Affiliate Program

[equals9]

Hey guys. Any updates on upwork getting an affilaite program? Im looking to advertise a outsourcing site on my new launch..  As a long time user of odesk I would hate to have to recommend a different company.

[lysis10]

nobody wants more freelancers

only affiliate program that would be useful is if you bring clients to the platform

[sylviaogechi]

let me bring clients for you on the upwork how much will i get

[dd0c499f]

Way to make Upwork freelancers feel valuable 🙂

[flores_jason]

Hi, I'm currently working on a project referring clients to work from home opportunities and platforms, and wanted to know if you guys offer a referral or affiliate program.

[prestonhunter]

https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/0-fee-when-you-bring-your-own-client/m-p/387330#M236238

[raindancerltd]

Do Upwork offer any sort of affiliate programme where they will pay for leads? My company generate multiple leads a day in multiple sectors and are looking to pass these over to a reputable platform.

[palmerlewis]

This!

I think what would be most valuable is working within a nest of trusted freelancers that you form a bond with.  

These feel like federations of sorts vs. agencies since agency feels too top down.  There are so many projects that I'm offered where it would make sense to just be able to connect the job with someone in that network (and get credit for it). 

This is more or less what I'm trying to create with my agency, but I don't really think it was created for that intent. 

Hopefully we can explore this area more and shed some light on cool ideas that help expand projects easily.

On the client side, I can't tell you how many contracts lead to more contracts with thier friends and colleagues.  I feel it would be super cool for them to get credit as well.  

For lack of a better word or phrase, an "affiliate like" network, where you could make residual income from referrals would be an absolutely beautiful thing.  Not just a quick hundred -- but an ongoing percentage. Everyone involved with the project would be encouraged to make the project grow and be awesome without conflict of interests that happen when multiple freelancers are brought to the table. 

[tcbcapital]

still no affilate program?

[kochubei_valeria · Accepted solution]

Hi David Donna,

Update 8/20/21: We are working on developing an Affiliate program. You can read more about becoming and Upwork affiliate here and stay tuned for more information.

We don't have an affiliate program at the moment. 

Additionally, if you are interested, check out our Bring Your Own Freelancer feature.

[b2fbbab1]

Would be great to see an affiliate program in the future. I have used this site for hiring for about a year. I'd love to tell other people how good it is. Thanks!

[084fba1d]

Add me to the list of bloggers who would like to promote Upwork as an affiliate. Thanks!

[optionstradingiq]

Me too. Would love to be an affiliate for upwork

[ce145888]

Let us know any update on affiliate programs.

[sylviaogechi]

there is afflicate program

[prestonhunter]

re: "There is affiliate program"

Sylvia:
Please tell us more about the affiliate program.

Most of us believe there is no actual affiliate program.

[5a2df013]

Add me, too. Creating a course that will recommend Upwork as an option. 

[c5f7e9e1]

... You guys should really get an affiliate program together. I would love to promote UpWork to business owners as a resource. I'm constantly surprised by how many people have never heard of you guys!

[8bb59a9f]

I have three job websites with 750k monthly pageviews combined.  Would love to be a part of the affiliate program with an API access to bring more people to apply to your jobs if you ever launch it.

[proworkneeded]

It's a sahem that you don't have affiliate program. I'm using upwork for 5 years and would have recommended it but becuase you don't have affiliate program we'll need to point to other platfrom who has affiliate program. 

Lost revenue opportunity

[burmac]

Hi there
Is there an affilate program yet?
Thanks
Kerry

[cf3db66c]

Agreed!  Would love to be able to promote my favorite freelancers through an affiliate marketing program.  Everyone wins. 

[7d2eacd3]

Here's what NOT having an affiliate program really says:

Please promote us to all of your friends and connections so we can make more money. We will be keeping all of the money, by the way, since we don't value the service you are providing be sending us more clients. Thank you for the free leads.
***
Like several others here, I have the desire to promote a service that I use, but when that service is a paid service, and I have expenses connected with providing my service (of driving traffic to other services), then I expect to be paid for my service. If not, then I will promote another service provider instead of Upwork. And if I am promoting someone else..... It would make sense that I am using them as well. It's a costly mistake not to have an affiliate program in today's Ecommerce economy.

[prestonhunter]

There is a certain purity to the way Upwork works currently.

That being:

Clients can find freelancers to work for them.

If the freelancers get hired and earn money, a percentage of their earnings are kept by Upwork as a fee.

Otherwise, freelancers pay nothing.

If clients hire freelancers to do work, then clients pay those freelancers. Otherwise, clients pay nothing.

That's REALLY elegant, and REALLY clean.

It means there are no "gimmicks."

I'm not saying that an affiliate program HAS to be gnarly and gimmicky.

But I am saying that right now, there are no tricks or gimmicks or hidden fees or questionable motives. It's not a pyramid scheme. Upwork and its freelancers aren't making money by getting clicks or simply by funnelling people here.

Work, get paid. Don't work, don't pay.

There's much to appreciate about this.

[f8149907]

Preston, I think you're missing the point. An affiliate program is a win win. It incentivises freelancers to send potential new customers to Upwork via affiliate links. This is obviously beneficial for freelancers and UpWork because it creates a larger client pool on this website which in turn allows both UpWork and the freelancers to make more money from the increase in projects here on the site. There's a reason so many companies offer affiliate programs. It's because they work. Amazon is one of the most wealthy companies in the world and they continue offering their affiliate program, and a pretty fair one at that. Because they know it makes everyone more money.

[pierrealie]

Upwork really needs to get an affiliate program.

I advertise to get clients directly Upwork is just one more source of business for me but I would rather have my clients join Upwork and hire me here to simplify my billing and management, I would do it if there was an affiliate program but I won't generate you clients for free, same way you don't give us clients for free. 

After all if I bring my clients over they could try one of my competitors that charges less or they could hire freelancers for other service types than what I do for them, that would make you money but for me it's nothing but a risk. An affiliate program would offset the risk, until then I will not ask my clients found directly to come over to upwork to hire me, I will keep sending them invoices instead.

I am sure there are other freelancers in the same situation.

[charmmarketing]

Upwork needs more clients not freelancers. As an employer on Upwork since oDesk days and running an agency I constantly promote Upwork.

Now I am looking to other platforms to promote because Upwork is slow to the market.

At least start one for client referrals which will generate more income for you.

We don't want to bring our own freelancers and you are already overloaded with freelancers.

Any chance you can put this forward to your Executive team for a definitive answer?

Many thanks

Charmaine

[g_vasilevski]

We appreciate your feedback, Charmaine.

We've recently added a couple of programs that encourage freelancers to bring their clients on Upwork. If any new programs are added, we'll make sure to notify the users. Thank you.

[5a2df013]

This is in reply to your reply to Charmaine. Why in the world would we bring you our clients? Unless we are 'top rated' or 'rising star', that would cut into our pay for no reason. Right now, I get 100% of my pay, and my client has always been more than responsible to pay me on time or before. I wouldn't any more refer him to you than cut my own throat, which would what it would be financially. If you want to retain excellent freelancers and get referrals for clients, you'll have to do better than this.

[jefftd77]

I am a client and looking to refer other clients.. is there not a reward program for that?

[2c22daaf]

I agree with Charmaine, Upwork needs more clients offering work, not more freelancers underselling themselves to get work.

I run a design studio myself and I would love to pass on extra work to freelancers on Upwork. An affiliate program would help both of us out a lot.

[prestonhunter]

re: "I am a client and looking to refer other clients.. is there not a reward program for that?"

A good deed is its own reward.

[9012fe6f]

I was suprised to see there actually isnt a program to bring other clients to the platform.  Hopefully they are wroking on this.  Has anyone messaged them directly for an update?

[7d2eacd3]

They are not working on this. They have repeatedly said in these comments
that they have no interest in having anyone affiliate for them. Apparently
they have enough business already. I am guessing that someone who
understands the age in which we live will start a competing service and
reap the benefits of having those of us with related audiences promoting
their service.

[corelevel]

I actually think this thread is showing that upwork may be the smart one here. Clearly, there are a ton of people that want to recommend them and the fact that they are begging upwork to create an affiliate program tells me that there are no other competitors offering a program.

So all of these people creating blogs or courses are left with a choice.... provide a good service for their traffic and recommend them anyway, or leave them out because they are not getting paid.

It really comes down to are you trying to help your customers or your pockets? People who help customers first always come out ahead in the end.

If someone will only mention a company if they are paid to do so, how credible does that source look? I mention companies if they have an affiliate or not. I mention affiliates that pay 5% as much as those that pay 25%. Because if I present full and fair information, my customers are served better and I will earn a lot more of them and they will be more loyal.

[sylviaogechi]

i  want to become affliacte program how much will i get

[521e4c95]

The upwork affiliate program is a simple one and very easy to understand. 

You start at zero, and as you bring more clients in, you rate stays the same. Each year you receive an incentive increase of 50% of your base commission, and once you reach the top level of affiliate, your earnings are doubled. 

[shellaaaron]

Curious if an Affiliate Program is available yet !?

[CarolynG]

Hi there!

Unfortunately, no, we do not yet have an affiliate program, but it is something that has been suggested, so it may be considered at some point.

Update 8/20/21: We are working on developing an Affiliate program. You can read more about becoming and Upwork affiliate here and stay tuned for more information.

[amystarr79]

Please. Please. Please. Set up an affiliate program. It's fairly easy to set up using ClickFunnels. I hate recommending other services just to use an affiliate link. Especially when I get all my work from Upwork.