Why 4 Freelancers Use Ads To Fuel Business Growth

Industry

Boosted Profile increases your chance of getting hired by up to 2x

“I can see that interest in my profile is much higher when my profile is boosted,” said Oleksandr Vinichenko, a U.K.-based legal advisor. “I see every day that somebody is clicking on my profile and that people are contacting me.”

With Boosted Profile, you set a budget, set a bid, and choose a category of work. When Upwork matches your profile with a job post that might be a good fit for your skills, a winning bid can lift your profile to the top of the “Invite Freelancers” page. “Invite Freelancers” is a list of professionals shown to clients who have either published a job post or who have a current open job.

The extra visibility can help you:

Get noticed faster
Earn more by increasing your chances of getting hired
Save time while reaching more clients

Oleksandr has experimented with Boosted Profile and other ads to promote his services on Upwork. He compared his success rate with Boosted Proposals on and off, and now spends around $1,000 a month on advertising—an investment he feels is worth it. “I felt the difference [when I used ads] because clients check the top of the lists,” he said. “I got more responses, I got more views, and people reviewed my profile and my proposals more often.”

Click here to boost your profile!

Boosted Proposals deliver 10x more earnings on ad spend

Stanislav “Stan” Slavev is a Bulgarian creative professional who likes to test new tools from Upwork—like Boosted Proposals—to decide how they impact his business. “If the [Upwork] platform gives me any way to perform better, to be more presentable to the client, or to give me any leverage, I would consider using it,” he said.

Since he started using Upwork more than 10 years ago—when the platform was known as Elance—he’s always appreciated that Upwork can connect him directly with clients. He sees Boosted Proposals as a consistent way to put his proposal in front of clients if he chooses, and when to use that leverage is up to him.

“Upwork allowed me to build a lifestyle that matches my inner nature as a person and as a professional. It allowed me to meet with clients and people that changed my life personally and professionally. And just the idea of having the ability at any time to open my computer and find a new financial opportunity—that’s honestly amazing.”
— Stanislav “Stan” Slavev

Learn why curiosity drives Stan's success as a creative professional

When you win the bidding process for a Boosted Proposal, your submission rises to the top of the client’s list of proposals to consider. Location matters—it can help you attract attention and take control of the work you want.

With help from Boosted Proposals, you can:

Unlock more work opportunities as clients read your proposals
Grow your customer base with less effort
Work on more of the projects you want, with the clients you most want to work with

Boosted Proposals has helped Stan build a solid reputation for the quality of his work, something that has contributed to his 100% Job Success Rate over the past year. From his point of view, using Boosted Proposals to his advantage is a clear business decision.

“I spend a lot of time writing the proposals and preparing them. I make custom videos telling clients how I see myself working with them,” Stan explained. “[And] even if there are already 10-15 proposals, I know mine will stand out.”

Find out how to boost your next proposal!

Availability Badge gets freelancers up to 50% more job invitations

The Availability Badge is a signal that can increase the number of invitations you receive by letting potential clients know you’re currently accepting new projects. Enthusiasm can be particularly captivating when projects have a tight timeline.

When turned on, the Availability Badge is shown in search results, recommendations, and on your profile. Clients can also use an “Available Now” filter to narrow search results to professionals who are ready to jump right into a new project. Once your calendar fills up, you can turn the badge off.

Turn on your Availability Badge!

Businesses use advertising to grow—and it works on Upwork, too

Ukrainian graphic designer Mariia Kondratiuk started leveraging Boosted Profile ads as a beginner on Upwork; it seemed a good way to get attention despite her newly established profile. “I noticed that by having a well-packaged profile, a professional portfolio, and clearly showcasing how to solve a client's problem, the likelihood of getting hired increases—even without reviews,” she said.

Now, she uses ads to help dial things up when she has an opening for new work.

For Ted Giraitis-Quaye, a Google Ads consultant, investing in different ad products is just part of building a sustainable business. Spending Connects is part of his process and budget—and he isn’t phased by the bidding process. “If I'm applying a lot, I'll spend [100 Connects approximately every four days], which is like nothing for how targeted and direct [the ad] is,” he explained.

Part of Ted’s success comes from being willing to bid higher than his competitors. “I’m out bidding people [much] of the time.”

Find the type of ad that’s most effective for you. For promoting his business and expanding in other ways, Stan looks for the tactics that deliver the most impact at the best value. “If I pay for [a] tool which is $10-20 dollars per month, maybe I can get an upper hand over another freelancer, so let me use that to get a $2,000 project this month.”

Connects are key to being seen by new clients

Connects are valuable virtual tokens that serve as currency on Upwork that enable you to:

Submit proposals to specific job posts. The number of Connects required varies by project based on factors such as project size, scope, and market demand. Be strategic about the projects you apply to so you can use your Connects to find high-value clients on Upwork.
Use ads to lift your visibility. Ads give you different ways to increase your exposure to potential clients at different stages of the hiring process. Some ad products have dynamic pricing while others use a bidding process to determine who will be featured.

As an individual professional or as part of an agency, you have many different ways to collect, earn, or purchase the Connects you need to do business.

How can ads be the secret behind your success?

Ads are a proven way to help you get hired at any stage of your career. You’ll attract more attention and can also:

Introduce yourself to potential customers
Create a sense of familiarity by getting your name out there
Get in front of the types of clients you most want to work with
Show that you’re keen to work together—and already invested in making a connection

Try ads and see how they can help you land more jobs!