UPWORK, stop invading my inbox and sending spam invitations to your **Edited** webinars

[geri_kol]

For the past few weeks I've been receiving invitations to attend some crappy Upwork webinars that I wouldn't care to attend if they paid me. I'm wondering what brilliant mind among Upwork's "throw spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks" decision-makers thought it was a good idea to repeatedly spam TR+ freelancers with an established track record, 100% JSS and nearly $200k earned with such invitations. How about you focus some energy and resources on attracting professional clients to the platform instead of price-gouging and spamming your top-earning freelancers, Upwork?

[kelly_e]

Yes yes yes.

I keep Hiding, since Blocking or Unsubscribing (to something I didn't subscribe to) isn't allowed, yet it keeps coming back.

STOP invading my inbox, Upwork, and OMG put real strategic resources into attracting excellent clients. Read some of my forum posts/comments, I've gone into this at length multiple times (as have many others). Yes yes yes yes yes.

[3440b683]

Hİ Gergana

i agree with your words

[kfarnell]

YES!!! 

I don't want to be taught how to be a woman entrepeneur or how to organise my day. I've been working freelance for over thirty years. I think I might have got the hang of it by now.  This is insulting, time wasting and irritating to the nth degree. 

[the-right-writer]

Upwork's algos have apparently been turned over to someone who hates freelancers and wants to drive all of us away. Of course, those ads are for the ones who believe they should apply for every job, and throw connects. Casting a wide net for freelancers who think,"I'll go to this webinar that says I don't need any experience!"

I have followed the moderator's advice and blocked everything possible. Many messages you can't block. I am tired of deleting messages and networking begging, pleading, or demanding a job. It's bad enough I can't control other freelancers, and here comes Upwork with a tsunami of useless crap. It's to the point I make colorful comments as I delete them.

If the messages were targeted, it would at least make sense. I receive so many admonishing me to get my first job, or that I have to send proposals to win contracts. Webinars for totally different businesses. I am not interested in someone's little story about how they made millions and millions of dollars, and I can to if I just watch the webinar and send proposals all day long. I can't find decent jobs to apply for in my field. Upwork needs to focus on that problem. I spend a lot of money to freelance, and I am willing to pay more to Upwork. Upwork doesn't want to give up the free for all, everyone is a freelancer, spend those connects, model.

[geri_kol]

Right? You would think that whatever marketing genius came up with this "user engagement"/inbox spamming idea would have at least thought of some basic market segmentation, so that experienced freelancers with x number of years and a track record on the platform wouldn't get invited to webinars on how to get their first job or how to craft a proposal. Upwork, hire some grown-up marketing and strategy folks and get your house in order, please. 

[PradeepH]

Hi Gergana,

Thank you for your message. Apologies for the inconvenience caused due to unwanted communications. Could you please review your notification settings and uncheck the notification options that you do not want to receive in your inbox?

Thank you,

Pradeep

[geri_kol]

Pradeep,

I am referring to promotional messages I receive directly in my Upwork message inbox. Those simply pile up there for me to see when I open the messages tab and there is no way to unsubscribe from them or block them. 

[tlsanders]

Same. And the damned notification light is always on because of this flood of spam, meaning I don't know immediately when a real client message arrives. 

[m_terrazas]

---

Pradeep H wrote:

Hi Gergana,

Thank you for your message. Apologies for the inconvenience caused due to unwanted communications. Could you please review your notification settings and uncheck the notification options that you do not want to receive in your inbox?

Thank you,

Pradeep

---

I'm fed up too, what specific notifications do I have to change to stop receiving those messages from Upwork?

ETA.- As Gergana has said, they are not notifications in the forum, they are messages in the work chat.
There I only expect to receive messages about work, not Upwork ads.

[kfarnell]

I just got another one. The only option I can see is the 'leave room' one. Does this block these messages?

[geri_kol]

No, it doesn't - the 'leave room' option doesn't even work for me as it produces an error of some sort. So the only option is to 'Hide' the message, which of course does nothing to prevent the next one from coming in. I'm surprised anyone at Upwork thought such a low-value, spammy "user engagement" strategy could be beneficial. 

[the-right-writer]

Will some moderator please educate us as to how to turn off the dammed flood? I can't turn off networking, I have to delete every dammed message! I can't seem to get the emails settings to stay, as I have a constant flood of nonsensical, irrelevant, propaganda spam. All of those messages are in the Upwork work space. I haven't even mentioned the flood of crap in my community messages.

Upwork, as I said in another thread, your algos are messed up. For heaven's sake, hire someone off the platform to do the job. I don't know what your tech people are doing, but when you can't even target messages on your own platform, you need help, now.

In the meantime, shut down the flippin' systems until you can control it. This is not a minor issue. Upwork's management is doing nothing about the flood of freelancers, that's a given. The more Upwork desperately tries to make money in short-term, poorly considered ways, the more they drive the platform into the ground.

Do your geniuses in control really think bombarding everyone with insulting, irrelevant, ill-advised, useless, annoying, and anger-inducing harassment are going to get most of us to follow your nonsense? Oh, I forget, all those unskilled freelancers who need to be encouraged to apply with no skills. (Yep, I have seen your videos.)

Stop the barrage until you can figure out what targeted messages mean. How much money will you make off of those connects from people who will never get a job, opposed to how many freelancers are on the verge of leaving because of the policies?

I received another, "get your first job", email. Shut it down until you can find someone to hire, or give us the ability to block it all.

[kfarnell]

Thanks - I thought that might be the case 😞 

We've all asked to be excluded from these messages and Pradeep's response makes it clear this message thread has been read (if not properly understood). The only possible conclusion is that some of us are being targetted for harassment. Perhaps someone would like to explain why?

[6bfcdaf8]

It's just wrong in so many levels. When there is a notification in messages i assume its from a client. Don't use that channel for pushing unwanted marketing messages.

[grimesr]

Folks, please recognize the difference between email and messages. Totally different and totally different rules. Most of us are complaining about messages only, that is what the thread is about. The only option to change notifications is either all or nothing. I have finally decided to go with nothing as that is much better than spam.

[geri_kol]

The dreaded webinar invitations are back invading my inbox. Upwork, many of us had requested that you either give users an option to unsubscribe from receiving them or exclude us individually from receiving them. A month ago moderators said the message had come across loud and clear and the problem would be addressed. Why do I keep receiving this corporate spam?

[kfarnell]

I got two today, despite being told that these messages would be stopped. Neither are in the slightest bit relevant to me - I certainly don't need to be told how to start earning here. Please stop harassing me. Pretty please. With all the bells and whistles. 

[15b8ab81]

I can offer some perspectives on why you might be receiving these invitations and what you can consider doing:

1. Broad Outreach Strategy: It's possible that Upwork employs a broad outreach strategy to ensure that different user segments are aware of the resources and opportunities available on the platform. However, this approach might not always align perfectly with individual preferences or needs.

2. Promotion of Services: Webinars are often used as a means to promote services, updates, and features of the platform. While some webinars may not be relevant to your specific situation, others might provide valuable insights or updates that can benefit a wider audience.