What You Should Know (and Do) To Get Paid for Writing on Upwork

The unusual can broaden the horizons and unlock new opportunities if you are willing to take a risk. Otherwise, you have to accept the ordinary.

I used to live the usual nine-to-five lifestyle until 2020. I did not believe I can make money online. I did not know that opportunities existed, and I was afraid of trying new things.

All I knew was I did not want to accept the ordinary. I wanted to be in full control of my life.

At the end of 2020, I discovered Upwork — a freelancing platform where businesses and individuals connect to work together.

Some said Upwork was a scam, while others shared incredible stories about making a fortune online. I did not know who to trust, so I decided to try it myself.

After several months of Upwork freelancing, I want to balance out the superstition of it being a scam and share my experience with those who want to try it out.

How To Create a Profile That Sells Your Expertise

I’ve heard people saying no one will hire a freelancer without a work history and a high hourly rate.

Let me reflect on these superstitions — they are not valid for everyone! I’ve submitted six proposals in total and landed two clients. I did not have any former experience with Upwork, and I started with a $20 hourly rate.

It was a great kick-off for my freelancing career with many lessons learned.

The first powerful lesson to remember for everyone willing to try Upwork: Consider your profile as a sales pitch — the more relevant and convincing it is, the more likely you will get a gig.

Here are my proven strategies to create an Upwork profile that sells your expertise.

1. Narrow Down Your Profile to a Specific Niche

You cannot be everything. You’ll have to decide what skills and expertise you would like to sell.

Being as specific as possible will help you create a powerful profile on Upwork.

Let’s use my Upwork profile as an example. I have a specialized content writer portfolio, although I am employed as a marketer doing different things.

If I list that I do Google Ads, copywriting, data analysis, and Linkedin lead generation, people might get confused.

Remember, all employers need experts in a particular niche. No one ever became an expert by doing multiple different things at once.

To get noticed, narrow down your expertise (could be content writing, paid advertising, B2B lead generation, Linkedin, anything) and highlight your achievements in bullet points.

The profile description is the first thing people see while browsing potential candidates — it needs to be outstanding.

2. Instead of “Here Is What I’ve Done,” Show “Here Is What I’ve Achieved”

Imagine you are an employer who needs an expert to improve the conversion rate on the landing page. You open Upwork and start looking through the list of freelancers who work on CRO (conversion rate optimization.)

While checking some profiles, you read the following:

I helped X number of clients to improve their conversion rates for different businesses, from one-page websites to giant e-commerce stores.

I have X years of experience working on CRO in different industries. Let me help you with your challenge.

I examined the client’s landing page, conducted interviews with actual website users to discover their objections. A new solution perfectly addressed users' information needs and helped to improve the conversion rate.

You will get bored if I name a few more examples like these. The fact is — they are real! People describe their expertise using long storytelling that often elaborates what they did but has no evidence of what they achieved.

If you want to stand out from other freelancers and address people’s struggles — show how effectively your solution can help them fulfill their needs.

How can you do it? Add a few project work examples to your portfolio that should communicate the results achieved.

As a marketer with an SEO background, here is how I did it.

Upwork allows you to add project examples to your profile. Make sure you do it. Even if you have no client testimonials or former works, a powerful Here is what I achieved portfolio will help you stand out from the others.

I’ve covered two essential lessons you need to remember while creating your freelance portfolio. If applied, they will help you get noticed and build a personal brand.

This rule is not only applied in online business. It works everywhere. If you can prove that your solution works, you will get noticed. Word of mouth marketing and happy clients will do a much better job for you than ads.

Why does it work?

People are lazy creatures. It is easier to do something and leave it than to push things, again and again, to reach the goals.

What Every Freelancer Should Know Before Getting a First Gig on Upwork

At first, I was excited about Upwork and closing my first client project. I did not want to scrutinize the terms and conditions of work. I wanted to do my job well and get paid.

It was a huge mistake from my side. I entered the game without knowing the rules.

If you want to start freelancing on Upwork, you have to be aware of the following tricky points. These facts might change your perception of Upwork and affect your earnings.

1. Upwork Service Fees

Upwork will charge you a fee based on your earnings from every client project. Here are the rates:

• $0-$500: 20%
• $500.01-$10,000: 10%
• $10,000.01 or more: 5%

You’ll have to pay 20% of your earnings if the project is below $500.

For instance, if you accept a project for $600, you will pay 20% of $500 and a 10% fee from the remaining $100.

These rates are applied to every new project you start. In other words, if you decide to collaborate with a new client, you will have to pay a 20% fee again until you reach $500.01.

Here’s how to pay lower fees. The more you earn from one client, the lower your fees will be. I would recommend long-term collaboration with a few clients. This way, you can reduce the Upwork service fees from 20% to 5% for each billing.

2. Do You Pay Taxes?

If you do, like many other people, you will have to subtract another fee from your earnings.

Before withdrawing funds, US residents and citizens have to provide their W-9 tax information.

Since I live in Hungary, I have to pay VAT (Value Added Tax.) If you register on Upwork from any other EU country, chances are you will have to add VAT to your fees as well.

Here is what Upwork shares about VAT payments:

“VAT is assessed on digital services provided by Upwork (i.e., service fees, membership fees, and connect purchases), not on services freelancers and agencies provide their clients. VAT rates are calculated according to the local rate of the freelancer’s country of residence.”

3. You Can Only Apply to a Limited Number of Jobs

Once you register on Upwork, you will be given 20 connects that you can use to submit job applications.

Based on my experience, each application is worth four to six connects. You can see the number of connects required to submit a proposal to every job.

If you run out of connects, you can always buy them. However, this is not the best strategy.

Here is what you can do to get more jobs

4. Clients Will Try To Move Your Collaboration Outside of Upwork

Upwork is a great platform to find clients. However, not everyone is happy with multiple fees and regulations. Thus, some clients might offer to collaborate outside of Upwork.

I’ve had this request from all of my Upwork clients. There are some pros and cons to consider before you make the final decision on how to organize your work relationship.

Pros of moving outside Upwork

• There are no Upwork service fees.
• You manage your taxes on your own.
• Payment will process faster.

Cons of moving outside Upwork

• No payment protection — the client might not pay for your work.
• No dispute services — you will have to manage disputes on your own.

If you wonder what’s the best way to organize your work, I would suggest going with Upwork. This way, you are always protected by the platform no matter what happens.

When you start your first project with the client, you have no clue what to expect. The client might disappear one day or delay the payment approval. Upwork effectively handles such issues, and you will get paid for your work.

Once you establish a warm and long-term relationship with the client, you can consider moving outside of Upwork.

Freelancing can be risky. Make sure you protect yourself against headaches in the future.

5. You Will Not See the Client’s Testimonial Until You Provide One

If you want to succeed on Upwork, you will have to make sure all your testimonials are top-notch.

Your testimonials are displayed on your profile. Your rating is based on former testimonials, and potential clients will judge your expertise based on what others said about you. You and your client write a testimonial upon the project completion. There is one tiny detail — you will not see your testimonial until you provide one for your client.

Based on my experience, clients tend to highlight your strongest points in the testimonials, leaving out any minor issues. However, I would suggest always keeping in touch with the client during your project work. Ask your client if everything goes well or if there is something you can improve or change. It will show you care about your client and their needs.

Chances are your attitude and dedication will help you to establish a long-lasting relationship with the client and get a 5-star review.

“Treat others how you want to be treated. “ — The Golden Rule

It is an ancient, powerful statement found in most religions and cultures, but it is still valid these days.

Final Thoughts

Being in full control of your life is a blessing. Doing a job you love is priceless. The ultimate goal of our lives is to be happy and self-actualized.

The jobs you do directly impact your income level, mood, and lifestyle. Make sure to select the jobs that will allow you to live the life you want and achieve your goals and dreams.

I started side hustling in the middle of 2020, and by the end of the year, I doubled my total income. It was a blessing after many years of unsuccessful trials.

Freelancing is one of the side hustles I do because I am the one who controls what I work on and how much I earn. I love it, and I love to be in control of my life. What about you?

Time, money, and energy are the most valuable resources in life. Remember to use them wisely to manage your present and build a bright future.

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