u/esmailkhalifa

Solo dev here, mostly B2B SaaS websites on Webflow for clients. Lately I’ve noticed something, locking in a new client has gotten insanely hard. Haven’t felt this kind of struggle in the last 6-7 years.

Portfolio’s solid, case studies are there, I’m doing daily outreach, writing cover letters, sending DMs, all of it. Still not closing.

Is this because of the AI proposal flood everywhere now? Are budgets just tighter across the board? Or am I missing something on my end?

If you’ve been actively hunting for clients this past year, is your experience the same? Or are you still closing deals without this much friction?

I’ve been building websites for about 8 years, with the last 5 focused almost entirely on Webflow.

Over that time, I’ve worked at 3 companies and contributed to 200+ Webflow projects (mostly agency work), so building websites isn’t new to me.

About 4 months ago I lost my job.

Since then, I’ve managed to get a few international clients through networking and referrals, which I’m grateful for. The challenge is that it’s not predictable-every month I’m back to searching for the next client.

That’s why I’m seriously looking at Upwork.

The problem is… I’m completely new to the platform.

I’m not asking how to become a better Webflow developer, I do this every day. I’m trying to understand how experienced freelancers actually win clients on Upwork in 2026.

A few questions:

1. How would you position a new Upwork profile if you already have years of experience outside the platform?

2. What mattered most for getting your first few clients?

3. Is specialized experience (Webflow, CMS architecture, agency white-label work, etc.) enough, or do clients mostly care about Upwork history?

4. If you were starting from zero today, what would you do differently?

I’d really appreciate advice from people who’ve successfully built their Upwork profile.
Thanks!

If I create a template using Webflow AI Assistant and then customize/optimize it manually, will Webflow still accept it in the Template Marketplace? Anyone got approved using AI-assisted workflows?

I’ve been working with Webflow for 3+ years, client work, templates, white-labeling, pretty much everything.

But lately the market feels weird. Most LinkedIn jobs look fake/inactive, and I barely see solid Webflow opportunities elsewhere too.

Is Webflow demand actually going down, or is the industry just changing?

For people still getting consistent work in 2026. what are you focusing on now? Agencies, freelancing, productized services, or something else?

Would you still double down on Webflow, or start shifting toward broader frontend/full-stack skills?