Once you get trained as a Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) expert you could branch out into new freelance roles and offer existing clients a whole new level of service to generate extra income
Becoming an SEO expert is a great way to start a career or offer freelancer services in the digital marketing industry. With the right training and experience, you can find freelance SEO jobs that pay well and often allow you to work from home.
Journalists, copywriters, marketing professionals, web site designers. These are just some of the roles that are increasingly being expected to include search engine optimisation (SEO) in their work, many times without being trained or certified. But what if you were good enough at SEO and could charge for it?
What is SEO?
For those of you not exactly sure what SEO is, it improves the visibility of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). This is made possible by including relevant keywords in the website copy, but the more you dive deeper into it, the more you realise it’s becoming a science.
Where do I start if I want to become an SEO expert?
The amount of time it takes to become trained as an SEO expert will vary depending on your individual learning style and experience. However, most people can complete an online course or certification program in 3-6 months.
SEO is a complex and ever-changing field, so you should research online courses and certification programmes that can first teach you the basics of SEO. Some online courses are even free. These courses typically cover topics such as content creation tips, keyword research, on-page optimisation, off-page optimisation, and link building. From there, you can consider if you want to take things further or even specialise to offer multiple SEO services to clients.
Types of Freelance SEO Jobs
Once you are trained as an SEO expert, you can start looking for freelance SEO jobs. There are a number of different types of freelance SEO jobs available, here are just a few:
SEO consultant
SEO consultants work with businesses to improve their website’s SEO. This may involve conducting keyword research, optimising the website’s content, and building backlinks.
SEO copywriter
SEO copywriters write content that is optimised for search engines. This content may include blog posts, articles, product descriptions, and website pages.
Technical SEO specialist
Technical SEO specialists work on the technical aspects of a website that affect its SEO. This could include a client’s website code, fixing broken links, and improving the website’s loading speed.
Link builder
Link builders build backlinks to a website. Backlinks are links from other websites to a website. They are an important factor in SEO because they help to improve a website’s ranking in search engines.
How to Find Freelance SEO Jobs
You can search online job boards, such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Indeed to see what eope are charging. If you are an established freelancer, you can simply add and promote this skill and service on your website and social media channels, such as LinkedIn. You can even write posts on SEO and what it can do for clients in a certain field; how tricky and time-consuming it is becoming and ow you could take that task off your client’s hands so they can focus on their core business. You can also network with other SEO professionals, attend industry events, and submit your CV to staffing agencies.
Salary Expectations for Freelance SEO Jobs
The salary for freelance SEO jobs varies depending on your experience, skills, and location. However, most freelance SEO professionals can earn between £40 and £200 per hour depending on what they are offering and their experience. If you are already providing services to a client, you can pitch your SEO services as an add-on and include an extra charge as part of your project rather than an hourly fee.
Top tips for becoming an SEO expert
Stay up-to-date on the latest SEO trends
The field of SEO is constantly evolving, so it is important to stay up-to-date on the latest trends. You can do this by reading industry blogs, attending conferences, and following SEO experts on social media.
Get hands-on experience
The best way to learn SEO is by doing it. Get hands-on experience by optimising your own website or by working on a freelance job and offering SEO services or working on an SEO project to add to your portfolio.
Build your portfolio
As you gain experience, start building your portfolio of SEO work. This will help you to show potential clients what you can do.
Network with other SEO professionals
Networking with other SEO professionals is a great way to learn new things and find freelance SEO jobs. Attend industry events, join online forums, and connect with SEO professionals on social media.
