Increasing Transparency in Boosted Proposals

[#1]

Our team recently launched a test to increase transparency around bidding in Boosted Proposals to help you make a more informed decision around spending Connects.

Check out the product update about this test here and let us know your thoughts about this update in the comments below.

[#2]

In fact, boosting proposals makes you more visible, but isn´t a guarantee of a hire. I boosted 14 proposals and had 11 views. In fact boosting helped to get views, this is in my stats. (See image).

But I don´t think a client cares about boosting, as none of my boosted proposals landed me a hire. A client may read your proposal, but if he didn´t like your proposal, no matter how many connects did you spent, he will put your proposal aside and looks for others.

If I was a regular client, I would read boosted proposals of course, if catched my attention, but wouldn´t hire someone just because he boosted. Boosting is completely irrelevant to make the decision to hire someone. Boosting just helps to be seen, nothing more.

[#3]

It's really giving me hope! 💪

[#4]

> Boosting just helps to be seen, nothing more.

Being seen is the first step, you don't get interviews and hires if you're not being seen.

I believe the Boost thing plays a role in the client's decision. Not all clients are like you in your "not hiring now" job. Some of them seems prefer to ignore many proposals no matter how great, or eye-catching, the first lines are. From what I see, this is where the Boost thing steps in.

Or take a look at Google Ads. People pay to get noticed. We (potential customers) knows that, we might think that they're bad for spending money to get noticed, but is that 100% correct? You strictly prevented yourself to not click the sponsored ads because of that thoughts? Or will you still click it to at least check?

> There is no evidence that Upwork looks at logic when making these decisions.

I don't have the data but that above is a sample logic. Upwork have the data, where they based their decisions on. Why would they ignore the rants for months if they aren't at least >50% sure that this change will bring more profits! to them?

They will remove the Boost thing if people using it are really only the unqualified freelancers who will eventually annoys the majority of clients - not just clients who posted in this forum.

Or, they will keep it, if qualified freelancers (where most of them are not wandering this forum) give in and joins the game.

[#5]

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Radia L wrote:

Being seen is the first step, you don't get interviews and hires if you're not being seen.

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I agree, but being seen is completely useless if your proposal is a complete garbage. In the job I posted, yesterday had a proposal on top, first place, the photo was very bad, I couldn´t see the person, his name was not a person name, seens like a company name, the title was "Social Media Expert", and the first line of cover letter was "I´m good in social media", just this, yes and thats it! - This is the one that bided the most number of connects to be in the top of my post. Me, as a client, wouldn´t hire this person in anyway. As a client I can´t see how many connects he spent, but if he was on top, I supose he spent a lot! I just clicked the "thumb down" button for him, and scrolled down the list with 20+ proposals to search for someone. I realy didn´t care who is on the top, or first page, since I can click "load more" and show 50 proposals in same page, its easy to see everyone, just scroll down or scroll up.

Boosting proposals is useless and helps just a litle to be seen, in numbers 1-10, I would say that boosting proposals helps just 4. It is worthy boosting proposals to have just a little bit more of views? In my opiniom: no.

[#6]

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Radia L wrote:

Some of them seems prefer to ignore many proposals no matter how great, or eye-catching, the first lines are. From what I see, this is where the Boost thing steps in.

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I don´t think so. Clients aren´t dumbs, they´re risking their money when hiring someone. They will consider a lot of things before taking the final decision. So it is not wise ignoring many great and eye-cathing proposals and chooses the proposal that is on top just because it is boosted.

Think as a client: would you risk your own money to hire someone just because he boosted? If the bid has no good proposal, I don´t care how many connects the person spent, no good, ok, lets see the next.

[#7]

What has been disquieting about Upwork's promotion/defense of boosting is that they have so far only claimed that boosted proposals receive hires more often than unboosted ones. That is a metric that should be of no concern to Upwork—which has no interest, financial or otherwise, in any particular freelancer's being hired. It would be an enormously stretched and twisted inference that boosting affects the absolute number of hires, or the chance of a prospect's hiring at all; many of us have worried that it might have the opposite effect, if underqualified candidates are the likeliest to boost.

With transparency, it becomes possible to assess the cost of boosting, and calculate its worth for each particular bid; that reduces the preposterous gambling element. Jobs will continue to have an investment threshold for bidding—likely now elevated—which has always been the fundamental purpose of connects. At least now that threshold can be known.

As you suggest, the ultimate test of success would be tracking boosts to client satisfaction. Until we have that metric—the only one Upwork should use to evaluate this scheme—I can afford to watch and wait.

[#8]

A sub-topic with several comments has been removed from this thread as it was off-topic. Please, refrain from entering interpersonal disputes or posting public accusations of misconduct when participating in Community discussions. 

Thank you.

[#9]

How do you know if your proposal was viewed? 

[#10]

Hi Lynette,

You can see the number of proposals you’ve sent, how many of those were viewed by clients, and how many of those resulted in interviews or hires on your My Stats page under Analytics. This report also shows whether you boosted proposals and how many Connects you’ve used to boost. You may want to check this help article for more information about your engagement outcomes on Upwork.

[#11]

Upwork please don't show Live Proposal
Upwork does the justice with new freelancers.

[#12]

Boosting the proposal is not a good option.

I am working since 2009 in Elance and Elance is best in Connect.

[#13]

I think the boosting system is like a mission war game, we Upworkers are wasting our connect on it.

[#14]

How do you check if your proposal has been viewed or not? really surprised i didn't knew about that. 

[#15]

Hey Upwork,
Why have you set " Available Now" badge based on weekly connect cost?
This will deteriorate the career of new freelancers? They have not earned yet. How they will purchase " Available Now" badge for their profile?
You know it is tough to buy something at the beginning of career.

Even most of the expert freelncers stay most of the time on Computer. So, why you are charging by offering " Available Now" badge based on money.

Again,  clients see thay freelancers are avaiable now but actually they are not. So, they become unhappy and unsatisfied.  🥲😥

What is the advantage of this feature for freelancers?

[#16]

There seems to be no advantage. The advantage is to Upwork as you spend those connects.

[#17]

I think they should reconsider this features.

[#18]

+1.  Agree with Sultan, I was about to post the same comment.  
This is a disasterous feature.  It is not even subtle, UpWorks clearly going for a [even more] money grab; there is no evidence or feedback saying that any of this wins more bids, and even if it does, it's not ethical.  

I am hoping that someday there is a craigslist version of Upworks instead of this gint NYSE traded money-making SuperBowel commercial corporate bullshiate.  All of us just want a piece and a fair one; Upworks taking our money constantly like a bad union membership.  

[#19]

Connects war is incresingly preventing those who do not boost their proposals from being viewed by clients.

[#20]

Its good

[#21]

I think the reason behind Boost is that many new freelancers are losing confidence and trust in the marketplace. I have noticed many times a proposal submitted with 100 connections for a small $5 job. It's actually nothing but a waste of money. There are many who are not fit for the job but get the job from the top rank by submitting proposals. In this case, the qualified freelancer is deprived of the job even with the proposal. He gets frustrated and loses faith in the marketplace. The same is the case with clients also when they appoint the top rank proposer the work that is not satisfied with his work. His work is not done properly and his precious time is wasted. By doing this he exits this marketplace. I think this is a downside.

I request the authorities to think more about this boost proposal.
Many new freelancers cannot come through this.
Thanks

[#22]

I agree with you. This is a sudden blow for Upwork to take against it's freelancers who have built their entire finacial income through Upwork.

Even if you're the first one to bid on a proposal, after that 20 - 50 people outbid it and you get pushed to the bottom. So, getting up early and being the first to bid doesn't work anymore.

Conversely, if you wait until the 20 - 50 people have placed their bids, only the top agencies and most successful freelancers can afford the bids.

I'm seeing my business expenses go up over 400% because of the necessity to buy a lot more connects in order to compete.

So, I'm now anticipating $400 per month to work on Upwork wheras before I was spending a little over $100, including the monthly membership fee.

I'm really having a hard time finding a silver lining in this bidding war. Does anyone have anything positive to say about it? I'm all ears - maybe I'm missing something.

[#23]

Wait until you seeing someone outbid more than 50 connect for 1 job post, 😆

[#24]

The Upwork stock price has been going south lately after boosting the bids with connects came into place....does anyone see a correlation there? The Nett Loss per share is swelling QOQ and on a Six Months basis. I am worried.

My organic bids are lost in a haystack I feel.  Being a Upwork plus freelancers and having spent 1000s of Hours here I feel down to see merit is not the criterion to get your proposal getting to the top but spending more connects. I think the clients also will be wasting time to run through the ones at top (promoted due to connects) and will be tired by the time they reach to the organic ones.....I hope Upwork addresses this soon if not later. 

[#25]

Rajesh,

I spent many years as an analyst and research director on Wall Street. 

I doubt the change in Upwork's connects policy has had a negative effect on Upwork's falling share price. In fact, because the current policy increases the purchase of connects and therefore increases Upwork's revenue to some degree, anything that brings Upwork closer to eventually operating profitably would be welcome by investors.

[#26]

1. Not giving an opportunity to freelancers to send enough proposals: Freelancers have to spend a lot of connections to send proposals. As a result, once they are disappointed, they will go back.

2. 6 Months Project Completion in 6 Days: A freelancer starts work by accepting a 6-month project but this project ended in 6 days. Now how much he earned without the project fee and connection fees?

3. Proposal Boosting Option: Many freelancers are afraid to send their proposals to Proposal Boosting Option. Where a proposal for a $100 project with 200 connections is made, the proposal is futile. Many people are not able to send proposals because they do not have so many connections

1. Proposal Boost Options: Many clients send messages to top-position freelancers even though they are not expert freelancers but they reached the top position by spending more connections. Whereas Upwork does not have an algorithm to find the best freelancer. So the client is disappointed.

The client may not get more than 10 applications for his project or expert freelancer applications where 1-4 positions are already occupied with 200 connections. Those who are new freelancers send applications without considering anything.

Nowadays, I have seen that there are very few jobs posted on Upwork now and I am not getting any interviews even for top-rated freelancers, clients are not hiring anyone. Does this mean the client is leaving?