2 ways to set up a microjob website like Fiverr with WordPress

Anyone whose profession is in one way or another connected to the internet must be familiar with Fiverr. Fiverr has not earned this privileged status for nothing. Yes, Fiverr is the largest microjob website, where you can very smoothly and easily turn your talent into money.

For example, there’s one Graphic Designer who is fed up with the unprofessional attitude of people from his local area and he can get neither good clientele nor reasonable price for his work. In that case, Fiverr is a haven for him. The Graphic Designer can list himself on Fiverr and can find customers from all over the world for his graphic design services like logo design and business design services.

A micro job marketplace is a kind of marketplace where a creator can sell his digital services for the reasonable money and reach out to the buyers from every nook and corner of the world. Micro job portals become all the more important to freelancers because on such portals their work can be acknowledged by a wide array of customers and they don’t have to go from pillar to post and if your work is really good and appreciable, you can for sure get good ratings, which ultimately results in you being a reputed seller on Fiverr. It’s not that only sellers are benefitted from Fiverr but it’s lucrative for sellers as well as for byers, because here sellers get a very good platform to sell their services where only limit to money-earning is how workaholic you are and buyers have lots of options to select from and can get a good service by spending only a reasonable amount of money.

But have you ever wondered apart from buyers and sellers how much the owner of a micro job portal earns? For example, on average, Fiverr keeps 20% of each transaction done through this micro job website. Now, you can get a clue of the revenue which the Fiverr gets in turn of millions of orders placed. So, my point is that starting a website like Fiverr is a very good business. If you’re able to muster a good number of sellers on your website, you don’t need to worry about buyers as they’d naturally get attracted like honeybees toward flowers.

Wait. Is there no any other way? Of course, there is. You can save your hundreds of dollars by using WordPress and its add-ons. Over the past decade, the popularity that WordPress has achieved is really outstanding and nowadays everyone ‘s first choice- whether a designer or a developer- is WordPress when it comes to money. That’s the reason that developers are creating more and more out-of-the-box readymade software programs based on WordPress instead of custom programming.

WordPress has been put to use to develop software for every need, such as e-Commerce, membership, job portal, directory listing, website building, multi vendor marketplace, micro job portal (Fiverr clone WordPress themes), dating portal, question answer portal, chat rooms etc.

Here in this post we’re concerned with a micro job website. Is it possible to create a micro job website like Fiverr with WordPress, where sellers can list their services and buyers can communicate freely with sellers and place orders conveniently? And I’m very happy to tell you that you are lucky. Yes, it’s one hundred percent possible. In this post, I’m going to tell you how you can start a Fiverr-type micro job website with WordPress. You can use WordPress in two ways to erect a micro job website. I’d analyze and review of pros and cons of both ways so that you can decide for yourself which suits you better.

Let’s get started

First Approach: Choosing a dedicated micro job WordPress theme

Developers can contribute in extending WordPress and develop their software in two ways: Either in the form of plugins or in the form of themes.

Now, each method of developing software- plugin software or theme software- has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Sometimes software needs to be deeply integrated with website design. In such cases to get the upper hand over website design, developers implement software in form of a theme.
A theme is a tool of WordPress that can not only control full layout of a website but also we can add all the functions to a theme that are otherwise added through a plugin. For simplicity’s sake we can assume that there are two types of themes;

• Design Themes– These themes are basically designed with an eye on look, feel and layout of websites.
• App Themes- Such themes, in general, control the layout design of a website and at the same time are also equipped with embedded software, which means ‘themes with embedded plugins’

For example: MicrojobEngine: Any article on WordPress micro job themes remains incomplete without the mention of MicrojobEngine. In my opinion it’s the best Fiverr-clone WordPress theme. As I used the word clone, yes it is closest to Fiverr in look, feel and functionality.

So, my first recommendation is for MicrojobEngine. I ask you to have a closer look at this theme, try it and I’m sure if your standards are set against Fiverr, MicrojobEngine will not disappoint you and turn out to be the best choice.

MicrojobEngine – Reasons to go for

• Closest to Fiverr in appearance (clone theme to Fiverr)
• Closest to Fiverr in functionality (features)
• MicrojobEngine – Reasons to not go for:
• All that said, there are some cons also:
• Many customers have reported poor customer support and technical issues (source trustpilot.com)
• MicrojobEngine – Features At A Glance
• Fiverr-like communication between buyers and sellers

As it happens in Fiverr that a buyer and a seller is allowed to communicate with each other through messages and the buyer can discuss about the gig offered by the seller, MicrojobEngine too allows the same. Moreover, buyers can bargain with sellers.

• The buyer and seller can communicate in messaging
• Order deadline for the seller
• The seller can ask the buyer to mark order as complete after the seller finishes the job
• The seller can offer job extras
• Automatic virtual payment flow in website software
• Payment gateway integrations like Paypal, Stripe etc.
• The seller can request money withdrawal
• Feature rich dashboard for both buyers and sellers
• Seller rating system by verified buyers
• Featured paid listing option for website owners
• Website owner commission system
• Theme option panel to customize website look and feel

On the whole, MicrojobEngine is a WordPress theme that is equipped with all the features enough to allure anyone at first sight. It’s similar to Fiverr in appearance and functionality so it’s very helpful in creating a website like Fiverr.

Other Themes to Set Up a Micro Job Website

Taskerr by appthemes.com

Taskerr is another microjob WordPress theme that helps create a micro job website but it’s not a Fiverr clone neither in appearance nor in features. Taskerr sets up a simple micro job portal where the buyer and seller can communicate without any hassle. The major disadvantage of using Taskerr is that the site owner can’t earn commission on seller’s revenue and can make money only via charging sellers a fixed a fixed amount. There is no in-built communication system for buyers and sellers and job payments are done outside the portal (direct payment between the buyer and seller).

PremiumPress Micro Job Theme

PremiumPress is another WordPress theme designed to set a micro job portal like Fiverr but I think, as for perfection, it still leaves a lot to be desired. Theme developers need to work on its functionality seriously. This theme provides buyer/seller communication and comes with in-built payment option, and yet, the seller and the buyer can’t negotiate the price of the gigs. Another drawback is that buyer/seller communication dashboard isn’t so refined.

PremiumPress Micro Job Theme – Why you should go for it:

• If you need an affordable micro job theme
• Payment gateway modules like Stripe, Payumoney are free (unlike MicrojobEngine/Taskerr)
• PremiumPress micro job theme – Reasons to not go for
• Theme is not so perfect and devoid of many essential features
• Reportedly poor customer support and technical issues (source trustpilot)
• In this post, I covered and reviewed these three themes in brief and highlighted main points only.
• In light of an impartial review I can say that:

First, of all the three themes, MicrojobEngine (by enginethemes.com) is the best theme.

Secondly none of these three themes is perfect. Customers of all three themes complain about bugs and technical support.

My personal suggestion

Alternative to Microjob themes

Honestly speaking, there’s no such alternative that you chant abracadabra and you’re able to build an out-of-the-box Fiverr-like website. But, still, there are ways that help you create a micro job website with full functionality like Fiverr and good technical support.

You need the following plugins to create a micro job portal. >>>>>

1. WooCommerce – A platform to sell physical and digital services/products
2. Dokan

Read more about Dokan

To allow multiple sellers to sell their jobs, frontend seller dashboard, money withdrawal system, website owner commission per sell by the vendor, seller rating system, seller profile system, live chat for buyer/seller, seller vacation option, seller sms verification, seller-end refunding to buyer, website owner can also charge vendor, variable products (can be used as job extras)

Dokan messaging addon – a powerful messaging system to communicate between the buyer and seller

You can run a powerful and magnificent micro job website by using Dokan and WooCommerce. I took a look at customer reviews of Dokan and I was surprised to find that most of the customers were fully satisfied with the technical support of Dokan and that’s really something.

Below you can find a comparison table for Dokan and MicrojobEngine

If I were you, I would choose Dokan and WooCommerce

Conclusion