connects are basically tokens that give you the ability to bid on a job. Only jobs where you are invited don't require connects, but when you are new, you'll likely only be invited to scam jobs. So, you have to buy connects to bid on open marketplace jobs. Jobs will require 2-6 connects, depending on the cost and "popularity" of a job. I think by popularity, they mean the numbre of freelancers who have already bid on the job.
