New businesses require countless decisions and tasks. Among these, establishing an online presence is crucial in today’s digital age. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plays a vital role in this process, but knowing when to start focusing on it can be challenging for new business owners. This article will provide a timeline to help you understand when and how to incorporate SEO into your business strategy.
Pre-launch phase – Laying the foundation
Even before your business officially launches, you can start preparing for SEO success. Here’s what you can do:
- Research keywords – Begin by identifying the keywords and phrases your potential customers might use to find businesses like yours.
- Plan your website structure – Design a clear, logical structure for your website. This includes planning your main pages, categories, and how they’ll link together.
- Choose a domain name – Select a domain name that’s easy to read and relevant to your business. Include a key phrase related to your products or services.
- Set up analytics – Install analytics tools like Google Analytics to track your website’s performance from day one.
Launch phase – Getting started with on-page SEO
As you launch your business and website, it’s time to implement basic on-page SEO techniques:
- Optimize titles and meta descriptions – Craft compelling, keyword-rich titles and descriptions to get ranked well for each page.
- Create quality content – Start producing valuable, relevant content that addresses your audience’s needs and incorporates your target keywords naturally.
- Implement proper heading structure – Use H1, H2, and H3 tags to organise and make it easier for search engines to understand.
- Optimize images – Descriptive file names and alt text for images improve accessibility and SEO.
- Ensure mobile responsiveness – Make sure your website functions well on all devices, especially mobile phones.
1-3 months post-launch – Building momentum
In the first few months after launch, focus on:
- Local SEO – If you have a physical location, optimise Google My Business listing. Ensure your name, address, and phone number are consistent across all online directories.
- Link building – Start reaching out to relevant websites, industry blogs, and local directories for potential backlink opportunities.
- Content marketing – Develop a content calendar and start regularly publishing blog posts, articles, or other types of content that provide value to your audience.
- Technical SEO – Addressing any technical issues hindering your site’s performance, such as slow loading speeds or broken links.
3-6 months post-launch – Refining your strategy
As you gather more data and insights, it’s time to refine your SEO approach:
- Analyze performance – Review your analytics data to understand which pages are performing well and which need improvement.
- Keyword expansion – Based on your initial performance, identify new keyword opportunities and update your content strategy accordingly.
- User experience optimisation – Make improvements to your website’s navigation, design, and functionality based on user behaviour data.
- Implement schema markup – Structured data understand your content and improve search results appearance.
6-12 months post-launch – Scaling your efforts
At this stage, you should have a solid SEO foundation. Now it’s time to scale:
- Long-form content – Start creating more in-depth, comprehensive content pieces that thoroughly cover topics relevant to your audience.
- Guest posting – Get backlinks from reputable websites in your industry by writing guest posts.
- Video content – It dramatically increases engagement and stay time.
- Social media integration – Although not directly related, a strong social media presence increases brand visibility with increased traffic.
One crucial aspect of SEO that many businesses overlook is the importance of local optimisation, or singpentingseo, as it’s sometimes called in certain regions. This localised approach to SEO can be particularly effective for businesses targeting specific geographical areas. While it’s never too early to start thinking about SEO, the key is to approach it strategically. Start with the basics, then gradually expand and refine your efforts as your business grows.
