Most of the SEO work to rank a new domain is done before a new website is launched. A well-thought-through SEO strategy — i.e., a proper analysis of the (target) keyword sets the domain wants to rank for, including an analysis of the competition and potential ROIs — can help prevent later disappointment. It’s also important to have a clear content structure from the start. This includes knowing what content, and what landing pages you need to accurately reflect the topic clusters.
One thing that’s important, is that you don’t tackle every topic in one go but focus on one area at a time. Perhaps even focussing on a niche topic. in your industry.
A clear topic focus makes it easier for Google to identify the focus of a new website. The site can build its authority slowly before moving into other topic areas later that may have a higher search volume and that offer more opportunities to monetise the website.
How many landing pages are needed for this, and how many subtopics have to be combined on a landing page depends on the given topic. For this reason, when creating content it makes sense to use software-supported content creation that includes all the important SEO data as well. To begin with, the topic clusters could be defined, for example. Then, optimized data-driven content can be created that covers all the relevant (sub)topics, includes all the main keywords, and is an appropriate length and complexity for the topic at hand.
What SEO Measures Make Sense?
It makes sense to plan your SEO measures in advance, whether in your own team or with the help of an SEO freelancer or agency. When it comes to defining aims, requirements, and requisite tasks, it is important to consult with all the stakeholders involved.
Once the SEO groundwork has been implemented, it is crucial that you monitor your own SEO performance. This is important to gauge the impact of the SEO measures. User signals like click-through rate or time on site, which can be found in the Google Search Console, can provide valuable data on user acceptance. Technical aspects such as crawlability and indexability, internal and external links, and potential mistakes should also be analyzed.
How to speed up your SEO success:
- Checking and optimizing titles and descriptions. How can the SEO title be unique enough to set it apart from the competition and convey the USP of the website?
- Checking and optimizing page load times and technical performance: Is the site properly configured to be indexed and crawled? How is the site performing in the Core Web Vitals?
- Checking and optimizing the internal linking structure: Can relevant URLs be easily reached, preferably from the homepage? Are you using hard, keyword-rich anchor texts in your internal links?
- Developing new content pages: What topic areas can still be tapped into? What content is needed and how can this be integrated into the existing topic cluster?
- Updating existing content: Content can be adapted, especially for seasonal offers, demand peaks, or changes in supply or pricing.
- A/B tests. Split testing, e.g., on your call-to-action buttons or analysis of clickstream data to provide insights into user behaviour, can be very useful, especially when it comes to user funnels or monetization/lead generation strategies.
- Backlink building: Topic-specific blogs or directories are a good starting point. When evaluating backlinks, Google now places a lot of emphasis on backlink click-throughs.
- Brand building: Press releases and social media can help generate initial mentions and direct search queries for a brand. A free e-book for download might also make sense here. Another good way to build your brand is to create your own exclusive surveys and studies. Ideally, ones that will be picked up by publishers, too!
So How Long Does SEO Actually Take?
Those looking for quick results will have to invest in paid ads. Whereas those wishing to grow their traffic over the long term should focus on SEO. But this will take time and patience. Often companies will make use of both to provide short-term and long-term sales.
Depending on the domain, topic, competition, and, of course, SEO budget, the first benefits may well be seen after just a few weeks. Although it can often take as long as several months to a year. In other words, once the domain has launched, the content published, and the first SEO tasks completed, time and patience are needed to continue to optimize and grow your domain and monitor the rankings closely.
Ultimately, SEO is and will continue to be something of an endurance sport that requires a lot of stamina. And that is not just down to the Google Updates, which can sometimes really throw a curveball at the search results. To get stable rankings and steady growth for your site, SEO has to be an ongoing process. This means updating and adapting your content, constantly building backlinks and your brand, and continually developing the thematic focus of your page.
Do you need help with your website SEO to ensure sustainable, long-term success for your business? Get in touch today for more information about how SEO and paid ads can grow your business.
