This article explains how freelancers can boost their Upwork profile using Connects to gain more visibility and client engagement. It outlines how Boosted Profiles work, how to set bids and budgets, and when Connects are charged, with the goal of increasing invitations and job opportunities through targeted exposure. – AI helped create this summary
If you’re looking to get more visibility, you can use Connects to boost your profile, grabbing the attention of clients looking to hire.
How it works
Increased profile visibility can lead to more job invitations which can lead to more hires, giving you control of how you grow your business.
When you boost your profile, you’ll gain more visibility. Boosted Profiles that match a client’s targeted work appear within their view at key points throughout their selection process.
You only pay when a client interacts with your profile, so your Connects are only spent when you receive client engagement in a promoted spot.
- Strategize: You can set up a Boosted Profile, bidding for a chance to make it to the top promoted spots in a client’s view of potential freelancers to invite to their job post. When you set up the boost, you will target work categories and set limits on the Connects you’re willing to spend per click. This setup is similar to other pay-per click advertising models, where you only pay for clicks received, helping you get noticed by the right type of potential clients.
- Engage: After your boost is set up, we handle the rest. Our ad server automatically runs an auction every time a client views an eligible page to determine which freelancers to show based on relevancy and bid price. The auction winners will be shown to clients in matching work categories. Your Connects balance is only charged if a client clicks your Boosted Profile.
- Analyze: Your Boosted Profile will drive increased visibility to potential clients. You can gauge the impact of your Boosted Profile through My Stats, where data-driven insights help you fine-tune your approach to work opportunities as you watch your profile clicks surge.
Bid to boost
This feature lets you control your business and your Connects. You’ll set the maximum amount of Connects you’re willing to spend for a click on your Boosted Profile.
You’ll be asked questions to activate your Boosted Profile:
- Category and specialty: These are important because they help you connect with clients who are looking for work to be completed in those categories
- Bid per click: Choose the maximum amount that you’d like to spend for a profile click. The higher bid you choose, the more likely you are to be boosted. An auction is run every time a client loads the "invite freelancers" page
- Budget: We turn off your boost when it hits the budget limit
- Daily limit: We will turn your boost off if your spend hits that amount of Connects that day. It will turn on again the next day
- Total limit: We will turn your boost off when your spend hits that amount of Connects, if it is before the optional end date you request
- End date (optional): You can choose to automatically end the boost at a specific date. This can be helpful if you choose a daily limit, but still want to control your spend of Connects over a time period or if you only have limited availability
Your Connects balance is charged when a client interacts with your Boosted Profile. You’ll be charged if:
- A client clicks on your profile when it is being promoted as a Boosted Profile on a client’s page
- A client selects the heart button to save your Boosted Profile
- A client selects the Invite to job button from your Boosted Profile
- A client selects the Hire button from your Boosted Profile
Good clients like to do their research, and may engage with your Boosted Profile multiple times. You will only be charged once per job post if the same client clicks on your Boosted Profile multiple times.
Limits and end dates are set for your Boosted Profile, but you can still end the boost at any time.
Boost your profile
To boost your profile:
- Go to your Find work page and choose the pencil icon next to “Boost your profile.” A modal will open where you will enter your preferences
- Specify the audience you want for your Boosted Profile by choosing a work category and a specialty
- Enter the number of Connects you want to pay per click
- Specify the total limit you want to place on your spending
- Use the toggle whether you want that limit to be per day or in total
- If you’d like, set an end date to your boost
- Select Boost now
If you’d like to change your boost, go to your Find work page and choose the pencil icon next to Boost your profile.
Manage your Boosted Profile
You can edit, pause, or turn off your profile boost at any time.
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Edit allows you to change Connect bids, limits, maximums, as well as your boost end date
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Pause puts your Boosted Profile on hold, maintaining the settings
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Turn off stops your Boosted Profile and resets the settings
To edit, pause, or turn off your profile boost, go to Find work Boost your profile and select the desired option.