Marketplace Updates: Boosted Proposals and Connects

[ShannonL]

Two new Marketplace updates: 

1. Introduced a fourth slot in Boosted Proposals, increasing your chances of being noticed, while continuing to let clients see who is most interested in their job post.
2. Adjusted the range for the cost of Connects per job to better match the demand for jobs in the Marketplace.

Check out the product release for Marketplace Updates: Boosted Proposals and Connects and let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

[veepress]

I guess all the things the teach and preach about user inclusive and equitable platform are all lies, if Upwork can not implement equity and freelancer inclusive platform, then there is a problem somewhere. There decision making team needs to be more rational and practical.

[glen-s]

Naturally. Always be wary of any profit making company that declares itself to be 'inclusive' in any way. They will co-opt movements and anything deemed to be 'progressive' to their advantage to use them as branding and selling points. Upwork has no interest in being a 'fair' and 'equitable' platform. These ideas are dropped in a second if profits are threatened or affected in any way.

[16370782]

I just saw a big rise in connect price- now some jobs cost 16 connects for fixed budget of 30$, that's insane. So technically to win a job you have to pay more than there is earn potential. Some jobs don't even hire anyone, there is a big connection waste for freelancers. This platform is slowly becoming unprofitable for freelancers, especially new ones.

[dalibor_druzinec]

It's 12 now?! Edit: nope, even more, found one for 16 (is that even max?)🤣
Cmmon! There is no justifying this. You'd like to lower the number of proposals per job?
Sure, make it 1000 connects per job and be done with it.
Maybe you should raise the max boost to 100 000 while you are at it.
And don't forget to push more fake jobs...

You really need to think about your policy. I'd welcome a fair change like repaying the connects where the job owner does not look at any proposals.
But that would lower your profit margins, and that's not a priority, is it?

Why be fair, when you bow to almighty $?

[5a0c58b1]

Eye  is so great

[hw_skuratov]

I feel like they're doing good in terms of reducing the number of active freelancers.
At least I consider pausing my work and prospecting on Upwork, so props to you, Upwork!

[zubairhusnain58]

there are very deficult to get job by proposal at upwork after boost option anyone can suggest me the best and easist way

 

[sadia265]

It's really frustrating to see these bidders. Upwork should eliminate the boosting system. Also, they should charge the clients for job postings, not the freelancers who want to work on this platform. Fake clients will not spam on Upwork if they get charged. 

[ri3dviz]

Yep, but they won't do that because their business model is a numbers game, the more jobs posted and applied to the more they make.
I just reactivated my Freelancer account, that place is worse but I can no longer make ends meet here on Upwork.

[ihabf]

Upwork is not a charity organization, they need to make money, as do the freelancers. That's the basic concept of running a business.

But....

Although raising the required number of connects for a job proposal is not something we freelancers favor much, but in my opinion this is not the real problem. I guess any freelancers would happily spend 8 or 10, or may be 12 connects on a proposal if we know we have a good and fair chance of getting the job (I'm not talking about those weird $5 fixed price jobs that cost 8 connects). 

The real problem is the boosting option which is killing the fair chance of getting hired. It's concentrating winning the jobs into the hands of the select few who have already accumulated a wealth of $, and who can now afford to spend connects without a ceiling, so that they will only and always be visible to clients, while others with limited $ resources and connects will always be shadowed, with no chance of being noticed, hence killing any chance of making any decent work, although many of these may be really talented freelancers, and have a lot of skills to offer clients. 

Upwork should remove the boosting option altogether. Boosting violates the equal opportunity for freelancers to get hired. 

If Upwork aims to limit the number of proposals the clients receive per job, then they can add an option to the client when posting a job to set how many proposals he is willing to receive. For example, an option to receive 10, 20, 30, ..., 50 proposlas. When this proposal limit is reached, freelancers cannot propose anymore to that job. However, Upwork may also give the client an option to extend the number of proposals at any time, in case they did not receive a satisfactory proposal.

As for imposing a fee for clients to post a job, I don't think this is a good idea, because clients will then be more hesitant to post jobs. This will reduce the number of posted jobs, which is not good for freelancers, as well as for Upwork. But what to do with those weird jobs, the ones with a $5 budget for example, or jobs of clients who never hire, etc... Here we, the freelancers, should be selective. Don't apply for a $5 job, or some other low rate budget for a job that requires real work. Also I'd look into the client history and hire rate. Some clients post tens of jobs and either never hire or rarely hire. so don't respond to those clients, nor to clients with unverified payment methods. Select jobs from clients with hgher probability of hiring, like a clients history of more than 50% hire rate, and check their previous/current jobs for any weird jobs like those $5 ones. In short be selective.

In conclusion:

- Upwork should remove the boosting option from bidding process

- Upwork may instead introduce number of proposals limit to be set by the client

- Freelancers should be more selective in responding to job posts, and do some basic due diligence on the clients and their history

[ri3dviz]

I don't agree with your take on having the client pay a fee.
Upworks current business model is volume, more jobs posted more money for them, that's not sustainable.
In my line of work, a 3D rendering for a kitchen let's say in the open market is around $350.00 and up, here you see the same job for $50.00. So, Upwork instead of making $35.00 makes $5.00. Fewer high paying high quality jobs would net them more money per job. But as I said their model is a numbers game and they seem to think more numbers is more profitable. The downside is now it's like Fivver here, so there's nothing special about the place.

[hw_skuratov]

I feel like Upwork made its choice and the choice is to reduce the number of active freelancers by changing rules and raising prices, adding this casino-eske bidding system.

I am saying for myself - it worked. You just lost another freelancer, Upwork.
Good luck to anyone starting your journey in 2023, because it's going to be hell of a ride for you, guys!

[16370782]

It is a hell of a ride. I just started and only jobs I can get are the very low paying ones that nobody wants. But what can I do, I desperately need reviews. When I calculated my hourly rate was around 6$. When I think about that I feel exploited. 

[ri3dviz]

I'm in the USA, even USA clients want me to work below the national minimum wage. Upwork has created a bottom feeder paradise where the race to the bottom wins. So now, they stick more expense on the freelancer. I mean how much can you gouge the horse that feeds you before they all run away? Maybe that's the plan, make as much as they can now then close the business down.

[s_shahkar]

To all those enquiring if connects price rates increased, I just cam accross this job post of $5 and guess what it requires 8 connects and not just that now connects are going even higher upto 16connects/per job. Upwork has gone completly mad.

[hw_skuratov]

Ridiculous, isn't it? And there might be 10 - 15 people sending their proposals for this job just to get their first job and profile verified.

Upwork exploits its community

[s_shahkar]

Exactly by that time, the total number of proposals sent was more than 20 and definitely many others would have tried their luck just to as you said "get their first job and profile verified" but Upwork will be defending by saying this and that and not ready to take measures that benefit both parties.

[mg_s_dev]

Hi Shannon,

I read carefully the terms of increasing Proposals and connects per job. As I understood, this is aiming for increasing the opportunity by limiting the count of bidders per project, right?

I always respect the platform's decision, however, at this time, I don't think this does work as long as there are fake freelancers. nowadays, I could see a lot of developers who do not have any feedback, and they're bidding on a project with entire proposals 50 which amount they can receive as soon as create an account.
To stop fake freelancers bidding who dirting the platform, I think the platform should have a process to verify payment before the first bid, or must not give the connects enough.

I hope this cost increase should be rolled back!

Thanks.

[5a0c58b1]

I read carefully the terms of increasing Proposals and connects per job. As I understood, this is aiming for increasing the opportunity by limiting the count of bidders per project, right?

I always respect the platform's decision, however, at this time, I don't think this does work as long as there are fake freelancers. nowadays, I could see a lot of developers who do not have any feedback, and they're bidding on a project with entire proposals 50 which amount they can receive as soon as create an account.
To stop fake freelancers bidding who dirting the platform, I think the platform should have a process to verify payment before the first bid, or must not give the connects enough.

I hope this cost increase should be rolled back!

Thanks.

[9e736e0f]

Dear, Upwork!
Please listen to your community and stop destroying the stock exchange, I’ve been working on the apron for almost a year, and still consider myself a beginner, since I’ve only had a few orders, I just can’t afford to apply for 16 connects to work ( If I get a reply ) for $25. Please, stop it!!

[prriyyanka13]

As per the latest Marketplace Update regarding connects 

 " the new adjusted range will be anywhere from 2 to 8 Connects, depending on the value of the job"

I see jobs posted for 12-16 connects recently. Has something changed again? Why? Was 8 not already on the higher side?

[nelick]

After the March innovations, Upwork's policy toward Freelancers is again "surprising" (in a bad way).

I've looked at other members' comments, and I see that most people are having problems one way or another because of the unbalanced pricing of the Proposals.

The essence of the problem that Upwork is trying to solve, and make money, doesn't change. The client either doesn't want to understand the list of participants for the vacancy or just looks at the " boosted " options, thus demonstrating that the average freelancer and the newbie are out of the game. Or he determines for himself only a specialist with the right skills for him. And all the other participants in this "auction" who spent a lot of time and money on the Connection, are still left out in the cold. And I still see (in my niche) often 50+ candidates for an average job.

Bottom line:
- The amount of time and effort a professional spends on searching for a job has not changed.
- The frequency of recruitment and the methodology with which the average customer is approached has not changed.
- The quality of the job description, and the adequacy of it, have remained the same.
- The logic of pricing Connections, is still not clear (how can it cost 12 connections, the job in which the payment is 5-10 dollars per hour, and the project length (estimated) is 2 hours? )
- The cost of connections has risen from 15 cents per job to $2.1 in the medium term!
(At the same time I am actively offered the service Freelance Plus, and still must pay the "availability badge")

And with all these problems as I said, only freelancers are affected, in fact. In the future, this will reduce the number of low- and medium-paid projects performed, which are the majority on the site.. So in the long run Upwork will lose more.
It's sad...

[9e736e0f]

Unfortunately, this often happens with large companies, will hope they'll hear us, probably...

[nelick]

Yes, alas.
I don't even have anything to add. Many people have chosen freelancing as their main source of income and earning.
This has shown itself very well, especially during the pandemic. And also in my region where there is a war going on. And Upwork has been a really respected authority on the subject.

[b2dcf7fa]

I run out of free connects to apply for more job so I bought 100 more, but these connects just had me applied to 3 or 4 jobs smh. Even the entry level job with 5usd per hour is already 8 connect to apply. This upwork app is getting worser and worser every update. 

[aman_rozyev]

When I started freelancing on Upwork in 2019 they offer monthly 60 free connects and proposal bidding required 2-6 connects. Now, the minimum required connects are from 8 to 18 also they released a new proposal boost and availability badge features that require even more connects. I always recommended Upwork to anyone who was interested in freelancing, but, now I'm not sure.

[nelick]

Oh my God! I've seen a maximum of 16 connections so far.
But already 18?!
Why not make 80, 100, 200 at once?)

[glen-s]

It's a money making scheme by Upwork so it wont' change.

[206189ca]

I see that we (freelancers) need to speak out about this issue. We come here to find a job, and we know the exchange (what we want we have to pay, right?), but now we have to purchase a lot of connects for some jobs for which we don't know if we will be hired or not.  Hope the organization will listen to us and get money from us logically and reasonably. 

[k_froudarakis]

Well, it has been said before in this thread but I will repeat it. I, too, cannot and will not recommend Upwork any longer to people that want to start freelancing. It's quickly becoming non-viable for us older members of the platform. I cannot imagine the pain trying to start and make a name for yourself here, under these circumstances.

[ehaamkhan]

Very un professional approach from upwork by changing the connects rate from 2, 4 ,6 to  8,12 very unsatisfactory decision

[prriyyanka13]

All the recent changes that Upwork has introduced has only led to reduced chances of getting hired on Upwork and the sole reason for that is there are very few clients vs the number of freelancers on this platform. I have hardly won any projects recently despite being Top rated plus. 

By recent changes I mean -

- Significant increase in the number of connects required to apply for the job

- Boosting proposals that cost very high number of connects

- Stopping of Awarding connects

- Adding availability tag at the cost of spending connects

In all, this has led to freelancers carrying all the burden of Upwork to get revenue. I request Upwork to revisit these changes at the earliest please.

Is there any one amongst the freelancers who has benefitted from these changes?

[pemanchola]

Now that job postings can require up to 16 connects to apply, please update the "Connects needed" search criteria accordingly. It currently only covers up to 6 connects:

[prriyyanka13]

Since applying for a job now requires much more connects than before, why not provide more membership connects now? Its still the same old 70 connects. Is anyone from Upwork listening? How many projects one can win with these meagre 70 connects?

[m_terrazas]

You can use the $15 that PLUS costs to buy 100 connects, which added to the 10 per month make 110.
I think the advantages of PLUS are not really worth it.

[b1a9a6dc]

8 connects for $5 entry level job 😭

 

[45772793]

Ma'am good day. I just new here in upwork and I just found a typing job. I contact direcly since it is posted here. I signed a contract in **Edited for Community Guidelines** company, and they gave me a typing job.**Edited for Community Guidelines** as their representative gave me the typing job good for 4 days and wil pay me 3500 dollar. When I finished the job, I sent it as he instructed to their email. But when I asked my payment he gave me an instruciton how to get. He instructed me to sign in site and  make an account. I did it and they sent my payment on account. But when I withdraw it through paypal I need to pay 100 euro for the OTP. I need to pay them first before they wil pay me. I conclude that it is a scam, because this is the first time I encounter that need to pay for the OTP verification. Can I ask you idea if I am right? I want to send this report to the admin but I couldn't reach them, can you help me if you have some idea? Thank you for your help.

[m_terrazas]

Well, it is clear that you have not read the TOS that you claimed to have read when creating your profile.
That "job" is a scam, think about it a bit. Who's going to pay someone $3,500 to type some documents?

You've broken the TOS down in the basics:
- You have communicated outside of Upwork before having a contract. First foul.
- You have agreed to work outside of Upwork. Second foul.
- You have agreed to get paid outside of Upwork. Third foul.

Now you want Upwork to help you? Why should they? You'll be lucky if they don't ban your profile.

By the way, are you using your name?

ETA: 

- https://community.upwork.com/t5/Freelancers/To-all-freelancers-looking-for-help/m-p/1222058#M731117
- https://community.upwork.com/t5/Community-Blog/Top-Red-Flags-for-Scams-From-Community-Member-Wes-C/b...

[glen-s]

What a rude and deeply unhelpful response. No empathy that someone made a genuine mistake and got ripped off, but instead, it's "here are the rules you've broken and you deserve everything you get." How nice.

@Korean Study W - don't waste any of your time responding to this message - this person will likely use the information you give to pass it onto Upwork and will be happy if you are banned.

Unfortunately, you've have been scammed and there is little you will be able to do about it on Upwork as they will look at the case as "breaking the rules". I'm not sure if this link is the most informative, but use it as a start point on how contracts work on here: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063418-Hourly-vs-Fixed-Price-Projects. Hopefully some other people with more knowledge on where to find the right information will be able to pass on some links for you too.

[m_terrazas]

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Glen S wrote:

What a rude and deeply unhelpful response. No empathy that someone made a genuine mistake and got ripped off, but instead, it's "here are the rules you've broken and you deserve everything you get." How nice.

If she got scammed it's because she didn't follow the Upwork rules. She didn't make a genuine mistake. She's just not ready to work here if she doesn't know how it works.

@Korean Study W - don't waste any of your time responding to this message - this person will likely use the information you give to pass it onto Upwork and will be happy if you are banned.

What nonsense are you talking? She will answer me if she wants.
Pass the information to Upwork? No need, the information is there. Moderators can read it just like you can.
And I'm not happy if they ban someone unless they're a jerk.

Unfortunately, you've have been scammed and there is little you will be able to do about it on Upwork as they will look at the case as "breaking the rules". I'm not sure if this link is the most informative, but use it as a start point on how contracts work on here: https://support.upwork.com/hc/en-us/articles/211063418-Hourly-vs-Fixed-Price-Projects. Hopefully some other people with more knowledge on where to find the right information will be able to pass on some links for you too.

So that you stay calm, I have already left her a couple of links that have a lot of the information that she needs. Let's hope she reads them.

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