Tried and tested tips from Gabriel I. Simion on How to Start with Upwork in 2024?

Hey everyone, if you're looking to get into freelancing, Upwork is a great place to start. However, many people struggle to find clients and make a good income because they don’t take the right steps.

Just having a profile isn’t enough—you need a strategy and to understand what works on Upwork to succeed. Don’t worry, this article will show you the best way to start on Upwork in 2024.

If you already have a profile, refresh it and start earning more with the tips in this article. If you haven’t tried Upwork yet, this guide will help you succeed faster!

Recently, Upwork, the biggest freelancing platform, has raised the number of connects needed to apply for jobs and added several paid features. Many people are unhappy with these changes, but don’t let it discourage you. Your attitude can be a big advantage. Use it to attract clients who can offer you significant and ongoing work.
We spoke with Gabriel I. Simion, an expert and author of Winning on Upwork — The Best Profile Optimization Guide for Upwork Freelancers, to discover how developers like you can create a new income stream on Upwork.

Gabriel has been active on Upwork for about two years and has successfully ranked at the top for competitive keywords like ‘consultant’ and ‘advisor’. Many freelancers don’t put in the effort to keep their profiles optimized, but Gabriel's well-maintained profile helps him stand out.

He’s noticed that as applying for jobs has become more expensive, he’s now competing with only 5–10 people instead of 50+, which boosts his chances of landing jobs.

The key takeaway is that a well-optimized profile is crucial. You can follow Gabriel’s proven strategies from his best-selling book, Winning on Upwork — The Best Profile Optimization Guide for Upwork Freelancers, to improve your own profile and increase your success on the platform.

Now, let’s check out what Upwork has to say about the high-demand and trending niches for 2024. This will help you position yourself effectively in the marketplace.

According to a report released in March, Data Science & Analytics is one of the fastest-growing categories. The rise of generative AI modeling and machine learning is driving strong demand from businesses in this field.

Niches making the largest volumes in 2024:

Gabriel I. Simion has some easy tips for new freelancers to get noticed and attract leads, beyond just applying for jobs and using connects.

He says, “Start by seeing the big picture. As freelancers, we’re small parts of a large system. To stand out, we need to take actions that make us more valuable and encourage the platform to support us.

First, log in and use Upwork every day. Regular activity helps keep your profile visible. From my experience, taking breaks can cause a drop in invites and profile views. While I haven’t done formal research, this is what I’ve observed.

While researching on ResearchGate, I found over 30 scientific articles on Upwork and the gig economy (Find the result here), but none specifically addressed the search algorithm or provided new insights beyond my own experiences.

Here’s a strategy to boost your Upwork success:

Find a High-Demand Niche: Identify a niche with strong demand and list relevant skills. Sort these skills into high-paying and low-paying categories. Focus on high-ticket skills and avoid low-paying ones that are easy to automate, like basic copywriting. Use all 15 skill slots on your profile.

Optimize Your Profile: Check out top freelancers in your niche and see what makes them stand out. Replicate their successful actions but add your unique touch. Improving your profile is a process: update it, review, and refine it several times. After 3-4 iterations, your profile should be among the top 1% because most freelancers don’t put in the effort.

Manage Your Time Wisely: As you start getting clients, balance your time between client work, job applications, and maintaining your profile. Many freelancers struggle to scale because they don’t invest enough time and effort.

Avoid Common Mistakes: Don’t hire a VA for strategic tasks—use one only for repetitive tasks. Invest in tools like Proposals Generator for personalized cover letters and Upwork Job Scorer and Spam Detector to avoid spam and identify good jobs.

Stay Active and Invest in Yourself: Apply for at least one job every day to stay active on the platform. Don’t withdraw profits; instead, reinvest them into your profile and tools. A high Job Success Score is crucial—if it drops below 90%, you may need to lower your rates to attract new jobs.

Enhance Your Service Quality: Consider yourself a high-quality B2B provider. Focus on all aspects of client interaction, from quick responses to professional presentation. Small investments, like a high-quality camera, can improve your rates and closing rate.

Seek Mentorship: Invest in mentorship to fast-track your learning and success. A few hours with an experienced freelancer can be more valuable than a year of trial and error.

We hope you found this useful! If you're interested in more articles on this topic, let us know in the comments.