Show clients you’re available to work right now with the availability badge

hannahskurnik · ‎07-19-2021

We’d like to share that we will be testing out a new availability badge as a beta feature that will be released to a small group of users. Depending on the outcome of the test and feedback we receive, we may expand this more broadly in the coming months. If you are a freelancer that’s frequently invited by clients to apply to jobs, are currently open to more invitations and ready to start work right away, we expect this badge will be a good tool to help you control your workflow and manage your time when you’re ready to take on new clients.

What is the availability badge?

The availability badge is designed to provide talent with greater control over their invitation flow and ability to more easily communicate to potential clients that you are available for projects right now. You can choose to add an availability badge to your profile using Connects to more accurately signal when you become more or less available for new work.

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The availability badge helps you to actively advertise your availability and helps clients start projects faster by seeing which pros are ready to take on more work.

Why is this feature being introduced?

The availability badge was created to help talent better communicate their availability and allow clients to quickly see which freelancers have indicated in real-time that they’re ready to take on more work. The goal is to enable everyone on the platform to save time and get projects going faster so everyone can get more work done efficiently.

How it works

To add the blue availability badge, you’ll use Connects. The goal of charging Connects is to ensure the badge is used only when talent is truly open to taking on new projects and clients. This way, both talent and clients are able to take more control over their workflows. Some key features:

Turn the badge on and off as needed to better control communication about when you’re ready to take on new projects and clients.
Only pay for the badge as long as you have it turned on. If you turn off the badge, you will no longer be charged Connects. Likewise if your Connects balance runs out, the badge will also turn off.
Set the maximum number of Connects per week you’d like to use on the badge. This allows you to take control over when the badge should be turned off automatically by our system. Tell us the maximum number of Connects you’re willing to pay to display the availability badge, and if the market price for the badge exceeds your maximum, our system will automatically turn off your badge. If the badge price drops below your stated maximum and you want to have the badge on, you will need to go back to your profile settings and turn the badge on.
During testing, the price will not change more than once per week.

The price of the badge may fluctuate as the feature is more broadly released, based in part on the demand for the badge:

If more freelancers add the badge, more Connects will be required to turn the badge on and keep it on. If fewer freelancers are using it, fewer Connects will be needed.

The fluctuation is to ensure that market demand drives the cost. While you have the badge on, 1 Connect will be deducted from your balance at a time. Depending on the weekly price of the badge, the frequency of these 1-Connect charges will vary.
If the weekly price of the badge goes above your max price, then the badge will automatically turn off and you will stop being charged. If the weekly price of the badge does not go above your max price, you will be charged the new price until your weekly maximum is reached or you turn off the badge. Visit our Help article for pricing examples.

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How is this different from the existing availability setting?

Turning on the availability badge is a way to use your Connects to get more work when you need it. Unlike current availability settings, which only allow talent to set their hours of availability, when you have the availability badge turned on:

Clients will see your availability badge in search results, recommendations, and on your profile, and will know you’re ready for new work (see image below). Think of it as a way to help market yourself through search results!

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While the availability badge will be visible in search results, it will not, however, improve your rank results. Because of this, it is currently recommended for freelancers who are frequently asked by clients to apply to jobs, are currently open to more invitations, and are ready to work right now.

To turn the availability badge on:

Go to Profile Settings > Edit Profile > Click the icon next to “Availability badge”.
Set your maximum amount of Connects you want to spend in one week to keep the badge on (if the price changes to exceed this number, we will turn the badge off for you).
Click “Turn on”

For more information, please visit our Help article.

Please share your feedback with us as we continue testing so we can understand your experience, expectations, and ideas and help you get more work in the marketplace.

a_lipsey · ‎07-21-2021

"1 connect at a time"

Define "a time". Every hour? Every minute? One day? The lack of clarification on the rate of connects charged for this feature is ridiculous. Can you give us any solid information?

Also, besides the lack of clarification: it seems pretty useless.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-21-2021

Hi Viacheslav and Audrey,

The badge signals availability to receive more invites now. Our recommendation currently is to turn the badge on when you really want more invites, and to turn it off when you’re at capacity. We appreciate feedback about availability being different depending on the type of project and we’ll be taking it into consideration as we continue to test and improve.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-21-2021

Hi Gergana,

A common problem we’re trying to address for clients is sending invites to talent who are not available to receive invites at that particular time, even though they keep their profile public. We’re also trying to provide talent with a better way to signal to clients that they are actively seeking new work. In general, we believe this badge may be most beneficial to freelancers who already catch the eye of clients because they have a history of doing great work on our site. So, for example, if you already receive invites on a regular basis, we anticipate this badge will be a good tool for you. Of course, testing will tell us more.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-21-2021

Christine,

The badge will not affect ranking, however, it will appear in search results, recommendations, and on profiles. For this beta test we have not added the ability to filter search results by freelancers who have the badge turned on. We may do so in the future though.

Additionally, we do not expect those outside of the beta test to experience a decrease in the number of invites they receive as a result of this test.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-21-2021

Hi Jennifer,

I'm glad to hear you're interested and find it to be a useful tool potentially! I'm checking with the team if it's possible to be added to the test and will get back to you as soon as I get an update.

kochubei_valeria · ‎07-21-2021

Thanks for taking time to share your questions and feedback, Amanda.

How often the Connects are deducted will depend on the cost of the badge at the time. For example:

If the badge costs 7 Connects, 1 Connect will be deducted from your balance every 24 hours.
If the badge costs 3 Connects, 1 Connect will be deducted from your balance every 56 hours.
If the badge costs 3 Connects per week but the price changes to 7 Connects (within your maximum) 2 hours later, you will be charged 1 Connect when you first turned on the badge and then charged an additional 1 Connect in 22 hours.

The Connects are deducted automatically when the price changes, but never more than the maximum the freelancer set.

adinugrohoisman · ‎07-21-2021

I think I found the better and free solution

a_lipsey · ‎07-21-2021

Valeria K wrote:
Hi Gergana,

A common problem we’re trying to address for clients is sending invites to talent who are not available to receive invites at that particular time, even though they keep their profile public. We’re also trying to provide talent with a better way to signal to clients that they are actively seeking new work. In general, we believe this badge may be most beneficial to freelancers who already catch the eye of clients because they have a history of doing great work on our site. So, for example, if you already receive invites on a regular basis, we anticipate this badge will be a good tool for you. Of course, testing will tell us more.

Valeria, but the reason we may not be available at the time of invite is that the client wants a substantial amount of last minute work and we can't drop everything to do it.

I juggle numerous projects at once. Almost all of the invites I have received in the last week had last minute turnaround times that I am not available for. However, for clients who have given their projects the appropriate amount of time to discuss and complete, I do have time for.

The reasons we decline invites aren't always the whole truth. So now, I'd have to buy this badge to show a client I'm available, but I'm still going to decline invites from clients who want 40 hours of work done in 2 days.

petra_r · ‎07-22-2021

Valeria K wrote:

Additionally, we do not expect those outside of the beta test to experience a decrease in the number of invites they receive as a result of this test.

I don't see how it could possibly not do so, and if this ever really gets fully rolled out, anyone refusing (or unable) to pay certainly WILL see a decrease in invites. That badge signals to clients that those who pay Upwork to mention that they are available are available, and those who do not have the badge are not available. That's surely a no-brainer!

Even though it doesn't specifically say that, it is ultimately what clients will think. And you can't blame them as it is the logical conclusion.

Just as those with a top rated badge are top rated, and those without a top rated badge are not, clients will get the impression that only freelancers with an available badge **ARE** in fact available. So those without one will see significantly less invites, not because they aren't available, but because they don't want to (or can't) pay for this badge.

Personally I think the whole thing is a truly terrible idea.

It ultimately means that now we pay to apply, and will also have to pay (even more) to get invited.

It is also incredibly misleading to clients, as it creates the impression that freelancers without that badge are not available. So, essentially, those who want invites have to pay just for the off-chance that a client will see their profile and invite them.

I also have a very hard time believing that the motivation for charging connects for that badge is to "help freelancers" (or clients). Surely the motivation is to create revenue, which is fine, but this is not a great way to do it and spinning it as something that's done out of the goodness of Upwork's heart to do us freelancers a favour feels disingenuous.

Last but not least I think it is based on a faulty premise: It assumes that people who decline (or ignore) invitations are not available. If freelancers really want to do a gig they are invited for, they will, more often than not, somehow MAKE themself available.

Most invites are declined not because the freelancer is not available, but because the freelancer is not interested in THAT project, either because it doesn't pay enough or because it isn't a good fit.

I know for a fact that there is a temptation to click on "too busy" by default, not because they really are, but because it's easier than to think about what reason to click or hurt the client's feelings etc etc.

geri_kol · ‎07-22-2021

Valeria K wrote:
Thanks for taking time to share your questions and feedback, Amanda.

How often the Connects are deducted will depend on the cost of the badge at the time. For example:

If the badge costs 7 Connects, 1 Connect will be deducted from your balance every 24 hours.
If the badge costs 3 Connects, 1 Connect will be deducted from your balance every 56 hours.
If the badge costs 3 Connects per week but the price changes to 7 Connects (within your maximum) 2 hours later, you will be charged 1 Connect when you first turned on the badge and then charged an additional 1 Connect in 22 hours.
The Connects are deducted automatically when the price changes, but never more than the maximum the freelancer set.

Valeria, this is truly a cringeworthy idea. Upwork is essentially introducing "surge pricing" - the type Uber sometimes uses during peak hours and for which it has received plenty of negative PR - for something as basic and baked into the premise of the site as freelancer availability (for which, as others have noted, we already have options to check).