No longer getting any leads or views... Literally 0!

After months of no leads, I've gotten a few in 2023 - but they're not good leads, mostly tire kickers. I've spent approximately $400 for leads and gotten one $500 job. I received a notice over the weekend that I'm no longer competitive because my max lead price is too low. Sheesh. I agree that Thumbtack no longer seems to market for service businesses that aren't home improvement. Thumbtack was my primary source of business for several years (freelancer mistake). I now use other platforms for business - but none are as good as Thumbtack once was.

Agreed.

I hope our Thumbtack family are listening in and return the movement to its former glory.

Those were great days.

Tom☘️

Thank you for your good thoughts and helpful insights, @Jami_JConcepts_55. You are absolutely right that a $400 investment for a $500 job is ridiculous. The few-and-far between leads over three months crept up to $400 without my noticing. Like some of the other longtime Thumbtack users, I just can't quite give up the ghost yet. But definitely getting closer! Thanks again for your terrific advice!

@Jami_JConcepts_55, your perspective is so very helpful. The business side of freelancer life can be a little isolating. Your input makes me realize I've been normalizing the Thumbtack model that isn't at all normal or productive for my business.

@Jami_JConcepts_55 - thank you for all of these insights, I really appreciate it. It seems like after reading your comments that this platform has changed significantly in the past years - especially since I moved away from it. Being tied to my phone and jumping the instant I heard the thumbtack chime made me feel like a monkey waiting for a banana to drop in my cage - I got off because it was impacting me in a negative way and I didn't need it any longer at the time for leads.

However, now reading about how it's changed on here and the leads are few and far between + the competitiveness of LA is interesting and I'm thinking I need to change my strategy. I mean it's LA: There are people that always want to shoot and always need a photographer. How have you been doing business wise without thumbtack? I'd be curious to know what other platforms you've been using and how you're getting clients now if you don't mind sharing. Feel free to send me a dm.

Yeah, I'm a notary and have to pay about $7/lead to stay competitive, but legally I can only charge $6 per notarization, so using thumbtack has cost me more money than I've actually made. The lowest I can go per lead is $4 which knocks me out of the competition and still only gives me a $2 profit per job.