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Just got a job doing SEO for an agency, need some help.

by mrrichsin
12 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Hey guys,

I recently got back into the job market and landed an SEO Analyst job, which after 2 weeks on the job, is extending into delivering SEO work also. This is great, the more I can do, the more billable hours (I'm a contract worker).

Here is the issue, in my past, I did SEO for businesses, but it was not on a monthly basis, more like one off projects.

1. How do I plan monthly SEO work per client? I have a budget of $150-$300 a month per client with a writer that charges $40/article.

2. Clients range from local to national businesses. What tools and research should I be doing and tracking month to month? I have access to all analytics.

3. Any advice as to how to what my workflow should look like when managing deliverables and planning for 30 sites?

4.What type of content strategy would you recommend for this limited budget?

Thanks in advance.
#agency #job #seo
  • Profile picture of the author MikeFriedman
    Originally Posted by mrrichsin View Post

    4.What type of content strategy would you recommend for this limited budget?
    Well, I can help with #4.

    Tell them they need to increase their budget.
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  • Profile picture of the author nik0
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    How many hours can you bill per client or is that included in the $150-$300 as well?

    If you can bill plenty of hours you could consider link out reach using the great content from the $40 writer I guess.

    If you can't spend much time per client you're better of building a network of high PR sites and utilizing decent VA's to set it all up as it's pretty damn time consuming.
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  • Profile picture of the author twilightofidols
    There's just not enough wiggle room with that low of a budget, especially with those sort of content costs.
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  • Profile picture of the author Icematikx
    Originally Posted by mrrichsin View Post

    Hey guys,

    I recently got back into the job market and landed an SEO Analyst job, which after 2 weeks on the job, is extending into delivering SEO work also. This is great, the more I can do, the more billable hours (I'm a contract worker).

    Here is the issue, in my past, I did SEO for businesses, but it was not on a monthly basis, more like one off projects.

    1. How do I plan monthly SEO work per client? I have a budget of $150-$300 a month per client with a writer that charges $40/article.

    2. Clients range from local to national businesses. What tools and research should I be doing and tracking month to month? I have access to all analytics.

    3. Any advice as to how to what my workflow should look like when managing deliverables and planning for 30 sites?

    4.What type of content strategy would you recommend for this limited budget?

    Thanks in advance.
    1. Stop using writers who charge $40/article. That is a ridiculous price.

    2. Get something like Raven SEO tools, as it's an all-in-one and will reduce overheads. Next, invest in either Majestic or AHREFS (probably only one because of budget).

    3. You need some automation in there. Software exists that identifies relevant bloggers in a particular niche, and even handles the guest blog e-mails automatically. Can't remember the software name, but many big players use it.

    4. Most likely guest blogging, highly relevant (non-spammed) comments, a few web 2.0's per month (unique content).

    Depends how you want to do it. I mean, for $300... You're not going to do much, and they shouldn't expect much.

    I'd be billing $50/hour minimum as a freelancer, so they could expect 6-hours work for that - which is perhaps 1-2 guest blogs.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Can't take this thread seriously. This agency is getting into delivering SEO and have no idea what they are doing in order to instruct new employees on their strategies and tools? Thats Micky Mouse

      I think they should get SEnukeX and aim the links all at the money site for maximum effect.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike Anthony
      Originally Posted by Icematikx View Post

      I'd be billing $50/hour minimum as a freelancer, so they could expect 6-hours work for that - which is perhaps 1-2 guest blogs.
      SO you will deliver two guest posts for $300 but the writer is ridiculously expensive at $40 per article. Got a calculator?
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      • Profile picture of the author Icematikx
        Originally Posted by Mike Anthony View Post

        SO you will deliver two guest posts for $300 but the writer is ridiculously expensive at $40 per article. Got a calculator?
        Depends how it's all working. Is $300 the final payment including client's budget? Or is it $300 for hours put in, and costs are billed to client?

        If it was a $300/month project, I probably wouldn't even bother if I had to incur the costs too.

        Agree with your point about the SEO agency being worthless in the first place, but we're living in an age where the internet is everything, and everybody will jump on the band wagon (unfortunately). A quick SEO course from the "king of contents" gives everybody the confidence they need to launch their own business.

        And, this, unfortunately, has a downward spiral effect. People expect far too much for far too little. I'm seeing it more and more.

        Can you rank me for this and that? I can only afford £200/month. Well no, and I'm not going to bother because I know I can't deliver anywhere near your expectations.

        Unfortunately, many agencies would take on that client and deliver nothing - thus ruining the reputation of the industry.

        The ONLY clients I see who take SEO seriously, and understand the FULL COSTS associated with it, are eCommerce clients and service providers - people who directly see ROI from it. People who see their competitors turning over millions/billions due to it.
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  • Profile picture of the author rongindamix
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    • Profile picture of the author rongindamix
      Originally Posted by rongindamix View Post

      Hey guys,

      I recently got back into the job market and landed an SEO Analyst job, which after 2 weeks on the job, is extending into delivering SEO work also. This is great, the more I can do, the more billable hours (I'm a contract worker).

      Here is the issue, in my past, I did SEO for businesses, but it was not on a monthly basis, more like one off projects.
      1. How do I plan monthly SEO work per client? I have a budget of $150-$300 a month per client with a writer that charges $40/article.

      It depends on what type of work and end goal you have in mind for them. Are they currently doing SEO? Whose they're competition. For which keywords, and what type of campaign would they like? Is this a consistent campaign when your building links every month? Or once they are ranked, they will move towards new projects.

      What is the online situation for this agency?

      This all starts with asking better questions.

      2. Clients range from local to national businesses. What tools and research should I be doing and tracking month to month? I have access to all analytics.

      You should be researching the competition's keywords, rankings, and etc using popular tools such as majestic seo for competitor analysis.

      For ranking purposes, you should be using GSA Search Engine Ranker, Rankwyz, Keyword Researcher or Keyword Canine, Scrapebox, and Senuke XCR.

      3. Any advice as to how to what my workflow should look like when managing deliverables and planning for 30 sites?

      You need virtual assistants. And you cannot afford to pay them with a monthly salary of only $300. VA's can be as cheap as $5/hour, but with the management of 30 sites you might run into some difficulty.

      I would advise installing infitewordpress which allows you to update 30 sites with one click of a button (the installs, updates on wordpress).


      4.What type of content strategy would you recommend for this limited budget?

      It depends on how frequent and what type of content the competition is doing. If they are doing everyday, either do everyday or differentiate from them and change the format.

      Nowadays there's Video SEO, Social Media Marketing, and many other opportunities for capitalization.

      This all starts with asking better questions, and lasering in on the end goal for these businesses you are working with.
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  • Profile picture of the author godoveryou
    That budget is a complete joke... It's literally fiverr quality SEO at that price.
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  • Profile picture of the author SEO Power
    Originally Posted by mrrichsin View Post

    Hey guys,

    I recently got back into the job market and landed an SEO Analyst job, which after 2 weeks on the job, is extending into delivering SEO work also. This is great, the more I can do, the more billable hours (I'm a contract worker).

    Here is the issue, in my past, I did SEO for businesses, but it was not on a monthly basis, more like one off projects.

    1. How do I plan monthly SEO work per client? I have a budget of $150-$300 a month per client with a writer that charges $40/article.

    2. Clients range from local to national businesses. What tools and research should I be doing and tracking month to month? I have access to all analytics.

    3. Any advice as to how to what my workflow should look like when managing deliverables and planning for 30 sites?

    4.What type of content strategy would you recommend for this limited budget?

    Thanks in advance.
    1. Your budget is too low unless the target keywords of those clients have less than 10K monthly searches. Drop the $40/article writer and find someone else that writes good content for 1/4 of that price (there are lots of them).

    2. Semrush, serpfox, long tail pro or keyword planner. Find out what keywords their sites are already ranking well for and optimise them better for those keywords.

    3. Up to you.

    4. See No. 1.
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  • Profile picture of the author tjaysen70
    Well congrats on getting a client for SEO. Sounds like they are paying pretty cheap wage for seo, which leads me to believe they don't know much about it and what it takes to rank pages etc.

    My advice to you, since you're offering seo services to clients in exchange for $$$, is to study your ass off and learn all you can about the ins and outs of seo and especially staying current.

    PBN's work well for link building, but google is cracking down on them and you have to know what you're doing and cover your tracks and leave no footprints.

    Best thing for you to do, is write a ton of articles, generate a ton of LSI keywords too around a topic and post them on your site. Link out to authority sites like wikepedia etc and use related videos too.

    Make it legit and not spammy, and you will do ok. Better to think in terms of.."Who will read this content on my site and then share it via social media?" google is putting more weight on that these days.
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  • Profile picture of the author Lemonchicken
    In UK a SEO company charges average between £1200-£1500 per month. This includes the usual seo stuff a contractor may be doing already.
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