Tech SEO Freelancers with Long-term Clients: What Do You Do?
Hello everyone,
I’ve been considering the role of a tech SEO freelancer working with long-term clients, as opposed to handling one-time projects like migrations or audits. Specifically, I want to focus on the work involved when you’re specializing exclusively in technical SEO—without branching into other areas such as backlink building or content writing.
In my own practice, I often serve as a “fractional technical SEO.” This means I assist in-house teams that either don’t require a full-time tech seo specialist or have an seo team that’s too busy to handle all the tasks. Within these teams, I gain access similar to that of an employee, utilizing tools like Jira, Slack, GitHub, AWS, and Teams to manage various responsibilities.
Here’s a glimpse of the work I typically do:
- Monitor Google Search Console and Server Logs: Keeping track of website performance and identifying technical issues.
- Write and QA Development Tickets: Collaborating with development teams to implement seo fixes and enhancements.
- Team Communication: Engaging with Devs, Marketing, and Content teams, while also participating in weekly/monthly meetings.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Holding calls with stakeholders to secure buy-in for SEO initiatives.
- Collaboration with External Agencies: Working in tandem with any SEO agencies the client might be using.
- Site Audits and Crawls: Conducting audits and crawling the site every sprint, comparing staging environments to live sites.
Additionally, there’s often room for “scope creep.” I may start with tech SEO but find myself helping in other areas such as:
- Merchant Center management (e.g., product feeds)
- Recommending new category pages for e-commerce clients
- Advising on Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) and User Experience (UX)
- Conducting content audits and enhancing internal linking
- Creating mockups for new Product Listing Pages (PLPs) and Product Detail Pages (PDPs)
- Suggesting product bundles and upsells
I’m also curious about how others price their services—do you prefer hourly rates or a retainer model?
I’d love to hear your approaches and experiences. What I’ve described tends to come naturally to me and provides the most value, compared to being a consultant who only holds discussions without getting hands-on or taking responsibility.
2 responses to “Tech SEO freelancers with long-term clients, what work do you do?”
As a technical SEO freelancer working with long-term clients, your role typically involves integrating deeply with your clients’ teams to deliver ongoing technical SEO improvements and support. Here’s a breakdown of common responsibilities and tasks you may undertake:
Core Responsibilities
Google Search Console (GSC) & Server Logs: Regularly check and analyze data from GSC to identify issues affecting search visibility and performance. Similarly, review server logs to detect any anomalies, crawling errors, or resource access issues.
Development Support:
Weekly/Monthly Collaboration: Conduct routine meetings with development, marketing, and content teams to align on seo goals and progress.
Stakeholder Engagement:
Advocacy and Education: Participate in calls and meetings with stakeholders to explain the importance of seo initiatives and secure buy-in from decision-makers.
Site Auditing:
Routine Crawls: Perform thorough audits and site crawls (both staging and live environments) each sprint to identify and prioritize Technical SEO issues.
Collaboration with Agencies:
Additional Involvements
Billing and Pricing Models
Hourly Rate: Charged based on the actual time spent on various tasks. This model is flexible and suitable for fluctuating workloads but requires meticulous tracking of hours and justification for clients.
Retainer Agreements: In this model, clients pay a fixed fee per month for a predefined scope of work or time commitment. This provides clients with predictable billing and offers you stability and the flexibility to engage deeply with the client’s SEO needs without tracking every single task.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and insights regarding the role of a technical SEO freelancer. It’s fascinating to see how the landscape of SEO has evolved to require more nuanced collaboration with in-house teams and other stakeholders.
Your description of serving as a “fractional technical SEO” resonates with many professionals navigating the shift from traditional SEO roles. As you’ve pointed out, the importance of communication between technical, marketing, and content teams cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to bridging the gap between seo strategies and practical implementation.
Regarding the risk of “scope creep,” it’s interesting how often this can lead to broader responsibilities. I find that framing these submissions within the context of a defined project can be helpful. For instance, when suggesting new category pages or enhancements for UX and CRO, aligning these tasks to specific goals can keep the focus while still benefiting the wider business objectives.
On the topic of pricing, I’ve seen a blend of success with both hourly rates and retainer models. Retainers often work well for ongoing projects, fostering a deeper relationship with the client and allowing for more consistent workflow and prioritization of tasks. However, I find that hourly rates can offer greater flexibility for specialized, hands-on projects where the scope of work can fluctuate dramatically.
Have you found that combining different pricing strategies has enabled you to address varying client needs effectively? It would be great to hear further insights from your approach on managing expectations and value delivery in these scenarios!