How to Start Freelancing in Technical SEO as a Beginner

How many websites do you know that are great on the outside but can’t get traffic? The problems are inside the website. Slow pages, blocked URLs, indexing issues, or a bad website structure. This is where a technical SEO freelancer is needed.

In this blog, we will cover what technical SEO freelancers do, why technical SEO basics need to be mastered before getting into backlinks, and how crawling, indexing, site speed, Core Web Vitals, and schema markup all factor into a website’s performance.

We will also break down a clear roadmap to get started freelancing, the tools you need, how to get clients, common mistakes new freelancers make, and exactly how to convert technical SEO into real freelance work.

What a technical SEO freelancer actually does for websites and online businesses:

A technical seo freelancer is responsible for optimizing a website so that search engines can crawl, understand, index, and reward it.

Your work is to uncover hidden issues that silently hinder a website’s growth and systematically address them with best-practice solutions.

You help businesses improve the following: 

• Website structure 
• Page loading speed 
• Crawlability & indexation 
• Core Web Vitals 
• Structured data accuracy 
• Technical errors & broken elements 

The key is finding & solving problems before they become a costly headache for your clients.

Why technical SEO basics matter before link building and content scaling

We see so many beginners dive headlong into backlinks before ever checking if the pages are indexed or if the site is crawlable.

But links are useless when: 

• Pages are not indexed 
• Robots.txt is blocking crucial URLs 
• Site takes 7 seconds to load 
• Core Web Vitals fail 
• Website architecture is broken 

Fixing technical SEO is like fixing the engine before painting the car.

Benefits of choosing a freelancing path in technical SEO as a beginner:

• Low competition vs. other niches like content or social media
• You don’t need perfect English. Just logic & analysis 
• Companies love to outsource technical SEO 
• It’s a high-paying niche, even for beginners 
• Results are measurable → clients trust you faster 

Technical SEO Basics – Foundations for New Freelancers

Technical SEO basics every beginner must understand

Technical SEO is the foundation of organic growth. As a beginner, focus on mastering these essentials:

• Website structure (page hierarchy, URL patterns) 
• Status codes (200, 301, 404, 503) 
• Sitemap creation 
• Robots.txt rules 
• Mobile responsiveness 
• HTTPS security 
• Handling duplicate content 

You must understand the foundations before jumping to advanced tools.

How search engines discover, crawl, and understand your website

Search engines work in 3 steps: 

1. Crawling – Googlebot scans pages using links, sitemaps, etc.
2. Indexing – Google parses the content & stores it in a database
3. Ranking – Google decides which pages to show to users

Missing internal links or slow pages → Google struggles to crawl.

Thin/duplicated content → Google won’t index.  

Key technical SEO elements: structure, status codes, mobile friendliness, security 

The foundation of a strong, technically healthy website includes:

• Clean navigation 
• Logical URL structure 
• No broken pages 
• Mobile-first design 
• HTTPS security 
• Fast-loading pages 
• Clear internal linking 

Google needs to verify all these before ranking any site.

Website Crawling & Indexing: Making Your Site Search-Engine Friendly

Website crawling & indexing explained in simple terms

Imagine search engines as a librarian. 

If the librarian cannot find your book (URL) or understand the topic, your book won’t be placed on the shelf (search results).

Indexing issues = lost opportunities. 

Role of robots.txt, XML sitemaps, and canonical tags in technical SEO

• Robots.txt– tells Googlebot what to crawl and what to avoid
• XML Sitemap– provides Google with a map of all the important URLs on the site
• Canonical tag– prevents Google from treating duplicate pages as separate entities

Beginners often overlook checking these, and indexing chaos ensues.

Common crawling and indexing issues a technical SEO freelancer must fix

• Pages blocked in robots.txt 
• No-index tags on important pages 
• Canonical tags pointing to wrong URLs 
• Redirect chains and too many redirects 
• Thin content or duplicated content 
• Pagination issues 
• Broken internal links 

Site Speed Optimization – Performance as a Ranking and UX Factor

Why site speed optimization is critical for SEO and conversions

Speed affects: 

• Rankings 
• Bounce rate 
• Conversions 
• User trust 

“Speed isn’t just an SEO factor—it’s a customer experience factor.” – Gary Illyes, Google

Core speed metrics to track and tools to measure them

Use these tools: 

• PageSpeed Insights 
• GTmetrix 
• WebPageTest 
• Chrome DevTools 

Track these metrics: 

• Server response time 
• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) 
• TTFB (Time To First Byte) 
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) 

Practical site speed optimization actions for beginners

• Image compression (WebP format) 
• Reduce unused CSS & JS 
• Enable caching 
• Use a CDN 
• Code minification 
• Font optimization 
• Lazy-load images 
• Use lightweight themes 

Core Web Vitals Improvement for Freelance Technical SEO Projects

What Core Web Vitals are and how they affect rankings and user experience

Core Web Vitals measure real user experience: 

LCP – how fast the main content loads 

FID / INP – how quickly users can interact 

CLS– how stable the layout is 

Slow vitals = low rankings + annoyed users. 

Simple steps for core web vitals improvement on typical small business sites

• Replace heavy sliders with a static hero image
• Host videos on YouTube instead of directly 
• Use system fonts 
• Defer JavaScript 
• Reduce DOM size 
• Preload key assets 

Small fixes → big impact. 

How to report Core Web Vitals improvements to clients in a clear way

Use these formats: 

• Before & after screenshots from PageSpeed Insights 
• Simple table showing improvements 
• Short explanation of what was fixed 

Clients pay for clarity, not complexity.

Schema Markup for Beginners – Structured Data Made Simple

Schema markup for beginners and why structured data matters

Schema markup is a special vocabulary that helps search engines understand content contextually.

It leads to rich snippets, improved FAQs and reviews visibility, event promotions, and much more.

Common schema types to focus on as a technical SEO freelancer

• Organization 
• LocalBusiness 
• Article 
• Product 
• FAQ 
• Breadcrumb 

You don’t need to know every schema type – just the ones relevant to your clients.

How to implement and test schema markup without being a developer

Use these tools: 

• Schema Markup Generator (TechnicalSEO.com) 
• RankMath or Yoast (WordPress) 
• Google Rich Results Test 

Then copy → paste → validate → publish. 

Technical SEO Audit Process for Freelancers

How to conduct a basic technical SEO audit as a beginner

Always start an audit by doing these core tasks:

• Crawl the site (Screaming Frog / Sitebulb) 
• Check indexing (Search Console) 
• Verify sitemaps 
• Test robots.txt 
• Identify speed issues 
• Check for security & HTTPS 
• Test mobile-friendliness 

Prioritising issues: crawlability, indexation, speed, Core Web Vitals, and schema

Use this priority order: 

1. Crawl errors 
2. Indexation gaps 
3. Speed issues 
4. Core Web Vitals 
5. Structured data 

Fix high-impact things first for quick wins. 

Creating a clear, client-friendly technical SEO audit report and action plan

Your report should contain: 

• Summary of key findings 
• Screenshots 
• Action plan 
• Deadlines 
• Expected impact 

Visually simple is the key. 

Tool Stack for a Beginner Technical SEO Freelancer

Essential free and paid tools for technical SEO basics and diagnostics

Free Tools 

• Google Search Console 
• Google Analytics 
• PageSpeed Insights 
• Screaming Frog (500 URLs free) 
• Cloudflare CDN 

Paid Tools 

• Ahrefs 
• SEMrush 
• Sitebulb 
• Screaming Frog full 

Tools for website crawling & indexing checks

• Screaming Frog 
• Sitebulb 
• Search Console 
• Ahrefs Site Audit 

Tools for site speed optimization and core web vitals improvement

• PageSpeed Insights 
• GTmetrix 
• WebPageTest 
• Chrome Lighthouse 

Step-by-Step Roadmap to Start Freelancing in Technical SEO

Step 1 – Learn technical SEO basics and practise on your own or demo sites

Start with 2–3 demo sites or free WordPress installs to practise everything on a real site, and go hands-on.

Step 2 – Build a simple portfolio of technical SEO audits and before–after cases

Clients trust proofs, not degrees. 

Step 3 – Define your services as a technical SEO freelancer

Offer clear service packages: 

• Technical SEO Audit 
• Speed Optimization 
• Core Web Vitals Fix 
• Schema Setup 
• Indexation Fix 

Step 4 – Set pricing, packages, and a basic workflow for client projects

• Small Business Audit: ₹5,000–₹15,000 
• Full Technical SEO Fix: ₹20,000–₹60,000 
• Monthly Monitoring: ₹5,000–₹20,000 

Step 5 – Create your online presence: website, LinkedIn, and freelance platforms 

Be where your clients search. 

How to Find Clients as a Beginner Technical SEO Freelancer

How to position yourself as a technical SEO freelancer for agencies and small businesses

Position yourself as: 

“The freelancer who fixes problems before they become expensive.”

Using case studies to attract clients 

Show improvement in: 

• Website crawling & indexing 
• Site speed 
• Core Web Vitals 

Outreach strategies 

• Contact web developers 
• Partner with SEO agencies 
• Email SaaS founders 
• Offer a free mini-audit 

Turning one-time audits into ongoing retainers 

Offer monthly monitoring as a service: 

• Speed checks 
• Indexing issues 
• Broken links 
• Schema validation 

Clients love predictable recurring income. 

Common Mistakes New Technical SEO Freelancers Should Avoid

• Skipping the basics 
• Relying on tools only 
• Not documenting processes 
• Overpromising 
• Avoiding communication with developers 

Why Choose Freelancers Academy to Learn Technical SEO Freelancing

Becoming a successful technical SEO freelancer starts with learning from a place that blends theory, real-world practice, and freelancing support and that’s exactly what Freelancers Academy offers. Their structured curriculum makes technical SEO easy to understand, even for beginners, covering crawling, indexing, core web vitals, site speed optimisation, and schema markup with hands-on implementation.

You also get guided support in building a strong portfolio using real audits, helping you confidently position yourself as a skilled technical SEO freelancer in the market. Beyond technical knowledge, the academy trains you in pricing, proposals, client communication, and project delivery skills most freelancers struggle with in the beginning.

With practical training, mentorship, and freelancing-focused learning, you’re fully prepared to start offering technical SEO services professionally.
Take the next step book your free demo session and explore how you can get client-ready faster.

Conclusion – Turning Technical SEO Skills into a Sustainable Freelance Career

Technical SEO freelancing is a high-value skill you can monetize without fancy English or years of experience  just logic, consistency, and practice.

30–60 Day Action Plan

Day 1–15: Learn the basics 

Day 15–30: Practice on demo sites 

Day 30–45: Build your portfolio 

Day 45–60: Start getting clients 

Your career starts with one audit. Then the next. Then your first retainer. 

FAQs on Becoming a Technical SEO Freelancer 

1. What does a technical SEO freelancer do on a daily basis?

A technical SEO freelancer audits websites, checks website crawling & indexing, fixes speed issues, updates schema, and reports insights. Freelancers Academy trains beginners with real daily workflow practice.

2. Do I need coding knowledge to start freelancing in technical SEO as a beginner?

Basic HTML helps but isn’t mandatory. Freelancers Academy teaches all essential technical SEO basics so beginners can work confidently as a technical SEO freelancer without deep coding.

3. Which technical SEO basics should I master first as a beginner?

Start with crawling, indexing, sitemaps, robots.txt, and core audits. Freelancers Academy helps you understand these technical SEO basics through practical, beginner-friendly implementation.

4. How do website crawling & indexing issues affect rankings and traffic?

Poor website crawling & indexing blocks Google from accessing pages, reducing visibility. Freelancers Academy teaches how a technical SEO freelancer identifies and fixes these issues effectively.

5. What are the easiest site speed optimization actions I can learn as a new freelancer?

Start with image compression, caching, and removing heavy scripts. Freelancers Academy simplifies site speed optimization so you can deliver quick wins as a new technical SEO freelancer.

6. How important is schema markup for beginners working with small websites?

Very important. Schema markup for beginners boosts visibility and click-through rates. Freelancers Academy teaches structured data basics so you can offer high-value services early.

7. What are Core Web Vitals and how can I explain improvements to clients?

Explain core web vitals improvement as faster loading, smoother interaction, and better stability. Freelancers Academy trains you to present these metrics clearly to clients as a technical SEO freelancer.

8. Which tools are essential for running technical SEO audits as a freelancer?

You’ll need Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights. Freelancers Academy shows how a technical SEO freelancer uses these tools effectively.

9. How much can a beginner technical SEO freelancer realistically charge per project?

Beginners typically earn ₹3,000–₹12,000 per audit. With stronger skills, a technical SEO freelancer can scale quickly. Freelancers Academy helps you price and pitch confidently.

10. How can Freelancers Academy help me learn technical SEO and start getting freelance clients?

They offer hands-on training, portfolio-building, and freelancing guidance. Freelancers Academy prepares you to become a client-ready technical SEO freelancer with real project exposure.