Cody,
You've made some mistakes that a lot of others have made before you ... so you have lots of good company here.
First, you should know there are 12 million freelancers on Upwork and about a third of them seem to be web developer types. So, even if your profile is pretty good, there will be way too much competition for you to get lucky. So, let's get started:
First, don't start with "Hi, I'm Cody Jones." That's four words wasted. Your name is already in bold at the top of your profile and it's not advised to use your last name online. So, cross all that out.
Second, you don't get hired because you are passionate about what you do. You get hired for providing excellent service. Besides, there are a few million other web designers who all say they are passionate about their work, so it doesn't make you sound interesting in the slightest and it's not the type of information people who hire web designers need when they make a hiring decision. So, that's not helpful, either.
It is helpful to say what you know how to do. "I know how to create beautiful, functional, user-friendly websites," is useful information. Don't you think?
Here's one way to look at this: Keep things that describe your service. Ditch the things that describe your personality.
"I have extensive knowledge and skills in HTML ... and SEO best practices ..." Perfect. Keep all that.
"I'm also a great communicator, problem-solver and team player." That sounds useful, but it's pretty low on the list of things to say. Everyone feels they are good at these things. So, it isn't very useful. (Again, describe your services, not your personality.)
Rhetorical questions are also not useful. You wrote, "If you are looking for a web develper who ..." That's not useful information. They already know the answer to that stuff. It's just fluff.
"I can deliver high quality work on time and on budget ..." that's good information. That's the kind of thing decision makers want to hear -- right?
Anyway, those are the mistakes. Here is the solution:
Start with this sentence: "I am an expert ___________________ (web develper) with _____________ education and ____________ (work experience) who can _____________________ (create a great website), which will ________________ (name the benefits the clients will realize -- make more money, make it easy for your visitors to navigate, keep your visitors on your website longer ... whatever it is the client stands to gain).
You don't have to stick with that exactly, but stick with that message. "I am an expert web developer who uses HTM coding to create beautiful websites that get your messages across and appeal to your target audience."
There are variations on this, but establish your expertise immediately ... if not sooner.
After that, you need details that prove what you just said is true. Write about past jobs. You've done this for 10 plus years, you should have a lot to say that is detailed and specific. This is a good place to name the different computer languages you use, but tell the customer why that matters. "I use a varety of coding options, such as __________, ____________, and ___________, so your customers can interface easily and smoothly with your website ..."
Here's one way to look at this: Pretend you are about to hire a web developer to help you. What do you need to know from him or her? You don't need fluffy information about how they can create a magical universe with their coding skills ... you need actual information. What do you know? What service can you provide? What benefits will be realized? How can I trust this information -- give me some details about your past that back up your claims.
It's the same with your clients. They want the same solid information from you that you would need if you were going to hire an assistant or a partner ... you want very practical, feet-on-the-ground information. Be realistic and use details to support your claims.
Good luck.
Community Manager
