One of the better legacies of the pandemic has been the growth of the gig economy. As everyone moved to remote work, it has become easier for creatives to fire their bosses and be full-time freelancers. But how do you get traffic to your gig?
With a gig bought every 4 seconds, Fiverr is a powerful platform for freelancers seeking work. However, there may be hundreds of creatives fighting to be hired for the same job. Here is how you can get on the first page of Fiverr and get an edge over the competition.
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1. Do Keyword Research
Using the right keywords in your gig title is possibly the most important step you can take to boost your listing visibility. You may be a songwriter, an animator, or an engineer, but a tiny bit of research into search engine optimization (SEO) will help you immensely.
Think about what a potential client looking for your service would input into the search bar. Make a shortlist of 3-5 of the most relevant keywords so that you can work them into your listing later. Ideally, you will have some long-tail keywords that contain more words and are more specific.
You can use a similar approach to regular SEO keyword research for this. Certain keywords come with less competition. For example, a search for “SEO blog post” brings up over 130,000 services while a search for “SEO writer” only yields 25,000 results and a much better chance of success. You want a good mix of both types of keywords to cover all bases.
If you are unsure of where to start, check out the profile pages of your most successful competitors. What are the keywords that they utilize? At the bottom of every gig information page is a section called “Related Tags”, this can give you additional ideas for relevant keywords.
2. Create a Listing That Sells
Now that you have your keywords, it is time to create your listing. Your listing is the first thing about you that potential clients will see. If it does not capture your client’s attention, everything else is irrelevant. With almost 50 listings on each results page, how do you stand out?
One of these images portrays trust and professionalism - which one would you buy?
Gig Title
Your gig title should be short and sweet, and incorporate the central keyword for your service as naturally as possible. For instance, “I will write your SEO blog post or article.” Fiverr uses your gig title to respond to search requests, so make sure that you choose the most strategic set of keywords.
Featured Image
The second part of creating a great listing is the featured image. Repeat your gig title in your feature image in bold text. A picture of yourself will generate more interest as our gaze naturally gravitates towards eyes. Try to keep the image professional as, a messy image reflects poorly on you. On the other hand, use a real photo - most people use stock photos, and by using a real one you’ll stand out.
With a compelling gig title and featured image, you can now work on populating the rest of your gig profile. Introduce yourself and provide a summary of your relevant qualifications and services. Consider what makes you unique and write a little about that as well.
Try to keep your language straightforward and clear. Structure is important, so use line breaks, bolds, and highlights in your content. Lists are a simple way to display information without boring your audience with too much text. Before you submit your copy, do a spelling and grammar check.
Fiverr can sometimes use the text on the gig information page to determine search results. So, make sure that you include the other shortlisted keywords in your listing if possible. That said, if you cannot make the keywords read naturally, it is probably best not to include them.
3. Level-Up Your Profile
There are four Fiverr seller levels:
- New Seller
- Level 1 Seller
- Level 2 Seller
- Top Rated Seller.
Needless to say, a higher seller level translates to more trust from potential clients, more likelihood of being hired, and more income earned through your gigs.
Fiverr evaluates seller levels daily, so you can move up the moment you meet every requirement. If your stats slip, you get a 30-day grace period to recover before being moved down.
To become a Level 1 Seller, you need at least 60 days on the platform, 10 completed orders, $400 in earnings, and at least 3 unique clients. You also need to maintain a 4.7-star rating, a 90 percent response rate, and a Success Score of at least 5 out of 10 (Fiverr's relative-performance metric introduced in the 2024 level overhaul).
What this essentially means is that Fiverr rewards excellence. By ensuring superior client satisfaction, timely communication, and minimal job cancellations or late submissions, you receive a level upgrade. This upgrade then helps you get more traffic so you can continue being awesome.
If you are confident about your skills and portfolio, you can consider being vetted for the Fiverr Pro program. If you meet the requirements, you will gain a Fiverr Pro badge (a blue checkmark) on your profile and also be listed on the exclusive Fiverr Pro portal where there is significantly less competition.
4. Promote Yourself
Self-promotion is a large part of any freelancer’s repertoire. If you are just starting out, share your gig profile on social media. Ask your friends and family to do the same too. Building links to your profile will increase traffic and enhance your chances of getting a gig or improving your ranking.
LinkedIn, Facebook groups, and online forums are other good places for you to share your services. Start by helping to answer questions and establishing your expertise. Then, casually mention that you can provide advanced professional assistance through your Fiverr profile.
If you have existing clients, try to convince them to register a Fiverr account and buy your gig through the platform. You may lose a small percentage of commission to the site but you will gain valuable reviews and ratings that can help you build your reputation and find more clients.
5. Expand Your Reach
If you want to connect with the billions of people that are using Google to search for freelance creatives, it will pay to create a simple site for your freelance persona.
Although there are many free blog hosts out there, a professional domain and hosting package could cost you less than $100 a year. You do not need much more than a compelling landing page, the content that you have already written, and a link to your Fiverr gig profile.
Creating a simple website for your freelance persona will allow you to undertake link building, an SEO technique that increases the visibility of your page. Link building will enable you to advertise your services to the entire Internet userbase instead of just the companies that use Fiverr.
When you connect with a potential customer through your website or social media page, you can simply direct them to confirm the gig through the Fiverr platform. This will not only help with your Fiverr ranking but also provide both you and the client with legal rights and protection.
Fiverr is a powerful tool for freelancers to get the exposure they need. With millions of active buyers on the platform ready to hire, why not optimize your ranking? By creating a winning listing, working hard, and promoting yourself, you can hit the top ranks on Fiverr and watch the gigs roll in.
