Growing organic search traffic for a brand-new startup isn't easy. But it's possible with the right strategy and patience.
A new online education platform for entrepreneurs reached out to us. They had big dreams of dominating search results and getting acquired within 3-5 years.
The challenge? Their website was brand new—no track record. No authority.
We don't usually work with brand-new sites. But we saw huge potential here.
Our goal? Take over as much digital real estate as possible. Build the brand through content and PR.
We followed our tried-and-true SEO process:
Each step is critical. Skip one, and the whole campaign suffers.
You can build a ton of links. But if your on-page SEO is weak, you won't rank.
You can create amazing content. But if you target the wrong keywords, no one will find it.
Let's break down each step:
We spent a lot of time on this. We built a huge topical map covering all potential areas.
We started with keywords closest to their core offering. We targeted top, middle, and bottom of funnel keywords with different intents.
Here's how we did it:
a) We used tools like Ahrefs and SEMrush to find initial keyword ideas.
b) We analyzed competitors to see what they were ranking for.
c) We used Google's "People Also Ask" and "Related Searches" for more ideas.
Tip: Don't just look at search volume. Consider search intent. A keyword with 100 searches but high purchase intent can be more valuable than one with 1000 searches but low intent.
We categorized keywords based on the marketing funnel:
Top of Funnel: These are broad, informational queries. They often start with:
These keywords target users who are just starting to explore a topic or realize they have a problem.
Middle of Funnel: These keywords show more specific interest. They often include:
These target users who understand their problem and are exploring solutions.
Bottom of Funnel: These keywords indicate high purchase intent. They often include:
These target users who are ready to make a purchase decision.
Tip: Balance your content across all funnel stages. This creates a smooth journey for users, guiding them from awareness to purchase.
We uncovered even more keyword opportunities as we got more data from Google Search Console.
Our 14-hour audit found 4,457 issues on their site. These included:
We fixed these in the first week. A solid technical foundation is crucial. Without it, you're holding your site back.
Tip: Use tools like Screaming Frog or Sitebulb for thorough technical audits. They catch issues you might miss manually.
Here's how we fixed some common issues:
We armed our content team with 250 keywords. They crafted detailed articles based on semantic briefs.
Our writers have backgrounds in journalism, fiction, and research. They cover all angles of each topic.
Here's our on-page SEO checklist:
Tip: Don't stuff keywords. Write for humans first, then optimize for search engines.
We set a goal of publishing five new pieces of content each week. Each piece was at least 1,500 words long.
Why so long? Longer content tends to rank better. It gives us more opportunities to cover the topic in-depth and target related keywords.
Here's our content creation process:
Tip: Use the "Skyscraper Technique". Find the best existing content for your target keyword, then create something even better.
Getting featured in big publications was a key focus. We wanted to build recognition for the founder and brand.
Our data scientist used government data, Google trends, and a 2,000-person survey. We turned this into compelling stories.
We landed features in:
These logos on their site built instant trust. Crucial for a startup gaining traction.
How we approach Digital PR campaigns:
Tip: Build relationships with journalists. Don't just pitch. Offer value, comment on their articles, and become a reliable source.
We reached out to tech websites that met our strict criteria. We earned links from powerful sites.
We linked directly to key pages. This boosted rankings for important terms.
Our link building process:
Tip: Quality over quantity. One link from a highly relevant, authoritative site can be worth more than ten low-quality links.
Remember, SEO for new sites takes time. Google needs to build trust in your site.
Established sites can see results faster. We had another client ranking higher in just 2 weeks!
We're working to:
The goal? Position them perfectly for acquisition in the coming years.
Tip: SEO is not a "set it and forget it" strategy. Keep refining, keep creating, keep building links. The work never stops, but neither does the growth.
Our all-inclusive SEO services can help generate more search traffic and sales for your website. Book a consultation call with us to see if we'd be a good fit to work together.
Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. But with consistency and the right strategy, even a brand new site can achieve impressive results.