I’m not exaggerating when I say that Upwork changed the trajectory of my life. I know that’s a bold statement, but hear me out.

When I decided to give freelance writing a try in 2016, I had no work experience, college degree, or writing samples. Upwork made it possible for me to start finding clients immediately and earn my first $1,000 as a freelance writer.

But that first $1,000 was just a drop in the bucket. Over the past four years I’ve been able to:

Raise my hourly rate to $100 per hour
Land jobs that paid between $500-$750 per blog post
Earn over $100,000 on Upwork
Receive dozens and dozens of five-star reviews, which helped build my confidence as a freelancer
Build a portfolio of hundreds of high-quality articles that I’m proud to share

That’s why I continue to use Upwork to this day. And that’s why I’m passionate about encouraging new and experienced freelancers alike to give the platform a try.

I truly believe every freelancer can benefit from using Upwork. It is one of the easiest and fastest ways to get started as a freelance writer and gain access to a huge pool of potential clients.

5 steps to creating a strong Upwork profile

The best way to start landing high-paying jobs on Upwork is by creating a strong profile. A good profile will make it easier for you to get noticed when you apply for jobs.

But it can also lead many clients to reach out to you directly -- I get invited to apply for new jobs on Upwork all the time. Here are my five best tips for creating a strong Upwork profile.

1. Get your Top Rated badge

Once you get your profile approved on Upwork and start looking for clients, your first goal should be to reach Top Rated status. This is a badge that will appear at the top of your profile.

When a potential client sees that you’re a Top Rated freelancer, they’ll know that you have a strong history of successfully working with clients.

According to Upwork, Top Rated freelancers represent the top 10% of talent on Upwork.

To receive your Top Rated badge, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:

Your profile is 100% complete
You have a Job Success Score of at least 90%
Your first Upwork contract was at least 90 days ago
You’ve earned at least $1,000 in the last 12 months

2. Set yourself apart as a professional

If you’re just getting started, it can be really hard to think of yourself as a professional freelance writer. But I want you to understand that you’re a professional freelance writer whenever you say you are.

Look, there are no degrees or certificates you have to achieve to become a freelance writer. All you really need are clients, and you’ll have an easier time finding them once you start taking yourself seriously.

And the good news is that you can act like a professional whether you believe you’re one or not. Here are some ways you can get started:

Use a high-quality headshot in your profile picture
Create an introductory video that clients can watch to learn more about you
Charge a minimum of $30/hour -- if you charge less than that, most clients won’t take you seriously
When you send proposals, tell your clients that you’re a professional freelance writer

3. Use a keyword-rich title

Once you have a decent amount of job history on Upwork, you will occasionally get invited to apply for jobs. Job invitations are great because they don’t require any Connects.

(Upwork Connects are what you’ll use to apply for jobs in the marketplace. You need between one and six Connects to apply for most jobs and they cost about $0.15 each.)

So your job title is an excellent opportunity to include keywords that your ideal client will be searching for. My recommendation is to get very specific with your job title.

Mine has varied over the years but it currently says “Content Writer | Blogs | SEO Writer | B2B Writer.” I chose those because I know those are the keywords my ideal client is looking for.

4. A detailed overview outlining your services

Your overview is kind of like the About page for your Upwork profile. It’s how you’ll give your client an opportunity to get to know you better and describe the services you offer.

The most important thing to keep in mind about your overview is that it should be all about your ideal client.

Yes, you’re talking about yourself. But you’re doing it in a way where your client understands the value you’ll bring to them.

In other words, how will hiring you save the client time or help them make more money? For instance, here is what I wrote in my overview:

“My original content will increase audience engagement, bring more traffic to your website, create a loyal and excited customer base, and build your reputation as a trusted leader in your industry.”

My ideal client reads that and they immediately understand how they’ll benefit from hiring me as a writer.

Notice I didn’t talk about how I’ve always dreamed of being a writer or go into great detail about my college major. Clients don’t care about that stuff!

5. A portfolio of your best work

And finally, Upwork includes a section where you can add your portfolio pieces.

Obviously, you’ll build this over time.

But I would set aside some time every week or every month to update your portfolio and add some relevant pieces.

To make your portofolio pieces really stand out, make sure you always include an image.

And if the piece you’re sharing came from an Upwork job, make sure you link to it!

Final thoughts on your upwork profile

Creating a strong Upwork profile is the best way to stand out on the platform and land high-paying clients. If you’re not sure where to start, I recommend looking at other Top Rated freelancer profiles for inspiration.

See what kind of information they include, how they talk about their services, and what kinds of portfolio pieces they include. Your goal isn’t to copy them of course, but it’ll give you ideas for how you can improve your portfolio.

But remember, you’ll improve your Upwork profile over time. Don’t wait until it’s perfect to start sending proposals and looking for work!

If you need some help with this, you should definitely check out my webinar, How to Use Upwork as a Freelance Writer.

This webinar will teach you the five steps you need to take to find high-paying clients on Upwork. And it outlines the exact steps I took to earn over $100,000 on Upwork.

You can learn more about it here:

Learn more