If you’re sending proposals on Upwork but not getting responses, your profile might be a problem. Clients scan quickly and look at your photo, title, and a few lines of your summary, then decide whether to keep going. Here’s how to make your profile stand out and convert views into replies.
✔️ Use a clear and professional photo: Avoid blurry images or distracting backgrounds. Use a high-quality headshot with a clean backdrop. Your face should fill most of the frame since this builds trust immediately.
✔️ Write a keyword-targeted title: Generic titles like “Digital Marketer” don’t rank well or tell much to the client. Use relevant keywords: “Instagram Growth Strategist | TikTok Ads Expert”. Look through Upwork job listings and match the language clients are already using.
✔️ Open your summary with a hook: Instead of starting with “Hi, my name is…”, jump straight to what you do and the value you provide. For example: “I help ecommerce brands grow from 0 to 50k+ followers using eye-catching content and paid growth strategies.”
✔️ Add social proof and measurable results: Use bullet points to list your key achievements:
✔️ End with a call to action: Invite clients to reach out or set up a call. This gives them a clear next step: “Message me to talk about how we can grow your brand.”
The Project Catalog can greatly increase your visibility, but only if it looks professional. Most freelancers skip this, which gives you a chance to stand out.
✔️ Start with 1–3 offers: These could include:
✔️ Use clean, branded visuals: Your thumbnails should look better than typical Fiverr templates. Clients judge your quality based on how your project looks.
✔️ Use real keywords: Use the exact terms clients type when searching: “Instagram Ads”, “Content Strategy”, “TikTok Growth”. This helps your project catalog show up in searches.
Your portfolio should spotlight your services, not just past work. Group items by category:
Use strong thumbnails and client outcomes (e.g. “increased engagement by 240%”) in your descriptions. Don’t just show what you made, show what it achieved.
✔️ Create a specialized profile: Along with your general profile, create one focused on a specific service like “Content Strategy” or “Paid Social Campaigns.” These rank better and feel more tailored to clients looking for that exact service.
✔️ Add a short intro video: Just 1–2 minutes. Explain who you help, what you do, and how. No editing needed, being genuine builds trust and sets you apart.
✔️ List more skills: Use all available slots. Include both specific tools (e.g., “Meta Business Suite”) and broader categories (“Instagram Ads”, “Content Calendar Strategy”). More keywords mean more profile matches.
Offering a 30-minute paid consultation can screen out non-serious clients and lead to larger projects.
Why it works:
How to run it:
✔️ Enable “Available Now”: This paid badge raises your search ranking and shows you’re responsive. It’s worth the slight cost each week.
✔️ Set availability to contract-to-hire: Clients looking for long-term partnerships often filter by this setting. Enable it even if you're open to short-term gigs.
✔️ Use the Upwork mobile app: Quick replies mean more conversions. Upwork tracks your response time, and faster responders get more attention.
If you're just starting out, consider asking a past client to post a paid job for you on Upwork. Even a small job adds credibility and unlocks profile features. This early success can make a big difference in your momentum.
Once your profile is optimized, your proposal success rate will improve naturally. You don’t have to handle it all manually. Vollna helps freelancers and agencies:
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