9 Ways to Get SEO Clients (Latest + Accurate)

SEO isn’t what it used to be in 2023-2024.

The game has changed, and your future clients know it too.

Many SEO businesses are struggling to find new clients. 

That’s precisely where this blog will help you. 

• Where to find and convince high-value clients who pay well? 
• What are the latest tips and tricks to reach out to those clients?
• And how do you build a system that keeps your sales pipeline full?

In this short and to-the-point blog, you’ll discover 9 proven strategies to do all the things mentioned in the list above.

Cool? Let’s start!

9 Ways To Find SEO Clients: (Latest & Effective Methods)

Finding SEO clients in 2025 is all about investing efforts smartly and cutting manual effort. 

That’s precisely what you will be learning in this section.

Plus, I have also shared the effectiveness of each method to help you decide faster. 

1. Targeted and Personalized Cold Emailing
2. Simple Referral Strategies
3. Use Social Selling
4. Optimize Your Website
5. Showcase Expertise on Forums
6. List Your Services on Directories
7. Run Paid Ads
8. Attend Marketing Events
9. Collaborative Marketing

1. Get New Clients Using Targeted and Personalized Cold Emailing

If you want to take control of getting a consistent flow of clients, cold emailing is one of the most effective strategies.

Here’s why cold emailing outperforms other client acquisition methods

1. It’s scalable: The number of contacts can be increased as the business grows.
2. It’s predictable: Cold emailing generates a steady flow of potential clients. Random inquiries or referrals aren’t relied upon.
3. It’s quick: Qualified prospects can be reached immediately. No waiting for slow or indirect methods.

Let me break down how to use cold emailing to get SEO clients in 5 easy steps. 

1. Identify Your Idea Customer Profile

A cold email begins with understanding your ideal customer’s definition. (ICP)

For example, you can target industries that need search visibility, like e-commerce, SaaS, or real estate.

2. Build a List of Prospects

Once you know your ideal customer, start making a list of businesses that match your ICP persona. 

If you have a small list, consider using the manual method and saving it in a Google or Excel sheet. 

But if you deal with huge volumes, investing in a CRM tool would make your life much easier.

3. Find Their Contact Details 

Next, you’ll need their email addresses.

Finding email addresses online can be done from multiple sources, like their website and the LinkedIn profiles of decision makers.

If you’re planning to reach out to a large number of prospects, you can use a lead database or email finder tools to speed things up.

4. Write a Personalized and Well-Personalized Cold Email

It’s important to make the right first impression; hence, you cannot write a generic first cold email.

For example: Point out a problem with their website or SEO (like slow speed, missing keywords, or poor rankings) and explain how you can help. (I’ll share an example of a cold email below)

5. Follow up Strategically

Most people won’t reply to the first email, and that’s normal. They might be busy or just missed it.

You can send up to 3–5 follow-up emails, spaced 3–5 days apart.

Each follow-up should add a bit of extra value—like a quick tip, a resource, or a better solution. 

Here’s a specific cold email example with a particular point of pain.

Cold Email Example

Subject:Could {{Company Name}} rank higher for {{specific keyword}}?
Hi {{First Name}},

I was looking at {{Company Name}}’s website. I noticed that since the last Google update, {{specific keyword or page}} isn’t performing as good as it used to.

I have some suggestions, like {{Suggestions}}, that will help you regain the lost traffic. Plus, it will also help improve your AI tools' visibility.

I’ve helped other businesses in {{Industry}} make targeted SEO updates, resulting in measurable improvements within a short time.

If you’re open to it, I can arrange a 10-minute audit focusing on a few quick wins for your site—completely free, no strings attached.

Would you like me to send it over sometime this week?Best regards,
{{Your Name}}

Doing everything manually works at the start, but it quickly eats up time when you’re reaching out to dozens of prospects. 

That’s where a cold email software makes a real difference.

With Saleshandy, you don’t just send emails—you get 700M+ verified B2B profiles, automated follow-ups, and clear insights into what’s working. 

It’s the kind of system that lets you scale from a handful of prospects to hundreds while following the highest cold email standards of personalization and deliverability.

If you’re looking for more cold email templates, check out our 20+ cold email templates.

2. Turn Your Network into Clients with Simple Referral Strategies

Referral marketing is for businesses that already have a network or clients with whom they have a good experience. 

How to Get SEO Leads With Referral Marketing

Make a referral plan → Reach out to the right people → Provide clear action items → Track. 

1. Make a Referral Plan.

Determine the reward and any conditions you wish to set for claiming the referral amount.

Here are a few reward options. 

• Cash rewards. 5 – 10% of the deal. (Still less than ad budget)
• Vouchers/Gift cards.  
• Free upgrades on their current plans. 

2. Ask The Right People.

Asking the right people is important.

Referral works when the person recommending you has trust in you, and the person they are recommending trusts them.

Here are a few places you can start running the referral program. 

1. Old/current clients with good results. 
2. Friends/family that might need SEO services. 
3. Businesses that you have networked with or local companies that might know you.

3. Give Clear Instructions.

Provide a short message or email they can forward.
Here’s an example text that they can send with the message

“Hey [First Name], just wanted to recommend [Company Name/Agency] if you need SEO help. They helped me get great results. Check them out: [Website/Contact]”

4. Track Referrals.

Running a referral program requires a tracking system. You can use a simple Excel or CRM tool to track the details. 

Want to take it to the next level? 

Pair these lead magnets with referral offers to close more clients. 

Lead magnets help bring more referrals and direct leads.
Here are some of the options. 

1. Provide free site audits
2. Share quick content guides
3. Give simple SEO tools for free
4. 15–30 minute site optimizations/content optimization
5. 10 -15 minutes consultation call (free)

This system turns happy clients and trusted contacts into a steady stream of high-paying SEO clients without chasing cold leads.

3. Use Social Selling to Land High-Value Clients

Social selling is the long game — building trust, credibility, and relationships with potential clients through social networks like LinkedIn, X, Slack, and more. 

It’s positioning yourself as the obvious choice when they’re ready to buy. 

• Share proof and value: Post SEO wins, mini case studies, and practical tips your audience can use immediately.
• Engage with intent: Reply to posts from business owners, marketing managers, and industry peers with insights or solutions — not just likes.
• Stay consistent: The goal is steady visibility so they remember your name when a need arises.
• Warm before you pitch: Use public interactions to create familiarity, then reach out with a personalized note or email.

Pro Tip: To double the chances of connecting with the lead, use LinkedIn Chrome extensions to pull verified emails from target profiles, then follow up directly in their inbox.

4. Optimize Your Website to Capture More SEO Clients

A well-optimized website works like an expert salesperson. It also improves touchless conversions. 

Here are a few things you can add to your website to optimize and increase touchless conversions. 

• Position yourself as an expert like this: “We help brands show up whether your customers search on Google, AI tools, or voice assistants.”
• Add reputation signals, such as customer reviews, success stories, and certificates from trusted companies like SEMrush or Hubspot, to demonstrate your credibility in SEO.
• Create pillar content, such as blogs and FAQ pages, to build domain authority. 

• Add a form to capture emails when people visit your website. 
• Create a comparison price page and explain why your service offers greater value than your competitors.

5. Showcase Expertise on Forums Like Reddit and Quora

Answering the right questions on public forums like Reddit and Quora positions you as an expert in the niche. 

And with time, this helps you naturally get high-quality clients. 

Here’s how to find SEO clients from these forums:

• Find relevant discussions by searching trending questions that your ideal clients are asking.
• Offer real solutions by sharing actionable, detailed answers that directly address the problem.
• Build trust first: Avoid hard selling or dropping your business link on Reddit—content with self-promotion often gets removed there.
• Leverage Quora’s visibility: Quora allows you to mention your services when it fits naturally. You can even add a link to your website.
• Track high-performing threads: Follow discussions that keep getting new activity so you can jump back in and engage with fresh readers. 

6. List Your Services on Business Directories

You can use directories in 2 ways. 

1. List Your SEO Business.
2. Find Clients From The Directory.

1. List your SEO Business on Directories

Listing your services on niche business directories can put your agency in front of clients actively looking for help. 

Here’s why listing in directories helps.

• Clients can easily find and compare your services.
• Make it simple for them to reach you by including live links, updated pricing, and special offers.
• Highlight your local expertise, since many people search directories to find services in their area.

2. Find Businesses That Need SEO Services. 

Here’s how to use online directories to find SEO clients. 

Step 1: Look for directories in your niche or industry. Focus on medium and small businesses. Find out those who can benefit from SEO improvements. 

Step 2: Many directories provide company websites and emails. Collect that information for outreach.

Step 3: Analyze their websites to identify basic SEO issues and potential quick wins.

Step 4: Prepare your outreach: Craft a short, personalized message offering insights, fixes, or audits. 

Here’s a quick example DM that you can use. 

“Hi [First Name], I was reviewing [Their Company Name]’s site and noticed a few quick SEO wins — for example, several key pages don’t have meta descriptions, which can hurt click-through rates.
Want me to send you a short list of fixes that could boost traffic?”

This might help: Use Saleshandy’s directory to quickly find and connect with clients in lead generation and digital marketing.  

7. Run Paid Ads to Target Your Ideal Audience

If you have a reasonable budget to invest, paid ads can bring high-paying SEO clients straight to you. 

It’s simple to execute as well. Just spend smart, target right, and watch qualified leads roll in.

Here are the popular types of ads you can start with. 

1. Search Ads: Appear on Google when someone actively searches for SEO services. 
2. Display Ads: Reach clients who search on Google for SEO services.
3. Facebook Ads: Target your ideal clients where they look for solutions on social media.
4. LinkedIn Ads: Connect with potential clients who spend time on professional networking platforms.

Things to remember before running ads

• Ads can be expensive, so invest time in finding highly niche, high-intent keywords.
• Look for LSI keywords with low competition to bid on.
• Bid on your brand and niche-specific keywords, and monitor competitors offering similar services.
• Make sure your offer stands out and clearly communicates your value.
  

8. Attend and Speak at Marketing Events

Attending marketing events is a great way to meet potential clients face-to-face and understand their needs.

How to Make Events Work for You

1. When You’re New:

• Go to local meetups, conferences, or workshops.
• Talk to people, ask about their challenges, and listen more than you sell.
• Pay attention to recurring problems — these can guide your offers or content.

2. When You’re a Bit Established:

• Apply to speak or join a panel. Share real examples, results, or tips.
• Offer a free mini audit or short consultation to attendees after your talk.
• Use the stage to showcase your expertise, attracting leads to you.

9. Expand Your Client Base Through Collaborative Marketing

Collaborative marketing helps you grow your client base without chasing cold leads. 

Let’s explore how partnering with complementary businesses and larger agencies can help you secure steady, high-quality SEO clients.

1. Partner with Complementary Businesses
2. Connect and Get Work Overflows From Bigger Businesses

1. Partner with Complementary Businesses

Partner with businesses whose services complement yours but don’t overlap.

Examples relevant for SEO business:

• Digital marketing agencies
• Web design studios
• Video production companies
• Branding or content agencies

These businesses already serve clients who need SEO. 

By forming partnerships, they can refer clients to you, creating a steady lead stream.

2. Collaborate with Bigger Agencies

Connect with larger agencies that experience work overflows. They may have clients needing SEO, but cannot deliver.

By offering your services as a trusted partner, you can secure high-quality leads and build long-term relationships while they handle client acquisition.

Find and Convert Your First SEO Clients

If you’re wondering how to get your first SEO client, the fastest way is to combine smart strategies.

Cold emailing is a must-have in any approach.  It enables you to quickly reach multiple prospects, personalize your pitch, and start closing clients.

Using a cost-effective tool like Saleshandy helps you manage your outreach efficiently, maximize ROI, and secure that first paying client without unnecessary delays.

Find SEO Clients: FAQs

How do I get my first SEO client?

There are many ways to find the first SEO client. The most popular are cold emailing, which uses tools like Saleshandy, networking at events, running highly targeted ads, and more. 

How to find a local SEO client?

Finding local SEO clients can be really helpful as it gives you an edge over other far-sitting agencies. You can find them using tools and filtering out based on location. For example, if you use cold emailing to find clients, tools like Saleshandy will allow you to segment your email list based on location. 

How to convince a SEO client?

Convincing SEO clients is highly based on showing them the results. SEO is a highly technical skill; not every business uses it correctly. So, by showing your results, you can convince your clients easily. 

If you don’t have results, try creating high-quality content and building brand authority to showcase your expertise to close clients. 

How does SEO attract customers?

SEO attracts customers by constantly getting their attention. If your business ranks on SERP, potential prospects will most probably check your website, and by doing this, you can attract more customers.