Welcome Back Side Hustlers
Today we're going to be talking about the top freelance sites for beginners.
If you're just getting started with your freelance career, these websites will help you find
more clients seeking your services and gain referrals so that you can grow your freelance
business.
Upwork
This site is perfect for beginner freelancers because there are SO many jobs available at
any given time for practically any skillset.
Freelancers use tokens called 'connects' to bid for different jobs offered by clients.
You get 80 'connects' for free - and chances are pretty high that you'll be able to land
at least one client with those.
From copywriting to virtual assistant gigs to graphic design – there is a relatively
wide range of jobs available on this platform.
The user base is sufficiently large enough that you shouldn't have any trouble finding
work if you stick with it.
Fiverr
This platform has a very unique business model.
Freelancers promote their services by creating their own customized packages that they advertise
to attract clients.
The site's called Fiverr because a lot of packages are offered starting at $5.
Clients are able to use the site's search bar to look for freelancers that are offering
exactly the sort of work they are looking for at the price they are willing to pay.
A broad range of freelancers have found success on Fiverr, including voice-over artists, blog
writers, programmers, and video editors.
Freelancer.com
After registering with this platform, you are given 8 free bids before you have to start
paying a membership fee.
Clients looking for workers to do jobs like data entry, marketing, sales, SEO writing,
and product sourcing, list their work on a marketplace-like board.
Freelancers hoping to land said work then make bids offering their services while explaining
why they think they are most qualified for the job.
It's one of the best freelancing sites for beginners who have yet to establish a client
base, and they offer a dedicated team of advisors to help you find work faster.
Guru
On this site, freelancers create a profile, and then clients can search for the right
workers to take on their desired tasks.
It's a great platform for freelance writers, programmers, digital artists, educators, marketers,
and engineers.
Thousands of jobs are posted daily, and Guru only takes a 5-9% cut of your payment after
completing a task.
Flexjobs
This site acts as a portal to help you find freelance work with flexible hours.
After signing up, you gain unlimited access to the job board.
Creating a profile is quick and easy, and most of the time, you will be contacted by
potential employers reasonably quickly.
iWriter
For all of you aspiring freelance writers out there, this site is one of the best places
online to gain experience and start earning money almost immediately writing web content,
product descriptions, and articles for a wide array of different kinds of clients.
After submitting a sample of your writing in response to a simple prompt, you'll then
gain access to the platform's job postings board.
There, you are free to choose what sort of writing you want to do as you rise up in the
ranks in the platforms writing tiers from Standard to Premium to Elite and Elite Plus.
Once you've gotten to the Elite Plus tier, you can earn up to $80 per 500 words.
Since you choose what you want to write depending on your area of expertise, you can work as
much or as little as you want on a given day.
Thumbtack
This platform offers freelancers and clients a straightforward and instant way to connect.
What sets Thumbstack apart is how they focus on local communities and small businesses.
It's free to join, and they even offer protections if you end up with a job that's not a good
match.
While the service is free to sign up for, you will have to pay for your client leads.
Each lead starts at $1.50 and increases depending on factors like competition.
99Designs
Just as iWriter is an excellent platform for dedicated freelance writers just getting started,
this platform is geared towards graphic designers of any experience level.
Freelancers in over 90 design categories are connected with clients from all over the globe.
Freelancers can either work with clients directly on a one-to-one level with payments made upfront
or you can choose to compete with other freelancers in contests to earn money while winning a
new client in the process.
The major drawback for this platform, though, is their $100 intro fee that gets deducted
from the first $500 you earn from your clients.
There is also a sliding scale platform fee based upon your 'designer level'.
But where this platform shines is their focus on encouraging long-term client-designer connections.
Have you gotten a chance to use any of these freelance platforms?
If so, what was your experience like?
Let us know in the comments.
And for another great side hustle idea, check out this video on (insert SHC video topic
here)