Intro

When most people think about generating leads online…

They immediately think of:

• Fiverr
• Upwork
• Freelancer.com

And while those platforms can work…

👉 They also come with limitations

In this episode, Elijah Bilel sits down with Prerak to break down:

👉 How to generate leads WITHOUT relying on platforms
👉 Why SEO is still one of the most powerful strategies
👉 And how beginners can compete online

Intro to Prerak

Prerak is the founder of Net Mafia, a web design and SEO agency focused on helping businesses grow their online presence.

He is also an educator on platforms like Udemy, where he teaches:

• Web development
• SEO
• WordPress
• Digital marketing

Prerak specializes in using AI-driven strategies to help small businesses generate leads and scale online.

👉 Check out his SEO SOP resource Here 

Episode Overview

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The 4 types of search intent (and why they matter)
• Why SEO still works—even with AI
• How to generate leads outside of freelance platforms
• The best beginner-friendly lead generation strategies
• How to build long-term inbound traffic

Listen to the Episode

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Side Hustler’s Society Resources

The Personalized Side Hustle Starter Kit

The 4 Types of Search Intent (This Changes Everything)

One of the most valuable frameworks Prerak breaks down is:

👉 Search intent

There are 4 types:

1. Informational Intent

People are just looking for answers

• Example: “How to start a side hustle”

2. Navigational Intent

People are trying to find something specific

• Example: “Walmart near me”

3. Commercial Intent

People are comparing before buying

• Example: “Best website builder vs WordPress”

4. Transactional Intent

People are ready to buy

• Example: “Hire a web designer”  

Why This Matters

Most people focus only on:

👉 Traffic

But the real goal is:

👉 Intent

Because:

• Informational = awareness
• Commercial = consideration
• Transactional = MONEY

Why SEO Still Works (Even With AI)

There’s a big misconception right now:

👉 “AI is killing SEO”

But Prerak makes it clear:

👉 That’s only true for informational content

Why?

Because:

• AI answers questions directly
• People don’t need to click as much

BUT…

👉 When people want to BUY…

They still need to:

• Visit your site
• Book your service
• Complete checkout  

Translation

👉 SEO is still extremely powerful

You just need to target:

• Commercial keywords
• Transactional keywords

The Problem With Fiverr & Upwork

Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork:

✔ Give you access to clients
❌ But limit your control

Common issues:

• High competition
• Fees
• Race to the bottom pricing

The Better Approach

👉 Build your own lead generation system

Instead of relying on:

• Platforms

You focus on:

• Your content
• Your SEO
• Your brand

How Prerak Got Started (Key Lesson)

Prerak’s journey started during the pandemic:

• Learned skills online
• Created courses
• Used SEO to sell them

That led to:

👉 Freelance clients
👉 Agency work
👉 Business growth

Key takeaway

👉 Skills + visibility = opportunities

A Simple Online Lead Generation Strategy

If you’re starting from scratch:

Step 1: Pick a Skill

• Web design
• Video editing
• Copywriting
• SEO

Step 2: Create Content Around It

• YouTube
• Blog posts
• Social media

Step 3: Target Search Intent

Focus on:

• “How to…” (informational)
• “Best…” (commercial)
• “Hire…” (transactional)

Step 4: Convert Traffic Into Leads

• Website
• Booking link
• Email list

Why SEO Beats Short-Term Strategies

Paid ads and platforms can work…

But SEO:

👉 Builds long-term assets

Instead of:

• Constant hustle

You get:

• Consistent traffic
• Passive leads
• Scalable growth

Final Thoughts

Elijah Bilel and Prerak highlight a key truth:

👉 You don’t need platforms to succeed

You need:

• The right strategy
• The right positioning
• The right understanding of how people search

If you can master that:

👉 You control your leads
👉 You control your income

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