of them may be willing to work at a lower rate than you. This means that you may have to work hard to stand out from the other freelancers to earn a decent amount of money.

How to start Earning from Upwork?

Earning on Upwork is not hard it only needs strategy but if you're a beginner and you don't know, let me tell you there isn't just one way to earn from Upwork you can earn from many ways. Here I have listed some ways in which you can earn or get work on Upwork:

Submitting Proposals: You can earn by applying for jobs that clients post. There are more than 200,000 jobs available on Upwork at any given time. To make the most of this, learn how to write winning proposals, master job filters, and spot good clients from bad ones by checking their feedback.

Getting Job Invites: Having a good profile can get you job invites without even applying for them. Ensure your profile is complete, add portfolios, and use the right keywords to attract invites.

Project Catalogs: Package your services like gigs with prices and offerings to attract clients.

Direct Contracts: Bring your own clients to Upwork and get paid through the platform. This can help you build your reputation and Upwork only charges 3%.

Direct Messages: Receive direct messages from clients without interviews or submitting proposals. Having a detailed profile can attract clients.

Building Networks: Connect with other freelancers on Upwork to get referrals or join agencies to collaborate and get more job opportunities.

How Much does Upwork take from your Fees?

Upwork takes a percentage of your income when you work on the platform. This is known as a service fee, similar to how a store takes a percentage of what they sell. For example, On Upwork, they take about  10% of your earnings.

Let’s say you charge an hourly rate of $20. For every hour of work, Upwork takes $2. That’s 10% of the $20. So, if you work for an hour for $20, Upwork would take $2 and you would get $18. For every $100 of fixed-price work, Upwork would get $10 (10% of the $100) which means Upwork gets $10 and you get $90.This is important to keep in mind when setting your rates.

Earning from Upwork Q/A

Q1. How do you set your rates on Upwork?

 

If you don't know how to set your rates always go and check what other freelancers are charging so you can know a better price that isn't too high or too low. We've explained in the blog why setting the right price is important. If you are new to Upwork, you may want to start with lower rates to get more clients and build your credibility. Upwork also provides advice based on your skill set and experience level.

Q2. What are Upwork Connects, and how do they relate to finding work?

Upwork Connects are points that can be used to apply for jobs on the platform. Each job application is associated with a certain number of Upwork Connects. The more Upwork Connects a freelancer has, the more jobs they can apply for.

Q3. Can you explain the difference between hourly and fixed-price contracts on Upwork?

The difference between the hourly and fixed price is that an hourly contract is a contract for the number of hours worked. It’s similar to a regular job in that you’ll be paid for each hour worked.

On the other hand, a fixed-price contract is a contract where you agree on a fixed price for the whole project. It doesn’t matter how long it will take you to complete the job. You’ll only be paid the agreed price once the project is finished.

For example, let's say you're a graphic designer on Upwork.

For an hourly contract:

You agree to design a company logo for a client, and you both decide on an hourly rate of $20. If it takes you 5 hours to complete the logo, you'll earn $100 (5 hours * $20 per hour).

For a fixed-price contract:

You agree to design a company logo for a client for a fixed price of $100. Whether it takes you 3 hours or 10 hours to complete the logo, you'll still receive $100 once the project is done.

Conclusion:

To sum up, freelancing on a platform like Upwork gives you freedom and the chance to work as you want and connect with clients all over the world. Upwork acts as a middleman between you and clients, providing you with a wide variety of jobs in different industries. By building your professional profile, writing great proposals, and picking projects wisely, you can increase your chances of success.

However, while Upwork makes it easy for you to earn money, you need to be aware of the platform’s fee structure and plan accordingly. With hard work, patience, and good communication, you can build a fulfilling career on Upwork.