u/Straight_Mouse_5283

So this has happened to me maybe a dozen times now and I still can't wrap my head around it.

Client reaches out. Super enthusiastic. "Love your work, can you send your portfolio?" You send it. They reply with something like "wow this is exactly what we're looking for!" and then…

nothing.

No follow-up. No "we went with someone else." No "budget got cut." Just absolute silence. Like you never existed.

And the worst part? You KNOW they used your work as reference. You can sometimes see it in what they eventually put out. Same style. Same structure. Same vibe. Just not made by you.

I've started calling it "portfolio ghosting" and honestly it should be a crime.

Is this just freelance life or is there something I'm missing? Do I follow up? Do I add a watermark to everything? Do I just accept that some people treat portfolios like a free mood board?

Because right now I'm sending out my work like a vending machine and getting absolutely nothing back. Not even a rejection. Just silence.

Anyone else dealing with this or is it just me?

Hey everyone,

I've been working in SEO for 6+ years mostly helping businesses grow organic traffic through on-page, technical, and off-page strategies. These days I'm also deep into AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and getting brands visible in AI-driven search results like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews, which is becoming a real gap for most sites.

My background spans WordPress and Shopify SEO, keyword research, content strategy, backlinks, Local SEO/GBP, and tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog, and Google Search Console.

If you're struggling with:

• Traffic that's dropped and you don't know why
• A site that ranks on Google but doesn't show up in AI answers
• Just starting out and not sure where to focus
• Anything technical SEO related

Drop your URL or question in the comments. I'll take a look and give honest, specific feedback. No pitch, just trying to help and stay sharp.

If you're looking to hire or collaborate on something, feel free to DM me as well.