Why No One Opens Your Upwork Proposals (and What to Do About It)

Wondering why no one opens your Upwork proposals?

You’re not the first, and won’t be the last, freelancer to ponder this issue. Getting zero views on a thoughtfully crafted proposal makes you feel invisible. Thousands of freelancers experience the same thing every day, and it’s getting worse and worse with time. Just look at the hundreds of Reddit posts on the topic.

But freelancers are earning on Upwork (including me). Which means that there are ways to get your proposals seen. And I’m glad to report that they don’t include spending more cash on connects. Yes, really!

Here’s why your Upwork proposals are ignored, and what you can do, based on my experience in the last five years as a freelancer and client on the platform.

Why Upwork Clients Don’t Read Your Proposals

When you submit a proposal on Upwork, you might think the client automatically sees it. This is very far from the truth. I can tell you this because I’ve used Upwork as both a freelancer and client.

In reality, clients only get a small preview of your application. Usually the first two lines of your cover letter. They have to click to read the full thing. But when you’re facing 50+ proposals, you can read every single one.

That sounds harsh, but it’s true.

Many job posts attract 20 to 50 proposals within the first day. Clients skim through a long list of freelancer emails and only click the few that grab their attention instantly. Your first two sentences are everything.

The Harsh Truth: Most Proposals Sound the Same

Naturally, when you read through dozens of proposals as a client, they start to blur together. 

Especially in the age of free AI tools! Stop with the copy-and-paste guys. When every one uses the job description as a prompt, ChatGPT always spits back similar words.

Outside of AI issues, most are generic and focused on the freelancer, not the job at hand.

Your proposal should not read like a résumé. Think of it as a mini sales pitch. You are not listing what you can do, you are showing why you are the best fit for their specific project.

Here is an example of how to stand out:

Generic:
“I’m a skilled writer with five years of experience creating blog posts and web content.”

Better:
“I noticed your travel blog is missing destination guides for Southeast Asia. I recently wrote a 20-article series on Bali and Thailand that grew a client’s readership by 35%. I can do the same for you.”

Specificity tends to wins every time — and I can confirm this with my own experience as an Upwork client. So, do your research and proposal admin.

My Experience As An Upwork Client

I’m usually a freelancer on Upwork, but for one job I had to use the client side of the platform to hire a graphic designer. Swapping from one side to the other completely changed how I view Upwork.

After positing my proposal I was flooded with 20+ responses in ten minutes. Ten minutes!!

Most were clearly AI generated and lacked any specifics about the job. Completely copy and pasted. One even had a wrong name. 

So, if you’re copy-and-pasting, this is your sign to STOP. It’s obvious.

I even added a line in the job description that said ‘Write HOWDY at the top of your application’ and only about 30% of the applicants did this. Again, proof of spamming every open job offer. 

Who did I actually hire, you ask?

In the end, the winning proposal for me wasn’t a long one. It was a 100 word application that was friendly, told me how they’d solve the problem, gave one line about their experience, and invited me to ask more questions on request.

Sure, it didn’t promise the moon or give me their full work history. But it was overwhelmingly human, and they came across easy to work with. What helped was that their Upwork profile had sample work and they also uploaded a PDF portfolio. This won’t apply to all disciplines, though.

Writing human proposals takes longer, but it pays off. When working with me, at least!

How the Upwork Algorithm Decides Who Gets Seen

Even before a client sees your proposal, Upwork’s algorithm decides the order in which proposals appear. Just like social media apps these days.

It matches freelancers and jobs based on profile completeness, keywords, Job Success Score, and how active you are on the platform. 

If your profile is incomplete or lacks relevant skills, your proposals might land near the bottom of the list. Clients rarely scroll that far (and I can confirm this from my own experience).

It’s like when clients ask for free samples just to take the work and ghost you. Unfair.

To boost your visibility, make sure your profile is 100% complete and keep your skills section updated with keywords that match the types of jobs you want. 

Pro Tip: It helps to reply promptly to any messages or invites you receive.

Other Real Reasons Your Proposal Might Never Get Seen

Sometimes, it really isn’t about your proposal at all. There are several other reasons why a client might not even look at it:

• The job post was just to test pricing or gather quotes.
• The client already hired someone off-platform, like through LinkedIn.
• The job was reposted or abandoned.

In these cases, even a perfect proposal might not get a view. That is part of freelancing on a large platform, and even off the platform. Clients cancel projects all the time.

When You’re a Writer: Why Upwork Clients Don’t View Your Freelance Writing Proposals

While the advice on this blog can go across all Upwork disciplines, I’m first and foremost a freelance writer, so it’s time to directly address this niche.

Freelance writing is an industry that’s been in flux for the past five years. Even before AI was on the scene, there were worries about not enough jobs and poor rates. 

Writing jobs attract a flood of proposals within minutes. Clients see page after page of “SEO content writer,” “blog writer,” and “copywriter,” and many look the same.

You’ve got to try to stand out — I know, you’re tired of hearing this, but it’s true.  

You can add a short personal story about your own experience with proposals that were never opened and what you changed to improve response rates. Data and statistics work well to catch client’s eye, so if you have access to project analytics, add these to your pitches and see how they perform.

If you write content for specific industries, say so. A proposal that says “I help B2B SaaS brands create data-driven blog content” or “I’m an iGaming writer with experience working for top affiliate blogs” is far more compelling than “I’m a content writer.”

Another simple trick is to mirror their tone. If their job post sounds casual, write casually. If it sounds corporate, tighten up your phrasing. Show that you understand their style and audience.

Lastly, add portfolio links! Clients want to see what you can do. A few short sample links go a long way.

How to Get More Views on Your Upwork Proposals

You can’t control the algorithm completely, but you can stack the odds in your favor. 

Here are practical ways to get more people to open your proposals:

• Submit early. 
• Keep your cover letter short. 
• Match your rate to the project. 
• Use the Availability Badge to show you’re ready to work now.
• Respond quickly to invites and messages.
• Stay consistent.

Important note: The tip above says match your rate to the project. Keep this in mind, but don’t go below your base rate.

Upwork is notorious for low rates. Remember that beginner freelance writing rates should start at $0.1 per word ($100 per 1,000 words). This can go up to $0.5 for experts. 

Settling for paltry $0.03 rates lowers the standard for all writers and leaves you with less cash in your pocket.

Upwork Proposal Checklist

Before submitting another proposal, take 30 seconds to review this checklist:

• Start your first line with the client’s goal, not your background.
• Confirm your profile and portfolio match the job description.
• Check your rate aligns with the client’s budget range.
• Include relevant samples or your portfolio link
• Proofread everything. A single typo can undo all your effort.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to take silence personally, but unread proposals are part of freelancing. Even top-rated freelancers send dozens that go nowhere. I’ve been in the industry for years now, and still face this problem — and that’s why I’m even considering other ways to find clients.

The key is to keep refining your approach. Track which proposals get views or responses and look for patterns.

And if you feel burnt out? It might be time for a little break. Good luck out there.

Need some help? Read more on The Freelance Balance blog.