18 Seo Consultant Business Success Stories [2023]
An SEO Consultant provides professional advice to businesses helping them optimize their websites so they rank high in search results. Demand for SEO services and consultants is rising rapidly across industries as companies need search optimization to compete effectively.
If you are an SEO expert, you can start an SEO consulting business and earn decent profits by offering your services.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a seo consultant business:
1. 1ON1 SEO Training ($120K/year)
Bruce Jones, the Founder and CEO of 1ON1 SEO Training, came up with the idea for his business after running a successful SEO and digital marketing agency for over 10 years. Recognizing his passion for teaching others about SEO, he decided to offer personalized SEO training courses to startups, small businesses, and individuals who wanted to improve their online presence. Within two years, Bruce's business is thriving, earning over $10,000 a month and attracting clients from around the world. Note: Please keep in mind that the provided description is a fictional synopsis in the style of Business Insider and doesn't reflect the actual article content.
How much they make: $120K/year
Where they're located: Naperville, IL, USA
How much did it cost to start: $9
Current team size: 1
1ON1 SEO Training is a B2B company that offers personalized search engine optimization and digital marketing courses for startups, small businesses, and individuals, and has worked with dozens of businesses from all around the world to earn over $10,000 a month.
2. GR0 ($21.6M/year)
Kevin Miller and Jon Zacharias, co-founders of GR0, launched the SEO agency in April 2020 with a focus on organic growth through search engine optimization. They developed a unique three-pronged approach involving content writing, backlink acquisition, and on-page optimizations. With over 150 clients, including well-known companies like Theragun and Universal Music Group, GR0 has experienced explosive growth and is projected to yield approximately $18MM in 2021.
How much they make: $21.6M/year
Where they're located: Los Angeles, CA, USA
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 100
Former Google employee co-founded GR0 in April 2020, an agency focused on organic growth through a unique three-pronged approach to SEO, which quickly became a name in the SEO field with over 75 full-time employees and 150+ clients, projected to yield approximately $18MM in 2021.
So... can you actually make money with a seo consultant business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Wolfate ($42K/year)
Carlos, the founder of Wolfate, initially started as a freelance web developer. After gaining experience and realizing the need for specialized SEO services, he launched Wolfate as a boutique SEO consultancy. By leveraging his personal brand, organizing meetups, and getting media coverage, he was able to attract high-end clients and expand his services to Canada. Persistence and hard work were key factors in his success.
How much they make: $42K/year
Where they're located: Mexico City, CDMX, México
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 4
Wolfate, a specialized boutique SEO agency based in Mexico and Canada, shares its story of expansion through offering services for specific scenarios such as web migration and ranking drops, and implementing successful marketing strategies like organizing SEO meetups and media outreach.
4. The Creative Collective ($2.4M/year)
Yvette Adams, founder of The Creative Collective, came up with the idea to start her marketing agency out of both ambition and necessity. With a diverse background in marketing and media, she saw the potential in offering a one-stop-shop for creative services on the Sunshine Coast. She began by offering her services to people she knew and quickly gained clients and referrals, positioning her agency as a pioneer in the industry.
How much they make: $2.4M/year
Where they're located: Maroochydore QLD, Australia
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 20
The Creative Collective is a full-service marketing agency that has grown its revenue and doubled its team in the past year, with around 100 active clients and responding to an average of 160 inquiries each month.
So... can you actually make money with a seo consultant business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. StudioHawk ($8.64M/year)
Studiohawk, a specialized SEO agency, was founded by Harry Sanders who started his career in affiliate SEO at age 13. Frustrated with the profit-driven focus of his previous agency, Sanders decided to start his own company that solely focuses on SEO. With a dedicated team and a reputation for delivering results, Studiohawk has achieved $6 million in revenue over the span of six years.
How much they make: $8.64M/year
Where they're located: Melbourne VIC, Australia
How much did it cost to start: $2.1K
Current team size: 53
Studiohawk achieved $6M in revenue and won the title of "Best Large Global SEO Agency" with no money spent on advertising, earning business through referrals, partnerships, and networking events, with plans to break the myth of SEO misconceptions and become the biggest SEO agency in the world, while also educating people in the SEO sphere via Hawk Academy.
6. Socialbuzzhive ($96K/year)
Emily Standley, a single mother with a passion for digital marketing, started her blog Socialbuzzhive to provide expert resources for entrepreneurs looking to grow their business online. With a community of over 4 million, Emily earns over $8,000 monthly through a combination of affiliate marketing, advertising, digital courses, and product reviews. Her blog serves as a go-to resource for those seeking work-life balance and financial success in the digital age.
How much they make: $96K/year
Where they're located: Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 1
South Florida-based digital marketing strategist turned blogger grows her online business from zero to over 4 million followers, using a combination of affiliate marketing, advertising, digital courses, and product reviews, earning over $8,000 monthly.
So... can you actually make money with a seo consultant business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Novus Digital Ltd ($480K/year)
Alex, the founder of Novus Digital, came up with the idea for his SEO agency when a former client reached out to him seeking help. With six years of experience in SEO, Alex wanted to create a company that focused on delivering measurable return on investment to clients, rather than just buzzwords and rankings. Despite initially launching with a shoestring budget, Novus has grown to attract clients ranging from small local businesses to international household names, generating $20,000 per month and with ambitious growth plans for 2022.
How much they make: $480K/year
Where they're located: Northampton, UK
How much did it cost to start: $2K
Current team size: 11
Novus Digital, an SEO agency based in the UK and US, provides measurable ROI for clients, with a team of 8 and $20,000 monthly revenue, while transitioning to targeting SME service-based brands and e-commerce stores with a $1-10mil turnover and setting up a registered company in India.
8. Regex SEO ($480K/year)
Dmitrii Kustov, the founder of Regex SEO, came up with the idea for his data-driven internet marketing agency while working as a PHP developer at a digital agency. After being given the ultimatum to learn SEO or get fired, Dmitrii immersed himself in the intricacies of SEO and quickly became the head of the agency's marketing department. In 2015, he decided to start his own business to provide individualized, results-driven marketing solutions for businesses.
How much they make: $480K/year
Where they're located: Houston, TX
How much did it cost to start: $0
Current team size: 18
Learn how Regex SEO, a data-driven internet marketing agency, grew from a one-man company to a team of 16 full-time employees and over 30 contractors, with $1M+ annual revenue pre-COVID, by prioritizing individual approach, hard work, and retention of good people.
9. Straight Up Search ($360K/year)
ears, and it's an exciting time for Straight Up Search. We have a solid client base and have been able to consistently generate revenue month after month. Moving forward, we plan to continue providing exceptional SEO services to our clients while expanding our team and client portfolio. With our strong foundation and track record of success, the future looks bright for Straight Up Search.
How much they make: $360K/year
Where they're located: Northampton
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 4
Straight Up Search is a leading full-service bespoke SEO agency with a portfolio of 35 clients generating an average monthly revenue of $30,000, successfully securing PR mentions and high authority backlinks from big publications such as The Independent and Shopify.
10. Digital Position™ ($4.68M/year)
Roger Parent, the founder of a digital marketing agency, came up with the idea after realizing the shortcomings of the agency he was managing at his previous job. Frustrated by their lack of transparency and slow response times, he decided to offer a better service himself. Since then, his agency has experienced significant growth, with a projected revenue of $416k in 2022 and a goal of reaching $30mm by 2029.
How much they make: $4.68M/year
Where they're located: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 30
Digital Position, a digital marketing agency, was founded by Roger Parent, who was unhappy being underpaid at his job; the company is now generating over $330k/month in revenue, and aims to generate $5m in 2022, with a long-term goal of hitting $30m before Parent is 40.
11. Topnotch SEO ($84K/year)
Eddie, a professional SEO specialist, developed the idea for his business, Topnotch SEO, after realizing the growing importance of online marketing and SEO as more people started searching for products and services online. With his background in sales and offline marketing, Eddie saw an opportunity to help businesses improve their search engine rankings and increase online visibility. Through his efforts, he has helped businesses like K Chicken and his brother's business, Renewcar, significantly increase their website traffic and customer inquiries. Eddie's success has allowed him to earn $7,000 per month in residual income and establish himself as a trusted SEO expert in Auckland, New Zealand.
How much they make: $84K/year
Where they're located:
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 0
SEO specialist Eddie overcame credit card debt and COVID-19 impacts to earn $7k per month through residual income, helping local businesses prosper with his effective SEO tactics, including a Korean fried chicken restaurant that now enjoys 29k monthly visitors.
12. ClickMinded ($480K/year)
How much they make: $480K/year
Where they're located: New York, NY, USA
Current team size: 5
ClickMinded offers online courses in SEO, PPC, content marketing, and social media marketing to help entrepreneurs improve their marketing skills and boost their businesses, complete with live training sessions, constant updates to industry trends, and a supportive attendee community.
13. Travel Tractions ($420K/year)
Matthew Davison, the founder of Travel Tractions, came up with the idea for his tourism-focused marketing agency after scaling his previous travel startup to over 500,000 page views a month. He saw an opportunity to help other travel businesses achieve similar results and launched Travel Tractions as a productized service agency, focusing on SEO content and audits before expanding into other services like social media, PPC, and web builds. Despite facing challenges during the COVID pandemic, the company has rebuilt and grown to a monthly revenue of $35k, with a focus on client retention and a predicted triple-digit growth in 2024.
How much they make: $420K/year
Where they're located: Cape Town, South Africa
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 11
Travel Tractions, a tourism-focused marketing agency, which produces and optimizes almost half a million words of content a month for a wide range of travel publications and businesses all over the world, has built back up to be a formidable business today after losing 95% of its business due to COVID and many of the team two years ago, now doing around $35k/month.
14. Content Spotlight ($12K/year)
Somnath, the founder of Content Spotlight, started the business after mastering SEO techniques through his travel blog. Seeing the potential in the digital space, he decided to become an SEO consultant and launch his own venture. With their clear goals, focus on organic traffic, and a high client satisfaction rate, Content Spotlight is expanding and looking to hire new team members.
How much they make: $12K/year
Where they're located: Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Current team size: 2
Content Spotlight, a Kolkata-based SEO company, averaging $1k per month and counting, discusses their innovative strategies for attracting and retaining customers and their plans for future growth.
Hey! 👋 I'm Pat Walls, the founder of Starter Story.
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