How To Make Money With SEO – 9 Ways To Earn $5,000 Per Month
On the one hand, making money with SEO is so easy because it’s such a valuable skill. However, that is easier said than done because it often can take a while before you actually start SEO earning. Or you’ll need other skills too that mix with SEO to help you generate revenue, such as optimizing for clicks through affiliate marketing and paid advertising.
Luckily for you, this article will list all the ways you can make money with SEO, even if you’ve never made a dime before. Everyone has to start somewhere.
Understanding customer needs is crucial in generating revenue. Keep reading to find the 9 ways you can make over $5,000 per month with SEO and how to get started with them.
What is SEO and How Does it Work?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of getting your website to show up on search engine results pages (SERPs). By understanding how search engines work and what users are searching for you can optimize your website to get more organic traffic and more leads and sales.
SEO involves many techniques and strategies, keyword research, on-page optimization and link building. Search engines like Google, Bing and Yahoo use complex algorithms to analyze and rank websites based on relevance, authority and user experience.
By optimizing your website to these algorithms you can increase your chances of ranking higher in search results, more targeted traffic to your site and ultimately grow your business.
How To Make Money With SEO (Even If You’ve Never Made a Dime Before)
Here are the 9 ways you can make money with SEO:
- Find Private Clients And Manage Their Campaigns
- Sell Services On Freelancing Marketplaces
- Get A Job At An Agency
- Affiliate Marketing
- Grow Your Own Business
- Rank & Rent
- Develop SEO Software
- Consulting
- Talk About SEO
Looking at the list – you probably can tell how you earn money with them. That’s why throughout this article, we’re not so much going to focus on how they work, but rather how you can get started with them.
1. Find Private Clients And Manage Their Campaigns
For most clients you sell your freelance SEO services to privately (meaning not through a 3rd party), you’ll probably be selling them a managed SEO campaign. This means you will likely be responsible for managing everything… On-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical SEO, etc. Of course, this isn’t always the case, but that’s what most clients will look for because they don’t want to invest a lot of their time into the process – that’s why they are paying you to improve their search engine rankings, website traffic, and overall SEO strategy by connecting with potential customers through various SEO strategies.
So make sure that you are actually comfortable with all of those areas before getting clients. Or, at least let the client know how comfortable you are, if you are still learning, so they understand the risks involved.
I’m going to break down the basics here. But if you are looking to learn the details, check out the Superstar SEO academy. And, keep an eye out on this blog because I will have lots of articles coming on building an SEO agency
The types of clients that are most likely to need your help are:
- Local businesses
46% of all searches in Google are local. Ranking in Google is so valuable for local businesses. And in many cases, it’s also easier than targeting global markets because there’s less competition. This makes it a great market for you as an SEO. However, keep in mind that local businesses do often get bombarded by marketing agencies.
However, if you focus on building your case studies/social proof and generating results for your clients, you should do well in this market.
- eCommerce Stores
There are an estimated 12 million – 24 million eCommerce sites across the entire globe. – That’s a lot of e-commerce stores and a lot of opportunities for you. Many of these stores have scaled up in recent years using Facebook ads, organic social media, etc.
Many of them will look for an agency or freelancer to work with for their SEO, which is where you come in.
- SaaS tools
SaaS tools are also on the rise, and not all can manage their own SEO campaigns. As an SEO, you can manage their pages, blogs, link-building, etc., and contribute to the growth of their business.
You can acquire clients by:
Cold email
Cold calling
Creating content on Social Media/YouTube/Blog
Social Media Outreach
Facebook Groups
If you would like to learn more about finding clients, check out Freelance SEO: The Ultimate Guide. In this guide, I cover some outreach methods in a little more detail.
2. Sell Services On Freelancing Marketplaces
The next way you can make money with SEO is by selling SEO services on freelancing marketplaces. This advantage is that you won’t need to spend as much time marketing your services and have a built-in traffic stream.
While there are endless options out there, the best option is Legiit, as many agencies outsource their entire work there. There are numerous examples of freelancers turning their SEO skills into a 6 figure business using Legiit.
And the cool thing is that you can still use other methods on this list too. If you would like to get started with Legiit, I have a free freelancing course to help you get a foot through the door.
Services selling well at Legiit:
Auditing websites/campaigns
Writing SEO friendly blog posts or Content
3. Get A Job At An Agency
Getting a job at an agency sounds the least attractive idea for many SEOs. However, this isn’t necessarily the case, and it may be a good choice if you are still in the very early stages of your SEO career. Be prepared for long hours, as working in an agency environment often demands extended work periods to meet client needs.
Plus, you can also grow in many jobs, which will allow you to take more responsibility as you stay in that position. To find SEO jobs, you can obviously look at job boards/websites, but it might also be worth hanging around in SEO Facebook groups and looking on LinkedIn.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing has the advantage that you don’t have to work with clients so that you can call 100% of the shots. This also means that you won’t have to call clients or anything like that, which many SEOs prefer.
The disadvantage is that it will often take a lot more time, and you don’t get the money in advance – meaning you will need some upfront investment. So, there’s good and bad on both sides.
That being said, you can start a WordPress website for as little as $3 or $4 per month and start posting your content. If you’re not writing the content yourself, it may get quite costly, though, and that is where the upfront investment will mainly be.
However, my tip would be to research a niche that isn’t too competitive, so you don’t have to spend as much on links, content, etc.
5. Grow Your Own SEO Agency
SEO is a skill that you can use to grow pretty much any business. Selling your own products is a lucrative monetization strategy for SEO-driven content. And we live in an age where there are many businesses with low entry requirements like dropshipping, which can be managed through an ecommerce website. Optimizing the ecommerce website’s product pages and architecture is crucial for improving SEO performance. So, you could start your own SEO business (if you don’t have one yet) and grow it using your SEO skill.
Again, it does have the disadvantage that you can’t make money quickly because a client will pay you upfront. Or, you could also use SEO to grow your already existing business.
But in general, SEO is such a versatile skill to have because you can use it for practically any business – as every industry uses Google.
6. Rank & Rent
Rank and rent are one of my least favorite ways to make money with SEO. However, there are many people out there that make a killing using this method. If you don’t know, the way it works is to rank websites and then sell the leads to businesses.
Personally, I’m not too fond of it because you have to rank a website and then go through the effort of selling to the business owner. However, the advantage is that usually, businesses are more likely to say yes if they’re paying per lead.
But, be aware of the risks involved, and make sure that you do your research first to make sure that you will be profitable. You can use the outreach methods mentioned earlier to find clients.
7. Develop SEO Software
One of the most interesting ways to make money with SEO is developing software. Even if you’re not a developer yourself, you can partner with a developer or hire them to create the tool.
Okay… So, what type of software could you create?
As SEOs, we all run into issues quite often, and if you can create a tool that solves those issues – SEOs will pay you for it. To give you an example, I often created annoying spreadsheets and manually checked the on-page SEO ranking factors of the SERP. As you can imagine or maybe even know yourself, this takes FOREVER and is unnecessary time spent.
That’s why I created Audiit, a tool that shows you all this data for any keyword in just one click. Initially, I did create this tool for me and some of my students to use, but I have actually launched it – and you can get a lifetime license for just $49 here if you want.
Back to developing SEO software, it really comes down to what type of problem you can solve. And if that is a time-consuming problem for SEO, or it can show them lots of additional data, then SEOs won’t be afraid to invest in it.
To find developers, you can check out freelancing marketplaces like Legiit or ask around in Facebook groups.
8. Consulting
Consulting is one of the coolest ways to make money from SEO because you really have to give advice. And if your career is SEO, I would assume that you’re at least somewhat passionate about it, so this should be a fun way to make money online with SEO.
The disadvantage of this is that it’s not as scalable, and you can never sell it – because you’re selling your advice. As a consultant, you should first make sure that your advice is worth it and that you can solve your clients’ issues.
Once you get yourself in that position, you can use the methods we spoke about in the first point (email, cold calling, etc.).
Tip: It may be worth running a blog or YouTube channel where you show off your SEO knowledge. This will make you more trustworthy and will help prove that you’re not just…
9. Create SEO Content
Our final method is to talk about SEO by creating content. I’m talking about it on a YouTube channel, blog, podcast, or even on social media. If you love SEO and want to talk about it, there are endless ways you can monetize this; affiliate marketing, course sales, ads, sponsorships, etc.
Your job is to create content around SEO. Now keep in mind that this will also not be one of the methods that will make you money overnight, as you will have to build up the channel first.
That being said, if you do find SEO fun, this is a great method. Plus, it can also combine incredibly well with the other methods on this list because you’re showing off your knowledge to potential clients.
If you want to get started with this, create a channel named above, and start producing content. Of course, also put some of your efforts into SEO learning how to grow… So if you’re starting an SEO podcast, learn how to grow a podcast, as this will help you market your content.
There you have it, 9 ways you can make money SEO. I hope this article has been helpful for you. Just remember that you don’t have to commit to only one of them. For example, you might run a YouTube channel where you talk about SEO, but you also use it in your marketing to get clients.
I’ve been doing SEO for years, and have a YouTube channel and blog where I talk about SEO, sell services on Legiit, and work with clients. Of course, you should make sure you’re not trying to do too much at once. Otherwise, you won’t be able to focus. But nor do you have to limit yourself to one method only.
Develop Your SEO Skills
Developing your SEO skills is crucial for success in the online marketing industry. Here are some effective ways to enhance your SEO specialist:
Keyword Research: Learn how to identify and use the right keywords to attract your target audience. Effective keyword research can make a significant difference in your website’s visibility on search engines.
On-Page Optimization: Understand how to optimize your website’s content and structure to improve its search engine rankings. This includes optimizing title tags, meta descriptions, headers, and images.
Technical SEO: Gain knowledge about the technical aspects of SEO, such as website speed, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability. These factors play a crucial role in how search engines index and rank your site.
Link Building: Learn how to build high-quality backlinks to your website. Backlinks from reputable sites can boost your site’s authority and improve its search engine rankings.
Content Creation: Create high-quality, engaging content that resonates with your target audience. Quality content is essential for attracting and retaining visitors, as well as for improving your search engine rankings.
Stay Updated: SEO is constantly evolving, so it’s important to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices. Follow industry blogs, attend webinars, and participate in SEO communities to keep your skills sharp.
By continuously developing your SEO skills, you can stay ahead of the competition and achieve better results for your website or clients.
Creating and Selling Digital Products
Selling digital SEO products is an excellent way to monetize your SEO skills and knowledge. Here are some digital products you can create and sell:
Ebooks and Guides: Write comprehensive ebooks and guides on SEO best practices and strategies. These can be valuable resources for individuals and businesses looking to improve their SEO efforts.
Online Courses and Training Programs: Develop online courses and training programs that teach SEO and digital marketing. These can be sold on platforms like Udemy or your own website.
SEO Software and Tools: Create SEO tools and software, such as keyword research tools, link building software, and SEO audit tools. These can help users streamline their SEO tasks and improve their website’s performance.
Templates and Worksheets: Design templates and worksheets for SEO planning and strategy. These can include content calendars, keyword research templates, and SEO audit checklists.
SEO Consulting and Coaching Services: Offer coaching and SEO consulting services to businesses and individuals looking to improve their SEO. This can include one-on-one coaching, group workshops, and personalized SEO audits.
Final Thoughts
Making money with SEO is a rewarding and profitable opportunity for those who master the skills. Whether you’re freelancing, running an agency, affiliate sites or monetizing your own websites, the demand for SEO expertise continues to grow.
By staying updated, delivering results, and focusing on long-term strategies, you can build a sustainable income. With dedication and the right approach, SEO can become a powerful way to achieve financial success.
FAQ
How much can you earn with SEO?
Your earnings with SEO depend on your experience, services offered and client base. Freelancers charge between $75-$200 per hour, agencies charge monthly retainers between $1,000-$10,000. Specialized skills like local SEO or technical SEO can command higher rates and increase earning potential.
Is SEO profitable in 2025?
Yes, SEO is still very profitable in 2025. Businesses are heavily reliant on online visibility to get customers and demand for SEO professionals is growing. By driving organic traffic and conversions SEO gives you a high return on investment (ROI) making it a sustainable and lucrative career.
Is SEO a way to make money?
Yes. SEO offers multiple income streams, from working with clients to selling affiliate products to creating and monetizing your own websites. It’s flexible, you can work as a freelancer, in an agency or even build passive income streams with niche websites optimized for search engines.
How do SEO professionals get paid?
SEO professionals get paid through:
Hourly Rate: Charging by the hour for consulting or ongoing work.
Monthly Retainer: A fixed monthly fee for managing a client’s SEO needs.
Project-Based: A one-time fee for specific tasks like site audits or content optimization.
Performance-Based: Payment tied to measurable results, like rankings or traffic.
Can you really make money with SEO?
Yes, you can make a lot of money with SEO. Many SEO specialists and agencies earn six figures a year by helping businesses get online. You can also monetize your skills through affiliate marketing, selling courses or even flipping optimized websites for profit.
What skills do you need to succeed with SEO?
To make money with SEO you need:
Keyword Research: Finding profitable keywords to target.
Content Creation: Writing high quality optimized content.
Link Building: Getting backlinks to increase domain authority.
Analytics: Using Google Analytics to track performance.
Technical SEO: Optimizing website speed, structure and crawlability.
Can beginners make money with SEO?
Yes, beginners can start earning with SEO by learning the basics, working on small projects, or offering services like keyword research, content optimization, or local SEO. Gaining experience and building a portfolio are key to growing your income over time.
