Getting started on Fiverr is a great way to get your freelancing career off the ground. It’s how I got my start as a freelancer, and in this article I’ll explain how you can do the same!
The 4 steps to get started on Fiverr are:
- Create your Fiverr account
- Set up your profile for success
- Create your first gigs
- Provide high-quality services
Below, I go through the steps to get started on Fiverr regardless of whether you have any prior experience. I’ll also discuss how you can get set up on the platform, and how you should go about getting your very first clients.
Who Should Start Selling On Fiverr?
Fiverr is for any freelancer that has services to sell at any price. There are more than 500 gig categories, so if you’re selling some kind of service, there’s probably a place for it on Fiverr. It’s also great for buyers looking to outsource various kinds of tasks.
You don’t need to have any prior experience as either a seller or a buyer of services, and so Fiverr is for everyone from absolute beginners up to veteran and professional freelancers. It’s easy to join and use the platform, so it’s ideal for those looking to make a bit of extra money, or those that are looking to go full-time on Fiverr.
Still unsure if Fiverr is right for you? My ebook goes into lots of detail about how you can get the most out of the platform, and I outline key things to consider before you get started. You can check out the 60+ page guide here.
How To Get Started On Fiverr In 4 Steps
1. Create Your Fiverr Account
The first step to get started on Fiverr is of course to create your account. It’s easy to do, whether you’re a buyer or a seller (or even a Fiverr Business client). Once you do that, the next step is to optimize your Fiverr profile.
Note: You can only create one account, and trying to make multiple Fiverr accounts can go against the platform’s terms of service
2. Set Up Your Profile For Success
Your Fiverr profile is going to be there for the world to see, so you want to ensure it makes you look good! Fill out everything you can, telling potential buyers about your skills, experience, and qualifications if necessary. Also include a picture of yourself as your Fiverr profile image so that people can put a face to the name offering them services.
While your profile isn’t the first thing most buyers will see (that’ll likely be your gigs, which I’ll talk about in a moment), it’s where many will go to decide if you’re the right candidate for the job. So, make it as easy as possible for them to say yes by creating a comprehensive, well-structured profile.
3. Create Your First Gigs
The next thing to do is to use up all your available gigs. When you first start out on Fiverr, you’ll be known as a New Seller until you move up through the seller levels system. You’ll therefore have up to 7 gigs to offer to clients, and you should make use of them all.
Not only will this give you more chances of appearing in the search results, but as a Fiverr beginner it’s an invaluable way to learn what does and doesn’t work.
You can offer gigs for a range of potential services, and this will show you what people are looking for – and what they’re not – far faster than if you just use one or two of the gigs you have available. Just be sure to make them all unique, as if they’re not, you may be going against Fiverr’s terms of service.
4. Provide High-Quality Services
The final piece of the puzzle is to offer high-quality services that cater to your potential buyers’ needs. Don’t go into Fiverr thinking that you can offer low-quality, low-effort services and make a success out of it. Sure, there is no denying that Fiverr is home to some less-than-stellar freelancers – most platforms are.
But you should not aim to fall into that category. If you want to be able to make any kind of real and sustainable income from Fiverr, you need to offer services that:
- Give your buyers what they want
- Make them want to keep coming back to you
- Encourage them to leave positive reviews
Reviews are critical on Fiverr if you want to become a Level 1, Level 2, or Top Rated Seller. So, provide services that tick these boxes, and you’ll be getting started on Fiverr the right way!
Can You Join Fiverr With No Experience?
You can join Fiverr with no experience, as this is how many freelancers get their start (including me!). Obviously, any experience will usually be better, but you can use Fiverr as a platform to gain experience to boost your overall freelancing career and make some decent money in the process.
Joining Fiverr with limited or zero freelancing experience is very common. However, what you probably will need some experience in is the service that you’re offering to clients!
You don’t necessarily need freelancing or professional experience (unless you’re applying for Fiverr Pro), but you’ll need to be skilled enough to provide clients with quality work in whatever industry you’re operating.
The Experience You Do Need
If you’re offering freelance writing services for example, you’ll need some writing experience. But this could be from writing in school or university, or from your own personal writing or blog posts. If you’re offering a graphic design gig, you’ll probably need some experience with whatever program you’re using to create the designs.
But it’s unlikely that you’ll want to offer a service you don’t have any experience with, so let’s focus on the freelancing experience now.
If you’ve never freelanced before, Fiverr is a great place to start. There are no fees to pay (aside from the 20% cut Fiverr takes), and there are no entry requirements other than a verification of your identity for security purposes. You can also advertise a range of services with up to 7 gigs as a new seller.
This means you have some room to offer a variety of services if you’re unsure which specific one you’d like to make money from. We don’t always know which gigs are going to be a hit when we first start selling on the platform, and you might need to experiment a little to start gaining traction. This is where you have an advantage as a beginner, as you can simply try a lot of things and see what works!
What Should You Start Selling On Fiverr?
To choose what to sell on Fiverr, consider the following:
- What previous freelancing experience you have
- Any educational background you have
- Your own interests
- How much time you have to devote to Fiverr
What you should sell on Fiverr depends on your own skill set and previous experience, but you can sell services in over 500 categories. While you don’t need any experience as a freelancer to sell on Fiverr, you will need experience in the industry in which you choose to offer your services.
Your Freelancing Background
Obviously if you have any experience freelancing elsewhere you may consider these services as the first things to sell on Fiverr. As I’ve explained above, you definitely don’t need experience to start selling on the platform, but if you do have some experience selling services through another platform or independently, it makes sense to start there when considering what to offer clients.
You may also be able to leverage this experience by showing off some of your past work in your Fiverr gigs. If you’re a creative freelancer for example, you might have logo designs from past clients that you can include in your gig images, or you might be able to point people to places your writing has been featured.
But if you don’t have any experience freelancing, then look to other areas to decide what to sell on Fiverr, such as your educational background.
Your Educational Background
This can be a specific high-level qualification like a degree, or it could be something you dabbled in as an extra credit course at high school. While you obviously can benefit from being able to tell clients about your qualifications to back up why they should choose you for the job, looking at your educational background can also just help you figure out what you could sell.
Maybe you took an art class at college that ignited a passion for design that you haven’t thought about in years, and perhaps you could design logos or website graphics for businesses. Or maybe you enjoyed creative writing at school and fancy helping someone in need of a ghost writer for their upcoming novel.
It doesn’t have to be an official qualification you’re looking for here. Simply consider what you were good at and what you enjoyed during your time in education, and you might find the perfect role for you in a freelancing capacity.
Note: Fiverr also offers courses of their own to help you improve your skills. You can learn whether we think they’re worth trying in our article on Fiverr Learn courses.
Your Own Interests
Don’t be afraid to think about what you enjoy doing. I enjoyed writing, so I started offering writing services on Fiverr. I wrote everything from short website copy to long-form pieces. I only thought about doing it because I enjoyed writing at school and university.
But maybe you’re interested in a specific niche or industry. You could offer voiceover services for video creation in that niche. Or maybe you could provide marketing assistance to businesses in that sector. The possibilities are endless on Fiverr, and there’s a freelancing position for just about every interest you could imagine!
How Much Time You Have
The final thing to consider is how much time you’ll have to devote to your freelancing activities on Fiverr. If you’re only going to have an hour per week to devote to it, you probably won’t be able to offer high-level services that might involve week-long projects (such as building a complex website for a business).
And if you have 25 hours a week to put towards Fiverr you might not want to do lots of 5 minute jobs, such as suggesting domain names for peoples’ websites – yep that’s a service you could offer on Fiverr!
The more time you have to put aside for Fiverr, the more flexibility you have in what you can sell. But once you set up your account and create your first few gigs, how do you get your first clients?
How To Get Your First Fiverr Clients
Patience Is Key
To get your first Fiverr clients, you will need to be patient and make use of all your 7 available gigs. Getting your first clients on Fiverr takes time. You just have to structure your gigs as well as you can and wait for some buyers to notice you in the search results.
Use Your Existing Network
If you have a social media presence or a website of your own, you can also promote your Fiverr gigs through these platforms. You can also share your gig pages with people in your network and see if they’ll help you get the word out about your services.
Be Prepared To Experiment
However, you don’t need to do any of this if you’d prefer to just be patient and continue tweaking your gigs from time to time if they don’t get any traction. Sometimes just experimenting with gig titles and descriptions is all it takes for you to start moving up the search rankings and getting some orders!
Is It Worth Getting Started On Fiverr?
It can definitely be worth getting started on Fiverr, as it can serve as a gateway into the world of freelancing. But it’s not for everyone. The market is crowded, and getting noticed is tough. You’ll need to work hard, be patient, and deliver quality work to get good reviews and build your reputation.
Reasons getting started on Fiverr could be worth it for you include:
- Flexibility: You can set your schedule and work on projects you choose
- Global Market Access: Reach clients from around the world
- Portfolio Building: Great platform to build and showcase your portfolio
- Pricing Control: You set your prices for your services
- Skill Monetization: Turn your skills and hobbies into income
However, you also need to take into account things like:
- Market Saturation: High competition can make it hard to stand out (consider low competition services you could offer)
- Initial Struggle: It takes time and effort to build a reputation and client base
- Price Racing: The competition can drive prices down, potentially devaluing your services
- Service Fees: Fiverr takes a percentage of your earnings as a service fee
Get Started As A Fiverr Freelancer Today
Getting started on Fiverr can seem like a daunting experience. However, it’s simply a case of setting up your account and putting a few gigs together. From there, it’s a waiting game until you get your first clients, and then it’s all about doing your best to build on your success!
For more tips, check out my guide to making money on Fiverr.
Chris is the creator of Freelance Ready. He originally started freelancing (on Fiverr) while at university, writing and editing website content. He created this website to share his freelancing experience and help others on their own self-employed journeys. He is now a freelance SEO consultant and content editor. You can learn more about Chris here.
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