If you missed it, Upwork’s now charging people $.15 per connnect to apply to jobs — that’s on TOP of the 20% they already take in commission.
It’s a pretty heartless decision, but you know what? I’m a little surprised they took this long to do it. They’re trying to clear the field of people who move randomly (as opposed to strategically) on the site by tying bidding behavior to economic disincentives.
I think it’s more than that though.
I think they also figured out who needs them the most, and that’s freelancers — especially ones who don’t want to or don’t know how to do their own marketing and project management.
Upwork sets standards, which is what concerns me, but whatever happens, the way I see it, you have a few options to respond to this in a way that benefits you as a freelancers.
- Pass it on and raise your rates: Roll the monthly cost of your applications into your rates for other clients. Technically it’s a marketing cost and therefore, a business expense.
- Tighten your strategy: When costs rise, it’s time to be more efficient. If you plan on staying on Upwork, budget how much you’re willing to spend monthly on connects and make sure you get the most out of every one.
- Go where things are free: You still have a TON of options besides Upwork. They won’t offer the same quantity of jobs and may take longer to find traction, but they’re an option. I keep a list here.
- Market Yourself: Y’all are probably tired of me saying this, but it’s time to take control of your marketing. These platforms ain’t loyal and any of them can pull this (and worse) at any time. The less you rely on them the better.
The best part though, is that Upwork is just one corner of freelance world.
There’s a TON of work out there that needs freelancers — even more than you find on Upwork. Don’t be scared to step out into the big waters. You have a whole community behind you.
Megan
What’s going on in the BF Academy?
Over in the Academy Skype group we of course talked Upwork, but also got into writing outlines, resume tools, and whether it’s really necessary to go to a bunch of events as a freelancer.