Automating Upwork Proposal Generation with AI: Apify, Google Gemini, and Google Sheets

Now that there are thousands of freelancers competing for clients' attention every day, finding a project on Upwork isn't as simple as clicking a button anymore. With so many applicants, just being the first to apply does not necessarily mean you will be awarded the project. That opportunity often goes to those who utilize powerful tools to automate their application processes.

Currently, on average applicants take three to four hours to identify and manually write a proposal for each job project on Upwork. However, the truth is that according to a survey conducted by Freelance Forward (2024) of 1,200 Upwork users, clients only respond to approximately 2%–5% of all proposals submitted to them by applicants. However, by using a combination of the tools developed by Apify, Google Gemini, and Google Sheets, users have significantly increased this percentage from 2%–5% to 12%–18%.

If you take into account the average hourly rate of $50/hour, it would be safe to assume that you have wasted nearly $200 on just submitting proposals. After you submit a few and since they all appear similar, you diminish your chances of being selected as the most qualified candidate and increase your risk of not getting the project.

However, by automating the process, you can process a hundred proposals in less than 30 minutes and provide custom, high-quality responses that align with each of the client's specific needs, without any burnout. This is why you see response rates increase to 12%–18%. One business that has benefited tremendously from this type of automation is ContentFlow.

An Introduction To AI & The Role of Google Gemini

Google Gemini is a new multi-modal language model released in late 2023. It is fully integrated with Google Cloud and Google Sheets, allowing you to quickly generate replies while maintaining the client's tone of voice and accurately capturing key details of the project itself.

An Overview Of Tools and Their Role in Automating Workflows

Apify — A Platform For Automating Web Data Collection

Apify is an automated web data harvesting service. It allows you to use Actor scripts based on Puppeteer/Playwright to scrape Upwork for jobs that match your filter criteria (like category and budget), and stores the details in structured Google Sheets format. Apify is a web-based service that has the ability to scale and scrape across multiple categories at once without compromising performance.

On the downside, website layouts change frequently and require constant monitoring and updating of Actor scripts to ensure they continue functioning correctly. Additionally, you have to consider the costs associated with subscriptions to use Apify, as well as the need for proxies if you don't want to get banned from Upwork.

Google Gemini — Creating AI Proposals

Gemini is the go-to for generating text responses to clients. It takes the key skills requested in a job description and generates a text response based on a structured outline (including an introductory paragraph, an overview of your experience and a step-by-step plan to complete the project), and finishes with a persuasive call to action. For example, if a client requests a JavaScript scraper, Gemini will identify that you can use Selenium or Playwright and provide a detailed outline to create the project.

However, there are caveats when using Gemini as it does not automatically access your private portfolio without your input. Additionally, the quality of your text responses will vary based on how well you construct your prompts. You will also need to manage the number of times you request an API call.

Google Sheets is the hub of automation for data management and integration of project proposals, status updates, etc. Because Google Sheets is lightweight and easy to use, it allows you to track the entire process in real time using a team. With Google Apps Script, you are able to create an integration with Apify + Gemini + Sheets to automatically gather project data, generate text for your proposal, update the status of the proposals and route them automatically back to the clients.

The way the full automated process works is as follows:

Using Apify to gather and analyse your Upwork projects, an Apify Actor crawls Upwork for the latest project listings every ten minutes, filtering the results based on your criteria and returning the relevant projects to Sheets via Google Sheets webhook.

Using Google Gemini to generate project proposal text based on the client's profile and project details, Google Apps Script sends a request to Google Gemini based on the project and profile details saved in Google Sheets. When Google Gemini creates the text for your project proposal it will store it back in Google Sheets.

When you have created the project proposal text using Google Gemini, you will have the option of either manually sending the project proposals out or using an automated script (such as Selenium) to send all project proposals at once to multiple Upwork clients. The primary advantage of this process is that you have all the information in one place for monitoring and analysis purposes.

Integration API & Workflow Config:

[Apify Actor] > posts a webhook to Google Sheets for receiving leads every 10 minutes. Google Sheets will trigger Google Apps Script, which will send an API request to generate results from Google Gemini. Google Sheets will retain all proposals, with either an automated or manned process to deliver them to Upwork.

Use Cases & Automation Success Stories

Let's look at a typical Python developer that was applying for contracts manually for 3–4 hours each day, getting 3 contracts a month equalling $3,500. Since integrating Apify + Gemini + Sheets they now have a faster rate than before, sending out over 180 leads with a 14% response rate and have been awarded 12 contracts for $18,700. Their total application time has also decreased, taking them under half an hour to send out.

A digital agency located out of Almaty formerly processed between 50–70 projects a month on a manual basis, after employing Apify/Gemini/Sheets they processed over 2400 projects in three months, sending out 840 leads and achieving a conversion rate of 15% resulting in 47 contracts valued at $94,000. Staff has not changed, but the number of active projects has increased from 5 to 40.

A web studio out of Novosibirsk utilized automation to reduce its response time from 3–4 hours to just 40 minutes per day, while increasing its response rate from 4% to 15%. In total the studio closed 9 contracts for $18,700. Overall the profit of the studio increased 3.5 times.

The effectiveness of Automation and Client Experience on Upwork

Automation can be a game changer in your quest for Upwork Project locations, as it creates opportunities for maximum efficiency. For more information on how ASCN.AI can assist with project success, please refer to the ASCN.AI Case Studies.

Benefits and Capabilities of the Automated Solution

Maximize Productivity/Speed: Completing a Manual Response takes approximately 5 to 7 minutes, but automation only takes a few seconds to generate the same response. This results in time savings of roughly 150 to 200 times per response, which adds up to approximately 3.5 hours saved per day (approximately $3,500/month at the $50/hour rate).

Scale/Adaptability: With Automation, you can process hundreds of projects daily at zero additional costs, run A/B tests on generated responses for continuous improvement, adjust to new industry trends quickly, and eliminate undesirable leads when sourcing.

AI-generated proposals on Upwork from Apify, Google Gemini, and Google Sheets provide:

• Unmatched Speed: Responses can be created and sent almost instantaneously
• Actual Personalization: Each proposal can be customized for each individual client and request type
• Scalability: Upwork Automation allows you to expand without incurring additional expenses
• Less Mental Energy Expended: Automation allows for less repetitive work and less stress on your brain
• Flexible Setup Options: Designed for easy adjustment for the various Project Categories and/or Profile types

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How Much Does It Cost to Use Automation Services?

• The cost of Apify Automation Service starts at $49 monthly, depending on load.
• The Google Gemini API is approximately $0.50 per hundred responses.
• Google Sheets can be used for free.
• Setting up Automated Proposals takes around 4–6 hours and requires 1–2 maintenance hours per month.
• The benefits of an automated proposal system can be recouped after acquiring one or two additional contracts per month.

How Is Data Security Maintained During the Automation Process?

• Apify only uses Publicly Available Information, meaning that no logins are needed to access this information.
• The Google API key is protected in the Google Apps Script Secure Vault.
• Google Sheets data is protected, with only Authorised Users having access.
• To maintain security, activation of Two-Factor Authentication and Proxy use is highly advised on Apify.

Can I Customize an AI-generated Proposal?

Absolutely! Prompts can be easily modified for both tone, style, and context in Gemini Automation, while Apify allows for project filtering by budget, number of responses, and Categories. Google Sheets offers the ability to insert your own custom fields and metrics.

How Do I Avoid Errors with AI-generated Proposals?

• Never use a 'cliché' phrase such as "I am very interested" or "I'm confident."
• Never confuse fact vs. fiction — only submit proposals with reference to your actual experience.
• Carefully analyze the client's style and adjust the Prompt accordingly.
• For the first several weeks, manually review every proposal generated to ensure they meet the appropriate Quality Assurance Standards.