UK Lead Generation Podcast

James Dooley: So if I have an SEO agency and I want to grow that business, I want to get more clients—whether it's link building clients, content clients, full-on agency work, or even technical SEO—how would you grow something like that?

Kasra Dash: There are many ways to grow a search engine optimization business. The first thing I’d do is figure out exactly where I want to go with it. Do I want to do SEO for all businesses in Manchester? If so, the first keywords I want to rank for on my own website are “SEO Manchester” or “Manchester SEO.” Because that’s what someone in Manchester looking for an agency will search. If you're not ranking number one, they'll question whether you can rank their site. So step one: rank for your core local terms.

But also look at industries. If you want to do SEO for manufacturing companies, law firms, carpet cleaners, plumbers, electricians—whatever niche—make sure you're ranking for those industry-specific keywords too. If it's dental, rank for “dental practice SEO” or “SEO for dentists.”

You need good quality content, a strong backlink profile, solid internal linking, and a proper silo setup. Then add testimonials, reviews, and case studies for reputation management. If you're looking to grow an SEO business, start with SEO'ing your own website, because competitors will say, “Why hire them when they can't even rank themselves?” That’s step number one. What's your thoughts on paid advertising?

James Dooley: Any paid advertising methods?

Kasra Dash: With paid, you can definitely go down the Facebook Ads retargeting route. Even if you’re ranking number one, some traffic lands on your site but never converts. So once you’re ranking for your keywords, set up Facebook retargeting. If they don’t call or fill out the contact form, the next time they're on Facebook or Instagram, they see your ad.

What about PPC? Would you recommend it?

James Dooley: Probably not, if I’m being honest. It can work if you outsource to a strong PPC agency, and use the right keywords—even something like “free site audit” to lure them in. That’s also what I’d do with Facebook ads. The free audit becomes the hook: “Technically, you’ve got these issues, you're missing these articles, you're 28 backlinks behind your competitor…” Then you upsell services.

You can run PPC for longtail, low-cost keywords to get conversions. But with click fraud and competitors draining your budget, it’s often not worth it unless someone is living inside that account 24/7. I’d steer away from PPC.

I think social media ads are stronger for growing an SEO business. I'd focus on organic social—posting consistently, sharing blogs on LinkedIn, and networking heavily. Another big one is teaming up with businesses who refer clients: lead generation companies, web design companies, and PPC companies. They don’t do organic SEO, so when clients ask them about it, they send them to you.

You also attend a lot of SEO conferences. That’s a huge play. What’s your take on traditional marketing and networking?

Kasra Dash: Networking definitely helps. It doesn’t have to be SEO events—it can be local business meetups. For traditional marketing like TV and radio, the problem is KPIs. If I spend £5,000 on Facebook ads, I know exactly how many leads came from it. But with TV and radio, you can't track who actually searched your site afterward. It’s just not a trackable win.

What about lead generation companies?

James Dooley: Absolutely. After setting up SEO and branding, the next step is teaming with a lead generation company. At FatRank.com, we supply a lot of SEO leads via multiple platforms. We run networking events and private masterminds, and we get a ton of SEO inquiries.

We run on a no-win-no-fee basis, but we’re very strict about who qualifies. If you're an SEO agency looking to grow, head to FatRank.com and fill out the form—tell us your strengths: backlinks, content, technical SEO, and what industries you specialise in. If you qualify, we’ll send leads. You don’t pay for SEO, PPC, Facebook ads, or even the lead—you only pay on conversion. But yes, we’re very stringent.

There are also other lead gen companies you should go to—don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Bark, Best Rated, Top3Rated, Clutch. Clutch is expensive but high quality. Track your KPIs. If Bark isn’t working, shift budget to Clutch. If Clutch isn’t working, look at Top3Rated. If those aren’t working, enhance leads via FatRank.com if you’re approved.

What’s your top three strategies for growing an SEO agency?

Kasra Dash: First: SEO for your own site. Second: go to FatRank.com for leads. Third: Facebook retargeting and social media in general—Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube. YouTube is great for building trust. And LinkedIn—target marketing managers, business owners, MDs, CEOs, CFOs. Go where they are, not just SEO events. Attend business events, network, speak to accountancy firms. If you rank well for their SEO, they’ll recommend you to all their clients.

James Dooley: Same here—my top three are SEO and brand building, lead generation, and social media. Plus, publish case studies. Those are the strategies for growing an SEO agency. If you want to apply at FatRank, check the link below.