How to maintain a perfect 5 star rating on Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the biggest freelancing websites on this planet. The process is simple. You sign up and post gigs that are relevant to your skill set and interests. In a couple of days (sometimes weeks), you’ll have a prospective buyer on your (virtual) doorstep, wanting to check out your services and hopefully leave a review.
I have been freelancing on Fiverr as a content writer for the last year. As a broke college kid dealing with a pandemic-induced lockdown, I was able to keep my head above the water thanks to Fiverr. Getting a first order is easy as the Fiverr algorithm gives some visibility to new sellers. Let’s see how you can get your first 5-start review and hopefully keep the streak going.
Do your first order like it’s your last
Your first order is pivotal. Completing your first order notifies Fiverr that you are an active seller, looking for work, and determined to prove yourself in an ocean of sellers. Most importantly, your prices should be lower than the market rate to attract buyers, and your focus should be on providing tons of value with your services. For example, when I started, I was offered a measly 500 words for $5. (I’ll make separate growth, gig, and pricing guides in the future).
I remember scrutinizing my first order for a solid hour. It had a 95 score on Grammarly and was dolled up with fancy vocabulary and impeccable grammar. It could have been displayed in a museum. Fingers crossed, I delivered my first order. Lo and behold, I got my first Fiverr review.
After your first order, the Fiverr algorithm will slowly adopt you. You will be getting impressions, messages, and orders. Respond to every query promptly and stay online as much as possible. This will boost your gig’s visibility. If you are consistent with your quality of service, you will have return buyers interested in working with you for the long term.
Be Selective With Buyers
In your first couple of weeks, you’ll likely have had a barrage of prospective buyers wanting to place orders. If you reach that point; congrats! You can raise your prices and earn more with fewer orders. You can also be a bit selective with who you work with. Usually, a prospective buyer will message you first. Just a couple of back and forth messages can tell you about the kind of buyer you’re dealing with. If they are skeptical of your services, want more than you are offering, or are just downright impolite, deny your service to them. A simple, “I’m unavailable to offer my services at this point” can suffice. A bad buyer will leave a bad review. Sure, you will lose a potential order, but a bad review can cost you a whole lot more. A one-star review can tank your whole gig, and it can take months for you to get your ranking back. I’ve managed to dodge bad buyers as if my life depended on it.
Messing up an order is fine
A buyer wanted an article about oranges, but you wrote about how delicious apples are. You submitted your article and, unsurprisingly, the buyer isn’t pleased. They want a revision. You can point out if their directions weren’t clear but don’t be too confrontational about it. A buyer (unfortunately) has more power in this dynamic and it’s wiser not to jeopardize your gig’s clean record. Remember, we are not aiming for anything less than five stars. If you made a mistake, own up to it and offer a revision. Sure it’s extra work, but your gig’s future is more important than a disgruntled buyer who’s out to get you. You can report any misbehavior to Fiverr, but they don’t have a good track record of siding with sellers.
That’s why working with a good buyer is important. There is a margin for error and room for you to make up for any shortcomings. A problematic buyer wasn’t too happy to start with; you can only imagine how they would react if you mess up.
Be Extra
What’s different about your gig? If your category is already crowded with thousands of sellers, it can be really hard to stand out. Your objective should be to provide value that feels overwhelming to the buyer. A couple of months down the line, you are charging $15 for a 500-word article. Once again, congrats! That’s a decent price tag. It’s time for you to package your gig up nicely. For starters, offer to give frequent updates about the status of the order. When you deliver your order, attach a Grammarly report with it, so the buyer knows that they have paid for a quality article. Remember, if you are increasing a gig’s price by threefold, you need to provide more value to justify the price. It gives you a professional outlook and almost guarantees a 5-star review.
Look out for more Fiverr Guides in the future!
I am planning to write about my Fiverr experience and offer tips for aspiring freelancers. A wise person learns from the mistakes of others. Hopefully, you’ll learn a ton from me.
