When you first think about it, it seems to make sense. Getting a decent looking eBook or any other digital product cover on Fiverr is not going to happen. Show me a designer who would be willing to spend any significant of time on an eCover for a mere $5. The only way these type of outsourcers can to make money is by minimizing the amount of time they spend on each project, and maximizing how many they work on.
But what if I told you there in fact is a way you can get a decent looking digital product cover from Fiverr? You just have to break from the mold and think a little outside the box. In this post, I will tell you how you can find that right Fiverr designer who will deliver a cover which can stand out above most.
How to pick the right Fiverr digital cover design gig
When we first land on Fiverr (use the code AFX20 to get 20% off), our initial instinct is to go after those gigs that have the highest reviews and largest number of them. But that turns out to be exactly what you should avoid doing. Those are, of course, the designers that get the most traffic and the highest number of sales. Because of that, they run a different business model, one that may not work best for you. As long as these outsourcers do a decent enough job and don’t get too many bad reviews to skew their average, they will make their money. And they know this.
I am not suggesting that these digital cover designers don’t do an overall decent job. If they didn’t, their ratings would be nearly as high as they are. But they do fully realize that how much money they make relies on volume. And once someone has that mentality, it is hard to believe they will not cut a few corners here and there, and as a result, will not invest the amount of time they should in each project.
Instead, what you want to do is seek out the people that are just starting out. This is for a couple of reasons. First, more than anything, they are hungry for that 5-star rating. They need it much more than someone who already has been rated 10,000 times. Second, they are unlikely to have several other projects waiting in the wings, and experiencing the time pressure that comes with that. This means they should give your cover the time and attention it deserves.
This strategy can be a little risky since you’re essentially putting your faith in someone that does not have a proven track record. However, this experiment will only cost you $5 each time. Even if you need to take a few stabs at it you are out, call it, $20. But now you have a kick ass looking eCover, as well as a solid source for future work. That in my mind is time and money well spent.
Alternatives to Fiverr eBook cover design gigs
While Fiverr is the cheapest option (especially if you get the extra 20% off by using coupon code AFX20), and one I have had the most success with, there are a few others you can try. People Per Hour and GigBucks are competing services, where you will be able to use the same strategy I outlined above. You can also check out sites like UpWork for your outsourcing needs, though the designers there do get a bit more pricey.
Alternatively, you can try to design and create your digital product cover yourself. This is simpler and cheaper than it probably sounds (both money and time wise). All it takes is a small, one-time investment in a proven eCover creation tool like Pixel Studio FX affiliate link, about 20-30 minutes to learn the ins and outs of it, and then 5-10 minutes of your time for each cover you want to create. It is that easy. If this piques your curiosity, Pixel Studio FX is reviewed here.