Increasing Transparency in Boosted Proposals

[kochubei_valeria]

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.

[9f395534]

I agree with you.

[alkesh_99]

This is unfair!
Upwork please let the clients choose the best freelancer for themselves without this boost option.

The client's maximum budget is $500 and within 18 minutes of the job post, this is what happens, when actually it cost 6 connects to apply. This boost option is abhorrent in every way. Once, I observed someone who had boosted with 520 connects. this is not fair enough.

Upwork makes no sense Now, particularly for new users. The future of Upwork is in a blink if nothing is done.

[9f395534]

This is too much 520 connects to what is going on on Upwork.?

[81852f33]

Some proposals is only intended when we have enough bids and buy connects on our proposal.

[7302742d]

Upwork proposal boost is a irritating feature of Upwork for new freelancer like us.

[cebd605e]

Hi Valeria,

Proposal boost using connect is like an "Auction room". This is not perfect for any NEW and OLD freelancers. This is very sad news for every freelancer.

When I'm applying as the first 5 candidates and I believe I'm perfect for the project, another low-quality freelancer can easily come in front of the row and boost his application. Even if I applied at the first moment the job was posted, you see other people come on top of the pool.

Then what is the difference between a non-expert and an expert?

Regards,

Nayem

[cbcc45a3]

First, They killed pure competition between freelancers by adding BOOSTING CONNECTS feature in job proposals.

[shahidmalla1337]

I love this feature. Because proposal attack will bit harm any buyer. 

Getting 100 of praposal even client not notice. 

So best to nakebit limited 

[anis_u_rehman]

I am not geting hired since boost proposal feature introduce by Upwork.

[annikaberns]

I spent 80 connects the whole week and no one viewed. I trried to bid but still being outbid. This connects bidding sucks it gives the more moneyed freelancers so much advantage. Us who rarely gets clients are doomed.

[nmelssx]

I have barely gotten any views or invites since this new update. In the short term, Upwork might make a lot of money from freelancers trying to outbid each other. But in the long term, if clients are barely hiring due to this change, and freelancers barely getting hired, then Upwork will lose money from no work being done, and a lot of people will leave the platform for similar platforms due to there being no work available to do.

[arc_star]

Hi!

I'd like to share my despare and disappointment by new Upwork bidding system.

I'm a member of this platform since 2017 and worked hard as many freelancers here to earn the Top rated badge.

But after Russia invaded my country, Ukraine, I didn't have a constant access to the online work and (I guess) as a result now during a couple of months I can't get a new project thanks to new bidding system. I had approx. 90 connects and now I spent most of them for nothing. The only one client came, it was my old one. 

Is there anybody here who will answer how long this experiment will stay, how to survive if you have no other job opportunities and where is Upwork's  "help to Ukraine" declaratively appearing in every Upwork window?

I don't even mention how it effects Upwork reputation between potential and present clients.

[f50c4a5c]

New bidding system has killed opportunity for new freelancers. The way should be person who place proposal first that should be first bid. How new freelancers can purchase a lot of connects at start without work. Upwork should revise this policy to encourage new freelancers on platform.

[tlsanders]

It wouldn't make sense to have the first bidder automatically at the top. There are a few reasons, but the most significant is that people who bid instantly are usually people who have no work and are sitting around desperately refreshing their feeds. Those are rarely going to be the best options for the client. 

[f50c4a5c]

If one person submit  a Proposal after one second of post  and the other person post after 2 hrs or 3 hrs and came on first proposal just spending more connects more money then it is just a play of spending more money. Who will send more money he will be at top!!

If you can see this new freelancers will be at last of each job that means no work!

Bidding is key success of new freelancers , bidding should be fair for all. 

But here upwork itself pushing new freelancers at end . 

[tlsanders]

You seem confused about how it works. There are three spots for people who boost their posts. There is of course a very huge difference between being at # 4 or lower and being "at last of each job." Surely you don't think that every client only looks at the top three proposals and hires from among them? 

[6e870777]

Most boosted proposals are from unqualified freelancers. So, even if they are first, they likely will not be hired. Boosting seems to be useful to Upwork, not the freelancers. Obviously, Upwork likes the income from the connects. I won't use it, and many clients don't like it either. I still win jobs without boosting. I don't think it raises chances much, if at all, of getting projects.

[e00b050e]

it does raise chances of getting hired. most client only see the first threes. if they are in a haste to hire they will probably pick from the top three to 5 or 10, you that didn't boost your proposal will be at 50 or more tell me when the client will read to that extent . some proposals doesn't even get viewed by client with organic proposals. i have witnessed it. i have been submitting organic proposals my proposals doesn't even get any views but ones boosted i get viewed and hired.  don't you know as they are boosting you that is the first will probably be the last becaues they have outbid you

[the-right-writer]

Where did you get this conclusion when you have no jobs? Where is your experience? Where are the statistics showing your statement is accurate? How many clients have you spoken with? You do not have Upwork experience to make claims of what works and what does not.

What makes you think clients only look at the top three? There are no statistic showing boosting results in more hires. Some people feel it helps, but most seem to hate the practice. It is not necessary to be in the top three to win jobs. Many clients do not like boosting and have complained about it.

I have personally seen no reason to boost. Clients have told me they don't even read through the top proposals usually, because they are garbage from the start. Of course there may be some good ones, but the clients are realizing the boosting is a paid ad. Most of the clients I know, understand that advertising has nothing to do with quality.

[arc_star]

I completely agree.

This forum was flooded by fake account bots as well as the entire platform. 

Sorry I used your quote as you had expressed my emotions in the most exact way.

[the-right-writer]

It's OK, Valeriia. I was responding to another freelancer, not to you. I didn't even see a post from you. I'm just trying to figure out why I keep finding my exact comments as if written by another freelancer.

You can use my comments, that's ok.

For anyone who doesn't know, it's fine to use someone else's comments or words, but you need to use quotation marks before and after the other freelancer's words, or somehow show the author. It can be confusing in a thread of comments regarding who is saying what to whom.

[tlsanders]

"you that didn't boost your proposal will be at 50 or more"

Since there are only three boosted proposals and you've declared that anyone who doesn't boost will be "at 50 or more," can you explain who you think is appearing in slots 4 through 49? 

[the-right-writer]

When you use someone's exact wording, it is common practice to use quotes to indicate the author.

This seems to be a thing now. I keep finding my exact words in other freelancer's posts.

[tlsanders]

"Most boosted proposals are from unqualified freelancers."

Where did you find this data? 

[kebedeassefa]

This is irrelevant. please give the clients the chance to select freelancers. it is time to look at another platform. bye bye Upwork

[martina_plaschka]

You seem to believe that  clients look only at the first three proposals and ignore the rest. On what do you base this assumption?

[asadmehbob]

Earlier, I thought it is a good step but now I'm not supporting this because Clients are supposing one of the top 3 freelancers. Freshers are not being supported in this system.

[davis-michael]

No more buying connects for me until they give up on this, not worth wasting money

[bain-bivash]

Hello Upwork ,
Please stop boosting section from Upwork  proposal. It's not helpful to find real workers for a clint. So, please stop it and give opportunity on new freelancer who are more responsible and hardworker.

[6e5bd12a]

I am new to Upwork and I bought sub for 80 connects and to see bids but as I am new I cannot just go around buying 100s of connects on weekly basis as when I try to send a proposal and try to boost it I 1 to 3 time saw some just bid 50 connects and I was amazed to see that I would not even stand anywhere like this even if I do send a proposal to them. Would like a restriction on this bidding system. 

[arc_star]

I've read almost all messages in this topic and some weird idea came to my mind: what if this platform doesn't have enough job proposals to award enough freelancers? What if these posted jobs are mostly fake or empty? Otherwise, how to explain this strong desire to keep boosting system alive despite all user categories - newbies, veterans as well as customers are not happy with it? It looks like unevitable end is coming and someone wants to grab as much as possible before this.

In my opinion, this explains everything - absence of profile views, response and interviews after job application. Maybe clients leave for another websites using more conventional ways to select and hire freelancers, more transparent system?

I'm posting this to hear your opinion.

[emailfinding]

Hi Upwork,  My request to you kindly change the bidding system to previous one please.  This is what happened now days with us with boost system please. 

[mher_f]

Hello
I'm a beginner at Upwork and I want to get a job but I can't because the rates are very high, below is an example.

Please reconsider the Set a bid feature.

[nav_designer]

ok, we know Upwork will never listen to freelancer requests but for slight betterment, they can. because we pay for the services, we are nearly dead already. 

3 slots are booked leave it.

but after 4th slot proposal should be boosted based on

1)number of jobs, hours, and Earning 

2)top-rated badge or plus badge

3)number of jobs done according to client-required skills 

4)according to the job score

5)according to verified certifications 

like the other website freelancing platform does. 

but here at Upwork, they throw proposals randomly I ask why? 

[tlsanders]

Why do you want to stack the deck so heavily against talented newcomers? Just because it would benefit you personally? 

[najamuddinanjum]

I have read the article about increasing transparency in booster proposal but I strongly disagree with this decision because it will only benifit upwork. 

So that people can waste most of the bids and the only rich people can get work through upwork. 

If I see the maximum bid is 20 connects I will use 21 that's just a race. 

And Upwork should know that people has hired bidders. 

They purchase lots of connects and just bid highly and get the job. 

That's it.

[shamssujon]

I don't like Upwork's proposal boosting feature. It is very unfair that anyone can boost their proposal to the top even if there are better skilled applicants. It seems like a money game. Whoever has more money gets first priority. What a shame!

[ebookknow]

I feel the same.

[9e8d9c0d]

What I think is, it is enough bad update, Even Upwork is losing fame because of this.

Anyone can simoly assume that Upwork is doing that for money.

What I really think is Upwork is not the same as in the past. It is moving toward bad experiences.

[c17f7af3]

Honestly, We are not happy with this feature of outbidding and boost, every senior artist just losing their job because of that feature,