My Journey on Fiverr: A Freelancer’s Tale 0 (0)

Introduction

Today I am writing about my journey on Fiverr: A Freelancer’s Tale! I knew about Fiverr years ago, and I have to say that in the past, at least five years ago, its reputation wasn’t great, but quite the opposite!

There were programmers who sold every kind of software for a small amount of money, and designers making logos for 5 euros.

The competition was quite hard and it was full of scammers.

Well, the situation hasn’t changed much, but it looks like Fiverr has put a lot of effort into hindering all the scam messages you get in your inbox.

The Beginning

I already opened a Fiverr account years ago, but no matter how hard I tried, I got absolutely nothing! What changed this year?

In April/May 2024, I was looking for a new job. In the meantime, as I was sending out my applications, I thought I had nothing to lose by spending some time building my new profile on Fiverr.

I didn’t think of Fiverr as the platform to transform my skills and passion into a sustainable career. To be honest, I was prepared to get nothing this time as well.

So, I decided to open my new account. Here’s a glimpse into my Fiverr journey—how it began, the challenges I faced, and the milestones I achieved.

Navigating the Initial Phase

I first checked on YouTube what other people said about the platform and what had changed over the years since I first tried Fiverr in probably 2017 or 2018.

For a few, it was a really good experience, but for most of them, Fiverr was not really worth it at all. I decided to give it a shot anyway.

I created my profile. Having a personal website facilitated this because I just copied and pasted my picture and my presentation.

Plus, since I was doing a lot of applications at that time, it was easy to gather all the information from my CV and my cover letters; everything was already there!

I think that this was one of my strengths! Putting myself at the forefront, with a picture, a website, and all my details was a good move. I didn’t make up a name for my new business.

I believe people trust you more if you are well-known. Don’t hide yourself behind a serious, tedious, and pretentious nickname.

Gigs

On my journey on Fiverr, it is vital to prepare the Gigs. A Gig is the service you offer. You need to fill in several fields like the description of the gig, the description of the packages you offer (usually basic, standard, and premium), and add some images or videos to the gig.

Before doing that, I searched on Fiverr for similar gigs to understand what other people offer on the platform, and above all, the prices they asked for.

For new accounts, four is the maximum number of gigs you can create on Fiverr. I prepared my first four gigs, but let me say that “Create your custom WordPress plugin” was my most popular gig.

I also prepared other gigs:
1. Automate social media data processing
2. Design and develop a personal brand website
3. Speed up a website for lightning-fast performance

As a developer, I had already written some scripts, plugins, and software ready to be shipped or easily modified and deployed.

For example, in the past, I built SnapWizard, which helps users embed their Instagram feed into a WordPress website, and Smart GEO GMap, which simplifies the process of embedding a Google Map on your WordPress website using GeoJSON for encoding geographic data structures.
You can check those plugins on my Free WordPress Plugins page.

I decided to keep my prices low, initially at least, to attract more users.

After that, I was ready to run my business and continue on my journey on Fiverr!

Hitting My Stride

I could not believe it, but on my very first day on Fiverr, I got my first requests! And after three days, I closed two orders!

A very good thing on Fiverr is the statistics page: you can see how your gigs are performing and possibly make some changes. You can see how many impressions, clicks, orders, and cancellations you get.

For me, the gig “Create your custom WordPress plugin” was the most lucrative: everyone on the planet seems to have a WordPress-based website, and a lot of people need some specific plugin unobtainable online.

For example, I built a plugin on top of another plugin that didn’t offer the requested feature.

To be honest, it comes in handy to know and be comfortable working with different languages.

Are you a PHP expert? That’s great, but if you know JavaScript, you can maximize your reach. I take it for granted that if you’re working as a “developer” on the internet, HTML and CSS are not unknown to you! I am expecting the opposite.

Challenges Along the Way

The journey wasn’t without its hurdles. Some of the challenges I faced included:

1. Difficult Clients: Not every client interaction was smooth. Learning to handle difficult clients professionally was a crucial skill I developed over time thanks to an extensive past career in IT.
2. Maintaining Work-Life Balance: Freelancing offers flexibility, but it’s easy to blur the lines between work and personal time. I had to establish boundaries and manage my time effectively. Sometimes, I worked in the evening because in the afternoon I had to accomplish other personal activities, but if you are good at planning your work, you can master it!
3. Platform Policies: Understanding and adhering to Fiverr’s policies was essential to avoid any potential issues that could impact my account.

Reflecting on the Journey

Looking back, my experience on Fiverr has been incredibly rewarding. The platform is striving to prevent spam, and the quality of the job is good enough. Plus, it’s extremely satisfying when you start collecting good customer reviews!

Fiverr has provided me with the freedom to work on my terms, the opportunity to connect with a global clientele, and the ability to continuously grow and adapt in my field.

For anyone considering venturing into freelancing on Fiverr, here are my key takeaways:

1. Patience and Persistence: Success doesn’t come overnight. Stay patient and keep pushing forward.
2. Professionalism: Always deliver high-quality work and maintain professionalism in all client interactions.
3. Adaptability: Be open to feedback and willing to adapt. The freelancing landscape is constantly evolving, and staying flexible is crucial.

Conclusion

My Fiverr journey has been a testament to the potential of freelancing as a viable and fulfilling career.

The platform has empowered me to turn my skills into a thriving business, and the experience has been nothing short of transformative.

If you’re considering starting your freelancing journey on Fiverr, embrace the process, stay dedicated, and most importantly, enjoy the ride.

Happy freelancing!