Profile Pictures: pictures of people expressing joy get 20% more requests
We recently analyzed our freelancers’ profile pictures and found a strong correlation between the emotion expressed in a profile picture and the number of projects professionals get. Our findings are pretty fascinating, although not all that surprising. See them for yourself:
Freelancers who expresses joy or happiness in their profile picture receive on average 20% more requests than those who look displeased, ambivalent, or present a modest smile.

Freelancers who choose something other than their face to represent them in their profile picture (e.g., animated characters, landscapes, flowers, etc.) receive 40–50% less requests than freelancers who feature their face.

The main takeaway: Don’t shy away from showing your face on your profile, and don’t forget to smile! This will increase your chances of being selected by potential clients, as you’ll appear more approachable and friendly.
You can read more about videos here.
Star your genres: Choose two of your favorite genres to rank higher for relevant searches.
Here’s a tip: choose to star sub-genres instead of main genres to increase the chances of authors finding you for very specific needs and expertise. But don’t worry, your profile will show up for both the sub-genre and the main genre, widening your scope.
For example: By adding Dystopian as a sub-genre on your profile, you will be listed under results for both Dystopian and Science Fiction. This doesn’t work the other way around.
Need more pointers on optimizing your profile? Check out these helpful tips.
We recently analyzed our freelancers’ profile pictures and found a strong correlation between the emotion expressed in a profile picture and the number of projects professionals get. Our findings are pretty fascinating, although not all that surprising. See them for yourself:
Freelancers who expresses joy or happiness in their profile picture receive on average 20% more requests than those who look displeased, ambivalent, or present a modest smile.

Freelancers who choose something other than their face to represent them in their profile picture (e.g., animated characters, landscapes, flowers, etc.) receive 40–50% less requests than freelancers who feature their face.

The main takeaway: Don’t shy away from showing your face on your profile, and don’t forget to smile! This will increase your chances of being selected by potential clients, as you’ll appear more approachable and friendly.
You can read more about videos here.
Star your genres: Choose two of your favorite genres to rank higher for relevant searches.
Here’s a tip: choose to star sub-genres instead of main genres to increase the chances of authors finding you for very specific needs and expertise. But don’t worry, your profile will show up for both the sub-genre and the main genre, widening your scope.
For example: By adding Dystopian as a sub-genre on your profile, you will be listed under results for both Dystopian and Science Fiction. This doesn’t work the other way around.
Need more pointers on optimizing your profile? Check out these helpful tips.
Updated on: 03 / 24 / 2022