My Journey to Becoming Top Rated Plus on Upwork

How It Started: From Hiring Freelancers to Becoming One

I joined Upwork back in 2018—but not as a freelancer. At the time, I was building out client projects and needed 1099 contractors to help with overflow work. I was primarily focused on enterprise tools and automation, but gradually expanded into content creation, paid social, and audience growth.

Like any freelancer, I knew that sourcing clients was everything. I experimented with the usual suspects—Facebook ads, LinkedIn outreach, Slack groups—but those channels only took me so far. IYKYK.

Eventually, I turned to cold email and manual outreach. It worked—but it was also time-consuming. Then an obvious thought hit me: what if I didn’t have to chase clients at all?

That’s when I began taking Upwork seriously. Clients were already there, and better yet—they were searching for me. This flipped my process on its head. Not only did it save me time, but the leads ended up being better aligned with my services and strengths.

Why the Top Rated Plus Badge Matters

The Top Rated Plus badge isn’t just a shiny piece of flair. It gives you a flywheel effect—once you hit that tier, quality leads start coming in regularly. Today, most of my proposals look something like:

“Thanks for reaching out. Free to hop on Zoom this week?”

It sounds almost too simple, but it works. I get to vet clients before writing long proposals, which saves time and allows for better fit on both sides.

Beyond that, the badge also:

• Boosts profile visibility and credibility instantly

• Helps attract other talented freelancers to your team (true story: one of my best hires found me while trying to hire me)

• Acts as a trust symbol for off-platform clients and larger proposals

  
  

How I Hacked My Way to the Top

When I first started freelancing, I wasn’t the most experienced social media marketer on the platform. But I had one clear advantage: time.

I made a conscious decision to respond fast and stay available. That alone differentiated me. I also priced myself significantly below market rate early on—not because I didn’t value my work, but because I needed reviews. I prioritized performance above everything and asked for “honest feedback” (read: a good review) every time I delivered.

Then came the flywheel:

1. Deliver a great experience.

2. Get a 5-star review.

3. Raise my rate.

4. Rinse and repeat.

   
   

To accelerate things, I asked some off-platform clients to move our contract onto Upwork. This unlocked the Top Rated badge (the step below Top Rated Plus), which came with one major perk: the ability to remove a negative review every six months.

Cleaning Up My Profile

I’ve only had two bad reviews on Upwork:

• One from a client with a broken Facebook Business Manager setup. I was clear upfront that I couldn’t fix the core issue (only Meta could), but they hired me anyway. Predictably, they dinged me for not solving the unsolvable.

• Another came from a timezone-challenged overseas project that I didn’t manage well. That one’s on me.

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Both reviews were removed thanks to the Top Rated perk, and my Job Success Score climbed to 100%.

I also:

• Continuously improved and iterated my profile with up-to-date case studies and testimonials

• Split-tested service offerings

• Discovered that boring, technical services (like Facebook Business Manager support) often convert best and lead to larger retainers

  
  

Connects, Costs & the Bigger Picture

A common criticism of Upwork these days is the cost of Connects—the tokens you need to apply for jobs. It’s true. I now spend roughly $30/month on them. But in return, I land a handful of high-quality leads a year and generate a consistent pipeline with near-zero marketing overhead. Not a bad deal.

Would I build an entire business on Upwork? Probably not. But am I glad I invested in the platform early and played the long game? Absolutely.

Final Thoughts for Aspiring Freelancers

If you’re trying to get to Top Rated or Top Rated Plus, here’s my advice:

• Don’t listen to anyone who says it’s easy. It’s not. It took me years.

• Don’t take on clients who you know won’t leave a good review. One bad rating can freeze your pipeline for months.

• Don’t compete on expertise alone. Compete on speed, responsiveness, and service.

• And don’t be afraid to play the long game. Reviews compound. Momentum matters.

  
  

Lastly, I had two key advantages:

1. Upwork was never my primary income source—so I could say no to red flag clients.

2. I have an amazing team behind me (shoutout to the Social Katz crew!). When I got stuck, they had my back.

   
   

The path to becoming Top Rated Plus on Upwork wasn’t easy. But it’s been one of the most worthwhile things I’ve done as a freelancer. If you’re up for the grind, the payoff is real.