I didn’t grow up dreaming of becoming an SEO expert.
Back in high school, I was simply looking for a career that could make money faster—something practical, something future-proof. One of my teachers told us something that stuck with me deeply:
“In the next 10 years, the internet and computers will rise.”
That was 2003.
I held on to that promise.
Table of Contents
Choosing the Internet Over the Safe Path
After high school, I moved to the city to work and study at the same time. I originally wanted to take Education and become a teacher. But because I believed the internet would change everything, I made a risky decision.
Instead of a 4-year degree, I enrolled in a 2-year Diploma in E-commerce Programming at STI College Davao.
Why? Because I wanted to graduate at the same time as my high school classmates—and I wanted to start working fast.
I graduated in 2007.
First Job: Government Reality Check
My first job was as a Job Order Data Encoder at Davao City Hall.
It sounded stable… until I experienced the reality:
- Low salary
- Delayed pay
- No real growth
That’s when two of my college classmates—Dennis and Clent—changed my life. They invited me to apply where they worked.
The position?
Link Builder.
I didn’t even know what SEO was yet.
The Office SEO Years (2008–2012)
For 4 years, I worked as an office-based link builder. This was old-school SEO—manual outreach, directory submissions, forum links, article submissions.
Hard work. Repetitive. Insecure.
But this is where I learned:
- How search engines behave
- How links affect rankings
- How patience beats shortcuts
Those years built my SEO foundation.
Becoming an OFW (and Still Doing SEO)
In 2012, I went to the UAE, hoping to find an SEO-related job.
Reality hit again.
I ended up working in a building contracting firm as a Procurement Officer. But I refused to let go of SEO.
While working full-time, I also worked online as a Data Encoder for a US-based company—and slowly, I continued learning SEO on my own.
SEO became my second job, then my obsession.
Forced Exit, Forced Freelancing (2014)
In 2014, I finally landed an SEO-related job in Abu Dhabi.
Then I got sick.
I was forced to leave the UAE and return home.
No safety net.
No clients.
No guaranteed income.
That’s when I became a 100% freelancer.
Freelancing Reality: $2 Per Hour and Zero Respect
Let me be honest.
I started freelancing at $2 per hour.
I was:
- Underrated
- Underpaid
- Often ignored
- Often ghosted
But I never gave up.
Instead, I invested in:
- Learning more
- Building real connections
- Attending SEO conferences
Events like:
- Chiang Mai SEO Conference
- SEO Mastery Summit (Saigon)
These events didn’t just teach SEO—they taught mindset, networking, and leverage.
The Turning Point: Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing changed my life.
In 2023, I was invited as an international speaker at SEO Mastery Saigon.
My topic:
“How I Made $18,000 in One Month Through Affiliate Marketing”
That wasn’t luck.
That was:
- Years of SEO
- Smart monetization
- Strategic risk-taking
Affiliate SEO allowed me to:
- Earn without clients
- Scale without limits
- Invest in people
From Freelancer to Mentor
As my income grew, I started doing something more meaningful.
I:
- Trained beginners
- Provided SEO VA jobs
- Helped people with zero experience enter SEO
I didn’t just earn—I gave back.
Full-Time Digital Nomad Life (2021–Present)
After COVID, in 2021, I officially became a full-time digital nomad.
I went back to the UAE (Sharjah) for vacation—while working.
Then I traveled around Asia with:
- Two luggages
- One laptop
- One skill: SEO
In 2024, my husband Kenneth resigned from his 11-year aviation office job and joined me as a freelance SEO affiliate marketer.
Today:
- Cambodia feels like our second home
- We plan to explore it for 2–3 more years
- Then eventually retire and live peacefully in our province
The Ugly Truth: Freelancing Isn’t Easy
Let me be real.
I struggled a lot finding clients.
Common problems I faced (and still see today):
- No replies from clients
- Clients who want results but pay peanuts
- Clients who don’t understand SEO
- Late payments
- Scope creep
- Freelancers racing to the bottom
That’s why being clever is a must.
SEO alone is not enough—you need strategy, positioning, and wisdom.
Lessons After 18 Years in SEO
Here’s the truth:
If you have no skills, freelancing will destroy you.
If you want to survive as an SEO freelancer, you must learn:
Core SEO Skills
- Keyword research (search intent matters)
- On-page SEO
- Technical SEO basics
- Link building (old and new methods)
- Content optimization for humans and AI
Advanced Skills
- Affiliate SEO
- Monetization strategies
- Data analysis (GSC, GA4)
- Problem-solving
- Client psychology
Mindset Skills
- Patience
- Adaptability
- Ethics + cleverness
- Long-term thinking
SEO Gave Me a Life I Never Imagined
My story isn’t perfect.
But after 18 years in SEO:
- 11 years full-time freelance
- 4 years office-based
- 3 years as an OFW
I survived.
Through SEO:
- My siblings finished their education
- I provided jobs
- I helped many individuals
- I traveled many countries
- I built a 3-storey mini condotel house
- I own cars
- I built a businesses
- I built freedom
SEO didn’t just give me money.
SEO gave me choices.
And that’s why I’m still here.
Still ranking.
Still learning.
Still helping.
— Jin Grey
