How to Make Money on Fiverr Like a Pro
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Ready to make a lucrative income selling on Fiverr? To achieve success, you need a plan. In this article, I’ll show you how to make money on Fiverr like a pro!
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If you’re here because you heard Fiverr is a great way to reach the type of financial freedom and lifestyle flexibility we’re all after, well … it’s true.
All around the world, freelancers are using Fiverr to earn a substantial income working whenever and wherever they want and on whatever projects they choose.
But here is the thing: competition on Fiverr is stiff, with a global stable of sellers flooding the market and making it difficult to get seen. To wade into this environment without a plan will almost certainly be a waste of your time.
That’s why in this article, I’m not merely going to show you how to sell on Fiverr. I’m going to show you how to make money on Fiverr like a pro!
Below, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of getting started, then give you the tips and tricks you need to make more money and truly succeed!
What is Fiverr?
Fiverr is the world’s largest digital services marketplace, with a massive community of over 5.5 million active buyers and nearly 400,000 sellers.
It is the place where businesses, influencers, and ordinary people from around the world head to find freelancers for just about anything they need – in fact, there are now more than 500 service categories available on the platform!
How Fiverr works
Sellers list the services they want to provide in the Fiverr marketplace as what are called ‘gigs,’ which buyers purchase directly through the platform.
When a buyer purchases a gig, they pay in advance, and Fiverr holds the money until the gig is completed, at which point the seller is paid.
Anyone who has sold their services before will know how valuable this is. It means that once you have completed a project, you don’t have to fight to get paid – it’s automatic.
Note that while it is totally free to sign up and list gigs, Fiverr takes a 20% commission on all sales. For many, it’s worth it.
When you sell your services, the two most difficult things to do are find customers and get paid in a timely manner. For their 20%, Fiverr provides you with both of these things.
7 Most Lucrative Niches To Make Money on Fiverr
Yes, there are over 500 categories of services on Fiverr, with more being added almost every day.
But which can you truly make good money from?
Here are seven of the most lucrative niches to make money on Fiverr right now.
1. Content writing
These days, everyone needs content in a near unending amount. That’s why content writing is one of the most popular and lucrative niches on Fiverr – think articles and blog posts, reports, social media content, and more!
Relevant skills: Not only should you be a great wordsmith, but you should be able to adapt your writing to a variety of different styles. Understanding SEO is particularly valuable in this niche.
Want to know more? Check out my complete breakdown of How to Become a Freelance Writer
2. Proofreading and editing
While everyone is creating written content, they need it to be perfect when they send it out into the world. That’s why there is such a huge demand for proofreaders and editors on Fiverr.
Relevant skills: Most importantly, proofreaders need an exceptional command of written English, including spelling, grammar, punctuation, and syntax. Plus, you must have strong attention to detail and the ability to spot mistakes others have missed.
Want to know more about how to make money on Fiverr as a proofreader? Start with my guide on How to Become a Proofreader in 5 Simple Steps.
3. Graphic design
Fiverr is one of the best places for artists and graphic designers to monetize their skills.
Right now, illustrations are immensely popular, but the hottest seller in the niche is logo design for businesses and influencers.
Bonus: This can be one of the best online jobs for teens.
Relevant skills: Of course, art and graphic design skills are a must. But if you want to go further, an up-to-date knowledge of visual trends for businesses is a huge bonus, as are skills with things like Adobe Illustrator.
4. Social media management
Today, every business and influencer needs to have a solid social media presence.
Unsurprisingly, social media management has become one of the most lucrative niches on Fiverr.
Think of creating social media content or ad campaigns, growing someone’s following, or even interacting with followers on their account.
Relevant skills: Understanding how to generate engagement and go viral is the foundation of success. You must also be able to adapt your tone and style for different brands, different audiences, and different social media platforms.
5. Website design and development
Not only does every business need a website, but today, just about every business with a website is constantly looking to update or redesign it.
If you’ve got the skills, website design and development can be an exceptionally lucrative niche on Fiverr.
Relevant skills: To stand out, you will need high-level programming skills and knowledge of site usability. A familiarity with different content management systems, such as WordPress and Wix, is an advantage.
6. Voice overs
One of the fastest growing niches on Fiverr is its market for voice over artists.
This could mean creating voiceovers for commercials, YouTube narrations, or audiobooks, or even the voices for characters on shows or in video games.
Relevant skills: Of course, you must have a nice sounding voice, and be able to speak clearly and with good diction. The ability for your voiceover work to convey a wide array of emotions is also important.
7. Video and audio editing
Another popular Fiverr niche opened up in an era of endless content creation is video and audio editing.
This can mean editing things like YouTube videos, social media content, and podcasts.
There is even a booming global market for editing wedding videos!
Relevant skills: A knowledge of editing tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud, Apple Final Cut Pro, and Lightworks is essential for a video editor. You should also stay up to date on what effective and engaging content looks like.
Case study 1: How Alice quit her corporate job and started freelancing on Fiverr full time … while traveling the United States in a school bus!
Only a few years ago, Alice Everdeen was working long hours at a job she didn’t particularly like when suddenly, she had a revelation:
“I told myself, ‘I’m going to quit my job, start freelancing, buy a school bus, and I’m going to travel.’”
Encouraged by some of her colleagues, she began listing her services as a voice over artist on Fiverr. Almost immediately, her business exploded.
Today, she makes upwards of $15,000 per month, working only 3-5 hours per day, and collaborating with heavy hitters like Amazon, Verizon, and Southwest Airlines.
And yes, because I know you’re wondering, Alice and her partner Jay spend their days living and working from the road in a customized 30-foot school bus.
Setting Up a Successful Fiverr Profile
The first step when you sign up for a Fiverr account is to create your profile.
In most cases, before customers decide to buy from you, they are going to visit your profile to see what you are all about, making it a critical piece of converting interest into sales.
So, how can you set up a successful Fiverr profile?
1. Choosing a unique username
Think of your username as the foundation of your Fiverr brand. The first thing potential customers will see when they visit your profile and the name they will use to search for you.
Choosing a unique and interesting username is an opportunity to catch the eye of customers and begin to encourage them to become your clients.
2. Crafting a compelling profile
Crafting a compelling profile starts with writing a good description.
Here, you should not only describe the services you offer but also what makes you unique – let potential buyers know what makes you better than all the other options on Fiverr.
And don’t be afraid to get creative; your profile description is a chance to start building the story of your brand.
But your Fiverr profile is about more than just your description.
You can create a portfolio of the best projects you’ve worked on in the past and add clients you’ve worked with, link to your social media accounts, and even put in your education and certification you may have received.
The more you fill in, the better your profile will look to potential clients!
3. Selecting the right skills
When creating your seller profile, you are given the opportunity to insert ‘skills’ tags. These represent the abilities and experience you are bringing to your business.
As such, you’re going to want to insert skills relevant to the type of service you want to provide.
Sound complicated? It’s not.
When you start with a broad example of a skill, Fiverr will suggest a list of individual skill tags for you.
For example, if you type in ‘Social Media,’ the suggestions that will immediately appear are things like ‘social media management,’ ‘social media marketing,’ ‘social media strategy,’ ‘social media posting,’ and so on.
Simply select as many as you can; the more, the better!
How to Find Your Niche on Fiverr
If your skills form the foundation of the services you will provide on Fiverr, your niche is a way to target these skills and make more money.
A niche is a unique segment within a larger market, and deciding on yours can have an enormous impact on your business.
Here’s how to find your niche on Fiverr and why it’s important.
Identifying your unique selling points
To begin, think about what unique skills and experiences you bring to the table.
For example, if you are thinking about selling writing services:
- Are you familiar with SEO? Your skills are in high demand in the blog writing niche.
- Have you had experience in academia? Many customers are looking to have high-level, academic-style reports written.
- Perhaps you do not have experience as a writer but have worked in the business world. Business writing is a popular niche.
From there, think about how your skills will allow you to do things better than others.
Consider the common pain points people face; these are the areas to target to provide a better service than what is currently out there.
The importance of specializing in a niche
Specializing in a niche can be absolutely critical in an online marketplace as competitive as Fiverr.
Return to the example mentioned above: say you are a business looking for a writer to create a blog for your company’s webpage.
Are you going to contact someone who advertises themselves as a ‘writer,’ or someone who advertises themselves as a ‘blog writer?’
Moreover, if you want someone to write a blog that uses SEO, are you going to contact a ‘blog writer’ or an ‘SEO blog writer?’
The point is, think about ways to ‘niche down’ and get more specific about what you do.
Specialization is not only a way to get more customers but a way to make more money when you do.
People who have specific projects are willing to pay more for experts in that specific thing.
Case study 2: How Levi made more than $1 million by niching down
When Levi Newman started freelancing on Fiverr, he knew that he wanted to turn his writing skills into a business. But he did not get into blogs or article writing, nor did he write reports or social media content.
Instead, he leaned on his experience in digital marketing and found an underserved yet lucrative niche – writing compelling product descriptions for Amazon sellers.
Seriously.
Within a few years, Newman had sold more 13,000 unique item descriptions, and today, he consistently makes about $150,000 per year!
Creating High-Converting Gigs on Fiverr
If you want to make money on Fiverr, you’ve got to create gigs that convert interest into intent, which both catch the eye and turn this attention into sales.
Here’s how to get this done.
How to create your first gig
To create your first gig on Fiverr, simply click on the ‘create a new gig’ button on your profile page.
Start by giving your gig a title and selecting the category in which it will appear. From there, fill in the description of what you’re offering, then choose how much you want to charge and how long it will take you to deliver.
Like with your profile, there are various other things you can add to your gig.
Most importantly, you should be adding an eye-catching image which stands out amongst pages and pages of search results.
You can also add frequently asked questions, set gig requirements for what you need from the customer to get started, and even include a video describing your gig.
You should also add metadata and tags, but we will talk more about these below, so keep reading!
Writing compelling gig descriptions
First and foremost, make sure your gig description is clear, concise, and comprehensive, fully describing to potential customers what you will do for them.
The last thing you want is for someone to be interested in your service, click on your gig, and then not be sure if you offer what they need.
Like your profile, each gig description is an opportunity to show off your personality and let customers know what makes you unique.
Again, make sure to reference the exceptional features you provide that others don’t.
Setting competitive pricing structures
Setting competitive pricing structures is a critical part of how to make money on Fiverr.
Begin by looking around at what others in your niche are offering their services for. This will give you a rough price range that you should be operating within.
Here, it is absolutely vital to keep in mind that you should not be competing with the bottom dollar Fiverr freelancers in your niche.
Serious clients are not looking for a bottom-dollar product. They see a higher price as representative of the quality of work the seller is going to provide, so make sure to price your gigs like you know what you’re doing.
That said, when you are just starting out, you’re probably going to have to list your gigs at a lower price than you are hoping to reach in order to get off the ground.
Don’t panic. As you make sales, you will have the opportunity to receive reviews and ratings from customers, plus, if you perform well, seller badges from Fiverr. As this happens, you will be able to, and in fact should, increase your prices.
3 Essential Tips on How to Make Money on Fiverr
The way to truly make money on Fiverr is by building your seller account, accumulating a cache of positive reviews and 5-star ratings, and earning seller badges.
This will not only make you more appealing to potential customers, but it will also result in your gigs showing up higher in the search results, since Fiverr wants to connect customers with sellers who provide work they are happy with, so that they will continue to be customers.
So how do you do it?
1. Delivering top-quality work
The best way to accumulate good reviews and ratings and earn badges is by consistently providing high-quality work.
I know, it almost seems redundant to say, but as anyone who has purchased more than a handful of gigs on Fiverr can probably tell you, it’s not.
The fact is, many of the people advertising themselves as sellers on Fiverr provide cheap, low-quality work.
The good news is that consistently providing good quality work is actually an easy way to exceed customer expectations and really stand out.
2. Providing excellent customer service
The second way to consistently earn good reviews and high ratings is by providing excellent customer service.
This means responding to messages from customers promptly and in a friendly, cordial manner. It means providing detailed answers to customer questions and dealing with potential problems quickly and transparently.
It can even mean constructing custom offers that reflect the specific needs of customers.
Additionally, one of the main causes of poor reviews is when buyers and sellers have different views of what the gig entails.
As a seller, a vital part of effective customer service is making sure that both parties are completely aware of everything that is going to be done before the work starts.
3. Effectively managing your time and orders
Just about the worst thing you can do on Fiverr is miss deadlines.
Not only will it lead to poor reviews and ratings from customers, but Fiverr takes note of every time you miss a delivery date, and you cannot earn seller badges if you miss deadlines.
In other words, while the flexibility of freelancing on Fiverr is great, you must be able to manage your time effectively and set up a schedule that reflects not only how much work you want to do but the amount of work you can complete on time, to a high quality.
Case Study 3: How Alli earned 1,100 5-star reviews through exceptional customer service
Alli Hill is a Fiverr seller we can all aspire to be like.
Why? Well, not only does she make $5,000 per month working as a freelance writer, but she has accumulated more than 1,100 5-star reviews!
It begins when she is first contacted by a client.
“When clients reach out to me, I immediately greet them using their name and sound like I’m happy to hear from them. I send them samples of my work before they ask. If they’ve already shared what they’re looking for, I’ll send them a custom order.”
Actually, it even starts before that, with her profile.
“I want clients to feel like they know me personally and even relate to some of the things I shared about myself, such as loving memes, hiking, and caffeine. I also include the fact that I’m a mom — that often catches the eyes of clients who are also parents.”
Most simply, she says, it’s about building personal relationships and finding ways to “connect with clients on a deeper level.”
3 Advanced Strategies for Making Money on Fiverr
Everything we’ve talked about so far represents the foundation of a great start on Fiverr.
But if you want to get serious about making money, here are three advanced strategies to boost your earning potential fast.
1. Using SEO for your Fiverr gigs
You can provide the best Fiverr work in the world, but it’s not going to matter much if your ads aren’t getting in front of potential customers. What you need is for your gigs to show up on the first page of the Fiverr search results.
The secret is using SEO in your Fiverr gigs.
What this means most simply is keywords.
These are the words potential customers are going to use to search for a service they need. Think back to our discussion on niches.
Someone looking for a blog for their business might search ‘blog writer,’ ‘SEO blog writer,’ or ‘business blog writer.’ These are all keywords.
When creating your gigs, you should be using these keywords in your gig title and the gig description, as well as your gig tags and metadata.
How do you choose the right keywords?
The easiest way to find keywords quickly is to go to the Fiverr search bar, type in something related to your service, and see what comes up.
For example, type in ‘logo design’ in the search box, and you will see suggested searches like ‘gaming logo design,’ ‘streetwear logo design,’ ‘professional logo design,’ ‘beauty logo design,’ and so on.
These suggestions are what buyers are searching for right now.
You can go further and use Google Keyword Planner to generate relevant keywords for your niche and examine the number of searches each keyword gets to see what is most popular.
2. Upselling services and add-ons
Within each gig you post, Fiverr gives you the option of offering extras and add-ons that customers can choose to purchase.
These can be things like a rush delivery or an extra revision. They can also be specific to each gig and niche.
For example, a voiceover artist might offer related services like background music as an add-on, or full editing, or even commercial rights to the product.
Utilizing these add-ons is one of the best ways to make extra money on Fiverr.
On every gig you list, you should try to offer at least a handful of potential add-ons.
Then, upsell these things as you are dealing with customers to make more money!
3. Building long-term client relationships
Often, Fiverr customers are not just looking to buy one thing one time – they want ongoing blogs for their website, continuous graphic design for their business content, they want videos for presentations, and new social media content every month.
What this means is that if you provide high-quality work, you will have the opportunity to build fulfilling long-term relationships with clients.
This means a more consistent income and easier work since you will become familiar with exactly what a long-term customer wants and how to do it.
It also means a better product for customers since they will be able to work with someone who knows exactly what they need.
How to handle disputes and bad reviews
If you receive a negative review for a gig delivery, reach out to the buyer and ask them why they were dissatisfied and if there is anything you can do to get a better review.
Fiverr offers the option to officially ask the customer to amend their review and rating through the Resolution Center in each gig.
Beyond that, if there is a serious conflict with a customer, Fiverr has a robust dispute management system, meaning they will mediate the process of resolution.
Most importantly, though, remember that one bad review or dispute is ultimately not going to make or break a business, so approach them as such.
Ready to make money on Fiverr?
If you’ve made it this far, then you have everything you need to not just sell on Fiverr, but to make money like a pro! The only thing left to do is get started!
Just make sure to follow the tips in this article, and you will be well on your way to achieving success.
Need ideas for freelance work you could do on Fiverr? Check out my definitive list of the 30 Best Hobbies that Make Money.
Also check 50 Must-Visit Websites to Make Money Online
Alice is a top pro but people need to be aware that this is an extreme outlier “unicorn poster child” example and that almost everyone will NEVER see this level of success on Fiverr. Even full time advanced coders don’t typically make this much. Launching a new venture based on what one person achieved is fine but you have to remember that perhaps 0.01% of people will reach the same level. I highly doubt that even one in 1,000 people on Fiverr makes 15k a month! How much do YOU make on Fiverr? Exactly.
Of course she is a pro, but people need inspiration. If I didn’t read stories like hers, I would have never started my blog.
In blogging is the same thing, only 1% of people have the stamina and determination to make it, but here I am, working only a few hours a day making twice as much as I did in my 60+ hours a week job.
So, if you are willing to put the work in, anything is possible in any field, Fiverr included!