The Beginner’s Guide: How to Get Your First Fiverr Order

4–5 minutes

I’m a Ghostwriter and Script Editor with over $25,000 in sales on Fiverr. The website is just one of several I use to find clients, but a great option for any first-time Freelancer looking to make money. Below is the strategy I took when first starting out on the site with proven results and success. I have built out my platform to now have a steady stream of interest with minimal effort on my part, and find it is a great stream of income to add to my portfolio. Fiverr is great for people looking for a creative side hustle to make money from home, with the list of possible services being seemingly endless.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s a competitive site with only 1/3 of Sellers making more than $100 a month, however, if you know how to work the system, you’ll be bringing in the orders in just a matter of months.

10 Steps to Get Started as a Seller on Fiverr

  1. Research what’s already being offered: Search for your skills and explore the pricing and niche you’re interested in offering. It’s unlikely your idea is completely unique, so use your competition to your advantage by writing down the average cost, delivery time, and project size.
  2. Lockdown three keywords that best describe your service. These should be short and to the point, for example, Editor, Book, Proofreader, and cover anything a potential Buyer might search to find your services. These will then be used in your Gig title and description.
  3. Perfect your Gig Description. It should be concise, no more than 500 words, and highlight your experience, skills, and flexibility. Make sure to mention any degrees or qualifications, number of years working in this area (or on this skill), and any examples of success. You should also include a bullet point list of what the delivery will contain.
  4. Price your gig cheaper than competitors with delivery in 2 days. This might go against your ideal pricing, however, until you have at least five 5-star reviews, your goal is simply to get orders not to make money just yet. I recommend having the lowest price at $5 and the highest at no more than $15.
  5. Create clean and clear gig images on Canva. The biggest mistake I see is Sellers creating cluttered and unappealing gig cover photos that blend in with the crowd. I recommend going for a sleeker approach that stands out as polished and professional. Using Canva, choose a short slogan that describes your services and place it over a simple background. Avoid images, different fonts, and clashing colours.
  6. Add a portfolio! Make sure to include examples of your work in the gig photos, whether that’s an image or PDF of written work. This is your chance to show proof of your capabilities so it matters, even if it means spending time making a fake project to upload.
  7. Time to get real. Share your gig with family members and friends and ask them to place an order and leave a 5-star review. This might seem like cheating, but I guarantee it is going to fast-track this process. You’re unlikely to get an order without at least one glowing 5-star review and think of this as your chance to practice the order and delivery process to clean up any bugs or issues before a real customer reaches out.
  8. Get your Inbox Response Time down to 1 Hour. This means being ready to respond to messages ASAP. Download the Fiverr app on your phone and enable notifications. Responding as quickly as you can is going to be a priority for the next few weeks.
  9. Be flexible. Your first 10 orders will be at a loss. You’ll be getting compensated in 5-Star so get ready to accept negotiations, send custom offers for a low-low rate, and do everything you can to give these customers an exemplary experience worth far more than the price they are paying.
  10. When delivering your orders make sure to include the line ‘If you are happy with the work I have delivered, please consider leaving a positive review as it really helps me out as a seller!’ and follow up to ask for a review if the customer forgets. It may feel uncomfortable to ask, but the best way to find success on the Fiverr algorithm is through consistently happy customer feedback.

It is worth noting that the site takes a 20% cut of any sale, so once you have the 5-Star reviews rolling in, you might want to factor that into your pricing. As an experienced freelancer, I know how important it is to diversify your client intake strategies, so consider setting up accounts across multiple freelancer platforms simultaneously with Fiverr. I’ll have more posts on these coming soon! Ultimately, your success on any platform is going to com down to two things: high-quality deliverables and customer satisfaction. If you can ace these, then you’re setting yourself up for the best possible chance at success.

Leave any questions in the comments below or, if you’re ready to create your first gig, why not drop a link below in the comments for personalised feedback from me?

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10 responses to “The Beginner’s Guide: How to Get Your First Fiverr Order”

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  3. Dr. Rose Avatar
    Dr. Rose

    This is a very useful guide. I have to say that I have a few of these items checked off. I’m just getting started on my Fiverr journey and I just completed my first sale. I definitely over delivered (meaning that I added a bonus for the client) and I am super excited about providing more gigs. Right now I have about 3, but I’ll definitely be adding more. Thank you for the useful guide.

    Like

    1. Jessica Saabor Avatar

      Congratulations on completing your first sale, that’s amazing!

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Dr. Rose Avatar
        Dr. Rose

        Thank you.

        Like

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  6. maliamarshallogawa Avatar
    maliamarshallogawa

    Great advice from a Fiverr superstar!

    Like

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