{"id":133105,"date":"2021-04-29T11:00:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T16:00:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=133105"},"modified":"2024-02-29T10:20:21","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T15:20:21","slug":"how-to-start-an-seo-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-start-an-seo-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start an SEO Business in 6&nbsp;Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"intro-txt\">I\u2019ve been working for Ahrefs full-time for over three years. But before that, I ran an SEO business.<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>My business wasn\u2019t huge. At its peak, I was turning over between $5k-$10k per month. So if you\u2019re here expecting to learn from the founder of a Fortune 500 company, prepare to be disappointed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, if you\u2019re looking for a practical guide to starting a lifestyle SEO business from someone who\u2019s walked the walk, this is the guide for&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are the&nbsp;steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#learn-seo\">Learn SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#make-your-own-website\">Make your own website<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#go-t-shaped\">Go T-shaped<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#get-clients\">Get clients<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#nail-your-logistics\">Nail your logistics<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"#scale-your-business\">Scale your business<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ol>\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=\"1. Learn SEO\" data-section=\"learn-seo\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Learn&nbsp;SEO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s incredible how many people try to start SEO businesses with little to no SEO knowledge. Don\u2019t do this. You must make an effort to learn how to do SEO well before offering services to clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I can\u2019t stress how important this&nbsp;is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t know what you\u2019re doing, you can cause more harm than good. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve seen the horror stories where sites end up on the gazillionth page of Google after a penalty. You don\u2019t want this to happen to your clients. Their sites are their livelihoods; you shouldn\u2019t take that fact lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now we\u2019ve gotten that out of the way; how do you actually learn&nbsp;SEO?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with the obvious place: the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/\">Ahrefs Blog<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCWquNQV8Y0_defMKnGKrFOQ\">YouTube channel<\/a>. We\u2019ve published hundreds of <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-tutorial\/\">SEO tutorials<\/a>&nbsp;over the years, many of which are perfect for beginners. I\u2019m clearly biased, but I don\u2019t think there\u2019s a better starting point for learning SEO these&nbsp;days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re unsure where to begin, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\">our beginner\u2019s guide to SEO<\/a>&nbsp;or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\/seo-training-course\">SEO video course for beginners<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n<\/p><div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-btwc4zmewss\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-btwc4zmewss\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/btwC4zmewss?list=PLvJ_dXFSpd2vk6rQ4Rta5MhDIRmakFbp6&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/btwC4zmewss?list=PLvJ_dXFSpd2vk6rQ4Rta5MhDIRmakFbp6&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d prefer to start elsewhere, check out Aleyda Solis\u2019 website: <a href=\"https:\/\/learningseo.io\/\">learningseo.io<\/a>.<\/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=\"2. Make your own website\" data-section=\"make-your-own-website\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Make your own website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>You wouldn\u2019t start an accountancy practice after reading a couple of books about taxes, so you shouldn\u2019t start an SEO business after reading a few SEO guides. Knowing the theory isn\u2019t enough; you need hands-on experience before you start offering services to businesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you get experience? Create your own website and use it as a testing ground for your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-skills\/\">SEO skills<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what I&nbsp;did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2012, I started a fitness blog. It was nothing special, but it was getting upwards of 50,000 organic visitors per month after just ten months.<\/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\/04\/1-google-analytics.png\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Even better, it was making some nice affiliate commissions from Amazon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I should probably mention that starting a website isn\u2019t the only way to get hands-on experience. Another option is to find a reputable agency and learn on the job. However, as you\u2019re reading this guide, you\u2019re probably more entrepreneurially-minded and don\u2019t want to work for someone else. In which case, starting a website is the only option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not sure where to start, read <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">our guide to keyword research<\/a>&nbsp;or watch <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=OMJQPqG2Uas\">this video<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\n<\/p><div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-omjqpqg2uas\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-omjqpqg2uas\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/OMJQPqG2Uas?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/OMJQPqG2Uas?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\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=\"3. Go T-shaped \" data-section=\"go-t-shaped\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Go T-shaped<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>While practicing and honing your SEO skills on your own website, you\u2019ll start to get an idea of what you enjoy the&nbsp;most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is different for everyone. For me, it was <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/link-building\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\/\">link building<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-creation\/\">content creation<\/a>. I found that I didn\u2019t really enjoy the technical side of things, and things like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/on-page-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/on-page-seo\/\">on-page SEO<\/a>&nbsp;were just things I had to do. I certainly didn\u2019t love&nbsp;them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But why is this important for starting an SEO business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simple. Because SEO agencies offering \u201call-in-one\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-sell-seo-services\/\">SEO services<\/a> to businesses are ten-a-penny. While I don\u2019t want to discourage anyone from starting such a business, I had more success when I specialized and offered services in one&nbsp;area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So once you know what you enjoy, it\u2019s time to start expanding your knowledge in that area. Do that, and you\u2019ll soon become what Rand Fishkin calls a t-shaped marketer. You can then begin to carve out a niche for your services.<\/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\/04\/pasted-image-0-3.png\"><\/figure>\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=\"4. Get clients\" data-section=\"get-clients\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Get clients<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you\u2019ve learned the basics and honed your skills in one area, you should be ready to start offering services to clients. But how do you find these people?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are just a few&nbsp;ideas:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Freelancing websites<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Freelancing websites get a bad rap, and it\u2019s easy to see why. Browse UpWork for a minute and you\u2019ll see that most people have pretty unrealistic expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the kind of thing I\u2019m talking about:<\/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\/04\/2-upwork.png\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you\u2019re willing to spend a bit of time separating the wheat from the chaff, it\u2019s possible to find some great clients on freelancing sites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do I know? I found my first ever SEO client on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.peopleperhour.com\/\">People Per Hour<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This wasn\u2019t a one-off $50 job either. I ended up working with that client for a few years. And while I never did put them on a retainer (yes, slap my wrists), they were sending work to the tune of around $25k\/year at one&nbsp;point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cold calls or emails<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>I could never bring myself to do cold calling. I did it many years ago when trying to get a non-SEO-related business off the ground and found it soul-destroying. I\u2019m extremely introverted, so it\u2019s pretty much my worst nightmare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, cold calling\/emailing still deserves a mention because it&nbsp;works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How do I know? Because it\u2019s just a numbers game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of it like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>You send 1,000 cold emails<\/li>\n<li>50 recipients agree to a&nbsp;call<\/li>\n<li>5 calls convert<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Given that <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\">most SEO professionals charge $500-$1,000 per month<\/a>, five conversions are worth between $2,500-$5,000 per month. If we assume that clients stick around for an average of 6 months, those five conversions are worth $15,000-$30,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That probably doesn\u2019t sound like a life-changing amount, but again, it\u2019s a numbers game. If you know that every 1,000 emails bring $15k-$30k in revenue, all you have to do is&nbsp;scale:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>2,000 emails = $30k-$60k<\/li>\n<li>5,000 emails = $75k-$150k<\/li>\n<li>10,000 emails = $150k-$300k<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2026 you get the&nbsp;idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"sidenote\"><div class=\"sidenote-title\">Sidenote.<\/div> These numbers are all hypothetical. Many things affect conversion rates, including the quality of your initial prospects.&nbsp;<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re interested in this route, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-leads\/\">this post<\/a>&nbsp;where Daryl Rosser&nbsp;explains how to sell SEO services via emails, step-by-step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Inbound marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Because I\u2019m introverted, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/inbound-marketing\/\">inbound marketing<\/a>&nbsp;was the primary method I decided to use to attract clients. So, in 2016, I started a website called The SEO Project&nbsp;to begin putting myself on the&nbsp;map.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the tired design (I\u2019ve neglected it for 4+ years), you can see that it isn\u2019t your typical website offering SEO services. In fact, it doesn\u2019t pitch services at all. That\u2019s because I decided to opt for a different approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what I did in a nutshell:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Created a piece of content about <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/link-building\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\/\">link building<\/a>&nbsp;(the service I wanted to&nbsp;offer)<\/li>\n<li>Offered the full list as a PDF in return for visitors\u2019 email addresses<\/li>\n<li>Did <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/blogger-outreach\/\">outreach<\/a>&nbsp;to spread the word about my content<\/li>\n<li>Planned to \u201csell\u201d my services via the email&nbsp;list<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>(Fun fact: My outreach for this piece led to my first interaction with Ahrefs\u2019 CMO, Tim Soulo, who asked if I fancied writing for the Ahrefs Blog. I said yes, and the rest is history.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, I never did execute on that last part (I\u2019ll discuss why later). But I did the first three parts and managed to build a list of over 1,000+ subscribers in just a few&nbsp;days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, this isn\u2019t the only way to attract clients with inbound marketing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few more options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Optimize your site to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/how-to-rank-higher-on-google\/\">rank high in Google<\/a>&nbsp;for lucrative terms (e.g., \u201cseo consultant london\u201d)<\/li>\n<li>Attract potential customers through a YouTube channel<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ppc-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Run PPC ads on Google<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Write guest&nbsp;posts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s talk a little more about that last&nbsp;one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Guest posting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/guest-blogging\/\">Guest posting<\/a>&nbsp;is another tactic I successfully used to attract clients, as you can see from this&nbsp;email:<\/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\/04\/3-link-building-consulting-email.jpg\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, the client found me through a guest post on the Ahrefs Blog. &nbsp;I went on to work with him for a few months, earning $5,375 in revenue in the process.<\/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\/04\/4-invoice-ninja.png\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re planning to give this tactic a shot, my best advice is this: only write guest posts for industry websites that get traffic. Remember, we\u2019re not using guest posting as a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building-strategies\/\">link building tactic<\/a>; we\u2019re using it as a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-tactics\/\">marketing tactic<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The easiest way to find such websites is with Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/content-explorer\">Content Explorer<\/a>, a searchable database of content from over seven billion websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how to use it to find guest posting opportunities:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Open <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/content-explorer\">Content Explorer<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Search for something related to&nbsp;SEO<\/li>\n<li>Choose \u201cin title\u201d from the dropdown<\/li>\n<li>Hit search<\/li>\n<li>Check the \u201cWebsites\u201d tab<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5-content-explorer.png\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Check each of the sites in the results and see if it\u2019d make sense to pitch a guest&nbsp;post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get referrals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Do great work for the clients you attract using the methods above, and they\u2019ll no doubt refer you to others. This is the ideal scenario because it creates an infinite growth loop\u2014as long as you consistently deliver and impress your clients.<\/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=\"5. Nail your logistics\" data-section=\"nail-your-logistics\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Nail your logistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Focus is essential when setting up an SEO business, so minimizing unnecessary distractions is key. You want to be spending as much time as possible getting clients and delivering services because that\u2019s what pays the&nbsp;bills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are my recommendations for doing&nbsp;that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get an accountant<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This might seem like an obvious point to make, and I know it\u2019s not unique to SEO businesses, but I would urge you to get an accountant early&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t, you\u2019ll spend countless hours every year filing tax returns\u2014at least if you\u2019re in the UK\/US\/Canada. This isn\u2019t good for two reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019s extremely stressful.<\/li>\n<li>It wastes time that you could spend working on your business.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m speaking from experience here. I didn\u2019t get an accountant for far too long, all for the sake of saving a few hundred dollars per&nbsp;year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe me when I say it isn\u2019t worth&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use invoicing software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Invoicing and chasing payments is another thing you don\u2019t want to be wasting time on, and there are plenty of apps to help with&nbsp;this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are my recommendations based on personal experience:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re looking for a free app<\/strong>, try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.invoiceninja.com\/\">Invoice Ninja<\/a>. You can send as many invoices as you like, set recurring invoices to automate invoicing for SEO clients on retainers, and it integrates with most payment gateways. I used this for years in the early days of my business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re looking for a paid app<\/strong>, try <a href=\"https:\/\/www.xero.com\/uk\/\">Xero<\/a>. This is an accounting app, but it handles invoicing too. It also integrates with most business accounts and payment gateways. Xero has been my app of choice for a few&nbsp;years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get a multi-currency account<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing is more frustrating than having a client ready to pay but no easy way to receive funds in their native currency. This isn\u2019t usually a problem if you\u2019re doing <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/local-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/local-seo\/\">local SEO<\/a>&nbsp;and working with clients in one country, but it quickly becomes a problem if you\u2019re working with SEO clients internationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two possible solutions to this problem:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Get a multi-currency account with your&nbsp;bank<\/li>\n<li>Use a service like <a href=\"https:\/\/wise.com\/\">Wise<\/a>&nbsp;(formerly Transferwise)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For an easy life, I can certainly vouch for Wise. I\u2019ve been using them for a few years now, and their fees are incredibly reasonable compared to most banks. They also make it easy for you to send and receive payments in 50+ currencies.<\/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=\"6. Scale your business\" data-section=\"scale-your-business\">\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Scale your business<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Building an SEO business takes a lot of time and effort. I\u2019m making it sound simple in this blog post, but there will be many unknowns along the way. You\u2019re unlikely to build a million-dollar agency overnight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For that reason, my advice is not to concern yourself with \u201cscaling\u201d or hiring staff until your revenue is in the mid-five figures per&nbsp;year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not to say that you should shy away from hiring freelancers or virtual assistants (VAs) in the early days of your business. It\u2019s wise to delegate tasks when things start gaining traction and you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed. But in my opinion, it\u2019s not wise to hire full-time employees until your cash flow is stable and you\u2019re confident you can actually afford to keep them&nbsp;on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you\u2019re not yet at that stage<\/strong>, keep grinding. I know from experience that it probably won\u2019t happen as fast as you\u2019d&nbsp;like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>If you are at that stage<\/strong>, you have two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Keep things as they&nbsp;are<\/li>\n<li>Start hiring and scaling your business<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the constant \u201chustle\u201d mentality in the industry, I think it\u2019s important to remind ourselves that the first option actually exists. Not everyone wants to scale their business to six&nbsp;or seven figures per year. If you\u2019re happy with your turnover and workload as an <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-freelancer\/\">SEO freelancer<\/a>, there\u2019s no shame whatsoever in keeping things that&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is precisely why I never ended up \u201cselling\u201d to the email list I mentioned earlier. It took me a while to realize this, but I never really wanted to start an SEO agency. I was quite happy working for a few clients and having a comfortable life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But let\u2019s say that you do want to scale your business; how do you do&nbsp;it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In theory, it\u2019s simple:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Productize your services<\/li>\n<li>Hire people<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Productizing your services is where you standardize your offering and create a repeatable, step-by-step process for delivering it to clients. It\u2019s beneficial because it makes services easier to deliver and makes it easier to hire&nbsp;staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Speaking of staff, that\u2019s the second part of the equation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s impossible to scale your business without bringing other people on board because you only have so many hours in the&nbsp;day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Recommended reading:<\/strong><em> <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/outsource-seo\/\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-outsourcing\/\">How to Outsource SEO (Simple Framework)<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of the advice above is based on my experience. It\u2019s worth pointing out that there are many ways to build a successful SEO business. This is just the way I did&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let me know <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/joshuachardwick?lang=en\">on Twitter<\/a>&nbsp;if you have any questions.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>My business wasn\u2019t huge. At its peak, I was turning over between $5k-$10k per month. So if you\u2019re here expecting to learn from the founder of a Fortune 500 company, prepare to be disappointed. On the other hand, if you\u2019re<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":114,"featured_media":133108,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[336],"class_list":["post-133105","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 v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How to Start an SEO Business in 6 Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"If you&#039;re looking for a practical guide to starting a lifestyle SEO business from someone who&#039;s walked the walk, this is the guide for you.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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