Online service marketplaces, such as Freelancer, Freeeup, Upwork and more, have helped make global business transactions frictionless. Thanks to these marketplaces, it is easier for businesses to seek out relevant service providers for their needs and manage all project correspondence and payments digitally.
Many service marketplaces cater to niche business needs; however, the prevalence of such marketplaces have made it harder for service-providers to stand out, regardless of their industry.
Whether you are part of a graphic design studio, marketing agency, have a team of software developers, or offer outsourced financial and legal advice, if you use service marketplaces, you need to make your profile stand out.
Fortunately, there are a few ways for you to do that:
When seeking out service marketplaces, it’s essential to set up a profile for your business that clarifies to potential clients the type of projects you can take on and whether you have a multi-skilled team working with you.
Some marketplaces, including Upwork, let you set up a client, freelancer or agency profile. With Fiverr, everyone in your business can create their own profile, which is linked using a team account.
Since online service marketplaces often rely on remote relationships, it is important to establish a sense of trust from the very first moment a potential client sees your business profile.
If you have an individual account and are linked as a team, make sure all team members have unified and professional profile photos. If your account is an agency account, use a high-quality professional logo for your image.
Use your profile to tell potential clients about your company, the types of projects you have done, the skills your team members possess and more. If you are an agency with an established brand identity and tone of voice, make sure to convey your brand identity in everything you write.
Make your profile personal to give insight into what makes your agency or business unique. If possible, share a photo of the team or a video introducing your company.
This may sound like a basic tip, but many businesses and agencies do not go through the perceived hassle of completing their service provider profile. Doing so will help showcase your skills in further detail, as well as increase your chances of being discovered. This is because many service marketplaces use different section tags for their search results.
Telling potential customers about past projects is one thing, but showing them these projects is another. To make your profile stand out, share links to work you’ve completed as well as social accounts profile visitors to explore them.
If your company offers multiple services, make sure to share projects that highlight everything you provide. For example, a marketing agency offering branding, content writing, SEO services, and web design should showcase projects from each of these verticals. For services that are not visual, such as SEO, consider writing case studies to share on your profile.
Whenever possible, use testimonials from past clients to further highlight your experience and establish your validity.
One way to make your service marketplace profile standout is by clearly stating your payment terms and conditions. Many marketplaces offer multiple payment methods and clarifying which you accept is a great way to show that you are a trustworthy agency.
For example, if you accept payments via Payoneer, make sure to point that out. Potential clients may already have accounts with different payout providers, and working with their preferred payment method will make working with your agency easier.
It is essential to routinely update your profile with new projects and skills that you acquire to meet the changing needs of your potential clients. Doing so shows that you are working continuously on different types of projects while staying current in your industry.
If you complete a project secured from the marketplace, make sure to follow up with the client and ask for a review or to share their feedback. Even if you have new projects that were not brought in through the marketplace, you can still share them on your profile.
Freelancers, get global payments easily from clients with Payoneer