The Rise of Fiverr for Freelancers: How the App is Changing the Future of Freelancing
I won't mince words here: I love Fiverr for freelancers. I had been freelancing for two years before I start selling my services on Fiverr. For me, it was a huge step that level-jumped my career. I now have more than 1100 5-star reviews and have reached Top-Tier Seller status.
That said, I'll also admit that Fiverr isn't always the best fit. I see lots of freelancers struggle to make a mark here. It wouldn't be fair if I only talked about the good things and left out the very real downsides of using Fiverr (including my own struggles with the platform). Let's review together.
Fiverr marketplace has changed freelancing, for better or worse
ICYMI, Fiverr is a marketplace website that allows people to find freelancers for various tasks, including writing, design, programming, and more. The site has been around for many years and has become increasingly popular as a way to find affordable services.
Fiverr has changed the way people freelance, and I see it as a double-edged sword. The app has allowed people to find and work with a wider range of services than ever before. You don't have to spend hours every day pitching clients and chasing leads. The work comes to you, which is a huge benefit to time-poor freelancers (like me) that just want to focus on their craft.
However, it's also led to an increase in scamming and fraud. I’ve seen customers who will order content, receive the delivery, then cancel the order. This comes right out of a freelancer's earnings, plus it's time they'll never get back.
Some people have criticized Fiverr for driving down prices and creating a race to the bottom in terms of wages. Others have praised the site for making it easier than ever to find quality freelancers from around the world.
There is no doubt that Fiverr has changed the landscape of freelancing. Whether this change is good or bad depends on how you look at it.
What freelance services can you offer on Fiverr?
Freelancers on Fiverr mainly specialize in creative or technical services. There are literally thousands of different gigs, including:
Logo design
Sales collateral development
UX design
WordPress management
Website building
App development
Audiobook production
Data Engineering
Content writing
SEO management
Business presentations
Freelance work is becoming increasingly popular due to the flexibility it provides. And with Fiverr, businesses can easily find and hire talented professionals for just about any task or project.
Think about it: Fiverr freelancers list their services in a marketplace where thousands of professionals come to find services just like yours. You’re in front of a captive audience without having to spend money on ads, SEO, or other marketing to connect with clients. The platform does most of the work for you — all you have to do is show up and deliver.
To start offering services on Fiverr, simply create an account and browse through the available gig categories. Then follow a few simple steps to set up your gig and get in front of customers.
Real talk: Why freelancers hate Fiverr
I know plenty of freelancers who have sworn off Fiverr. Their experiences have been very different from my own, but from what I've gathered, they avoid Fiverr for a few different reasons:
Fiverr is super competitive
Fiverr is one of the most popular websites on the internet, with over 3.42 million Buyers and nearly a million Sellers.
Buyers have reported negative experiences with Fiverr because it's hard to find quality work or receive accurate pricing. Remember, just about anyone can list their services here, even if they're not very good at those services.
Sellers also have a lot of problems with Fiverr because it's difficult to manage payments, track earnings, and keep up with deadlines. There are a ton of freelancers on Fiverr competing for the same gigs., so there's always competition for customers.
Many Sellers also claim they don't get quality leads and struggle to rank high in their gig categories. Not everyone can rank #1. But Buyers tend to choose high-ranking gigs because they don’t want to scroll through endless gig listings. This helps to keep the top-ranking gigs at the top of the page, making it hard for other freelancers to compete.
Overall, Fiverr can be frustrating for both buyers and sellers alike.
If you're a freelancer, you need to be extra careful when choosing your gigs on Fiverr. Make sure you pick something that you're good at and that will set you apart from the rest of the pack.
It's a race to the bottom mindset
The "race to the bottom" mindset is when freelancers compete with one another by offering the lowest possible price. This often results in poor-quality products and services, which frustrates freelancers who are trying to make a living doing what they love.
Freelancers rely on Fiverr to find clients. But because Buyers are always looking for ways to save money, they're often tempted to ask for lower prices than what you might charge.
When freelancers compete with each other by offering cheap prices, it's easy for them to sacrifice quality in order not to lose business. This can have a negative impact on both the client and the freelancer.
When you use Fiverr, you're not just competing against other freelancers. You're also competing against an algorithm that is designed to keep prices low.
The result is that many freelancers end up working for less than they're worth, which hurts everyone involved.
What's more, Fiverr takes a cut of every transaction AND charges buyers a fee. They're making money on both sides of the transaction. It's no wonder that so many freelancers hate Fiverr.
There are a lot of scams and spam
There are a lot of scams and spam on Fiverr, which makes it difficult for freelancers to find legitimate work.
In some cases, the buyer ends up scamming the freelancer by canceling the order after it’s been delivered. You might also get spam messages in your inbox from people who want you to buy something.
You might have clients who request revisions over and over again without ever being satisfied. With these clients, you’ll end up doing free work that takes time away from other paying customers.
You might also see potential clients that message you, ask for samples, custom quotes, etc., and then you never hear from them again. That’s more free work and raised hopes.
Fiverr has too many rules
Fiverr has a lot of rules that freelancers find difficult to follow. For example, Fiverr requires all communication with clients to go through the platform. I get it, Fiverr wants to make sure it’s making money on each transaction and that freelancers aren’t taking business off the platform. But this can sometimes get in the way of fluid deadlines and communication with the client.
Freelancers feel that these rules make it difficult to negotiate fair payments and establish clear expectations for the project. They also believe that these rules prevent disputes from arising later on down the road. In fact, many freelancers have stopped using Fiverr because of its restrictive policies.
The customers suck (sometimes)
A combination of spam, scams, and race to the bottom pricing attract terrible customers. These are the customers who want something for (almost) nothing. The ones who have the highest expectations and are hardest to please, but also want things done yesterday and for cheap. Many freelancers feel that the customers on Fiverr are unprofessional and difficult to work with.
A lot of customers on Fiverr are looking for the absolute cheapest option available. They don't care about quality, they just want something cheap.
They're demanding, too. Even though they're paying so little, customers on Fiverr often demand an unreasonable amount of work for the price. They'll ask for unlimited revisions, additional services, and anything else they can think of - all for just $5.
They also don't respect your time. Customers on Fiverr often have no respect for freelancers' time. They'll cancel orders at the last minute, leave bad reviews if you don't do exactly what they want, and generally make your life a living hell.
It's no wonder that many freelancers are reluctant to use this platform, especially since they have to deal with awful clients every single day.
That's not the reality with ALL customers. Most of the people I've worked with do not fit this image. But I have had a few bad experiences, so I know these types of customers exist.
I've gotten pretty good at spotting them, too, and I can weed them out before they order from me. It saves us both time and hassle.
More real talk: Tips for freelancers to make a living on Fiverr
Negative thoughts aside, I still fully advocate for Fiverr for freelancers. Before I came to Fiverr, I was finding work through agencies and job boards. This meant accepting the rates, working terms, and other details that other people set for me. That's not the way I wanted to run my writing business, and Fiverr was a great way to break out of those boxes and build something that better suited me.
If you know what you're doing, you can make a living on Fiverr. Here's why I love the platform and have no intention of leaving it:
A five-star gig doesn't have to offer the lowest price.
When you're advertising your services on Fiverr, you don't have to offer the lowest price. In fact, I recommend charging a bit more than you usually would to offset that pesky 20% fee.
Given the amount of time that Fiverr has been around, more buyers are discovering they truly do get what they pay for.
There's more to winning than being the cheapest. Don't be afraid to charge what you know you're worth.
Only take the projects you want.
Not all leads will be a good fit. If you're not happy with a project or client, don't take it. That’s one thing I love about Fiverr - I can decline offers and even cancel orders if I think it’s best.
There's no need to worry about getting stuck in a cycle of taking on too many projects and not having enough time to complete them. Or worse, producing low-quality work that leaves clients angry and disappointed.
As long as you're selective about which projects you accept, you'll be able to enjoy a successful Fiverr career without sacrificing your quality standards or reputation.
How to spot a good project on Fiverr
There are a few things to look for when trying to find good projects on Fiverr. First, check the buyer’s ratings and reviews. If they have a lot of positive reviews, that’s a good sign.
Second, take a look at the project description and see if it’s clear and concise. If it is, that means the buyer knows what they want and you’ll be less likely to run into problems later on.
Finally, look at how responsive the client is to your questions or messages. If they're replying in a timely manner, chances are they're a great collaborator that will give you everything you need to support the project.
How to avoid bad projects
There are a few red flags to watch out for when vetting projects on Fiverr.
First, if the buyer has very few or no reviews, that could be a sign they’re new to the platform or haven’t had good experiences in the past. If a freelancer has left them a bad review, believe it with all your heart. No freelancer will ever badmouth a client unless they deserve it.
Second, if the project description is vague or incomplete, that could mean the buyer isn't really sure what they want from you. In either of these cases, it might be best to decline the project.
Last but not least, look at how the buyer presents the project to you. If they're presumptuous, offering you a rate lower than your posted rates, or micromanaging things before you even confirm the deal, chances are they're going to be difficult to work with.
What to do if you get a bad project
If you find yourself in a situation where you’ve taken on a bad project, there are a few things you can do. First, try to communicate with the buyer and see if you can work out the issues. If that doesn’t work, you can always cancel the project, ideally before you've started working on it.
If you finish the project and the buyer is unhappy, offer to revise your work for an additional charge. This will either help you recoup some money for the extra time or encourage the buyer to end the project so you can get paid.
Offer more than one service in multiple categories.
I call this the Spaghetti Business Model — throw a few services on the wall and see what sticks.
Many creative professionals are skilled in more than one area. It’s okay to post a variety of services on Fiverr to see what bites first. This helps you cover a wider area and get in front of different types of clients.
By listing more than one service, you'll create a stronger reputation for yourself on Fiverr. This will help you attract clients who are looking for an expert in multiple areas of work.
The more services you offer, the more likely you are to find clients who are interested in what you have to offer. It also helps to diversify your income so that you're not relying on any one client or project.
Think about what other services you could offer that would complement your existing skillset. For example, if you're a web designer, you could also offer web development or SEO services. If you're a graphic designer, you could also offer branding or social media marketing services. This helps you appeal to a wider range of clients and make more money overall.
Take advantage of paid ad opportunities for your Seller Profile.
Freelancers can leverage paid ads both in and off the Fiverr platform. This helps you reach a larger audience than Fiverr’s organic search can.
There are several different types of paid advertising, each with its own set of benefits and drawbacks. First, there are paid ads inside the Fiverr platform. These are "promoted gigs" and are available for qualified sellers.
Promoted gigs appear at the top of the search results page within your gig category, before the organically ranked gigs. You only pay when someone clicks your ad. You can pay for ads using your Fiverr balance.
You can also promote your gig outside of Fiverr. Drive traffic to your gig by using social media, forums, and other paid channels to reach new buyers and grow your business.
Be unique in your Fiverr gig.
There are tons of freelancers on Fiverr competing for attention from buyers. So what makes you stand out from the crowd? Think about what unique skills or experience you have to offer, and make sure to highlight these in your profile and gig descriptions.
A little recon is all you need here. Do some competitive research and see how other freelancers present themselves. If you notice your gig headline is too similar to someone else’s, change it.
Respond to new clients quickly to maintain a professional image.
When a buyer contacts you, respond as quickly as possible. I highly recommend downloading the Fiverr app so you can respond to new clients on the go. Even if you’re not ready to engage in communication, you can still send a quick Hello and let them know you’ll circle back with them shortly.
When you're working on a gig, always be professional and respond to messages in a timely manner. You’ll look more professional and clients will have more confidence in you.
Communication is one thing clients can “grade” you on when it’s time to leave a review. Responsiveness will help you earn 5 stars in that category.
Success comes in baby steps, not giant leaps.
Success on Fiverr (and any freelancing, for that matter) comes in small steps, not giant leaps. It can take time and effort to build something valuable and lasting.
There are many ups and downs along the way, but with hard work, consistency, and patience, you can eventually reach your goals.
When starting out as a freelancer on Fiverr, don't expect too much too soon. Instead of chasing after huge projects that will quickly drain your resources or lead you down an unsustainable path, try starting off with smaller tasks you're more comfortable with. This will help you gain experience and find clients more easily - two key ingredients for success as a freelancer.
Remember: Success is built on repetition - keep doing what works!
Another great thing about Fiverr is that it's extremely easy to use. The interface is simple and straightforward, and there are plenty of resources available to help you get started. There are quite a few articles on Fiverr for freelancers on the Fleurish Freelance blog, so keep reading and learning with me.
Fiverr for freelancing: good money maker or waste of time?
There's no doubt that Fiverr for freelancers CAN be the way forward. But as I mentioned, it's not a guarantee for everyone.
Like other freelance platforms, there's usually an ebb and flow in demand. But with the current economic uncertainty and an ongoing talent shortage, I see more companies using Fiverr to fill their internal talent gaps.
Fiverr is definitely worth a shot. Not only does it give you the opportunity to make some extra money, but it also allows you to build up your portfolio and get some great reviews from happy clients. And since it doesn't cost you anything but time to get started, the risk of trying it is quite low.
I'll soon be launching a new course on how to get your first Fiverr client and turn the platform into an ongoing money-making machine. Stay tuned!