Before working for @ahrefs, I ran an SEO business.

Here& #39;s my advice on how to start one inhttps://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="6⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 6" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 6">steps.

//THREAD//

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="1⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 1" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 1">Learn SEO... seriously

Don& #39;t even think about messing around with clients& #39; sites unless you actually understand SEO.

Their sites are their livelihoods.

Don& #39;t muck around if you& #39;re clueless.https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤷" title="Mit Schultern zuckende Person" aria-label="Emoji: Mit Schultern zuckende Person">

How to learn:
- Ahrefs Blog <3
- @aleyda& #39;s http://learningseo.io"> http://learningseo.io 

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="2⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 2" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 2">Start your own site

Knowing the theory is one thing; knowing how it comes together in practice is another.

So... start a site and PRACTICE.

This is what I did. I started a dumb fitness blog.

It was getting ~50k visits/month after 10 months (see screenshot)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="3⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 3" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 3">Go t-shaped

Sure, you can start another "all in one" SEO agency...

But I had more success when I specialised and offered one thing.

How to pick that thing?

Choose the part of SEO you most enjoy. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🧠" title="Gehirn" aria-label="Emoji: Gehirn">

For me, it was link building.

So that& #39;s where I expanded my knowledge.

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="4⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 4" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 4">Get clients

Easier said than done, right?

I got my first client (~$25k/year) on People Per Hour.

Other options:

- Cold calling (bad idea if you& #39;re introverted)
- Inbound marketing
- Guest blogging

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="5⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 5" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 5">Nail the logistics

Building an SEO business is HARD.

And it& #39;s even harder with constant distractions.

3 simple ways to reduce headaches:

- Get an accountant
- Use invoicing software
- Get a multi-currency account (saves on fees - I recommend @transferwise)

https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="6⃣" title="Tastenkappe Ziffer 6" aria-label="Emoji: Tastenkappe Ziffer 6">Scale

Guess what?

I never scaled. I was happy being an SEO freelancer.

(Not everyone wants to go full #garyvee #hustle)

But if you want to scale:

1. Productize your services
2. Hire people

Want more?

Read my latest post on the @Ahrefs Blog:

https://ahrefs.com/blog/how-to-start-an-seo-business/

PS.">https://ahrefs.com/blog/how-... Thanks for reading my first twitter thread thingy :)

PPS. obviously twitter is a product of the stone age so you can& #39;t edit tweets to add screenshots you missed https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤦" title="Person schlägt sich die Hand vors Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Person schlägt sich die Hand vors Gesicht"> ...so you& #39;ll just have to trust me on that :)