Blog

Introduction

Jade Pruett, hailing from Columbia, South Carolina, is a 30-year-old entrepreneur who founded HelloSEO in 2021. HelloSEO is a boutique SEO agency dedicated to assisting small businesses and startups in gaining greater visibility on Google and other search platforms.

Pruett is deeply passionate about SEO education and is committed to demystifying what can often be an opaque marketing strategy. She prioritizes providing her clients with clear insights into their marketing metrics, such as rankings, traffic, ROI, and other key performance indicators (KPIs). Pruett also prides herself on her experimental tactics, adapting SEO strategies to keep pace with the latest AI innovations and Google's algorithm updates. Her approach often involves leveraging client projects to test new strategies and ideas, which frequently adds significant value and helps clients maintain a competitive edge.

Starting the Business

Pruett began her business in 2020 on a freelance basis while working as an SEO specialist for the affiliate divisions of CNN and Business Insider. During a particularly busy season, she received a direct message on LinkedIn from an attorney seeking SEO assistance.

Despite her initial uncertainty about venturing beyond the confines of a large agency, Pruett decided to take the leap. This decision sparked her entrepreneurial spirit and led to a significant confidence boost. Working with the attorney demonstrated that she could succeed outside of a large agency's safety net.

Pruett's initial client base was built through referrals and webinars. By hosting webinars and actively engaging in her marketing efforts, she secured her first clients and laid the foundation for HelloSEO.

Acquiring Initial Clients

To attract her first clients, Pruett heavily relied on referrals and hosted webinars. Her initial focus was on SEO for therapists, which proved effective due to the niche specialization. By conducting webinars for therapist associations, appearing on podcasts discussing SEO specifically for therapists, and offering competitive pricing, she successfully drew in her first round of clients.

Building a referral network played a crucial role in her growth. Satisfied clients helped Pruett find more clients, demonstrating that positive customer experiences can lead to further opportunities.

Marketing Strategies

Since launching her business, Pruett has employed a variety of marketing channels and strategies to attract new customers. Despite the challenge of ranking as an SEO agency on Google—a task made intentionally difficult by design—she has found success through local SEO and social media platforms, particularly Instagram and LinkedIn. Pruett is an active participant in both online and in-person communities, using these interactions to generate referrals and acquire new clients. She believes that relationship-building is the most effective form of marketing, even for someone deeply involved in the marketing industry.

One notable strategy Pruett has found effective is emphasizing transparency and education in SEO. Given the complexity and often enigmatic nature of SEO, she aims to make it accessible and engaging for business owners. Pruett creatively uses current trends and popular culture references, such as Taylor Swift or Barbie, to explain SEO and marketing tactics. These efforts have not only garnered significant traction but have also been picked up by media outlets, leading to numerous reshares, particularly on LinkedIn.

Revenue Model

Jade’s business model is centered around providing services through six-month contracts, transitioning to month-to-month arrangements thereafter. This approach allows sufficient time to achieve meaningful results and fosters a thorough understanding of the working relationship. Currently, Pruett generates approximately $30,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) while maintaining costs below 30% of revenue.

She adheres to the Profit First methodology, noting that running an SEO agency is relatively cost-effective. Initially, her primary expenses included a laptop and a subscription to SEO tools like Ahrefs or SEMRush. As her business grew, she invested in essential SaaS products, including Loom, Mailchimp, Frase, and Mangools, along with office space and a few contracted employees. Labor costs have become her most significant expense.

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Pruett's advice for anyone looking to start an SEO agency or any other business is straightforward: take the plunge. She advocates for "messy action" and "failing forward," emphasizing that these concepts are integral to the entrepreneurial journey. When Pruett started, she secured clients before even establishing a business name or website. Although her approach was unorthodox and challenging, she is proud of her decision to dive in headfirst.

Pruett encourages others to embrace the challenges of building a business, noting that each month brings new lessons and hurdles. She finds working independently more rewarding than traditional employment and less risky compared to being "fired"—the only way to fail is to give up. Her message is clear: failure should not be an option, and perseverance is key.

Get in Touch:

HelloSEO Official Website: https://helloseo.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/Pruette-pruett-helloseo/

Instagram: @jadefromhelloseo