How to Set Up a Fiverr Account in Trinidad & Start Earning USD Online as a Trinidadian

So, you’re in Trinidad and Tobago, and you’re interested in earning money online. Maybe becoming a Virtual Assistant is on your mind. You’ve heard about platforms like Fiverr and understand you can get paid via PayPal. You’re absolutely right. Setting up on Fiverr is a fantastic way to land your first few clients and build a track record.

But it’s also a crowded marketplace. With firsthand experience as a digital freelancer on sites like Fiverr and Upwork, I can offer you insights based on my time navigating the online marketplace from Trinidad and Tobago. Let’s walk through how to get started on Fiverr today, and then discuss the long-term strategy that will set you apart and let you keep more of your hard-earned money.

Part 1: How to Set Up Your Fiverr Seller Account from Trinidad

Getting your account running is straightforward. Follow these steps to go from zero to “open for business.”

1. Create Your Basic Account
   • Go to Fiverr.com and sign up to join.
   • You can sign up with your email, Google, or Facebook account. Use a professional email address if possible.
   • Confirm your account via the verification email. This creates your basic “buyer” account.
2. Become a Seller
   • Once logged in, click on your profile picture in the top-right corner.
   • Select “Become a Seller” from the dropdown menu.
   • You’ll be guided through a series of onboarding steps. Click through them until the end.

1. Complete Your Seller Profile This is your professional storefront. You’re selling trust, so this step is critical. Buyers tend to be more wary of anyone who isn’t showing their face or giving a real name.
   • Personal Info: Add your full name and a clear, professional, and friendly profile picture (a photo of you, not a logo, is essential for building trust).
   • Description: This is your bio. Write a compelling summary. We’ll focus on Virtual Assistant services for this scenario, but you can apply this information to any service you plan to provide on Fiverr. Start with your main value proposition, for example: “Professional Virtual Assistant specializing in social media management for busy entrepreneurs.” Mention your specific services (e.g., email management, calendar scheduling, data entry, social media support) and your commitment to reliability and confidentiality.
   • Language: Add “English (Fluent)” or “English (Native).”
   • Skills: This is crucial. Add specific, relevant skills. Don’t just put “Assistant.” Use:
     • Virtual Assistant
     • Administrative Support
     • Email Management
     • Calendar Management
     • Data Entry
     • Google Workspace
     • Microsoft Office
     • Canva
     • Customer Support
     • Social Media Management
   • Education & Certifications: Add your degree or any relevant online certifications.
2. Link Your Payout Method (The T&T PayPal Trick) This is the part that stops many locals. You need a way to get your money. As you know, PayPal is the key.
   • The Problem: Many local bank cards don’t work well with PayPal for receiving funds.
   • The Solution: As you noted, a specific type of debit card, like the Visa debit card from a bank such as JMMB Bank, is designed for international online transactions.
   • The Steps:
     1. First, ensure you have your PayPal (Trinidad and Tobago) account fully set up and verified.
     2. Link your JMMB Bank (or similar) international Visa debit card to your PayPal wallet.
     3. In your Fiverr account, go to Earnings > Bank Transfer or Earnings > PayPal Account.
     4. Follow the steps to link your PayPal account to Fiverr for withdrawals.
     5. When Fiverr pays out to your PayPal, you can then transfer those funds from your PayPal balance to your linked card/bank account.
3. Create Your First “Gig” (Your VA Service) A “Gig” is the service package you sell. For VAs, it’s best to sell blocks of time or specific tasks.
   • Gig Title: Be clear and keyword-focused.
     • Bad: “I will be your virtual assistant.”
     • Good: “I will be your professional virtual assistant for admin tasks.”
     • Great (Niche): “I will provide 10 hours of expert email and calendar management.”
   • Category: Choose the right one. Business > Virtual Assistant.
   • Pricing (Tiers): Create three packages: Basic, Standard, and Premium.
     • Basic: A “Taster” package. “5 Hours of Virtual Assistant Work” (ideal for one-off projects).
     • Standard: A small retainer. “10 Hours of VA Support per Week” (40 hours total).
     • Premium: A full support package. “20 Hours of VA Support per Week” (80 hours total) + a bonus service like “Weekly Social Media Scheduling.”
   • Description & FAQ: Be extremely detailed. Describe exactly what the client gets (e.g., “Inbox Zero email management,” “Flawless appointment scheduling,” “Accurate data entry in Google Sheets/Excel”). Add an FAQ section to answer common questions like “What are your working hours?” “What tools are you proficient with?” and “How do we communicate?”
   • Gallery: This is your portfolio. Since you can’t show a client’s private inbox, get creative.
     • Use a tool like Canva to create professional graphics that list your services (e.g., “My Services:” with bullet points).
     • Create a short, professional video introducing yourself and your services. This builds massive trust.
     • You can show anonymized samples of your work, like a screenshot of a perfectly organized spreadsheet (with dummy data) or a ‘before and after’ of a chaotic (but fake) calendar you’ve organized.
   • Publish: Once you’re done, publish your Gig. Congratulations, you’re officially a seller!

Part 2: The Catch: Why Fiverr Isn’t the Final Goal

Getting your first order on Fiverr is a thrill. Fiverr is a great platform and likely one of the easiest ways for the average person to earn money online and receive USD from international customers. But it’s important to understand the business model you’ve just entered.

Fiverr and its main competitor, Upwork, are “freelance marketplaces.” They provide the platform, payment processing, and, most importantly, the traffic. In exchange, they take a significant cut.

• Fiverr’s Cut: Fiverr takes a flat 20% service fee from every single order. If you complete a $100 job, you get $80. This fee also applies to any tips your client gives you. Buyers also have to pay an additional service fee on top of the price you listed for the service.
• Upwork’s Cut: Upwork is a similar platform to fiverr. Upwork’s fee structure is now a variable 0% to 15% fee that is set for each new contract. This is down from their old 10% flat fee, but it can still be a significant amount.

Beyond the fees, you are forced to compete directly with thousands of other VAs from around the world, often in a race to the lowest price. Your client relationship is also owned by the platform, not by you.

Part 3: The Long-Term Strategy: Your Own Website

Use Fiverr and Upwork for what they are: a starting point. A tool to build your initial portfolio and get some testimonials.

The real goal is to build your own brand.

Getting a simple, professional website for your own services will set you apart and allow you to earn more online. Online buyers fundamentally depend on trust. You might get by with a simple Facebook or Instagram page for your services within Trinidad and Tobago, but securing international clients demands a higher level of professionalism. A personal website and domain acts as a trustworthy storefront and ensures a secure environment for international users to pay for your services.

1. You Keep 100% of the Money: When a client hires you through your own site, there is no 20% commission. A $1,000/month retainer nets you $1,000.
2. You Build Ultimate Trust: A personal website (e.g., yourname.com) positions you as a professional business owner, not just another “gig” worker.
3. You Build a Real Business: You can build an email list, offer downloadable guides, nurture long-term client relationships, and charge premium rates based on the value you provide, not the platform’s price-driven market.

Start on Fiverr today. Get those first few wins. But as you do, start planning and building your personal website. It’s the single best investment you can make in your long-term freelance career.

Need a custom website, e-store, web app, or help starting out with digital freelancing? I’m a software developer, digital freelancer, and the creator of SabbathLime.com and likefreelance.com. I’m ready to help. Reach out to me at adriencoderdeveloper@gmail.com.