Freelancing is not a new term to people now. In fact, you can find that most of the young people in today’s world have at least thought about freelancing, be it by becoming freelancers or planning to get an idea about it.
Historically, freelancers aim to have a prominent profile with many reviews and income from reputed marketplaces.
To start your career in Freelancers, selecting the perfect marketplace is essential. A marketplace is like an online platform where freelancers with specific skills join to sell their services and buyers with a need for that service gather to purchase the service. Every marketplace has unique characteristics; understanding the features is necessary to set the proper strategy. In Bangladesh, Fiverr, Upwork, and Freelancer are the most popular platforms compared to others.
Let’s thoroughly discuss these three marketplaces and figure out the advantages and disadvantages of each marketplace.
Fiverr:
Statistics show that 4.2 million active buyers are currently on Fiverr at the end of 2023, which indicates this platform’s size. Let’s know how this platform works:
The system of Fiverr can be called “Gig based,” which means that every seller here arranges a specific “Gig” showcasing their offer with a particular price. The buyer of any specific service comes here to purchase one and contacts the seller if needed. Thus, they start communication and negotiate if required. When both parties agree, they finalize the contract and start working. After the work is successfully delivered, the buyer releases the payment and gives a review to the seller.
Why Bangladeshi Freelancers Should Select Fiverr:
Firstly, Fiverr’s interface is amicable, especially for new sellers. Understanding the overall system is essential for a seller from Bangladesh, which is much easier on Fiverr.
Secondly, negotiation is one of the most challenging things on the freelancer platform because many freelancers sell the same service at different prices. When communicating with the buyer, the asking price often becomes a challenge. However, on Fiverr, the new seller can self-search and understand how the services are sold there. After setting the price for the Gig, negotiation becomes less critical, and thus, one difficult barrier in negotiation is removed.
Thirdly, the platform is vibrant, and the Gigs are open. Thus, you can understand how top-rated freelancers design their Gigs and arrange yours accordingly. Meeting people from almost every country is possible if you work at Fiverr.
Some Challenges to Face in Fiverr:
While Fiverr is an excellent long-term choice, starting a career on Fiverr is difficult for new sellers because the competition is exceptionally high. You will find millions of sellers who are entirely new like you and waiting for their first sale!
Another critical issue is keeping yourself active for a long time. If you are not online and a buyer is looking for you, it’s improbable that the buyer will contact you again after not getting your response!
While the gig system is excellent for presenting your offer, showing your unique service can sometimes be challenging. When someone wants to present differently, it may become difficult for them.
Upwork:
Upwork, previously known as Odesk, is a popular platform whose system differs from Fiverr. There was once another trendy marketplace named Elance. Later, it merged with Odesk and was introduced with the new name, “Upwork.” This platform is open for buyers to post their requirements, and freelancer sellers bid there for any price they would like to work on that project for. Among the bidders, the buyer calls for an interview and discusses the project in detail.
The Advantages of Upwork, the Bangladeshi Freelancers May Like:
Bangladeshi freelancers often face the difficulty of proving their skills. However, the number of skill tests on Upwork can help them here, and they can show the potential buyer that they possess the required skills. For example, a buyer looking for an English writer may like to hire a native English speaker. A Bangladeshi freelancer with a good score on Upwork English skill tests can easily prove their skills.
Verification of the buyer is another good feature of this platform. For a Bangladeshi freelancer, verifying the job poster is often tricky since the sector has many buyers with unusual intentions. However, on Upwork, the seller can see how many projects the buyer has awarded so far, how much money they have spent through Upwork, and how many jobs this buyer has posted.
The range of services is also wide enough; sellers with expertise in any specific niche can search for jobs here and expect to find one.
Challenges Bangladeshi Sellers May Face on Upwork:
The service fees are getting higher in Upwork. The new freelancers must purchase “Connects” to bid on projects, which is a barrier for the sellers. Due to the exchange rate, purchasing Connects with USD is even more expensive in Bangladesh.
The interface is not so simple and may seem difficult initially. For Bangladeshi Freelancers, this is a barrier they often face in Upwork.
Freelancer:
Freelancer is probably one of the oldest platforms and is very popular in Bangladesh. Many freelancers from Bangladesh are on this platform. The system is like Upwork here: the registered buyers post their requirements through different projects, and the sellers write their proposals to bid on those projects.
The Features of Freelancers that Attract Bangladesh Freelancers:
The Freelancers can bid on the projects for free on this platform, which is a great advantage. However, there is a bid limit per month though.
Like Upwork, the Freelancers can verify a buyer’s reputation with information like how long the buyer has been on this platform, how many projects they have awarded so far, how the sellers have rated this buyer, etc.
Freelancer has unique features that talented freelancers from Bangladesh can take advantage of. The “Contest” feature allows the seller to participate without placing a bid and show the best work to impress the potential buyer.
Another unique option Freelancer offers is “Local Job,” which is fantastic for Bangladeshi freelancers since they can find jobs in their locality through this platform.
The Challenges Bangladeshi Freelancers May Face:
While the bidding is free, the number of bids is limited, and sellers must expand to bid more than that.
The competition is also very high; therefore, Bangladeshi freelancers must wait long and be extremely patient.
Some Final Thoughts:
All three platforms are famous worldwide, and Bangladeshi freelancers have a good reputation in each. Each of these platforms’ selling options offers a wide range of skills, and there is a chance to sell one’s service here. As the preferences and abilities vary from person to person, freelance sellers in Bangladesh must focus on the characteristics we have presented here, which can help you decide your strategy and focus. We wish you all the best in your Freelancing Career.