SEO for a New Website: Essential Steps to Boost Visibility
You've launched your brand-new website, but how do you ensure it starts ranking in search engines like Google? Does it magically appear in search results overnight? The truth is, there are several key steps you need to take to kickstart your website's SEO and attract organic traffic. In this article, we'll explore the crucial initial actions you should undertake to optimize a new website for search engines.
First Step: Secure an External Link
Recently, a close friend of mine launched her website. After the launch, she eagerly sought feedback from friends, including myself. However, when I tried to find her website on Google using her exact domain name, it was nowhere to be found.
Upon further investigation, I discovered that she didn't have any external websites linking to hers. So, my first question to her was, "Do you have any other websites linking to yours?" Her response was negative. To help her out, I added a link to her website from my personal site. To my delight, within half a day, her website appeared in the search results. The first crucial step in optimizing a new website for SEO is to obtain at least one external link.
Why are external links important?
Google is a search engine that primarily follows links. If it discovers a link to your website on another site, it will follow that link and crawl your pages. In the case of my friend's website, Google found her site because I provided a link to one of her pages on my own website. When Google subsequently crawled my site, it followed the link and crawled her site as well. Soon after, her website began to appear in the search results.
While it is possible for Google to index your site without an external link, being indexed is not the same as ranking. By obtaining an external link, Google not only crawls and indexes your site but also attributes additional value to it based on the linking website's authority. This added value plays a significant role in improving your rankings.
However, not all links are created equal. Links from high-quality websites and articles related to your industry or niche carry more weight in boosting your SEO. On the other hand, links from low-quality websites, directory pages, or social media platforms have less impact. Therefore, focus on acquiring links from reputable and relevant sources.
Next Step: Review and Adjust Your Settings
After securing that first external link, your website should start appearing in search results. However, if it doesn't, there may be an issue with your site's settings. Check if your site has the "noindex" tag or if it is blocked by the robots.txt file. These settings can prevent Google from indexing your site.
Certain pages, such as private or administrative sections, may require a "noindex" tag to ensure they don't appear in search results. However, most of your site's pages should not have this tag if you want them to show up in search. Sometimes, developers forget to remove or adjust these settings after completing work on your site, so it's worth double-checking.
The Critical Third Step: Keyword Research
Currently, my friend's website only ranks for her domain name. There is still work to be done to improve her rankings for other relevant search terms. To enhance the SEO of your new website, you need to conduct thorough keyword research. Determine what terms and phrases your target audience is using in their search queries.
Effective keyword research will yield a comprehensive list of search terms that you want your website to rank for. Perform Google searches using these terms to analyze the existing search results. Who are your online competitors for these keywords? What can you do to differentiate yourself and stand out from the competition?
And then: Start Creating Content
Once you have identified the target keywords, it's time to start creating content. Write informative and engaging articles on topics that matter to your audience. Incorporate the keywords you discovered during your research. To rank in search results, you need to have relevant content that aligns with the topics you want to be associated with.
Optimize Your Snippets
When your website begins ranking, pay attention to the snippets displayed in search engine results. Snippets refer to the meta descriptions and titles of your search listings. Are they compelling and enticing enough for users to click on? If not, consider crafting better snippets that capture users' attention.
Consider Your Site Structure
An effective site structure is crucial for SEO. Determine which pages and posts are most important and ensure they receive internal links from other relevant pages. By establishing a solid internal linking structure, you guide Google to identify the key articles on your site. Posts and pages with more internal links are more likely to rank higher in search results. This approach signals to Google the importance of specific content on your website.
Our text link counter can assist you in evaluating whether you are linking sufficiently to your cornerstone content. If you have our Premium plugin, you gain access to internal linking suggestions and SEO workouts to help you establish and maintain a solid site structure.
Lastly: Engage in Link Building
As mentioned earlier, Google follows links, making link building a vital aspect of SEO. Spread the word about your new site and engage in link building activities. Reach out to other website owners, preferably those with topically related sites, and ask them to write about your new website. The more links Google finds pointing to your site, the more frequently it will crawl and index your pages. This is crucial when optimizing a new website for SEO and will ultimately contribute to improved rankings. However, it's important to note that excessive link building or buying links is not recommended and can have negative consequences for your SEO efforts.
By following these essential steps and leveraging the services offered by Media Masters Plus+, a leading web design company specializing in web design, Shopify-based eCommerce development, and SEO services, you can establish a strong foundation for your new website's SEO success. Contact us today to explore how we can optimize your website and drive meaningful results.
Remember, SEO for a new website requires diligent effort and ongoing optimization. Let's work together to nurture your website's growth with Media Masters Plus+ and achieve long-term SEO success.