7 side gigs that can benefit from seoToday’s gig-based economy, combined with the practically unlimited global access granted by the internet, is driving more and more professionals to pick up “side gigs” or “side hustles” to supplement their primary income or keep them going between jobs. These side gigs range from barely-profitable hobbies to careers that can be full-time jobs of their own, and depending on how much you invest in them, they can be a reliable source of steady income.

Most side gigs depend on volume and visibility to succeed, whether you’re selling products, selling services, or building passive income. Search engine optimization (SEO), if applied strategically, can increase both your web traffic and visibility, so if you already have the skills, you should consider using SEO to boost your side gig’s income — and if you don’t have the skills, it might be time to learn.

SEO for Side Gigs

These are some of the best side gigs that can benefit from SEO support:

  1. Real estate investing. If you have the money for it, investing in rental property is one of the most reliable side gigs you can run; with the right property choice, you’ll make rental income in excess of your mortgage payments, and you’ll still turn a profit when it comes time to sell the property. However, you’ll still need to make your property visible to the right tenants — an empty property won’t generate a profit. SEO can help you direct traffic to your main website, or your listing page.
  2. Pet sitting. Pet sitting comes with significant competition, but it can be a lucrative and fun gig. Create a website for yourself, or list yourself with a popular pet sitting app, then create regular content and build links to those pages. If your local area doesn’t have many pet sitters, you’ll climb to the top of the rankings relatively easy.
  3. Assistantship. Offering yourself as an assistant is an easy way to make extra money, especially since you can offer yourself full-time, part-time, or for one-off gigs. In any case, you can create a website to show off your work and core skills, and use SEO to gain more visibility.
  4. Artistry and crafting. One of the most popular side gigs is creating something artistic and selling it online; there’s much room for creativity here, as crafts can include paintings, woodworking, crocheting, and almost anything else you can think of. The big problem is that there are so many talented artists competing for attention on a handful of major platforms; you can cut through the noise by creating your own page, and optimizing for niche keywords that no one else is going after.
  5. Handyperson skills. If you have some niche handyperson skills, such as electrical or plumbing experience, you can offer them online. Make sure you optimize different pages of your personal website for each branch of your skills, to maximize your exposure, and create DIY-related content on a regular basis. Again, you’ll need to find a way to present yourself uniquely here.
  6. Teaching or tutoring. Consider using SEO to support your tutoring or teaching side gig. Advertising yourself on campus is highly effective, but many students immediately turn to online searches when they need help; make sure you’re at the top of the list!
  7. SEO consulting. Finally, if you already have significant SEO skills, consider marketing yourself as an SEO consultant on the side. You can create content about everything you know, and attract some clients on a regular basis — just be aware that competition is fierce here.

Is It Worth the Investment?

The big question here isn’t whether your side gig can benefit from SEO, but rather, how much it can benefit from SEO, and whether it’s worth your time investment. There are a few main factors to consider here:

  • Time. As you undoubtedly know, SEO takes time to develop — usually at least a few months. If your side gig is meant only as a temporary hustle to carry you over between jobs or provide some extra income, it may not be worth investing in such a long-term strategy.
  • Competition. Some side gigs are overwhelmed with competition. If your main competitors are already using SEO, to great effect, it may be better to try a marketing strategy that doesn’t force you to compete with them.
  • Profitability. You should also consider what kind of profitability you’re seeing from your work. If your margins are already slim, investing extra time in an SEO campaign might complicate your profitability model even further.

In any case, even a handful of optimization techniques should be able to increase your visibility and send more traffic your way. Make sure your website appears as you’d like in major search engines, and experiment with SEO techniques until you find the balance you’re looking for.