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

hannahskurnik
Community Member

 

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.

 

Screen Shot 2021-07-13 at 4.12.10 PM.png

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.

Screen Shot 2021-07-14 at 2.02.37 PM.png

 

 

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! 

 

                                          Screen Shot 2021-07-14 at 2.01.48 PM.png  Screen Shot 2021-07-14 at 2.02.00 PM.png

 

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: 

  1. Go to Profile Settings > Edit Profile > Click the icon next to “Availability badge”. 
  2. 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).
  3. 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.

165 Comments
feed_my_eyes
Community Member

Md E wrote:

I dont see any seetings there. How do I get this?


It's only being tested by a select few freelancers right now. I can't help but think that the rest of us non-badge holders will see a decline in our invitations because clients will assume that we're not available.

feed_my_eyes
Community Member

Petra R wrote:

That help article, however, also claims that clients will know that freelancers paid for the badge because of some lightening bolt symbol that allegedly tells clients that it's an advertisement. The whole thing is, in my humble opinion, utterly bizarre.

 


That's even worse. Nobody is going to think that a lightening bolt means a paid ad - it's completely misleading. They'll just assume that a freelancer has earned the badge due to their extra-speedy service. And obviously none of us can promise that we'll be sitting by our computers at all times, ready to respond and start working immediately. If a client in California contacts me in the middle of the night my time, they're going to be sadly disappointed with this feature. But then, this isn't designed to help clients, is it.

feed_my_eyes
Community Member

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.


Sorry, but it doesn't make sense to claim that this badge will help some freelancers while not affecting other freelancers. Freelancers will only be willing to pay if it'll give them a competitive edge, so if freelancers with the badge get more invitations, then it stands to reason that freelancers without the badge will get fewer invitations. I don't know how it's possible to conclude otherwise.

hglewis
Community Member

If it looks like a money-grabbing gimmick and sounds like a money-grabbing gimmick, it's a money-grabbing gimmick!

 

In my 28+ years as a business owner, I've seen all kinds of methods others introduce, wanting me to spend money/connects to line their pockets and present it as a "gotta get in on the ground floor" opportunity.

 

In this instance, UW's money-grabbing gimmick now wants me to spend to be seen. 

 

Money-grabbing gimmicks are not a long-term business strategy or investment for the business owner.

 

As for your invites, I turn each of them down. Why? Because your Talent  Specialists do not thoroughly review one's skill sets.

 

Also, no business owner in their right mind will lift a finger, write and send a proposal for a project with 200+ invites already showing in the listing.

 

Time is money. I prefer to search through the listings and do my own scouting, presenting, and I'm quite capable of letting a client know if and when I'm available.

 

Strangely enough, they seem to have those skills down too! Who knew! 

 

UW, stay in your lane. You're a platform, not my business associate or partner. 

m_terrazas
Community Member

I read the thread, I read the help and I still don't understand anything.
Sorry, I do understand something, that Upwork has returned to have a "brainstorm" **Edited for Community Guidelines**
Upwork, once again you have generated something that will give nothing but trouble.
You have a forum full of smart people and you don't know how to use it.
Why don't you get into the healthy habit of asking BEFORE implementing?
If you had raised this in the forum, you would have had enough information to know whether to carry it out or not.

Although, I am afraid, as some colleagues have already commented, that this is a new form of "collection".
We pay some fees (with which I agree, on the other hand), we pay to present proposals, and now we will have to pay to be seen?

Although, if it really works like, unfortunately, I think it will, we will not be seen among the tangle of inexperienced freelancers who can afford to pay for their visibility.

The rest have already been said by colleagues.

wescowley
Community Member

Amanda L wrote:


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.


Exactly. If this gets rolled out or I wind up in the test, I'll almost certainly have this on 100% of the time, because my availability for a specific project depends on what they're asking for and what their timeline is. I've turned down invitations when I had no work on my plate because while I could take the work, I couldn't deliver it in the timeframe they needed. And I accept invitations when I'm booked 3 or 4 weeks out because it's something I can squeeze in or the client has longer deadlines that will work out.

 

One size doesn't fit all here.  

 

wescowley
Community Member

Petra R wrote:

 

That help article, however, also claims that clients will know that freelancers paid for the badge because of some lightening bolt symbol that allegedly tells clients that it's an advertisement. The whole thing is, in my humble opinion, utterly bizarre.

 

lightening bolt.png

 


It would never occur to me that a lightning bolt meant it was an advertisement.

tta192
Community Member

Maria T wrote:

...
Why don't you get into the healthy habit of asking BEFORE implementing?
If you had raised this in the forum, you would have had enough information to know whether to carry it out or not.

....


Tbh, this currently is just a test, and feedback is being collected. The thing will probably & hopefully be retracted soon; it makes very little sense, however you look at it.

 

 

colettelewis
Community Member

Md E wrote:

I dont see any seetings there. How do I get this?


__________________

When Upwork rolls this out, you will have to buy connects to get it. 

(Always read the small print). 

a_lipsey
Community Member

Wes C wrote:

Amanda L wrote:


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.


Exactly. If this gets rolled out or I wind up in the test, I'll almost certainly have this on 100% of the time, because my availability for a specific project depends on what they're asking for and what their timeline is. I've turned down invitations when I had no work on my plate because while I could take the work, I couldn't deliver it in the timeframe they needed. And I accept invitations when I'm booked 3 or 4 weeks out because it's something I can squeeze in or the client has longer deadlines that will work out.

 

One size doesn't fit all here.  

 


Exactly, Wes. I am actually booked out through December 2021. But I still respond to invites that have the appropriate amount of lead time for me to work in as I do have capacity here and there if it's the RIGHT project. I decline a lot of projects saying I'm too busy because the project is clearly disorganized and a mess, and I don't have time or energy to deal with that. Whereas another project I may take on because the client has their act together. It seems to me that problem isn't freelancer availability, but client planning and disorganization.