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I write this open letter today from a place of deep concern, which I believe many of you can empathize with, given our shared experiences on this platform. I have been a proud seller of album cover design gigs on Fiverr since 2017, pouring passion, time, and dedication into every piece I create. 

In the year 2020, I achieved my highest earnings on the platform, but this coincided with the onset of the pandemic - a challenging period that cast a cloud over us all. The volume of work, coupled with the generally tense atmosphere, led me down a path of burnout. In response, I chose to set my status to "out of office" for a few weeks. This, I deemed necessary, to mentally rejuvenate myself and come back stronger for my clients. However, my return marked the beginning of a troublesome downturn. 

Ever since then, my sales have taken a substantial hit. No matter the effort I exert to regain my previous momentum, I grapple with a persistent downturn that seems inexplicable. I even resorted to what I call my 'day-one' tactic - directing individuals from my social media platforms to purchase my Fiverr gig. All these efforts, unfortunately, feel like they've done more to enhance the platform's visibility rather than advance my own business. 

I've appealed to the customer service team on several occasions. Their advice, although well-meaning, has been limited to directing traffic from my social media platforms to my gig - a strategy I have been employing already. I stand firm in my belief that I am not a subpar album cover designer. On the contrary, I have received peer accolades that attest to my skill and proficiency, and the creation of over 600 album covers under my belt stands as a testament to my commitment. 

Last year, I took the step of investing in the Fiverr Seller Success Program, hoping this would provide the lifeline I needed. Unfortunately, this measure did not provide the intended results. My assigned coach concluded that my gig was 'unredeemable' and advised me to attract sellers from social media, essentially placing the onus on me to do what I believe should be the platform's responsibility. To add salt to the wound, the program was abruptly terminated, leaving me feeling stranded. 

Now, I find myself in a situation where I hardly appear on searches, and if it weren't for my established clientele outside of Fiverr, I might have lost all hope. It feels as though I'm subjected to an unseen penalty, with no valid reasoning provided, and left outside the competitive arena. 

While I persist in seeking redress from the powers-that-be, I'm also eager to hear from you, my fellow Fiverr users. How have you navigated such challenges? I've perused posts on similar issues, and a common piece of advice seems to be "wait and hope." Some even bring up the topic of 'private ratings,' a system that, if true, is quite problematic, since it lacks transparency and offers no protection to sellers from possibly unfounded reports. 

Such practices have adverse implications for our business ventures, not just for me but for all sellers who may fall victim to arbitrary and potentially unjust decisions. Therefore, I would greatly appreciate your insights. Is there a path to improvement, to regain visibility and stand tall in the search rankings, beyond the usual, vague advice to 'perform better' or 'advertise externally'? 

Your support and shared experiences would be invaluable in these challenging times. 

Shadow-Ban on Fiverr: An Open Appeal to Navigate Unseen Obstacles

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