I made more than $350 in my first month on Fiverr, and with the right steps, you can too!
Almost all of us could use a little extra money, which is probably why the side hustle game is so strong right now. If you’ve wanted to capitalize on this rise in freelance work but don’t know where to start, selling on Fiverr could be your answer.
I started selling blogs on Fiverr in August of 2019 and made more than $350 in my first month – just working in my free time. That’s not a bad chunk of change to have lying around. Of course, as with all new ventures, there are some things I wish I knew before starting my Fiverr journey. These tips apply to all Fiverr sellers, not just bloggers.
1 – Learn the Lingo on Fiverr
All social platforms develop their own language over time, and Fiverr is no different. If you jump into selling on Fiverr like I did, you’re going to run into some unfamiliar terms. I’ve listed some common phrases and words to know for Fiverr, but you should research your industry for more specific ones.
- Gig: This is what you are actually selling. Think of it as your job posting on Fiverr, letting others know what services you provide.
- Gig Extras: These are services that can be added to a gig, but they are not required. Are you offering a 500-word blog? Let customers select an additional 100 words for $5. You can also add extra revisions or faster delivery times. Available gig extras depend on what you are selling. Be sure you can actually deliver the product before offering a gig extra.
- Tags: If you add relevant tags to your gigs, they are more likely to show up in searches. Tags categorize gigs on Fiverr. They are quick ways to describe your service.
- Turnaround or Delivery Time: Both of these terms refer to the amount of time it will take for you to deliver a gig. Note, if the client requests revisions, those are also part of your total delivery time.
- Custom Offer: People might reach out to you and request a custom offer. I’ve found most of these buyers want a deal or lower price. Determine if the gig is worth your time and create a custom offer that the buyer can accept.
The best way to learn the lingo for what you’re selling on Fiverr is by searching current gigs in your industry. Whether you’re designing logos or writing blogs, look up those specific services. Then, read through gig titles and descriptions to get a sense of what people are talking about on Fiverr. For Fiverr’s official glossary of terms, click here.
2 – Know Your Schedule
Once my Fiverr gigs started taking off, I got overwhelmed pretty quickly. People were placing orders every day, and I’d be up until two in the morning trying to fill them. While this may seem like a good problem to have, it’s not sustainable in the long run. Knowing your schedule and protecting your sleep are crucial to successful selling on Fiverr. Try these tips for a more efficient way to sell:
- Plan your schedule at the beginning of the week. Get a good idea of how much of your time is already dedicated to work and personal activities.
- Have a limit for the number of Fiverr orders you can fulfill in a week. I’m the worst about taking on “just one more order,” when I have no time available. Set a limit and stick to it. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
- Set your Out of Office status on Fiverr. Once you’ve reached the number of orders you can handle in a week, stop accepting new ones. Fiverr allows you to go “out of office,” which keeps your profile and gigs live without taking new orders.
3 – Start with Low Prices
This might be a hard pill to swallow, but you should start with low prices on Fiverr. As a new seller, you do not have a track record on the freelancing platform. No one knows if they can trust you, and you haven’t completed any work yet to prove your skills.
Starting with low prices on your gigs lets people try you out without spending a ton of money. In essence, it lowers the risk for buyers on Fiverr. I’m not saying to give away work for free or work yourself to death for a few dollars. But, it is important to do some research on Fiverr. This will allow you to see the prices other people have set for similar gigs and offer your services at a slightly lower price.
However, once you get some traction on your seller account, good reviews, and successful history of a few jobs, you can raise your prices. Raising prices is also a great way to slow down your orders if you are receiving more than you can handle.
Remember that Fiverr takes a cut. Whatever you sell a gig for is not the amount you will receive. Fiverr takes 20% of the total cost of your gig, including gig extras and tips. In other words, you need to plan accordingly because they will take a chunk of your income.
4 – Go Niche
When you’re a new seller on Fiverr, you start at the bottom of the totem pole. As you get orders, reviews, a selling history, etc., Fiverr will begin to give you priority in search rankings on the site. But that doesn’t help you when you’re just starting out.
I created a generic gig on Fiverr for blog posts and got no hits on it. In fact, it barely got any views or clicks. It wasn’t until I created a more niche gig that I got orders. For blogs, you can select the tone, style, language, and topic of the blogs you are offering. While your gig might get lost in the general population of search results for blogs, it will show up when people start filtering out options.
This principle works for all types of sellers on Fiverr, not just bloggers. Create a few more focused gigs, so they show up in filtered options. Test a few out and check your gig stats to see which ones get the most traction.
5 – Wait
The last tip is probably the hardest to follow. Even after several weeks on Fiverr and more than $350 in earnings, I have a hard time listening to my own advice. The truth is, it is going to take some time for your gig to get noticed. You may get lucky and find a buyer looking for a new seller, or you may not. My gigs were live for more than two weeks before I got an order. It may take you less time or more time to get noticed.
But once you get that first order, treat the buyer like a king or queen. You should always do your best and deliver a quality product, but you need to make a great impression on your first client. Earning a good review from them can set you up for more orders in a shorter period.
The Takeaway
When it comes to Fiverr, no two sellers are alike. Hopefully, my experiences will help you set up your gigs and earn some extra money. If you follow these five things to know before selling on Fiverr, you’ll be that much closer to making an extra $300 each month.
I’d love to hear about your Fiverr selling experience! Send me an email at Mallory.takeapeek@gmail.com.