“Clients are not coming on Fiverr.” This is one of the most common questions freelancers ask. In this article, we will only focus on Fiverr related tips. Finding clients from other platforms or other methods is a separate topic on its own.
In the middle of this article, we will also share a tip that has been used for 8 years. This tip has been applied across multiple accounts as well, and it has brought good results, helping orders come in with consistency.
Also Read: Freelancing in 2026: Where Should Beginners Actually Start?
Step 1: Finalize Your Skill Category
The first thing you need to do is finalize one skill. You need to decide which category you want to offer your service in, and you should be confident that you can deliver service in that category in the international market.
Step 2: Create Four Gigs in the Same Category
If you are a new seller, the first thing you should do is create four gigs. For each gig, you need to know how to find the right title, how to write the description, and how to use hashtags properly.
Finding a category where fewer freelancers are offering services but order volume is high is a separate topic. If you want details on that, it can be covered in another article.
So, to summarize the first two steps:
- Finalize your skill.
- Create four gigs on Fiverr.
Add a Portfolio With Six Projects
All four gigs should be related to the same category. Do not mix categories. Whatever category you have finalized, your Fiverr portfolio should be related to that same category.
In your portfolio, you must add six projects, and each project should be related to a different brand. When you upload a project in the portfolio, there is also an option to select a category for that project. You should select the category related to that specific project. This way, when a client is searching in that category, your gig is more likely to appear at the top.
Always Add a Video to Your Gig
The most important thing is that you must add a video to your gig. About 80% of sellers do not follow this. They only upload images and skip the video.
Fiverr itself states that a gig which includes a video can see engagement increase by up to 40%.
Related: Why Fiverr Is Slow in 2026: Real Reasons and What Freelancers Can Do About It
The Most Important Mistake Behind Gig Failure
Now here is the most important and crucial point, the one that is often the reason behind a gig’s failure. You need to listen to this carefully and understand it properly. If you do not understand this point, reading this entire article will not be of much use. If you fail to understand this point completely, you will not be able to get orders on Fiverr with consistency.
The thumbnail you use for your gig should be the same thumbnail you use for your video.
This means when you attach a video to your gig along with three images, the first image becomes the thumbnail of your gig. This thumbnail image and the video thumbnail need to be exactly the same. The reason for this will be explained below, and skipping ahead means missing the whole point of this article.
How Clients Actually Choose a Freelancer
It is not necessary that a client sees your gig, opens it, checks the packages, reads the description, and messages you right away. This is not how it usually happens. In most cases, clients behave differently.
Clients analyze freelancers properly. They read the freelancer’s case, check their packages, look at their description, and analyze what has been included in the portfolio. It is not necessary that they come to your gig, open it, and immediately send a message. This is usually not the case. Clients often keep analyzing freelancers like this for three to four days.
Why This Matters More on Mobile
Here is the part you need to pay close attention to. The thumbnail shown in the system, meaning if you are using Fiverr on a laptop or PC, is the video thumbnail. If the client is using a mobile phone, the thumbnail shown for your gig will be the image thumbnail, not the video thumbnail.
In other words, if a client is using a PC, the thumbnail they see for your gig is the video thumbnail. If they are using mobile, the thumbnail they see is the image thumbnail.
If a client analyzed freelancers on a PC system and your gig got fixed in their mind, most of the time, the actual order is placed through mobile. This means when the client goes to bed or has free time, they use their mobile phone, and that is when they try to place the order.
When they are searching during that mobile session, the thumbnails shown to them are the image thumbnails, not the video thumbnails.
Even though the client is trying to find you specifically, it is the thumbnail through which the client manages to find the gig again.
If your video thumbnail and image thumbnail are the same, it becomes easier for the client to find you, and they are also more likely to place the order with you.
If the client remembers your thumbnail in their mind but is searching for it on mobile and cannot find it because it looks different, here is what happens.
During that search, if they come across another freelancer’s gig instead, they will immediately place the order with that other freelancer.
This is the reason many sellers do not get consistent or new orders, because the video thumbnail and the image thumbnail are different.
When they are different, it becomes harder for the client to find the gig again, and the client ends up placing the order with someone they were able to properly analyze and remember.
This is why the client places the order with the freelancer whose thumbnail they were able to fix in their mind, and they had already analyzed earlier. This point is extremely important, and it is something even Fiverr’s own paid courses generally do not teach.
Important Tips
- Finalize one skill category before creating your gigs.
- Create four gigs if you are a new seller, all related to the same category.
- Add a portfolio with six projects, each from a different brand, and select the correct category for each project.
- Always add a video to your gig along with images.
- Make sure your gig’s image thumbnail and video thumbnail are exactly the same.
- Remember that clients usually take three to four days to analyze freelancers before placing an order.
- Keep in mind that most orders are placed through mobile, where the image thumbnail is shown, not the video thumbnail.
Building a gig that gets good impressions and clicks, and that ranks on the first page or at least the second page, is a separate and detailed topic.
This does not involve buying fake orders or fake reviews. It is a strategy that has been used for 8 years, and it takes about three months to show results.
After three months of consistent work, the gig starts getting good impressions, good clicks, and eventually orders. Once all four gigs reach the first or second page, orders start coming in automatically.
FAQs
Q1: Why are clients not messaging me even though my gig looks good?
This usually happens because clients take time, often three to four days, to analyze freelancers before placing an order. They may have seen your gig but are still comparing it with other freelancers.
Q2: Does adding a video to a Fiverr gig really make a difference?
Yes. According to Fiverr, a gig that includes a video can rank up to 40% higher compared to gigs without a video.
Q3: Why should the video thumbnail and image thumbnail be the same?
On PC, clients see the video thumbnail of your gig, while on mobile, they see the image thumbnail. If these two are different, clients who remembered your gig from a PC session may not recognize it when searching on mobile, and they may end up ordering from a different freelancer instead.
Q4: How many gigs should a new seller create on Fiverr?
A new seller should create four gigs, all related to the same finalized skill category.
Q5: How many projects should be added to a Fiverr portfolio?
Six projects should be added, and each project should be related to a different brand.
Conclusion
Getting consistent orders on Fiverr is not just about creating a gig and waiting for clients to arrive. It depends on finalizing the right skill category, setting up four gigs correctly, building a strong portfolio with six projects, adding a video to your gig, and, most importantly, making sure your video thumbnail and image thumbnail match.
Since most clients end up placing orders through mobile, this small thumbnail detail can make a big difference in whether a client finds you again or moves on to another freelancer.
