Thumbtack: Anybody have any success?

nedcam

nedcam

Well-known member
Any shooters get decent gigs from the crowd sourcing site Thumbtack? The requests I receive and bid on are real cheapskates, they go to the lowest bidder it seems. Also, you have to bid within a minute, on very sketchy informaiton, because otherwise 5 other people will place a bid and you're frozen out.

Any successes? Any other sites draw in work?

Thanks
 
I am on there, just use it as another place to list. My experience is sites like these do not cater to clients with "real" budgets--those people know how to find us via word of mouth or more official sites like Mandy/ProductionHub, etc. Those are two good sites, btw. Every once in a while I get a message from Thumbtack that "so and so has contacted you about a job", in which case you get to bid for free. Otherwise you have to pay (after a few free credits you get upon signup). But yeah, most folks are cheap and get annoyed when I ask too many questions (as in the questions you need to ask to quote accurately).
 
The problem is you have to bid in a couple of minutes because the TT addicts bid fast and it only allows 5 vendors to bid. I did get two good nibbles since I posted so I will let you know how it goes. They were quality prospects, not the typical cheepos. I sent a tease and requested more info to bid. Meanwhile, they see my website, testimonials and I send samples.

But 90% of the requests are junk.
 
Right on, I use it but get very little response back on my quotes. They do not screen their requests and usually have very little info regarding what the customer wants other than cheap. I would say it is a waste of time and your money buying bidding credits to bid for cheap jobs.
 
again, sometimes you can bid for free (i think potential client has to request you do so). hell no i wouldnt BUY credits on there. and i would say 95-99.9% are wastes of time/cheapos is more like it.
 
Some success. Lots and lots of ignorable requests for no-budget music videos and wedding videography (nothing wrong with it, I just don't do them). When the occasional corporate/commercial job pops up locally, I bid (assuming I'm not beat to the punch... happens often since I work). I've gotten two jobs at standard day rates this year. Figured I'd re-invest ~10% to "buy" bid credits if I ever run out, but haven't yet.
 
I've book a couple of jobs over the years from it, but for the most part it has been people looking for cheap Orlando video production services. Local rappers wanting music videos for $50 and people having conferences and wanting you to cover days for peanuts. Lots of ignoring requests, which is a waste of money. If your prices are cheap, then I guess it can work, but if you are charging what your area charges for video production work, then Thumbtack is not for you.
 
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Yes, my experience has been very similar to those described here.

I haven't actually had anything come through in quite a while which is likely just as well since none of the previous hits were legit.

-M
 
Leon Bailey said:
I've book a couple of jobs over the years from it, but for the most part it has been Orlando couples wanting us to provide them with wedding videography packages for $150 at the most, local rappers wanting music videos for $50, and people having conferences and wanting you to cover days for peanuts. Lots of ignoring requests, which is a waste of money. If your prices are cheap, then I guess it can work, but if you are charging what your area charges for video production work, then Thumbtack is not for you.
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My experience has been this applies to about 95% of anything to do with sites catering to freelance video or even internet-based inquiries for our business, PERIOD (i.e. if you have a site and someone finds you and inquires as to your pricing). People who find us by searching "videographer/video production [insert city/town here]" simply are not expecting us to charge what we charge, most of the time. Not just thumbtack. . .Craigslist, any other site like that. Exceptions are few (Mandy, ProductionHub, maybe a few others).
 
Josh Bass said:
My experience has been this applies to about 95% of anything to do with sites catering to freelance video or even internet-based inquiries for our business, PERIOD (i.e. if you have a site and someone finds you and inquires as to your pricing). People who find us by searching "videographer/video production [insert city/town here]" simply are not expecting us to charge what we charge, most of the time. Not just thumbtack. . .Craigslist, any other site like that. Exceptions are few (Mandy, ProductionHub, maybe a few others).
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Have you had success with ProductionHub?

I hate paying for these sites and get nothing from them. Had a sub with WeddingWire, nothing.
 
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