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]

Mark,

Your second point is interesting. I have copied and pasted from older proposals before (never the entire thing, but my bio paragraph). I'll make a note not to do that again. 

[#3]

I'm posting an update based on something I noticed today. I submitted a proposal for a project on 1/25. I got a notification today saying I was outbid  and my Connects were refunded. The message ends with "Don't worry, we'll still show it to the client." So, it does appear that UpWork is holding proposal until bidding ends. 

[#4]

I often received one reply per three proposals, as well as plenty of invites, before this feature was implemented. However, since this feature was introduced, everything had changed and I am not getting any replies. This is one of the worst feature on one of the best platform and has ruined everything. I don't know what type of people bid on jobs requiring 2 connects with 100+ connects. I am extremely disappointed.

[#5]

My invitations have dropped significantly in the past few months too, Mudasser. I am wondering if that's because either I have more competition because of all the recent layoffs, or if fewer clients want to pay to send invitations. (I assume there's an additional charge for that.)

[#6]

This would be great, since the time I spent the most connects, not only did I not get the job, but I also opened a ticket because the connects were not returned to me😡, although even when I get the notification that tells me Upwork return them because I was outbid, I never have them available, which is the same as not being returned to me. I'm talking about big expenses like 40 and 30 connects

[#7]

I submitted a proposal earlier today for a project I'm well qualified for, and chose not to boost it even though I have plenty of connects. I did this as an experiment to see if I hear from the client. 😉

[#8]

I know this topic has been brought up before, and I commented on it and agree totally with the writer. Boosting and connects both needs to be abolished.   I just put in a bid on 2 jobs and if I paid the boost fees, on top of the connects I had to purchase to be visible again, and the fee I get charged for pulling my money from my Upwork account, these charges are eating up my revenue. So I have to bid higher, which puts me at the bottom of consideration. 

[#9]

I agree. The data from other sites suggests Upwork is doing alright and has no need to implement these ridiculous features. Revenue is not gonna be like it was during COVID, and to get same revenue values, they will have to wait for next corona virus with stronger impact than COVID 19.

[#10]

Found this on one website. I guess only revenue is increasing then.

[#11]

I haven't landed a job since this system was implemented. I think it favors agencies with boiler plate messages from someone who is not even the one doing the job. So real freelancers that give everything they have to their clients with minimum connects and a custom message get lost in the noise.

[#12]

I haven't gotten any jobs either - this is a bad system. I miss the days of
oDesk.

[#13]

I just got 2 after trashing a minimum of 800usd in 7 months.

they demolished our careers. I would pay 30% commission rather than accept the boosting system 

[#14]

Hey there , Hope all is well but simply I’m curious about and how you’re
using the system for what exactly?

[#15]

So I decided to play the boosting game and yes, all my boosted proposals are getting seen versus only 1/4 of organic proposals. The problem is the only interview I got was from a client who wanted pet portraits for $3 and then disappeared. Not sure what I'm doing wrong.

[#16]

ALERT ALERT, SCAM ALERT in LIVE BIDDING BY UPWORK !! Live Bidding is having another level of scam as well for us. Please keep an eye on your refunds as well if boosting some proposals.

So I applied for this job post and somehow boosted my proposal with 25 connects that's around 4 USD on 25th Jan 2023.

**Edited for Community Guidelines**

Now the current situation even you can check is the below level 

As you can see, this has reached to 399 connects but here is the thing the minimum bid is 64, but my connects haven't been reversed back to my account yet. So you can understand, the system has eaten 25 connects and more similar connects as well.

This level of scam is happening at CONNECT EATING SYSTEM!

Valeria - Is your team really paying head to the freelancers' feedback and need or just we are still in old 2022 and those methodologies. Please stand up for the community and folks and kill this live boosting mechanism for god sake.

Please please save the freelancers, they are getting dead of all this. 

[#17]

why does Upwork charge connects when they don't give you any Booting SLOT, this is a big scam 

during the writing proposal in a sec, you could lose the slot but anyhow Upwork managed to charge connects and said they charged because of the client interaction but is it Upwork efficiently? if the client intact your proposal if you nor in the boosting slot?  It happens because of your luck or maybe your profile is strong,  so work has no right to charge those connects.

after boosting system hiring rate is now 0 % even if you invest 200$ USD on connects,  

the Quality of the platform is now the worst all good clients, already moved.

not sure how I will survive  I wasted my 12 years, 

[#18]

When you connect with the client right do you actually already have work as
an example to show them that you’re qualified for that position or for that
assignment to get paid hourly and a clear KPI time frame to update there

[#19]

Ouch, is some one helpingyou with this? I hope it was resolved ?

[#20]

Need more proof as to why this is **Edited for Community Guidelines** and that there are bots involved in bidding and proposing? A freelancer posted a job ad by mistake, it not only has less than 5 proposals,

IT HAS A FREAKING 7 CONNECT BID

Please, we are asking you to remove this, to remove connects, to remove bids. There's already 50+ connects on jobs posted less than 2 hours ago. Looking for jobs is imposible, in a year I've lost my badges because my profile isn't being seeing and because my profile isn't being seen, I'm not being interviewd!! I had the same client for years, I've had more earnings and worked more hours than some of the people that are getting more jobs, and it was for nothing. I'm not getting nothing, no views, no invites to jobs, no interviews, nothing...it's discouraging.

[#21]

Hey how are you what’s your motive’s? And what job you particularly you
want to work for as an career ? ##- Please type your reply above this line
-##

[#22]

I simply don't like this waste of money feature.

It makes no sense spending crazy amount of connects .

Its very discouraging for most of the freelancers

[#23]

i think now spending more connects and boosting your proposal will help you win projects only. looks like new and experienced both have to suffer more on Upwork. only person that can win proposal is the one who spend more and more

[#24]

I know this is an old post... but I'm really devastated by this concept... it was perfect before why change it?

[#25]

The new "better" way absolutely sucks! Just a way to get more money from the ones making them money. 

[#26]

Hello, thanks for sharing the invitation; much appreciated