10 Steps I Used To Create an Upwork Profile That Earned $700,000

Creating a standout Upwork profile can be a “make or break” moment, even for experienced freelancers. When I joined Upwork in 2017, I was already a seasoned freelancer, but competing with thousands of freelancers worldwide was daunting. However, through trial and error, I developed a profile and bio that clients found hard to resist. And that profile went on to help me earn over $700,000 on the platform. In this post, I’ll share some of my best profile tips with you. I recommend reading through all the steps first, then following them one by one as you build your profile. Take your time with this process. It may take several minutes or even hours, but it’s worth the effort. While you can update your profile at any time, making a strong first impression is key.

1. Fill Out Your Upwork Profile Completely

It might seem obvious, but filling out your profile completely is crucial. Your profile will need to reach 100% completion to be competitive.

To achieve this, you’ll need to fill out the following required sections:

• Profile photo
• Profile overview
• Employment history
• Skills tags

These will get your profile to 50% completion. To reach 100%, you’ll need to fill out additional sections, such as:

• Portfolio items
• Additional employment history
• More skills tags
• Education
• Profile video
• Linked accounts
• Certifications
• Experience

Pro Tip: If you don’t have relevant or recent employment history, you can list your freelance business or recent projects, as I did.

2. Optimize Your Profile with Keywords

Another essential step in optimizing your profile is discovering and adding relevant keywords.

Much like how SEO (Search Engine Optimization) professionals use keywords to target specific terms that rank high on search engines, you should be just as strategic in choosing keywords for your Upwork profile.

Start by looking at the profiles of top-rated freelancers in your industry and analyzing the keywords they use to describe their services. This research will give you insight into which terms are performing well. Create a list of relevant keywords for your industry and weave them naturally into your profile sections—especially in your profile bio, title, and portfolio descriptions.

By using keywords strategically, much like an SEO professional would for a website, you can increase the likelihood that potential clients find your profile when searching for freelancers with your expertise.

By filling out your profile completely and ensuring it is keyword-optimized, you’ll not only improve your chances of standing out in search results but also make it easier for clients to find you based on the services you offer.

Tip: Consider using tools like ChatGPT to help generate keyword ideas and optimize your content for better visibility. Here’s a sample prompt:

“I am a [your industry] freelancer. I am writing a 3-4 paragraph biography for my Upwork profile in which I need to naturally weave in industry-specific keywords. Can you 1-Provide a list of at least 20 keywords that are relevant to my industry? 2-Naturally weave those words into this text [insert your draft].”

3. Choose a Professional Headshot for Your Profile Picture

Your Upwork profile picture should be a clear, professional headshot. The photo needs to have a 1:1 ratio and be between 250x250 and 4000x4000 pixels. Accepted formats are .jpg, .jpeg, .png, and .gif.

Here are some tips for a great profile picture:

• Wear professional or business casual attire.
• Choose a clean background.
• Ensure good lighting (no filters or heavy editing).
• Use a tight crop (headshot only).
• Smile and look directly into the camera.
• Be the only person in the picture—no friends, family, or pets. Keep the shot simple and professional.

4. Create a Client-Focused Bio

When writing your bio, focus on how you can improve your client’s life or business. Make your bio client-centered, highlighting your unique selling points. And make those first two sentences count—they’re often the first thing a potential client will read.

Here’s an example from my own bio:

“I offer premium graphic design services to my clients—I’m hyper-responsive, available M-F during normal business hours, and deliver high-quality products with rapid turnarounds.”

In just a few words, I’ve established my expertise, communication skills, and dedication to timely, high-quality work.

When writing your bio, consider these questions:

• What keywords would my ideal client use when searching for a freelancer like me?
• If I were a client, what would I want to see in a freelancer’s profile?
• What are my client’s goals, and how can I help them achieve those goals?
• What tangible growth metrics, achievements, or case studies can I share?
• What tools or software do I use for my work?
• What type of projects do I excel at?

You may also want to include a formatted list of your services and skills at the end of your bio.

Pro tip: The Upwork search algorithm relies heavily on keywords, so be strategic in your word choice throughout your profile.

5. Create a Keyword-Rich Title with a Unique Selling Point

One of the keys to my success was spending time on the client side of Upwork. By hiring other freelancers, I gained insight into how clients discover talent and make decisions.

Upwork’s talent search allows clients to search for freelancers based on keywords, so your title needs to do two things:

• Help clients find your profile through relevant keywords.
• Establish your expertise and unique selling points in just 70 characters or less.

Here are some real-life examples to spark inspiration:

• Morgan O: “Expert Graphic Designer & Freelance Coach (ft. in Business Insider)”
• Josh B: “Microsoft SQL Server DBA (Ranked in the top 1% on Upwork)”
• Pansee F: “Whiteboard & Animated 2D 3D Explainer Videos, Expert 16 yrs Experience”

Each title combines keywords with a unique selling point. If you’re unsure what to use, browse the Jobs Feed to see what keywords clients are using.

Pro tip: Check Upwork’s Talent Search to get inspiration from the titles used by Top Rated and Expert Vetted freelancers in your field.

6. Curate a Portfolio that Showcases Your Skills

People are visual creatures, and a strong portfolio can make a huge difference in landing jobs.

Even if you’re in a non-visual field, you can still create an impactful portfolio. Use case studies, screenshots, charts, or graphs to showcase growth and results from previous projects. Label each portfolio item with industry-relevant keywords and provide detailed descriptions. Industry terms are far more important here than company names. Nobody will be searching for “Design for Company XYZ.” Instead, clients tend to use project-related terms in searches, like “PowerPoint Slide Deck Design.”

Including a variety of well-labeled portfolio items will give potential clients a well-rounded view of your skills and experience.

Pro-tip: In addition to my Upwork portfolio, I also created a handful of multi-page PDF mini portfolios that I can easily attach to emails and proposals. Each “mini portfolio” has its own theme based on a single service offering. This allows me to quickly and efficiently showcase specific skill sets to potential clients.

7. Create Project Catalog Listings

Upwork’s Project Catalog is a relatively new feature, and it can be a great way to secure jobs without spending Connects. Clients can browse pre-packaged services and book directly from the catalog, with no need for proposals or interviews. Since fewer freelancers use this feature, it tends to be less competitive. Plus, it seems to boost your profile’s visibility in search results.

While it’s unlikely that you will make your first sale from the Project Catalog compared to the Jobs Feed, the Project Catalog can become quite lucrative over time.

So don’t skip this step, but also don’t feel too much pressure to “get it right” at this stage. You can always go back and tweak these packaged offerings later.

8. Post a Profile Video

In today’s world of YouTube and TikTok, people are accustomed to video content. While not required, adding a profile video can help you stand out.

You don’t need fancy equipment—just a smartphone or a simple slideshow that introduces yourself, highlights your services, and showcases your best work.

Not sure how to create a video? Consider hiring a freelancer. ;)

9. Secure Client Testimonials and Reviews

In the early stages of your Upwork career, client reviews and testimonials are essential. While you’ll need to wait for your first formal review after completing your initial Upwork contract, you can start building credibility right away by inviting off-site clients to submit testimonials for your profile from day one. You can send these testimonial invites directly from your profile.

10. Create Two Specialized Profiles

Once your general profile is complete, consider adding two specialized profiles. Specialized profiles are essentially additional tabs that can be added to your main profile. These allow you to create tailored versions of your main profile for specific categories, each with its own title, overview, hourly rate, portfolio, and work history.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer who also excels at WordPress, create one specialized profile for graphic design and another for WordPress.

When you’re finished with your profile, ask a friend, colleague, or peer to proofread your profile for typos and grammar. Or, use a tool like ChatGPT or Grammarly.