{"id":132255,"date":"2021-03-02T11:00:05","date_gmt":"2021-03-02T16:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=132255"},"modified":"2023-05-15T06:00:32","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T11:00:32","slug":"seo-freelancer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-freelancer\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become an SEO Freelancer - Lessons Learned from 10+ Years in the Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">Back in April 2020, when COVID-19 started claiming jobs, I received notice that my job would be eliminated in 30&nbsp;days.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>After looking for a new job and attending six rounds of interviews, it finally dawned on me: Full-time SEO freelancing was a real option for&nbsp;me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The reason I say \u2018full-time\u2019 is because I\u2019ve been freelancing part-time since 2010. From the graph below, you can see that this helped supplement my income, but only when I started freelancing full-time did my income skyrocket. While I\u2019d rather not show exact numbers, the amount is in the <strong>five figures per month<\/strong>&nbsp;range. During my eight months freelancing full-time, I made <strong>150% more than my old annual salary<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/02-seo-freelancer.png\" alt><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>So whether you want to go out on your own full-time or pick up extra experience (and cash), this article is for&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Why consider freelancing?\" data-section=\"why-freelancing\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why consider freelancing?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>I started freelancing back in 2010 to supplement my income from my regular 9-5, but there are many other reasons you might want to go out on your own. Here are the most obvious ones:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>More freedom<\/li>\n<li>Increased income<\/li>\n<li>Better work\/life balance<\/li>\n<li>Experience in industries and or platforms you may not have worked in before<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve personally experienced all of those benefits, but the improved work\/life balance is perhaps the most significant positive for me. You\u2019ll notice below that my total hours since moving to full-time freelance have actually decreased. That\u2019s because all my freelance hours are billable and not wasted in back to back meetings like in my old \u201c9-5.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/01-seo-freelancer.png\" alt><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond the obvious reasons above, there are a few other reasons to go freelance that rarely get talked about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#low-barrier-to-entry\">Low barrier to&nbsp;entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#no-more-nine-to-five\">No more&nbsp;9-5<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#infinite-career-growth\">Infinite career growth<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#complete-control\">Complete control<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"low-barrier-to-entry\">1. Low barrier to&nbsp;entry<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike many other entrepreneurial adventures, freelancing in SEO doesn\u2019t have to be insanely expensive. Sweat equity goes a long way in the SEO industry. In fact, the list below accounts for 90% of the tools I use in my freelancing services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">Keyword research<\/a><\/strong><strong>&nbsp;&amp; link analysis tool<\/strong> \u2013 $99\/m<\/li>\n<li><strong>Web crawling\/diagnostics tool<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 I use ScreamingFrog ($193\/annually)\u2014but you could use Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-audit\">Site Audit<\/a>&nbsp;to save on this&nbsp;cost.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accounting software<\/strong>&nbsp;to track income, expenses, invoicing, etc. \u2013 I use QuickBooks for $50\/m.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proposal software<\/strong>&nbsp;\u2013 I use Prospero for $8\/m.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Time tracking software<\/strong>&nbsp;- I use Harvest for $12\/m.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Google Analytics &amp; <\/strong><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-search-console\/\">Google Search Console<\/a><\/strong>&nbsp;- Free<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For under $200 per month, you can set yourself up with the tools it takes to crush the search results. The best part is that you don\u2019t even need to invest this money until you already have revenue coming in the&nbsp;door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"no-more-nine-to-five\">2. No more&nbsp;9-5<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I went freelance full-time, I struggled with the idea of not working 9-5. Despite getting my work done, it felt like I was doing something wrong by not sitting at my desk. This is a habit that working 10+ years for someone else has instilled in&nbsp;me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you get your work done and are available to your clients during business hours, it doesn\u2019t matter if you\u2019re sitting at your desk or playing golf at any hour of the&nbsp;day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"infinite-career-growth\">3. Infinite career growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ll never forget the conversations that I had with various leaderships about promotions and raises. It always seemed that you needed to do more, earn more revenue, train more junior employees. Only then (if they agreed) would you get rewarded with a promotion and or raise. Don\u2019t rely on other people to advance your career and or earnings. Going freelance full-time allows you to own 100% of your growth and income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"complete-control\">4. Complete control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How many times have you worked on a project you disagreed with? Have you ever sacrificed your ethics because your boss\/company told you to? You get this all back freelancing full-time. Don\u2019t get me wrong, freelancing full-time isn\u2019t all sunshine and rainbows, but you\u2019re in control. You decide who you will work with, for what amount of money, and what level of work you will commit to executing. This, for me, was a critical need after too many years working for others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"How to become an SEO freelancer\" data-section=\"how-to-become-an-seo-freelancer\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to become an SEO freelancer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO freelancing is simple on the face of it. You <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/learn-seo\/\">learn SEO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-leads\/\">find clients<\/a>, and charge them money for your services. But as with all things in life, it\u2019s the execution that matters\u2014and this isn\u2019t always straightforward. Below, I\u2019ll share eight lessons learned from 10+ years in the industry to help get your freelancing business off on the right&nbsp;foot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#build-your-network\">Build up your network<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#get-your-books-in-order\">Get your books in&nbsp;order<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#be-confident-in-your-pricing\">Be confident in your pricing<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#effective-communication\">Effective communication is&nbsp;key<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#create-your-own-website\">Create your own website<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#create-assets-to-support-your-pipeline\">Create assets to support your pipeline<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#be-found-online\">Get found online<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#know-your-role\">Know your&nbsp;role<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"build-your-network\">Lesson #1. Build up your network<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When I went freelance full-time, the first thing I did was create a spreadsheet with all my contacts in the industry. I then identified ten people from this list that I might be able to call in a favor from or outright pitch my services. I sent ten emails explaining my newly minted business. This led to many phone calls and additional email strings. Some of these folks had work for me, some didn\u2019t, but everyone had advice that was both encouraging and terrifying but equally valuable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Today a lot of my work continues to come from client referrals and people in my network. You\u2019d be surprised how many agencies need help with their overflow work. So while I don\u2019t suggest you go to simply any networking event available, I do highly recommend that you start to get to know people in your industry and start building relationships. Not only could it lead to business in the future, but you never know when you might be able to ping them for help yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-slack-communities\/\">11 Slack Communities for SEOs and Digital Marketers<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"get-your-books-in-order\">Lesson #2. Get your books in&nbsp;order<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I was terrified as a fledgling freelancer that I wouldn\u2019t be able to afford an accountant. I started stressing out about my tracking of expenses and withholding the appropriate amount of taxes. I finally reached out to an accountant someone referred to me. The first thing he had me do was re-classify as an S-Corp. The tax savings from that easily paid for his services. If you\u2019re considering full-time freelance (or even part-time), get yourself a good accountant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"be-confident-in-your-pricing\">Lesson #3. Be confident in your pricing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the beginning, I took work at half of my standard rate. It ended up costing me money as I had to turn away full-price work as I got busier. While you\u2019ll naturally flex your rates up (if it\u2019s a project you\u2019re not super excited about) or down (if it\u2019s something you are really excited about), I highly recommend that you not take on any work at a rate you\u2019ll regret in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Not sure what your rate should be? In 2018, Ahrefs surveyed the SEO industry and found that $100-$150 is the most common hourly rate. If you\u2019re considering pricing your services on a per-project or monthly retainer basis, check out the full SEO pricing study&nbsp;below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/pasted-image-0-9.png\" alt><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\">SEO Pricing: How Much Does it Cost? [industry research]<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"effective-communication\">Lesson #4. Effective communication is&nbsp;key<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I like to consider my \u201cpeople skills\u201d to be one of my strengths. However, I messed up when I first went out full-time and cost myself a $10K project. I had a client read my article on the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/the-time-for-a-website-migration-is-now-334543\">importance of web migrations<\/a>&nbsp;and reach out for a consultation. He verbally committed to working with me on his upcoming project, fully understanding I wasn\u2019t the cheapest option but that he wanted it done correctly. He also mentioned that he was talking to an overseas SEO firm for ongoing consultation. I bluntly shared some of my concerns with his approach and the budget he was looking to invest monthly. I offended him. Guess what? He never called me back when it came to migrating his website. While I don\u2019t regret being transparent, I could have taken a different approach and still landed the project. Lesson Learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/nickleroy.com\/blog-posts\/effective-communication\/\">Effective Communication as an underrated SEO skillset<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"create-your-own-website\">Lesson #5. Create your own website today<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I highly recommend building out a website for your brand. As Tom Hirst <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tom_hirst\/status\/1300877660478939136\">tweeted<\/a>, your personal website is your 2020+ resume. If you don\u2019t have a website, how can people learn more about you, see the type of services you offer or even examples of the success you\u2019ve obtained?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Your personal website is your 2020 resume.<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Tom Hirst (@tom_hirst) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/tom_hirst\/status\/1300877660478939136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 1,&nbsp;2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n\n<p>Get creative with your website. While you should always work on making it better, don\u2019t allow it to prevent you from taking action. Get something live&nbsp;today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-audit\/\">Auditing your website for SEO and&nbsp;UX<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"create-assets-to-support-your-pipeline\">Lesson #6. Create assets to support your pipeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Back in 2016, I started writing the weekly SEO newsletter <a href=\"https:\/\/nickleroy.com\/newsletter\/\">#SEOForLunch<\/a>. It was always my intention to give back to the community that had given me so much. However, deep down, I also knew that it was my insurance policy. I wasn\u2019t fulfilled by my previous agency gigs and craved the ability to go out on my own. I knew that if I built an email list that someday I could tap into it when I decided to freelance full time\u2014and this is exactly what I did this year. Some of my best projects have come from valued readers who have been subscribers for&nbsp;years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended Reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/digital-marketing-strategies\/\">7 Digital Marketing Strategies That Actually Work<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"be-found-online\">Lesson #7. Be found online<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need a high <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-increase-website-authority\/\">Domain Rating (DR)<\/a>&nbsp;website or newsletter with thousands of subscribers to get work as an SEO freelancer. You do, however, need to get found online. Your service offering is to get your customers found online, and if THEY can\u2019t find YOU online, it might be an uphill battle closing deals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You might ask yourself, \u201cwhere\/how can I start\u201d? My answer to that question is by publishing on other websites. Similar to how Ahrefs is allowing me an opportunity to write this post, you can reach out to the dozens of SEO\/digital websites to contribute your knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is not the time to be spammy. You are looking to provide real value and associate your knowledge with your name. Remember that <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/website-migration\/\">site migration<\/a> lead I lost that I spoke about? That came from a post published on Search Engine Land with a massive audience. I simply sent their editorial team an email with the idea that I wanted to write about. After a few drafts, I was published. Don\u2019t overthink it. Make it easy for others to help you by providing them amazing content. It truly is a win\/win for everyone involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/guest-blogging\/\">Guest Blogging for&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"know-your-role\">Lesson #8. Know your&nbsp;role<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike your 9-5 job, going freelance full-time will require you to wear multiple hats: Project Manager, Executioner, and Entrepreneur. You\u2019re already used to the \u201cexecutor\u201d role from your 9-5, but are you ready to be the project manager and entrepreneur too? Admittedly freelancing on the side for ten years gave me a big head start. I was already aware of the need to be the sales guy, the bookkeeper, and the PM. Admittedly, I\u2019m not the most organized person, and this is where I double down. If you want to be successful as a part-time or full-time freelancer, you must know what\u2019s on your plate, establish deadlines and meet these due-dates. No exceptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you are looking to add experience to your portfolio or extra dollars to your pocket, freelancing is something I recommend everyone try. As long as you provide a good service, communicate effectively and meet your deadlines, I\u2019m confident you\u2019ll find yourself having a lot of success.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>After looking for a new job and attending six rounds of interviews, it finally dawned on me: Full-time SEO freelancing was a real option for&nbsp;me. The reason I say \u2018full-time\u2019 is because I\u2019ve been freelancing part-time since 2010. From the<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":156,"featured_media":132289,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[397],"class_list":["post-132255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Become an SEO Freelancer - Lessons Learned from 10+ Years in the Industry<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Whether you want to become an SEO freelancer full-time or pick up extra experience and cash on the side, this guide is for you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-freelancer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Become an SEO Freelancer\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lessons Learned from 10+ Years in the Industry.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-freelancer\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-03-02T16:00:05+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-05-15T11:00:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fb-seo-freelancer.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1920\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"990\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Nick LeRoy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"How to Become an SEO Freelancer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Lessons Learned from 10+ Years in the Industry.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/fb-seo-freelancer.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@NickLeRoy\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-freelancer\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-freelancer\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Nick LeRoy\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/dcc143339a58efaf5331cfcaf7abeb64\"},\"headline\":\"How to Become an SEO Freelancer - 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