How do you get your first independent SEO client after working in an agency?
I've been working in SEO for around 3 years, mostly on the agency side. My main area of interest is semantic SEO, topical authority, entity relationships, content architecture, search intent, internal linking, etc.
The weird part is that I feel much more confident doing the actual SEO work than I do getting clients.
I've worked on real client projects through agencies, but I've never really had to sell my own services. Now that I'm trying to get independent clients, I'm realizing that knowing SEO and getting someone to trust you with their website are two completely different skills.
I've tried the usual advice, outreach, LinkedIn, looking for businesses with SEO problems, etc., but haven't cracked it yet.
For those who freelance or run an SEO business:
- How did you get your first paying SEO client?
- Did you use cold email, LinkedIn, referrals, Upwork, Reddit, networking, or something else?
- Did you start with a small one-off project or go straight for a monthly retainer?
- How did you prove your ability when your agency work couldn't necessarily be presented as your personal portfolio?
- Would you recommend building a website/case study around your own site first?
- And if you were starting again with 3 years of agency experience, what would you focus on for the next 30–60 days?
I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who were already good at SEO but struggled with the client acquisition/sales side.