Congratulations! You’ve decided to become a freelance SEO consultant. Now you just need to get some clients, do the work, and make money. Easy, right? Well, sure. It can be easy with some planning and research beforehand.
This guide will teach you how to become a freelance SEO consultant. By the end of this guide, you should have everything you need to start hustling your way towards a successful new career!
Takeaways |
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1. Acquire essential SEO skills through courses and practice. |
2. Build a strong online presence and showcase your expertise. |
3. Network to find potential clients and grow your client base. |
4. Set competitive pricing based on market rates and expertise. |
5. Focus on delivering exceptional results to gain referrals. |
Know What You’re Doing By Learning
You’re probably thinking that you have to go to university or get a degree in marketing and business, but that’s not true. If you want to be an SEO consultant, the best way is to start learning now and make mistakes now. You can still do this even if you don’t have any experience yet – it’s easier than ever before!
The first step is reading as much as possible about SEO. Look at books like “Search Engine Optimization All-in-One For Dummies” by Peter Kent or blogs like Search Engine Land. There are also many forums where people discuss their experiences with SEO and ask questions (like here on Quora).
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Set Up Your Systems
Now that you have a plan, it’s time to build your system. You need to have systems in place for everything from taking payments to managing clients to optimizing website content. The more organized and streamlined your business is, the easier it will be for you to run it as a freelancer.
Here are some examples of different kinds of systems that could help:
- A Google Sheets spreadsheet with all of your current clients on it so you can keep track of their contracts and projects
- A separate folder in Dropbox where all client files are stored (this will come in handy later)
Start Your Website
To get started, you need a website. This can be any kind of website, but it helps if your site is search engine optimized (SEO) and optimized for mobile devices.
The main reason for this is that most people use search engines to find businesses like yours online. Your website will also serve as the home base for all of your marketing and other business operations (i.e., email services).
Start by choosing an appropriate name for your company or consulting business this will help people find you when they’re looking for a service like yours in their area.
Next, decide on an appropriate domain name that won’t confuse clients with another freelancer’s business; it should be short, catchy, memorable, and easy to spell/say out loud so customers will remember it later when they’re ready to buy from you again!
After selecting the right type of hosting plan based on how much traffic will go through each month (more expensive plans come with more bells & whistles), create an account at one of these companies:
Be Organised
It is important to keep track of your time, money, client relationships, and website. You need a system that helps you do this. There are many ways to manage these things as a freelancer but the most common ones are:
Project Management Software; This will automatically assign tasks and track their status for you. It also does other things like assigning resources (people) to projects and allowing tracking of work-related expenses (like travel costs). You can use Basecamp or Asana for this if you want something free or Trello if you want something paid.
Spreadsheet Software; Keeping everything in an Excel sheet will work just fine too if you don’t mind using Excel as your project management tool rather than one that was specifically designed for it.
If so then make sure to get familiar with Text Functions like VLOOKUP and HLOOKUP which can be used to automate some tasks like merging lists based on column headers etc.
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Connect With The Community
Connecting with other SEO consultants is a must. The community of freelance SEO consultants is large and diverse, so there are many ways you can connect with them. Here are some ideas for ways to do so:
Local meetups: If you have local SEO meetups in your city or town, attend them. It’s a great way to meet people who work in the industry and get advice on how to succeed as an independent contractor. Plus, it’s fun. You can find out where these events take place by searching Google or asking around on Twitter or Facebook.
Online communities: There are many online communities where freelancers gather together to share tips, resources, and advice about working independently as well as collaborating with others on projects (or both). Some examples include Slack groups like #freelancechatroom
How To Find Clients
The following options will help you find clients:
- Use social media to find clients
- Use your network to find clients (e.g., friends, family)
- Create a website or blog where you can showcase your work and attract potential customers
- Post on freelancer websites like Upwork or Freelancer for hire. Be sure to write a compelling description about yourself including all of the skills that you have learned so far as well as a few things that make you stand out from other freelancers.
Also, include any relevant examples of the work that you have done in the past so that potential employers can see what type of results they might expect if they were to hire you for their job project(s).
These platforms are great because they allow users who are looking for SEO consultants access to thousands of qualified candidates all over the world who are ready right now. Most importantly though, don’t forget about local search engine optimization consultants.
Local SEO is becoming increasingly important these days due in large part due to some very successful businesses relying heavily on this strategy before deciding where else they want their business located geographically speaking (if anywhere).
Have A Website, Portfolio, And Content Engine
You need a website, portfolio, and content engine. Let’s go through them one by one:
- Website: You will want to develop a professional-looking website that shows off your skills, experience, and services.
Keep it simple and easy to navigate. I recommend using the WordPress platform for this (it’s free). The easiest way to do this is by signing up for a new account at Bluehost (they offer to host for $3.95 per month) or HostGator (they offer hosting for $3.50 per month).
Both of these companies have excellent customer service and they are great places to start when building your site without breaking the bank. If you have any questions about how to set up your SEO website please email me at [email protected]
- Portfolio: Your portfolio needs to show what kind of work you can do as well as be able to explain why someone would hire you over another competitor who may charge less than what you charge but does not produce results.
As consistently good as yours does over time because quality matters most when it comes down to two similar prices!
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Set Rates, Contracts, And Payment Terms
The next thing to consider when setting your rates is how much money you need. The second thing is what clients are willing to pay for your services.
If you are just starting, ask friends or colleagues who hire freelancers how much they pay other consultants in their field (or in a related field). You can also look at websites like Elance or Upwork which list freelance rates by category so that you can get an idea of what others charge for similar services.
While it may seem obvious that the amount someone charges should be based on their experience, skill level, and other factors these days more than ever there is also an element of competition involved when it comes down to deciding upon an hourly rate or salary.
As well as whether or not this figure should factor in taxes (which usually have higher tax brackets than those who work full-time jobs).
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Have A Plan Of Action For Dealing With Difficult Clients
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to develop a plan for dealing with difficult clients. You’re going to be managing their expectations and making sure they understand why certain tasks are taking longer than expected (or aren’t possible).
This may sound like it should be an easy thing to do, but in practice, it can be extremely difficult. The first step is having a contract in place that outlines everything from payment to deliverables and timelines.
The second step is keeping yourself organized so you don’t lose track of important details like due dates or other deliverables that need to be completed before moving on. It also helps if you have someone else who can keep tabs on your schedule so they know when something needs another person’s attention instead of just relying on yourself alone!
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Final Thoughts
We hope that we’ve been able to help you on your journey toward becoming a freelance SEO consultant. As long as you follow these basic steps and keep yourself invested in what you’re doing, we do not doubt that you will be successful. Now go out there and start building your career.
Further Reading
How to Become an SEO Freelancer: Learn the essential steps and skills required to start a successful career as an SEO freelancer.
A Step-by-Step Guide on Becoming an SEO Freelancer: Follow this comprehensive guide to understand the process of becoming a freelance SEO expert.
Becoming a Freelance SEO Consultant: A Complete Guide: Discover the ins and outs of becoming a freelance SEO consultant, from building your portfolio to finding clients.
People Also Ask
What Is Seo?
SEO stands for search engine optimization, which means that you’re optimizing the way your website appears in search engines (like Google or Bing) to better match what people are searching for.
For example, if you’re an accountant who specializes in taxes, you might want to make sure that when people search on Google for “tax accountants,” your site comes up as one of the top results.
How Do I Learn SEO?
There are many free resources available on the internet that will teach you all about SEO. If you don’t have time to read through those resources right now, then my recommendation would be to start with Coursera.
They have excellent videos and tutorials on how to become an SEO consultant and they cover everything from basic concepts like keyword research up to advanced topics like link building strategies and content marketing tactics!
Can I Make Money By Doing This?
Yes! If you do it right, SEO can be very profitable for both clients and consultants alike. The more successful you are at helping others rank higher in search results, the more money they will pay you for it!
What’s The Best Way To Start A Freelance SEO Consulting Business?
The best place to start is by making sure you have your website. This doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it should at least include some information about yourself and what you do. If you can get clients through this website, then you’ll be able to keep them from going anywhere else.
Once you have a website, the next thing to do is find some local clients who need help with their SEO. You can do this by getting involved in local community events and talking to people there, as well as posting flyers on community boards around town.
Make sure that your flyer says at least one thing about what sort of experience you have with SEO so that potential clients know that they’re hiring someone who knows what they’re doing!
Once you’ve found some clients, make sure that your contract states how much money each client will pay for each project (for example: “$500 per month for 3 months’ worth of work”). Then when they hire you, send out an invoice every month with all of their payments listed in it!
What Are The Roles Of SEO Consultant In A Business?
A freelance SEO consultant works with a business to improve its search engine ranking, through both organic and paid means.
This can include keyword research, content creation, link building, on-page optimization, analytics monitoring, and much more. In addition to these core services, the consultant may also offer additional services such as social media management and web design.
How Do You Help Businesses?
The most important thing I can do for a client is to listen to them and understand their goals for their website.
Once I understand those goals and how they want their website to perform, I can start helping them achieve those goals by creating an actionable plan that will take them from where they are now to where they want to be in terms of ranking on search engines like Google or Bing.
How Do I Know If My Site Needs SEO?
If your site isn’t getting as many visitors as you would like, it may be time to look into hiring an SEO consultant. If you already have a website but aren’t seeing any results from it yet, then perhaps it’s time to talk with someone who knows what they’re doing.
What Is The Difference Between SEO, SMO, And PPC?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is a process that improves the visibility of your websites in search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo.
SMO stands for Social Media Optimization. It is a process that helps you optimize your social media presence to attract more traffic to your website.
PPC stands for Pay Per Click Advertising and it’s an advertising model where you pay the publisher (usually Google or Facebook) each time someone clicks on your ad.
What Do You Need To Know About SEO?
You should be able to troubleshoot issues with a website’s crawlability, indexing, site structure, and content quality. You should also know how to write informative blog posts and articles for your clients’ websites.
How Can I Get Certified As An SEO Consultant?
There are multiple certifications available through Google Partners and HubSpot Academy that will teach you everything you need to know about SEO so that you can become certified as an expert in the field.
What Is The Difference Between SEO, SEM, And SMM?
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization and refers to optimizing your website so that it appears higher in search results on Google.
SEM stands for Search Engine Marketing, which means that you are paying to be displayed prominently in search results.
SMM stands for Social Media Marketing, which means using social media channels like Facebook or Twitter to market your business. These three services are all used together to ensure maximum visibility for your business online.
What Are The Advantages Of Freelancing?
The main advantage of freelancing is that it allows you to work from home and set your schedule. You can work on your terms, and choose what projects you want to take on or not.
It also offers a flexible schedule and an opportunity to make money doing something that you love! You can work as much or as little as you want, so it’s perfect for people who have other things in their lives besides work-family obligations, hobbies, etc.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.