How I Became A Local SEO Specialist That Makes $7K/Month [From New Zealand]

Eddie

•

Published: October 27th, 2022

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Eddie

Founder, Topnotch SEO

$7K

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

Topnotch SEO

topnotch-seo.com

from

started December 2021

$7,000

revenue/mo

Founders

Employees

Discover what tools Eddie recommends to grow your business!

social media tool-icon

Instagram

accounting tool-icon

Xero

seo

Ahrefs

Discover what books Eddie recommends to grow your business!

📗

The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join ... Timothy Ferriss

How to Win Friends & Influence People Dale Carnegie

Want more updates on Topnotch SEO? Check out these stories:

Hello! Who are you, and what business did you start?

Good Morning, Good Afternoon, or Good Evening to you.

My name is Eddie, and I'm a professional SEO specialist who helps local business owners create an online presence to increase sales and leads.

Before becoming a successful entrepreneur, I struggled hard with credit card debt and COVID-19 impacting My business, which made it much more difficult to survive.

However, I didn't let those stop me from achieving My goals.

Now, I'm earning $7,000 per month through residual income and continuing to build trust with local businesses in Auckland, New Zealand.

My SEO expert services have helped numerous businesses grow and prosper online.

Amongst those businesses was a Korean fried Chicken Restaurant named K Chicken.

Before meeting us, they were using their website only for ordering purposes from visitors coming to their stores.

However, after three months of strenuous SEO efforts, they continuously get 29,000 visitors every month.

I know from personal experience how tough it can be to try and get started in business, so it's gratifying to be in a position to use my talents to make a real difference.

Any business owner who wants to succeed online knows three essential components of search engine optimization: keywords, content, and backlinks.

What's your backstory, and how did you develop the idea?

I started my business, Topnotch SEO, after working as a sales representative for Renewcar.

At Renewcar, I specialized in promoting their headlight restoration kits to car industry owners. As a result, I successfully sold to over 150 mechanics across New Zealand.

I believe my passion and interest in offline marketing and sales were the fundamental reasons for my success.

As technologies advanced and intelligent devices became more ubiquitous, people began searching for their needs online rather than offline.

This change prompted me to pursue online marketing and learn SEO. My business, Topnotch SEO, helps clients advance their search engine rankings using effective SEO tactics.

It's interesting to see that 93% of users online are getting information or purchasing products using search engines like Google.

It undoubtedly gave me the idea to start my business as SEO Specialist. First of all, setting up the pricing wasn't easy, especially when it came to SEO.

Since SEO is based on different factors such as:

How wide do business owners want to advertise their local or national business?
Every business is other when it comes to investing.
How competitive the market is

Considering these factors above made it challenging to come up with the right price.

Fortunately, I found the solution from Chris, who owns the business Anerdsworld.

He and his team came up with some excellent courses on selling SEO. Following up and implementing what I have learned from the system helped me to have a clear pricing structure and see from the client's perspective.

This way of thinking about SEO has helped me understand what the client wants and needs in return for their investment. Consequently, I am more confident about my pricing models for SEO services.

Any business owner who wants to succeed online knows three essential components of search engine optimization: keywords, content, and backlinks.

Identifying the right keywords is crucial to attracting potential customers searching for your services.

As a business owner, you likely already know what SEO is. However, you may not be aware of all the benefits SEO can provide, such as increased sales and leads. Unfortunately, many business owners have misconceptions about SEO and have been burned by so-called "SEO specialists" who promise results but don't deliver them.

As someone who works in the SEO industry, I've seen these problems firsthand.

That's why I've spent the last four years focused on thinking about how I can help business owners get the most out of their SEO investments.

And I've come up with some ideas about what I sell, why businesses should invest in the right SEO company, and what results they can expect to see.

It can be challenging if you're not a professional copywriter or web designer. Still, hiring someone who can help you produce high-quality content is worth the investment.

Once you have your content ready to promote, you need to optimize it according to the latest search engine guidelines to rank well in search results.

Finally, it would be best if you built backlinks by reaching out to authoritative websites and asking them to link to your site.

When owning a business, it's essential to promote your services in the most effective way possible.

For example, you wouldn't want to approach restaurant owners for recommendations if you offer painting services.

Instead, you would reach out to people who are closely related to your business, such as interior designers, real estate agents, or the mayor of your town.

The same goes for SEO.

When trying to improve your website's ranking on search engines, targeting people interested in your product or service is vital.

By reaching out to the right audience, you can improve your chances of driving traffic to your website and generating leads.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your website will successfully attract new visitors and generate leads.

Describe the process of launching the business.

I am an SEO Specialist and started my business by launching a website.

I understood that SEO was a long process. But, I had to spend the time productively by reaching out to business owners in Auckland and talking about the value I could provide to them.

Walking out to meet them and talking about my services was a great way to get started.

I could show them the results I could achieve and how I could help them grow their businesses.

I had to apply for a business license from the New Zealand government and open a bank account.

This process was relatively straightforward, and I was able to start sending invoices to my clients within a few weeks.

However, I quickly realized I needed to do more than comply with the legal requirements.

To be successful, I also needed to build relationships with potential clients, develop a strong marketing strategy, and create a high-quality product or service.

Fortunately, I could use my experience as a freelance writer to create a successful business. But it took more than just following the rules; it required hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn.

My first clients were:

Renewcar
Paintbuddy&CO

Renewcar was my brother’s business, and they specialize in Headlight Restoration in NZ.

He established his brand in NZ by supplying and servicing 300+ car mechanics and dealers.

Yet, he wanted to know how many private customers would be interested in his business, so he asked me to do SEO.

After doing it for 2-3 months of continuous efforts, he gets inquiries from 500 private customers every month.

The owner of Paintbuddy&CO is a house painter in Sydney, and he recognizes the importance of advertising his business online. I had him as a client through the referral and was able to help him for a year.

Now he is getting three times more inquiries and leads than when he started the business.

Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?

As a business owner, it is vital to use all available resources when promoting your products or services.

For me, that has meant utilizing social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to reach potential customers.

I believe that social media is an excellent tool for both engagement and brand awareness.

However, it is essential to remember that people use different platforms for different purposes.

For example, someone using Instagram is likely more interested in looking at visually appealing content than reading long blog posts.

Consequently, I think it is essential to tailor your content to your specific platform.

For example, I share new blog posts weekly, and I also promote these posts through my social media channels.

For Instagram, I create infographics, and compelling images that I think will capture people's attention.

embed:instagram

By doing this, I believe I can make the most of each platform and reach the most significant number of people possible.

However, that doesn't mean I'm getting many leads from social media channels, as most of them come from Google.

I have also posted on Korean community websites, as I am fluent in Korean. It has allowed me to tap into a market that might otherwise have been inaccessible.

By using all of these channels, I have reached a wider audience and promoted my business more effectively.

How are you doing today, and what does the future look like?

It's been a long journey to get to where I am today.

There were plenty of times when I thought about giving up, but something always kept me going.

Maybe it was the dream of what could be or the determination to prove to everyone who said I couldn't make it.

Whatever the reason, I'm glad I stuck with it.

Now, I have the freedom to do the work wherever I want and have an excellent recurring income. It feels great to be where I want to be, finally.

When it comes to business, I have big plans. I want to build a successful company that serves clients in New Zealand and worldwide.

To do this, I am focused on creating a brand known for its quality and innovation.

I am also committed to hiring the best talent and providing them with the necessary resources to succeed.

By following this blueprint, I am confident that my company will be able to compete on a global scale.

And while there will be challenges along the way, I am up for the challenge and ready to achieve my vision.

Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?

I want to share three vital points with you. Firstly, don't be blinded by people who make six figures without working hard.

Anyone can make money if willing to put in the effort. Secondly, many courses are out there that are overpriced and not worth your time or money.

Do your research before spending any money on a course.

Finally, don't listen to people who say no to everything you do. You are the only one who knows what's right for you and your business.

If you believe in yourself, keep moving forward until you achieve success. Thanks for listening.

What platform/tools do you use for your business?

When it comes to invoicing, I use a platform called Xero. It is because I find it to be very user-friendly and efficient.

Plus, it integrates well with my other business software. As far as SEO goes, I use the platform Ahrefs.

Again, I find it to be very user-friendly and efficient. Plus, it gives me access to a wealth of data I can use to improve my website's ranking on search engine results pages.

Finally, for Jasper.ai purposes, I find it an excellent tool for content optimization. It helps me to ensure that my website's content is high-quality and informative.

What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?

I've been a big fan of Seth Godin's since I first read his Permission Marketing book years ago. I love his thinking on marketing and the way he approaches business.

In "Permission Marketing," Godin lays out a framework for thinking about marketing in the modern age.

He talks about how traditional advertising is becoming less and less effective and how companies must find new ways to reach and engage their customers.

Godin's book was one of the first to talk about how the internet changed marketing, and it's still just as relevant today.

If you're generally interested in marketing or business, I highly recommend checking out "Permission Marketing." It's sure to change the way you think about marketing and business.

I also enjoyed reading The 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris.

Ferris presents a case for a new approach to work and productivity in the book. He argues that traditional ideas about work and success are outdated and that it is possible to achieve more by working less.

Ferris provides readers with a framework for achieving this, including tips on time management, goal setting, and overcoming procrastination.

While some of his ideas may not be entirely realistic, the book offers an exciting perspective on work-life balance. It will inspire anyone who feels stuck in a rut.

I recently finished reading How to Win Friends & Influence People by Dale Carnegie, and I found it to be a beneficial book.

The book is full of practical advice on how to interact with other people and provides many practical examples.

One of the most helpful sections of the book is the section on body language.

Carnegie provides many valuable tips on how to use body language to your advantage and gives many practical examples.

Overall, I found How to Win Friends & Influence People to be a beneficial book, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for advice on interacting with others.

Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to start or are just beginning?

A wise person once said, "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% hard work." I believe this to be true in many aspects of life.

For example, to become a successful musician, one must be talented and practice countless hours to perfect their craft.

The same can be said of athletes, artists, and even students. Intelligence and talent can only take someone so far- hard work and dedication are always crucial to success.

This is why I believe that genius is not simply a matter of having good ideas but also of being willing to see those ideas through to fruition.

With enough hard work, anything is possible. So if you're feeling stuck or like you're not making progress, remember that success comes from determination and perseverance.

Never give up on your dreams- with enough hard work, you can achieve anything.

Are you looking to hire for certain positions right now?

In digital marketing, it is always important to look for new opportunities.

As the landscape of the internet changes, so does how businesses can reach their target audiences.

For me, that means continuously exploring new avenues and testing new strategies.

Right now, I am satisfied with my career's direction. However, I know that I need to be open to change to stay ahead of the curve.

That's why I'll soon be looking for people interested in joining me on this journey. Together, we can continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in digital marketing.

Where can we go to learn more?

We regularly publish articles on digital marketing topics to help our clients stay up-to-date on the latest trends.

In addition to our blog, you can also follow us on Instagram to see what we're up to.

If you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you.

Please drop us a comment below and let us know what you think. Thanks for reading!