Due to Boost Proposal features I am getting less responses

[#1]

Hello Upwork Community,

I have a question if you guide me so that's a great help. I want to know currently in Upwork there is a boost proposal feature that shows the top 3 bids first to the client so can you tell me how many averages connects should I invest in each good project. Or can I only focus on writing the great proposal to the client and submit a bid on the actual connects of the job or should I use the boost feature to show my bid up?

Because due to this boost feature on Upwork nowadays it is too hard for me to get client responses.

When this feature is not in Upwork so daily I got one or two responses from clients on my proposal and win 5 to 6 jobs a month through Upwork. But now in 1 week hardly I got one or two responses and it is very hard to win 2 good jobs per month. Everday I submit 22 good proposals but hard to get a response. So please let me know what I have to do in this case. Upwork is my single source of earning and this boost features decreases my 60 to 70 percent income through Upwork.

Please guide me on the below topics also

1. In the boost feature how many averages connects should I use that will raise my chances that clients view my proposal because I write good proposals and still no responses due to this boost feature of Upwork

2. If I use boost features on any job and If client do not select my proposal for their job so in how many days do connect roll over back to me?

3. In the boost proposal feature what are the cases I got I connect back if I am not selected for the job?

4. I have a question for the Upwork community the boost feature will decrease the chances of talented freelancers or agencies landing on a good job. It is my suggestion that Upwork has to remove this boost feature option because due to this it is hard for the right talent to connect to the right client.

Regrads

Ravimohan

[#2 · Accepted solution]

Facing the same issue now Zero invitations and Zero response after spending around 200 connects.

[#3]

We are in the same boat. I spent more than $50 in my first month here in Upwork finding a serious job. But I think I am in a lottery now waiting to be hit by a small percentage of change to get hired. 

[#4]

Facing the same issue. plus that my feed now has turned into a nightmare of 5$ jobs. which is something Upwork did to the search and feed algorithms. the problem is. they will never tell you what is going on.

didn't land a job for too long. and it's hurting....

[#5]

I strongly feel that the boost proposal feature is very bad, and Upwork has to remove it as soon as possible. It will decrease so much possibility of the right talent connecting with the right talent. 

Upwork has to take urgent action on this boost feature and has to close this feature for a lifetime

Best regards

[#6]

So, when you say "the right talent" on the client side, you are speaking of great clients who just have the one flaw of being too stupid or lazy to look past the first three proposals? 

[#7]

Poor... Very poor decision by Upwork to reintroduce the boost system. This means nothing for freelancers rather than an extra earning source for Upwork. Guys, in how many ways do you want to earn from freelancers? We are already spending much on purchasing connects, paying you fees on every transaction, Paying for profile upgrades for the plus members, paying for showing work availability and so many other things. 

Talking about the boost system, it is completely a waste feature. By this, a talented freelancer will be left with no work and the people who don't care about spending limit will keep winning the contracts because they can boost any proposals by spending 10-15-20 extra connects on a single job. This is not the right thing to get the proposal notice. A normal freelancer can't afford to spend a connects like water on boosting. Please let the right talent go to the right clients.

[#8]

You think that clients will hire bad freelancers who don't have the skills they're looking for simply because they appear in the top three slots in their list of proposals? You don't have much respect for clients, do you?

[#9]

I detest the boosting nonsense, but correlation does not necessarilly equal causation. We don't know that the perceived dip in hiring (for some people) is down to the boosting feature. It could be down to one of many other reasons.

While I have noticed a definite and significant fall in the number of invitations, it seems to me that the number of legitimate job posts is about the same as always. I am also seeing the same sort of hiring ratio I usually would.

Personally, I'd like to stats on the number of jobs being posted, the number of active freelancers, the percentage of hires, and other similar metrics. I suspect that there's something other than boosting behind it. Although I'd welcome any reason to get rid of it.

[#10]

The boosting system is clearly designed to get freelancers to spend more connects =$$$.
A client can clearly define how many proposals they would like to receive. If they're busy 5-10, If they're happy to explore a wider range of proposals 10-25? And this clearly negated the need to 'boost' a proposal - You're ripping off the very people that built your business!

[#11]

I don't know exactly what process they (Upwork) would be going through, but it seems pretty obvious to me that the boost system is not good for anyone, much less for the platform, I just hope they realize it soon. In the end there will only be 5 freelancers left, the ones who access all the jobs because they are the only ones who spend 20 connects per proposal. A nonsense and a little sad situation.

But hey, while they get out of the pothole there are other platforms where they work more fluidly and no charge for breathing. In fact, in my case upwork represents only about 5-10% of my income, it has always been very difficult for me to get to chat, now it is simply impossible, I am not going to play the game of spending money on connects to try to compete with someone who I don't know how many connects spent. It seems very silly to me. Sorry

[#12]

I totally agree with you. Upwork needs to remove this "Boost Feature" as soon as possible. 

[#13]

I am new to Upwork and it happens to me also after spending 50 connects didn't get any response.

[#14]

The stupidest thing Upwork has ever done. I remember when I started on Upwork even though inexperienced, and didn't know how to write good proposals I still got responses and invites, but nowadays with the new boosting system, it's impossible to get a reply and not even talk about getting hired. I feel like the rich are getting richer in this case Upwork and the highest paying freelancers and we that are in the middle or just starting are just left to "die". I really hope someone from Upwork reads this and removes the boosting system because they will lose freelancers, I don't think most of us can afford to bid on 20 jobs daily and use 20 connects for every job, that's like 400 connects per day that's around 60-70$ per day. It's absurd and no one guarantees that you will get a reply or be hired. Shameful from Upwork. 😞

[#15]

yes, yes....exactly happen to me... after the boosting feature i not get any job, and i am very worried about that, now a day i feel i am useless on upwork. nothing charm remaining on upwork... zero response, zero order..

[#16]

Upwork worst feature ever. Please disable this feature.

[#17]

Upwork you are such a scammer. You just made this feature only your self. You already took a good commission from both sides (freelancer and client) and now you boost your earning with this very bad feature "boost proposal". Also, this feature is only for millionaires, not for talent.

[#18]

There are many reasons after studying all the aspects:-

- First I see there is no issues with profiles and the services delivered by all you posting in this thread. 

- The bid for top 3 position killing the averager freelancers and small agencies. Because already established companies not hesitate to spend upto 100 connects for a good job and they have solid profiles with thosends of job completed. So there is 0.0001% chances for freelancera below average profiles.

- And whenever Upwork introduce something new the flow of work totally change for most of the profiles, it takes 2-4 monts to back on the track.

- And looks Upwork policies working to make more from upwork and there is no plan and policies for average and below the avarge profiles working hard, and they can also make enough for livings.

- Due to recession there have no funds on many companies those developing some apps software or web apps.

- At end of the year and start of the year is the time for clients to go for long vacation with family. So most of clients are not available these days.

- IT industry getting new Developer every second. It is increasing higher competition.

- And the existing developer getting experience doing more new things. It is also incresing the competition.

- Client on Upwork charged higher fee and big amount of tax.

- Clients trying new platforms and other platforms those charge compertively less.

- Also clients use whatsapp etc. Platform local developer groups of their region and town. It saves lots of money.

- Many new companies started services on their regiond, providing developer from remote or onsite, so clients also using these services very frequently.

- Now the demand is also change to new languages and platform. And due to less exp. Or no exp. Shows on profile also a reason not getting response of clients.

- Freelancing in part time by regular job developers increased last after covid. Its also increased the compilation.

- Agencies bidding on Upwork increasing bidders, those are skilled and experts in communication and sales. So freelancer and small agencies can't beat this type of competition.

- And agencies also spending in bidding too much because of compition.

- Agencies force their teams to do the jobs even they have no experience. This way they also capture the big area of the jobs and clients. 

- So conclusion is, there is no full time work for average and below the average profiles. Need to make other ways to get enough work and jobs.

[#19]

I am a fulltime freelancer, and like many others, I've seen my project numbers tank since boosting was implemented. I guess we'll just need to wait for the reputational impact to catch up to Upwork, as revenue seems to be the driving factor here. It's unfortnuelty though, as a full-time freelancer, I've enjoyed UpWork but have had to explore alternatives to make up the deficit caused by this boosting nonsense. 

[#20]

Dear Upwork Team,

I am writing to seek guidance and assistance in regards to my recent proposal submissions on the platform. I have always prided myself on being a dedicated and efficient freelancer, consistently providing high-quality work for my clients. However, I have recently noticed that despite submitting a high volume of boosted proposals to well-matched job listings, I am not receiving responses or feedback.

I am unsure of the reason for this decline in response rate and would greatly appreciate any insight or advice on how to improve my proposal submissions and increase my chances of being selected for projects.

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Sincerely,

Aaqib

[#21]

Hi Aaqib,

Please be reminded that submitting proposals doesn't always guarantee that you will get hired or get a chance to be interviewed, but you shouldn't give up on sending proposals to potential clients. I've pulled a few resources that may be helpful to you. Check out these articles to help you create a profile that stands out and improve your profile title and overview. For some great tips on writing proposals that win jobs, check out this article.

Best of luck!

[#22]

Arjay,

1. Long time freelancer submits strong proposal and boosts to top spot with 100 connects.
2. Client clicks on proposal.
3. Client gets a text with a funny cat video.
4. Client refocuses back to their browser, clicking around to remember what they were doing.
5. Freelancer's proposal never gets read or considered.
6. Freelancer loses 100 connects.
7. Upwork suggests the client review their profile and up their proposal game.

Sound about right?

[#23]

If so, the freelancer dodged a bullet. Imagine trying to manage a project with a client who couldn't finish reading a few short paragraphs before jumping to a cat video, retain what they were doing for the 15 seconds it took to watch the cat video, or figure out how to go back to the list of proposals and check out any eye-catching ones they didn't recall opening.

[#24]

100 connects to dodge a bullet?

I understand you're playing devil's advocate, but I use my own vetting to avoid flakey clients.

We're talking about the connects setup, for which dodging bullets isn't one of it's purposes.