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What’s worked best for me is treating it less like “finding clients” and more like making yourself visible where they already are.
A few things that tend to actually move the needle:
First is leveraging your current role without being weird about it. You’re already doing SEO for ecom, which is valuable. Talk about what you’re seeing and learning in places like LinkedIn or even here. Not generic tips, but specific observations. That’s usually what makes people reach out.
Second is just being active in communities where site owners hang out. Not SEO spaces, but places where people run stores or content sites. Answer questions casually, don’t pitch. Over time people start recognizing your name and that turns into DMs.
Cold outreach can work, but only if it’s super targeted. Like spotting a very obvious issue on a site and sending a short, normal message about it. Not a pitch deck, just “hey, noticed X, might be costing you traffic.” Most people overdo this part.
Also, don’t underestimate your existing network. Former coworkers, clients, even friends who know what you do. A simple “hey, I’ve got some extra capacity for freelance if you know anyone” goes further than expected.
My general rule is: avoid marketplaces unless you’re okay competing on price early on. Higher quality clients usually come from conversations, not listings.
