Is Fiverr worth all the effort?

[arunajames]

Hi all,
I had joined Fiverr 4 months ago hoping to become an architect/artist online and make a side income as well. But is Fiverr actually worth it? I’ve spent a lot of time sending buyer requests and hoping I’ll get an order. 2 months after joining I got my first order, the client was amazing, I had done a lot of revisions without asking for more payment since it was my first order but she ended up giving me a good tip to make up for it without me even mentioning it. I got a 5 star review also. But after that I haven’t got a single order. I thought at least after getting that review I’ll start getting orders, but no. The pricing is also so competitive, the price I’m offering for architectural services online are actually around half of what I offer to offline clients. I’m from India and services are supposed to be cheaper here. I’m on the verge of giving up and letting go of fiverr. Any tips or advise? What do you’ll think? Anybody going through the same experience?

[fozilatunnesa]

Hi …I am also new on fiverr…and your experiene scared me…Anyway I can give you some tips: make your gig attractive,make your gig image eye catchy and be active more on fiverr

[vickiespencer]

Hi …I am also new on fiverr…and your experiene scared me…Anyway I can give you some tips: make your gig attractive,make your gig image eye catchy and be active more on fiverr

I had joined Fiverr 4 months ago

Unfortunately, you joined Fiverr during the pandemic. After the epidemic started Fiverr, sellers have been said to double and triple in many niches. So, the pricing is exceptionally competitive, especially for the new level 0 sellers.

If you use a phone app and leave it on during the hours, you are awake. Then you will be notified if anyone contacts you. Otherwise, you can go about your daily life. You may slowly build your clientele that way.

I can give you some tips: make your gig attractive,make your gig image eye catchy and be active more on fiverr

@fozilatunnesa is correct. I just looked at your profile page. None of your gig images are eye-catching.

Look through the gigs in your niche and try to make your images stand out from theirs.’

[fozilatunnesa]

@vickiespencer thanks for appreciating my comment

[english_voice]

My advice won’t be popular with many new sellers, but in my opinion the best thing you can do is to stop chasing buyer requests, and to let your account try and grow organically.

The amount of time you need to invest in applying for jobs through buyer requests is extraordinary. It’s no good copying and pasting generic answers (I’m not suggesting that you do) - you need to understand the client brief and demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the buyer’s requirements. But this takes a huge amount of time - especially if you’re apply for a few jobs a day.

You also have to consider the competitive nature of buyer requests - some jobs attracts hundreds of applications. There will nearly always be someone cheaper and promising more work than you. So, in my opinion, the time investment required to apply for buyer requests does not match the financial return - not even near.

The best thing you can do is ensure you profile and gig descriptions are amazing, that you have excellent examples of work in your portfolio, and that you pricing is fair (not too cheap and not too expensive). Then sit back. If orders happen - great. If they don’t - then that is sad.

As @vickiespencer has pointed out - the number of new sellers with cheap prices has exploded in recent months due to Covid. Competition is tougher than ever.

[andreicosmin1]

Getting orders is definitely not easy. I actually wonder what % of people who sign up on fiverr actually never get at least one order.

[anniejenkinson]

When I first joined Fiverr two years ago, I also got a couple of great orders and reviews, and nothing came afterwards…

So after a while, I realised there was something amiss with my gigs not receiving impressions. For some reason, the whole profile had fallen into a black hole. The impressions had fallen dormant.

I requested Fiverr to delete that account for me and a few weeks later, built a new one with the same gigs. Frustrating, but worth it. Now, I reject many jobs per day and have just become a Top Seller. I am booked for the next six weeks on Fiverr, so I no longer get enough time for private clients. It is more than possible to get a full-time income here, so do your best and be patient…

Take your time to define your gigs well and to communicate well with buyers, and the work will come…as long as your profile has not fallen into the same black hole as my first one!

It could also be the case that people buying architectural services don’t fully understand how someone so far away from where they live can help. For example, here in the UK, many people (who know no better) just pick up the phone to a local architect.–even if someone across the world could do a better job, and even if there are no real barriers. It’s odd that the British (as one example) often wouldn’t think to go overseas for many types of work, and there’s sometimes not a clear rationale behind that. Just habit, I guess! I haven’t looked at your gigs yet to see how they “travel”, but I shall.

So, I would also say, while architectural services are your main area of expertise, can you use that same set of skills in any other way on Fiverr? Experiment with completely different gig types that can also use your great skillset.

[miiila]

For some yes, for some no. I also think that architecture is a very difficult niche, maybe focus on interior design or something else “harmless” (without so many trust issues), and/or maybe try focusing on artist and see how that will go. Both at once might be an issue as well, as often, people want an expert in one rather than someone who seems to be offering too many things to be an expert in either.

[arunajames]

I had joined Fiverr 4 months ago

Unfortunately, you joined Fiverr during the pandemic. After the epidemic started Fiverr, sellers have been said to double and triple in many niches. So, the pricing is exceptionally competitive, especially for the new level 0 sellers.

If you use a phone app and leave it on during the hours, you are awake. Then you will be notified if anyone contacts you. Otherwise, you can go about your daily life. You may slowly build your clientele that way.

I can give you some tips: make your gig attractive,make your gig image eye catchy and be active more on fiverr

@fozilatunnesa is correct. I just looked at your profile page. None of your gig images are eye-catching.

Look through the gigs in your niche and try to make your images stand out from theirs.’

Thankyou so much for taking the effort to reply and to check my gig. I’ll keep it in mind and make neccessary changes.

[arunajames]

My advice won’t be popular with many new sellers, but in my opinion the best thing you can do is to stop chasing buyer requests, and to let your account try and grow organically.

The amount of time you need to invest in applying for jobs through buyer requests is extraordinary. It’s no good copying and pasting generic answers (I’m not suggesting that you do) - you need to understand the client brief and demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the buyer’s requirements. But this takes a huge amount of time - especially if you’re apply for a few jobs a day.

You also have to consider the competitive nature of buyer requests - some jobs attracts hundreds of applications. There will nearly always be someone cheaper and promising more work than you. So, in my opinion, the time investment required to apply for buyer requests does not match the financial return - not even near.

The best thing you can do is ensure you profile and gig descriptions are amazing, that you have excellent examples of work in your portfolio, and that you pricing is fair (not too cheap and not too expensive). Then sit back. If orders happen - great. If they don’t - then that is sad.

As @vickiespencer has pointed out - the number of new sellers with cheap prices has exploded in recent months due to Covid. Competition is tougher than ever.

Very true, buyer requests does take a lot of time. I send them personalised offers relevant to their requirement. I was always trying to be careful not to make my gigs too cheap but reasonable but the competition is killer. Again, offering the service too ccheap will just be a waste of time for me as well.

[arunajames]

When I first joined Fiverr two years ago, I also got a couple of great orders and reviews, and nothing came afterwards…

So after a while, I realised there was something amiss with my gigs not receiving impressions. For some reason, the whole profile had fallen into a black hole. The impressions had fallen dormant.

I requested Fiverr to delete that account for me and a few weeks later, built a new one with the same gigs. Frustrating, but worth it. Now, I reject many jobs per day and have just become a Top Seller. I am booked for the next six weeks on Fiverr, so I no longer get enough time for private clients. It is more than possible to get a full-time income here, so do your best and be patient…

Take your time to define your gigs well and to communicate well with buyers, and the work will come…as long as your profile has not fallen into the same black hole as my first one!

It could also be the case that people buying architectural services don’t fully understand how someone so far away from where they live can help. For example, here in the UK, many people (who know no better) just pick up the phone to a local architect.–even if someone across the world could do a better job, and even if there are no real barriers. It’s odd that the British (as one example) often wouldn’t think to go overseas for many types of work, and there’s sometimes not a clear rationale behind that. Just habit, I guess! I haven’t looked at your gigs yet to see how they “travel”, but I shall.

So, I would also say, while architectural services are your main area of expertise, can you use that same set of skills in any other way on Fiverr? Experiment with completely different gig types that can also use your great skillset.

Makes a lot of sense. Clients that we meet in person also have their doubts, so can’t blame them for having doubts about people they find online.

[arunajames]

For some yes, for some no. I also think that architecture is a very difficult niche, maybe focus on interior design or something else “harmless” (without so many trust issues), and/or maybe try focusing on artist and see how that will go. Both at once might be an issue as well, as often, people want an expert in one rather than someone who seems to be offering too many things to be an expert in either.

Wow! That’s a great suggestion.It makes a lot of sense that they’ll have difficulty trusting someone they’ve not met I’ll definitely think of altering my gigs to include interior designing and illustrations. Thanks for the great tip