Designer Work on International Platforms Upwork and Fiverr: A Complete Guide

In the gig economy of today, freelance marketplaces like Upwork and Fiverr are serving as hubs for creators of all kinds to showcase skills, attract clients and get hired for work. These marketplaces attract designers, copywriters, artists, and UX professionals who want to work anywhere in the world and choose the type of projects they work on. Doing freelance projects is an excellent way to make extra income, or to build your portfolio as an artist or creator. The best part of freelancing on Fiverr and Upwork is that no matter what skill level you are, there are probably clients seeking exactly what you offer.

Freelance success can be achieved by anyone willing to learn how to present their skills and offerings in a professional way on freelance platforms. So it’s important to design your profile in a way that makes clients want to click. And this is where design tools like Amadine can help. Amadine is a vector graphic design tool that allows you to create professional portfolios and high quality design deliverables. If you’re thinking of launching your services on a freelance marketplace, read this article to learn tips and best practices so you can get started.

Why Freelance Platforms Work for Designers

Fiverr, Upwork and other freelance marketplaces are goldmines of opportunity for freelancers. As a creator, you can connect with an incredible variety of clients no matter where you live: from Fortune 500 companies looking for presentation design, to a local bakery across the world seeking out a logo and brand design. Designers may be hired to create graphics for an AI startup one day, then for the next project, get hired by a children’s book author looking for cute illustrations. There is no end to the variety of work for designers on these platforms.

Freelance work can also be found in a range of budgets and work style preferences through Fiverr and Upwork. So whether you are happy with one-off 50 USD small projects, or if you prefer to take on a high-end corporate client wanting a series of deliverables for several thousand dollars over a few months, there will be work that aligns with your level of experience and the pace you want to work.

More importantly, as a designer, you can market yourself and your skills on these platforms without spending any money. It’s completely free to start. You simply create your profile, highlight your skills, add examples of your work and then answer client inquiries and bid on projects where your talent would shine.

Creating a Strong Profile

If you’re convinced you’d like to market your skills on a freelance platform, there are a few steps to be aware of before you begin. First you’ll give personal information like address and name, and upload a copy of your official ID—usually a drivers license or passport. On Upwork, new freelancers are verified with a video call with a team member to ensure the ID matches a real person.

Once verified, start building your profile on the platform to let people know about your skills and the style of work you do. The summary of your profile is a good place to tell a bit about you and how your personality makes you unique as a freelancer. Don’t forget to mention the kind of work you like to do most, if you have a preference. For example, if you’re an animal lover and you particularly want to work with pet brands that have a modern sensibility, mention that in your profile. If your passions are digital design and food, let people know that you enjoy working with cooking content creators or food companies. Personal touches in your profile can help connect you with the right clients.

As one freelancer among many, polished visuals are the way to stand out on these platforms. Amadine is an excellent tool to help you design a high-quality profile that gets attention. With Amadine, you can create all the branding elements to present your skills and packages of services, and even add your branding to the sample pieces in your portfolio. Whether you are a graphic artist, illustrator, video editor or writer, a beautifully designed profile is the top way to attract clients and build trust, especially when you are new to the platforms.

Building Service Catalogs: Gigs and Project Catalogs

After creating your profile, it’s time to get started with your offerings. For each platform, freelancers create listings of the services offered, similar to an online storefront. On Upwork, these are called Project Catalogs and on Fiverr, these are referred to as Gigs. These listings are the way clients find you when hiring someone to do a project. They allow buyers to see details of what you offer, pricing tiers, your turnaround time and read reviews from past clients. All these elements combine to present a picture of you as a freelancer, and help clients feel confident that you’d be perfect for the job.

To create your Gig or Project Catalog, use Amadine to design your image and thumbnail. Then you can also work in Amadine to create all your portfolio assets, like mockups, custom illustrations or vector graphics. These examples showcase your capabilities as a designer. If you’re not a visual artist, you can still incorporate your own branding into your written portfolio pieces by adding a logo or a color scheme to your samples using Amadine.

To maximize your visibility and get hired faster, fill in every field available for the gig or project. Write clear titles that describe your services and skills, and use keywords that are frequently searched. And, don’t forget relevant hashtags, which also help you show up in relevant searches. Spend some time looking at a few profiles of freelancers in your field to understand what keywords are best for your niche.

Though they aren’t required, Fiverr encourages video previews because they boost conversion rates and help clients connect with you on a more personal level. It’s up to you whether you present a video, but whatever you decide to present, make it clear what you offer, be professional and showcase only your best work.

Managing Deadlines and Deliverables

Deadlines can make or break a freelancer’s success. Though freelancers are self-managed, you should treat any project you are hired for as a professional job. Adhere to deadlines as if each client is your most important. On Fiverr when a client places an order, the countdown begins, and you should plan accordingly how you will deliver the work. Missing a deadline will affect your rating, so make sure to deliver work within the time frame agreed on with the client.

Upwork allows for slightly more flexibility with deadlines, but the client must agree if a deadline is to be changed in the middle of a project. The best practice is to be clear and honest about timelines, and ask questions at the beginning of a project if anything is unclear. Only commit to deadlines you can meet. Meeting deadlines will also help you gain a five-star review from clients, and put you on the way to “Top Rated” freelancer status on the platforms.

Scaling Your Freelance Work

As you start working on projects and gather positive ratings, don’t hesitate to raise your prices gradually. As you sharpen your skills and deliver more work, you gather a positive track record that justifies higher rates. Both platforms allow you to control your workload by letting you limit how many active orders you have at one time. This helps you keep quality high without being overwhelmed with projects. And one big factor in your rating is your response time. Quick replies to inquiries from potential clients will keep your search rankings high and show that you are serious about customer service.

Payments and Taxes

Now, let’s focus on possibly the most important part for freelancers: getting paid. Both platforms offer different withdrawal options like PayPal, Payoneer, Wise, or bank transfers. It’s key to remember that after submitting work, payment is not immediate. The client must accept the work for the freelancer to be paid, which can take a few days. Then it can take an additional two weeks for the payment to clear on the platform. Altogether, count on about 2 to 3 weeks for payment after finishing work. This is key to remember when planning your finances.

It’s also critical to know that these platforms don’t withhold taxes. As a freelancer, you are responsible for declaring all freelance income in your home country, and paying taxes on that income. The platforms do keep detailed financial records from the time you start being paid, so you have easy access to your income forms when you need to submit tax documents. The platforms make it easy to track your earnings and prove income for any tax filings or loan applications, but it is your responsibility to withhold a percentage of earnings and pay the taxes owed each year.

Staying Safe: Avoiding Scams

Like any online marketplace open to everyone in the world, there are dishonest individuals who participate with the intent to deceive freelancers. Common scams to be wary of are messages requesting to move communication outside the platform, putting suspicious links in a message or asking for your email address. Scammers have also been known to message about alternate ways to send payment outside the platform. All of these requests go against these platforms’ terms of service, and are prohibited.

If you receive messages through the platform requesting any of these things, it is best not to respond, and not to click on any links. Instead, report it immediately to the platform’s support channel. You can also block senders to keep them from communicating with you further.

The safest way to avoid scams is to abide by the platform’s policies so you’re protected from any dishonest attempts to steal from you or get personal information. And as a practical tip, take screenshots of any messages that you’re unsure about. Use Amadine to add notes to your screenshot as a way to help you document any concerning messages.

Support and Community

For freelancers, it’s helpful to have support when you encounter concerns with clients or issues that you’re not sure how to handle. Fiverr and Upwork both have support teams that answer your questions about getting set up, payments or security. They can also assist you with features of the platforms, like learning to market your profile or signing up for a higher tier, paid membership so you get more exposure for jobs.

Another valuable aspect of these platforms is the active communities where freelancers share their experience. The forums and resource sections are valuable for new freelancers to learn insider tips and the best strategies for handling client challenges. Having access to official support and peer help can make it a lot easier to jump into freelancing on these marketplaces.

FAQ

How do I start freelancing on Upwork or Fiverr as a designer?

First, decide what service you want to offer and check out what is in demand on the platform. Then, create a verified profile and showcase your skills. Design a strong portfolio that is visually appealing and represents your best work. Even new designers can design a whole portfolio created in Amadine, or case studies developed independently. These platforms make it easy for beginners to start marketing themselves.

What is better for designers: Fiverr or Upwork?

Each platform has its benefits. On average, Fiverr’s clients spend less overall than Upwork on an annual basis, so it is slightly more known for fast, lower-cost gigs. On Upwork, freelancers can reach out to clients for jobs, using “connects” to apply, while on Fiverr freelancers don’t have that option. But many freelancers use both platforms to increase their chances of getting work.

How do I make my design portfolio stand out?

The best portfolio will showcase your unique talent, and tell a story for a brand, a company or an imaginary client. Use Amadine to create beautiful illustrations, mockups, and vector images that show potential clients what you can do. In Amadine, design your project catalog or your gig images with consistent branding and make it clear what your skills are.

How do freelancers get paid on Upwork and Fiverr?

These platforms offer international payments via PayPal, Payoneer, and Wise. Fiverr processes payouts after orders have been completed and accepted by the client. Upwork offers either hourly or project-based payment options and you determine with the client.

Can I use Amadine to create work for Fiverr or Upwork clients?

Yes, Amadine is perfect for creating illustrations, book cover designs, presentations, brand graphics, and more. As a vector design app, Amandine is versatile enough to build your portfolio and create professional client work.

Honest Work Pays Off

As a freelancer, the best practice is to treat each project as a serious job and a chance to earn a client’s trust. If you offer great service to clients consistently, your ratings will climb over time and you can be featured more frequently on the platform when clients search for skills you offer. Eventually freelancers with consistently high ratings can reach different tiers, like the valuable “Top Rated” status. This status opens the door to better, higher-paying clients and steady work.

On your freelance journey, Amadine is your tool to help you kick off a beautiful profile and design your most creative portfolio pieces. In Amadine, you can create branding that grabs attention, and make professional case studies that show the visual steps in your design process. You can also make mockups and sketches of preliminary drafts to communicate with clients during a project and confirm you are on track.

Freelancing on Fiverr or Upwork takes time and effort to be successful, and with the right mindset, creativity and the best tools to showcase your skills, you are set up for solid success. By putting in the work, freelancing can be an excellent way to make an income while working from anywhere on your own schedule.