Drastic drop on first-timers as clients?

[#1]

Hi guys,

so, with recent changes on clients plans here on UpWork, has anyone else realised that we've had a drastic drop on the number of people offering jobs that are first-timers?

I mean, a very high percentage of job offerings that I see now, come from clients that had previous jobs done already.

Is there a chance that people are less inclined to start using UpWork, to take that first step?

Anyways, just wondering... if someone thinks it's nonsense, or if has realised the same thing, let me know 🙂

Thanks

[#2]

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Klein B wrote:

Hi guys,

so, with recent changes on clients plans here on UpWork, has anyone else realised that we've had a drastic drop on the number of people offering jobs that are first-timers?

I mean, a very high percentage of job offerings that I see now, come from clients that had previous jobs done already.

Is there a chance that people are less inclined to start using UpWork, to take that first step?

Anyways, just wondering... if someone thinks it's nonsense, or if has realised the same thing, let me know 🙂

Thanks

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I think the that when people notice things they are almost always are noticing their own bias.  At the very least you are only reviewing the jobs you are interested in (I hope) and a trend of the period of time you are observing.  I think you are most likley experiencing detection bias at the least:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bias_(statistics)

Now, if you worked for Upwork and had actual data to work with then you could make an accurate statement about this but even then you would have to coorelate it with a period of time (ex. over last year in this same time period).

Anecodotally the last two clients I have found have been brand spanking new.

[#3]

That might be the case, and I have surely considered that. That's why I turned to the community, to see if "I'm the only one", or if there's really something in there.

So thank you for the input, that's exactly what I'd like to know from other persons 🙂

[#4]

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Klein B wrote:

That might be the case, and I have surely considered that. That's why I turned to the community, to see if "I'm the only one", or if there's really something in there.

So thank you for the input, that's exactly what I'd like to know from other persons 🙂

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You are welcome, let me ask back to you because of my curiosity...

What would it matter?

[#5]

This would mean that the client base od UpWork is not expanding as it used to, and then it would probably start shrinking at some point. That's my perception, at least...

[#6]

for balance - My own view is the complete opposite. I think there is way more jobs with no client history and often unrealistic expectations with regards to budgets.

As such i do lots of scrolling and will surely need to replace my mouse wheel soon!

[#7]

I think that Upwork is evolving its client marketing strategy and no longer targeting clients that would in the past have been one-offs or sporadic users.

No, I can't prove that. No, I'm not going to try. That's just what I think, based on a combination of the various other changes made recently and what I observe in Upwork's AdWords marketing.

[#8]

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Tiffany S wrote:

I think that Upwork is evolving its client marketing strategy and no longer targeting clients that would in the past have been one-offs or sporadic users.

No, I can't prove that. No, I'm not going to try. That's just what I think, based on a combination of the various other changes made recently and what I observe in Upwork's AdWords marketing.

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If they are, what do you think of that strategy (if you don't mind my asking)?