How to play SEO specialist (freelance)
Someone willing to clear this gate: SEO skill + case studies; tools budget optional; results proof is the gate Capital tier: low capital.
First dollar: Typical time-to-first-income on this board: months. That is a planning number, not a promise.
Exact steps. Ship the smallest unit of paid value before you gold-plate.
Rank sites via technical SEO, content, and links. B2B retainers; AI search is changing tactics but demand remains.
Do the minimum that makes you legal and sellable: SEO skill + case studies; tools budget optional; results proof is the gate. Do not gold-plate this step.
Publish or productize the smallest offer someone will pay for. One client, one listing, one paid user.
Repeat the smallest sale until the motion is boring. Track hours, CAC, and close rate. Kill vanity work.
If it works, templatize delivery and price. If the ceiling is low, ladder into a related deck on this board.
Related decks if this one is working or if you need a stronger wincon.
What you do on paper: Rank sites via technical SEO, content, and links. B2B retainers; AI search is changing tactics but demand remains.
Frequency: Crowded service niche; competent operators scarcer than profiles