How Long Does It Take to Make Money on Fiverr?
Are you thinking of freelancing on Fiverr? If you’re looking to make some extra cash, you may be thinking of becoming a Fiverr seller to offer up your freelance services online. As someone who has earned over $60,000 on Fiverr in the last few years, I truly believe this online marketplace is a great way to make extra money with digital services.
But getting started on Fiverr can be a little daunting. There’s tons of competition, and it can be hard to get your gigs seen. And how long does it take to make money on Fiverr anyway? Is it even possible to make real money on Fiverr?
Let’s dive in!
How long does it take to make money on Fiverr?
Before you get started on Fiverr, maybe before you even sign up for a Fiverr account, it’s understandable that you want to know how long it might take to make money on Fiverr. The bad news is, there’s no quick and easy answer for this. The good news is, it can be pretty quick! It all just depends on many different factors.
While I can’t give you a definitive answer because I have no idea what your skills are, what types of services you’ll be offering, etc. I can tell you that I was able to get my first order within two weeks of creating my gigs on Fiverr. And then I went on to earn over $1,000 in my first 30 days.
That being said, my results aren’t necessarily typical and it’s going to vary greatly.
P.S. If you want to take a bit of a shortcut by getting some extra guidance, make sure you check out my Fiverr Kickstart course and use the code HOWLONG for $20 off.
What determines how long it takes to get your first order?
There are a few main factors that will determine how long it takes you to get your first order on Fiverr. I’ll outline each of them in detail below so you understand the best practices to put in place to get your first sale.
Gig pricing
When you price your gig as a brand new seller, you’ll want to look around at what other Fiverr sellers are charging. And then you’ll want to charge way less. Top-rated sellers are able to charge a premium for their services, so don’t even consider their rates when you’re a newbie on Fiverr.
Pricing is going to totally depend on what your gig is for. Logo design and blog post writing are very popular gigs on Fiverr, but they’re going to be priced differently (more of a smaller one-time fee) than digital marketing services like social media management.
Gig popularity
Another thing to consider is how many potential buyers are actively searching for the service you’re providing. Providing high-demand services on Fiverr is going to get you a much better chance at getting orders quickly, than jumping into a service that isn’t as popular.
For example, if you’re a graphic designer, you’re more likely to get a “logo design” order than something very specific and niche. One important thing to note, however, is that you also need to consider competition. Gigs with less popularity, but a lot less competition can sometimes be a better bet than popular gigs with thousands of competitors. I know this sound contradictory, but it all just depends. Basically, as long as people are searching for your service, you’re good.
Gig title
If potential clients can’t find you, then they can’t hire you! Make sure that your gig title is SEO optimized for keywords people are actually searching on Fiverr. For example, more people are going to search for “blog writer” than “blog post creator”. Take a look at other gigs in the same category to get some ideas.
Gig image
The next step is to make sure you have a good gig image! That means it should be clean, professional, eye-catching! You can do this without too much work with a tool like Canva. Take a look at the gigs in your niche and see which ones stand out to you. Which are a the top of search? What do they have in common? Try to make yours even better.
Pro tip: I include gig image templates that you can customize with a free Canva account in Fiverr Kickstart.
Gig description
If you can get someone to click on your gig title with good SEO and a compelling gig image, your description is the next section you want to use to sell yourself to your new clients. I talk a lot about this in Fiverr Kickstart (and even include some gig description templates), but don’t do what a lot of people do and just write just anything in here.
Make sure you optimize your gig descriptions to sell yourself, and your services, and really stand out by telling or showing potential clients why they need to hire you.
Where you appear in search results
One of the biggest things that impact your orders is where your Fiverr gigs appear in search results. If you’re hiding somewhere on page 18 of search results, you’re not getting a ton of clicks.
The problem is, It can be really hard to rank well, especially as a new seller, because those who appear toward the top are usually those who have good reviews or current orders pending.
Focus on SEO and your gig image, and make sure that you price low to begin. This will you up your chances of appearing in search results on Fiverr, especially for those who use a price filter and are looking for someone cheap to hire. When you start, those buyers are your best bet!
Your skill level
Of course, all of the above is important, but so is your skill level! Regardless of what type of service you offer, you should always mention your skill or experience level in your gig description and seller profile. Especially if you are highly skilled and have experience!
Tips for Getting Your First Fiverr Order
Getting your first Fiverr order can take a while, but there are some shortcuts to make that first order come a little faster:
Ask Your Network
The easiest way to get your first order on a new gig? Ask your network to hire you or spread the word. I know, it sounds like cheating. I didn’t do this when I started on Fiverr, and I probably would have gained traction much faster if I did!
Throw up your Fiverr gig link on social media, email some people to see if they’re looking for help in whatever service you offer, etc. Just getting that first order and a good review will really boost your chances of getting over that hump and getting more orders.
Max Out Your Gigs
Don’t just create one gig and wait. It’s always a good idea to max out the number of gigs Fiverr allows you as a new seller. At the time that I’m writing this, new sellers are allowed up to 7 gigs!
You truly don’t know which gig will gain traction first. When I started, I had a handful of blog post writing gigs and one of them took off while the others just kind of sat there.
Having more gigs to play around with and more gigs to show up in search results will greatly increase your chances of someone finding your gig and hiring you!
Price Low
I know, you’re always told to charge what you’re worth. In a perfect world, that would work! But when you’re just getting started on a platform as a new seller, and there are tons of other sellers with a solid reputation, one of the best ways to get attention is to price low. Once you start getting orders, you’ll be able to bump your prices.
Setting Realistic Expectations
Time for some harsh truth. Fiverr can be a great platform to make extra cash and build up a client base, but it’s not going to give you an overflowing bank account overnight. If you work hard, test new ways to get orders, and do good work which results in good reviews, you really can make a good side income, or possibly even full-time income, if that’s what your striving for. But remember: it is work!
FAQ
Is being a Fiverr freelancer a good business model?
I truly believe that Fiverr is a great place to make an extra income or a part time income. Of all the online platforms for freelancers, it’s the only one I have really been able to find success with.
How can I get more orders on Fiverr?
most important things, star reviews, seller level, good reputation
There are a lot of things you can do to get more orders on Fiverr! One of the most important things is that when you DO get an order, make sure you do good work so you can get 5 star reviews, increase your seller level, and build a good reputation.
Can Fiverr be a full time job?
While the majority of Fiverr sellers aren’t doing it full time, there are definitely sellers who are doing it full time. I was able to make a full time income of $5,000-$6,000/month for two months before I took a step back because it was taking up too much of my time.
