Freelancers’ Self-Branding: Is a More Analytical Profile Always Better?

Establishing a successful brand on online labor platforms is crucial for freelancers. It helps them attract clients and secure a steady stream of income. Freelancers can maintain their self-branding by adjusting the self-introduction text on their profiles. However, the style of self-branding that contributes to career advancement remains unclear. In this study, we examine the impact of analytical writing on building successful self-branding success. We use LIWC to analyze 7860 profile overviews from 1965 Upwork freelancers collected over four consecutive months. The empirical results show that a highly analytical writing style in these profiles has a negative effect on freelance earnings. Furthermore, we explore the heterogeneity of this effect. We find that higher education and more extensive experience of freelancers mitigate this negative impact, while higher job success scores and top freelancer badges amplify it. Our findings provide guidance for various stakeholders in the online labor market, including freelancers and platform owners, and contribute to the literature on the freelance labor market.