Should I Freelance on Fiverr?

Fiverr is quickly becoming a hot spot for new and seasoned freelancers alike. This platform allows you to promote your services for free and connect with clients actively searching for what you do. When someone "hires" you for a project, Fiverr takes a small portion of your earnings.

But is this mega platform all it's chalked up to be? Can Fiverr help you become a profitable freelancer? Or, are you better off promoting your services elsewhere?

Here's everything you need to know about putting your freelancing services on Fiverr:

FIVERR: THE GOOD STUFF

No matter what kind of freelancer you are, be it a graphic artist, writer, editor, voice over, or beyond, Fiverr has your clientele. Take a look at the benefits of using Fiverr to start or grow your freelance business:

Fiverr Does a LOT of Marketing

Fiverr is arguably one of the most widely used and widely recognized freelance platforms out there. Truth be told, there are tons of places you can market yourself as a freelancer, but Fiverr remains one of the top ones, thanks in part to their heavy marketing.

After creating your account and setting up your services, you can sit back and wait for offers to roll in. Speaking from personal experience, it took me less than a week to receive my first client, and she continued to order content from me on a semi-monthly basis.

Of course, outreach can be beneficial, too.

You Set Your Own Prices

When you sign up for a Fiverr account, you'll start by creating "gigs" that allow you to set the terms and prices of your work. The screen looks something like this, depending on your service:

Keep in mind when setting your prices that Fiverr will take 20% of your earnings as their finder's fee. This money helps to maintain the site, pay for marketing, and process payments. The best practice here is to figure out what you want to make on each project, then add to it to cover the fee.

For example, on my first Fiverr gig I wanted to make $40 on a 300-word blog post, so I charged $50 to cover the Fiverr fee.

Work Comes to You

With many freelance platforms, you have to apply for jobs posted within the platform to get work. You're competing with other freelancers for the job by placing bids or following complicated application processes. This is a HUGE time suck and there's never a guarantee for work.

That's not the case with Fiverr. Here, clients contact you directly to arrange projects and work based on your portfolio, services offered, and prices. They place an order, you do the work, deliver on time, and collect the payment. No hunting, applying, or sourcing necessary.

Customers Can Tip You

One of the most attractive features of Fiverr is the ability for clients to add a tip after they pay for services. Fiverr will prompt them to leave a tip, which they can choose to decline, as well as a star-rating and review to help build your credibility. It's a double win!

*Fiverr also takes 20% of your tip, but any bonus money is good money!

Payments Are Guaranteed & Secure

One of the worst feelings in the world as a freelancer is doing work for a client that bails when the bill comes. Getting payments from people can be a headache, and any efforts you take to collect takes time away from your business and eats into your profitability.

Fiverr collects payment from the buyer before work begins, and will release the funds to you once the order has been delivered and signed off by the client.

The risk is MUCH lower using Fiverr so you know you're getting paid.

THE DOWNSIDES OF USING FIVERR AS A FREELANCER

Getting excited yet? If you're already sold on Fiverr, you can create a free account here.

However, there are a few negatives we should clear up first:

Fiverr Fees Add Up Fast!

Fiverr charges a flat 20% of everything you make, regardless of initial project price. It might not seem like a lot, especially if you're accounting for those costs in your price proposal.

But when you look at how much those fees add up to, it can make your stomach flip!

I've paid thousands in Fiverr fees since I've been a member, and I can't help but think how amazing it would be if I could have pocketed that money myself.

You're Competing With Low-Ball Offers

There's a reason it's called Fiverr: most gigs start at just $5.

I know, that seems extremely cheap, considering that these are creative and technical services. Blog posts, videos, websites, you name it - people are selling their services starting at just $5.

This is a huge turnoff for many freelancers for myriad reasons:

For starters, it's tough to compete with lower prices than what you want to charge. You might feel like you'd lose business because someone else is offering the same thing for less. You might be inclined to low ball yourself to recoup some projects.

DON'T DO IT! Know what you're worth and charge accordingly. You'd rather have a few high paying gigs that tons of low paying ones. Plus, cutting yourself short might make high-end clients feel like your product will lack in quality.

And second, there's a negative connotation about Fiverr because of its super low-priced artisans. Here's my take: folks on Fiverr are not "bottom of the barrel"; they're smart for taking advantage of the platform and finding ways to grow their business.

Remember - YOU are in control of your prices. Some people on Fiverr charge more than some agencies I know, and they're killing it!

You Can't Take Business Off Fiverr

Finally, one of the biggest grievances I hear about Fiverr is that you can't do business with your Fiverr clients outside of Fiverr. They monitor messages and if they find you exchanging contact information with your clients, you could have your account removed.

A lot of folks want to avoid those Fiverr fees and keep all the money for themselves, so they try to do business outside of the platform. But this opens you up to a lot of vulnerability. Payments are no longer guaranteed, plus you risk losing access to Fiverr.

In my opinion, it's just not worth it. Account for the fee in your prices, and you won't have to worry about feeling underpaid.

THE VERDICT: DOES FIVERR LIVE UP TO THE HYPE?

This freelancer loves Fiverr and the clients I've connected with. It's been a great piece to my business, even though it hasn't been the only way I get clients.

I highly recommend new freelancers at least try it. Accounts are always free, and once you set up your services you don't have to do anything except wait for orders. It's a great way to start building your business and help you get one step closer to achieving your freelance dreams.

Sign up for a free account using my link here.