While there isn't a list that Fiverr creates that explicitly orders each gig in a given category... there absolutely is an algorithm that ranks when someone searches and that rank is very consistent across different users. When I was trying to troubleshoot why I wasn't placing well in well in search, I got a some other friends with their own Fiverr accounts to search a bunch of terms as well. Different accounts with different purchase histories in different countries... all the same results. Same gigs at the top, same gigs at the bottom. My gig occupied the same part the of same page for all of them.
Why would that be the case if it's personally matching gigs in a hyper specific client to freelancer way like you suggest?
It isn't Google page rank, but it is a ranking generated by a combination of keyword match and gig performance. That's obvious. I don't have a problem with this, there isn't another way to do it. (Short of being totally random, which would be a disaster.) I'm just seeking to understand it.
I'm explicitly offering the same service as those ranked on first page when myself and my friends search.(Except I have a video and more detailed description) So it logically follows that the successful gigs aren't offering a service that fulfills their needs, either?
Of course and that' great. If I make my case and they choose someone better... that's the market. But if I can't make my case because I'm four pages down and nobody ever sees it... I first have to convince the algorithm before I can convince customers. If Fiverr is the marketplace, then the algorithm is the gatekeeper to the section in which the customers actually browse.
The process for success seems to be:
Convince the algorithm you're great so you can...
Convince the customer you're great so you can...
Deliver great work and get great feedback so you can...
Get paid.
I'm currently stuck on number 1. All I'm really asking is how to get in front of the FIverr customers in the first place so I can do 2,3,4.
So if I don't get any sales through the marketplace/algorithm and I instead bring my own external clients to Fiverr I don't lose the 20%?
Disdain? The hand that feeds me? A slight dramatic stretch... I'm just asking questions about search placement and Fiverr hasn't fed me a thing 🤣