20% of clients view Boosted proposals in 2024

[be3bb307]

I pay close attention to all relevant statistics so I can test and react to changes on the platform. In 2023, I applied to more than 400 jobs on the platform. I'm boosting 95% of my proposals (in average, around 60 connects per proposal). Before applying, I carefully pick which jobs I apply for and if the client is responsive or not. In 2023:

• 65% of all proposals I sent were viewed by the client.
• 40% of clients who viewed my proposal interviewed me
• 40% of clients who interviewed me, sent an offer to me

In 2024, I applied for around 40 proposals and just 8 got viewed by clients (20%). To mention again, I don't apply for low-cost jobs and for jobs from clients with low hire rates or bad reviews. I don't think it's up to my hook, since those jobs I applied for have a very low engagement (interviewing just freelancers who eventually got invites, just 2 of those 40 hired someone etc.). 

Does anybody know if were there any changes in the platform's algorithm? If so, which ones?

I know UpWork recently increased rates for clients (now it's a $9.95 one-time fee billed on the first payment to each hired freelancer on each job plus a 5% fee on the whole amount billed to clients), but I'm not really sure if clients would waste their time writing their job posts if they don't want to engage with freelancers because of fees.

What are your statistics in 2024 when it comes to applying for new jobs on the platform?

P.S. I don't want to argue if the time needed to apply for jobs is worth it or not since we wouldn't be on the platform if it's not worth it, but I'm looking for real facts and possible reasons why we can see these changes in statistics. I wish you all a happy and successful New Year! 🙂

[e7a834e8]

I get 80% of my proposals viewed without ever boosting a single one and have booked 6 jobs in 21 days.

[be3bb307]

Hey Nick, that's amazing, you're killing it! 😄

However, I had a chance to take a look and your profile, niche and jobs you started working on and we're in a pretty different situation, so I'm not sure if it's comparable. Since you're based in the US, you have a chance to apply for "US-based" jobs, meaning that only freelancers from the US can apply and see those jobs. For example, I'm based in Europe (Serbia) and I can not see this type of job. Normally, those jobs had usually 10-15 proposals (20-50max), or even less. When it comes to other jobs (that people based in other countries can see), there's a situation where approximately 120 freelancers apply (at least in my niche) so basically you have to boost proposals to be seen out there. Related to that, since a lot of freelancers apply for jobs, the conversion % is smaller compared to the "US-based" jobs.

[yofazza]

That's not it. There's a lot of US clients having a 'different experience' as well.

The "perception of opportunity" (the chance) is rotated. L@@k here

In 2024 I have 0% view to sent ratio 😁

In 2023 it's under 30%, but I don't boost.

Yours being 65% in 2023 is quite high actually, most people don't get that high even with boosting.

[spectralua]

2023 was falling into the abyss. Incommings down an 10x. In 2014 full zeroes. Wasting money and see no hope. Platform dead. RIP, it was great site before 2022, when management was changed.

[nikhilkumar_95]

I agree with you. It was great before 2022.

[wlyonsatl]

Milan C.,

We’re only 11 days into 2024, so I don’t think any statistics for those 11 days are very helpful in understanding where Upwork is headed in terms of client responsiveness and hiring numbers.

Your getting-hired rate of about 10% of all your proposals submitted is probably on the very high end of what all freelancers are experiencing. Considering that Upwork says the Top 4 proposal boosters each increase their chance of getting hired by only 6% on average your results are astounding. No wonder you were willing to pay well over $3,000 on connects in order to boost nearly all of your proposals.

I didn’t know that Upwork now charges all clients $9.95 for each job they post and another 5% of the total billings by each freelancer for each client. That’s a huge change and would likely account for why so many freelancers are so consistently complaining recently that there just aren’t many jobs to go around. If new clients were reluctant to provide their payment methods before seeing what kinds of freelancers responded to their first job postings, they are probably more reluctant to pay $10 upfront just to post a job.

[spectralua]

10% from FL + 5% extra from CL? 😮

[bobafett999]

Will OP says almost 10 bucks for HIRED, not for posting

[tjmisny]

Will, Upwork does not charge clients $9.95 for each job they post - they only charge this fee IF the client hires, which... we know happens increasingly less these days.  It remains totally free to post jobs on Upwork, which contributes to the sheer number of un-serious, garbage, window-shopping and fradulent jobs posted.  (Which contributes to all of us wasting money on Connects to dead-end jobs) 

[wlyonsatl]

Someone who's an active client on Upwork could confirm whether they're paying $9.95 per new job posting and another 5% of their total payments to their freelancers.

[celgins]

I know UpWork recently increased rates for clients (now it's a $9.95 one-time fee billed on the first payment to each hired freelancer

It's a one-time contract initiation fee of up to $9.95 USD for each new contract. The fee is charged when the client makes their first payment to a freelancer.

Since it says "up to $9.95," it very likely means the amount will range from the previous $4.95 up to $9.95, and not $9.95 across the board for all jobs.

Read more here: Contract Initiation Fees.

I agree with Will; I don't think 11 days into 2024 is a great statistical view.

As far as changes to algorithms go, Upwork doesn't announce algorithm-specific tweaks. However, we do know that freelancer profiles are rotated in search results and the clients' Invite Freelancers screen. With that, I expect freelancer statistics to remain unpredictable in 2024.

[bobafett999]

You invested $3,600.  Aslong as you earned more than that you are ahead!  Congratulations.

[nikhilkumar_95]

The chances of getting hired by boosted proposals are 24%. The clients only see the top proposals.

[wlyonsatl]

24% improvement across 4 freelancers equals an average of 6% per freelancer. 

That means boosting freelancers will, on average, post a successful proposal about an additional 1 in 16 proposals. Clearly, boosting may not be/probably isn't worthwhile on very low value projects.

[nikhilkumar_95]

Yes, you're right Will.

[satoridea]

Hi All, 

I feel I can confirm a downturn in response from clients, whether due to the launch of Boosting or a new year with all sorts of terrible international strife going on, I do not know. In my experience, throughout '22 and '23, I did not have to send out a massive load of proposals; I wait for a decent job, scan the quality of the client's post, craft a thorough proposal and get the interview. Once we engage, the job is almost certainly mine. So I send out a couple of proposals (literally 2-4) every now and then and I am sure of a gig. 

My strategy didn't change. I still write high quality unique proposals AND even sometimes Boost to the top spot because that seems like the thing to do when you are very confident about a certain job. But, I had zero improvement in results from boosted proposals. It is especially noticeable in '24. I have yet not gained a single new job in '24! I continue to work with old long term clients but obviously we have to hunt for new gigs all the time. 

How do we figure the algorithm out; how can we be sure that Upwork show proposals in a fair and sincere way? Why does it feel that Boosting only robs us of valuable connects? I don't know. I will keep on with boosted and unboosted strategies. For a while...

At this point I fail to see the rationale for charging freelancers connects to bid on projects, beyond it merely generating revenue and making things more difficult for clients. Because a Boosted Proposal definitely still does not guarantee a quality proposal and capable human behind it. 

Not really a helpful response but perhaps there is something for someone between the lines. 

It could even be that clients are totally put off by Boosted Proposals, thrust at them, sensing unfairplay. And thus ignores them...

[wlyonsatl]

Pieter V.,

I think you are right to say proposal boosting's main goal and purpose is "...merely generating revenue" for Upwork.

Upwork really, really needs to increase its revenue to keep Wall Street and shareholders happy. But the volume of business on the platform was about the same in 2023 as it was in 2022, so growth isn't coming from increasing use of the platform by clients. Absent that, increasing fees are the primary source of growth - a source that is not bottomless and won't be available forever.

To its credit, Upwork has changed the silly bidding process to disallow unqualified freelancers from even submitting proposals on jobs their skills and experience don't match up with. Of course, this is an algorithmic decision making process, which has its own weaknesses and inconsistencies.

[tjmisny]

Thanks for sharing these insights, Milan.  I am Expert Vetted, 100% JSS (only 5 star reviews, nothing less) with nearly $400k earnings, experiencing a real drop off in quality client interactions/hires.  

Around 40% of my proposals, all of them Boosted, are viewed. There are over 100 proposals still active which I am waiting for a result on.  The vast, vast majority of clients are simply not hiring.  They are overwhelmed with the casino-style presentation of candidates and the confusion of fighting the algorithm to actually find who is most qualified. I have proably wasted several thousand dollars in recent weeks on boosts that go absolutely nowhere.

Upwork management: This is not sustainable.  There will be a mass exodus of clients and freelancers unless we destroy the casino model in favor of something more equitable and merit-based.