I'm finding It: Upping My Game in the Gig Economy

Six months in, my experience with Global Freelancing is going well. I've made considerable progress, and I'm confident that I can continue to increase my online business.

The milestones:

• I've reached the "Top Rated" level on Upwork, which means that my ratings from clients are above 90% (in fact, they're at 100%), and I've met criteria ranging from total earnings and responsiveness to consistent availability. 

• I've reached "Level One" status on Fiverr, which also means I've reached a level of success similar to Upwork. There are two further levels to achieve.

In both cases, leveling up means higher visibility and access to a higher level of customer service. Personnel at Upwork will also email leads to jobs that may be particularly appropriate for my talents and experience.

The jobs have been diverse and challenging. They've included chat-stories, short stories, professional biographies, videos edited for social media, a storybook for elementary school-age children, and professional letters for a variety of purposes.

Building From Here

As I work to improve my online presence on both platforms, I'm taking a series of steps:

• I've taken a one-on-one course on optimizing my efforts on Upwork, including improving my profile, writing more effective job proposals, and developing workable strategies for building and maintaining a client base on the site. I also learned search strategies on the site, to find more jobs that fit my expertise. (I'll be writing about the course in a future blog).
• I'm experimenting with my gigs on Fiverr, and seeking out more effective ways of improving my visibility on the site.
• I attended a local Fiverr event, which has allowed me to interact with like-minded Fiverr uses so I can learn from those who better understand how to optimize the site to attract more work (it requires a different strategy than Upwork).   I'll be joining a local Los Angeles user's group (and one for Upwork, if I should find one).

Last week, I was interviewed as part of a university study exploring the rapidly expanding "gig economy." Though the idea (and these platforms) have been around for a while, it seems that near the leading edge of a profound shift in the character of employment.

My immediate goals are to learn better optimization on Fiverr, expand into blog and article writing on Upwork, and in general find better ways of promoting my services on both sites. 

I've come a long way, but I still have a long way to go toward making this a full-time operation...but I think I'm on my way. The progress I've made so far has exceeded my expectations. I'm optimistic about the possibilities for the future.

I've always believed that whatever might be your talent, there's an audience somewhere in the world for what you do—if only you could find it.

I'm finding it.

Check out my Upwork Profile here, and my Fiverr Profile and gigs here.  If you need writing or remote video editing services, check me out (if you tell me you came from my blog, make sure to let me know).