Life may seem tough for startups, especially in the realm of Social Engine Optimisation (SEO). With our brand-new websites and consequently low domain authority, it proves more difficult to get to the top of Google’s hierarchy. That’s why startups have to create a complete on-page/off-page SEO strategy and identify the key strengths of their products and services to focus on.
Being a startup ourselves, at Noda we have increased our Domain Rating by 200% in a few months. We’ve done it using our “white” off-page SEO tactics, detailed analysis of the external sources and growing popularity on the Internet.
Here we’ve gathered some of the key tips and valuable insights into the best SEO practises and strategies as a new business.
Primary SEO Concerns for Startups
Limited Budget and Resources
Unlike established companies, startups often operate on a shoestring budget. Allocating a sizable chunk to SEO can be a challenge. They often grapple with the decision of whether to invest in paid search marketing (like Google Ads) or organic SEO or strike a balance between the two.
Immediate Results vs. Long-Term Strategy
Startups, especially those with investor backing, are under pressure to show growth and traction. SEO typically offers long-term benefits, and startups are often concerned about the duration it will take to see tangible results.
Measuring ROI
Understanding which strategies are working and offering a good return on investment (ROI) is crucial. Startups often struggle to set up the right metrics and KPIs to measure their SEO success.
New website challenges
Usually, startup websites are new and have low parameters due to their youth. It takes time to raise domain authority and ratings with off-page SEO. After creating a content strategy, it may take a while to start ranking for queries, find out what type of content performs better and why, attract organic traffic, and gain the trust of Google’s algorithms.
Budget
The budget can vary, depending on how much the company is willing to invest in SEO. That’s why teams must find the best way to spend this budget with visible results. For example, on link-building and high-quality content.
Tip #1: Determine Your Budget
Before allocating any funds, startups need to determine their immediate SEO needs. Is it a site overhaul for SEO optimisation? Do they need more content? Or is link-building the focus? By prioritising their needs, startups can allocate funds more effectively.
Some SEO expenses are fixed, like monthly subscriptions to SEO tools or retainer fees for agencies. Other costs, like content creation or link-building campaigns, can vary. It's essential to categorise these costs to avoid overshooting the budget.
If content creation is outsourced, startups need to decide on the frequency (e.g., weekly, bi-weekly) and type of content (blog posts, videos, infographics). Costs can vary widely based on these factors.
Budgeting decisions should be tied closely to expected ROI. If a particular strategy or channel yields good returns, it might make sense to allocate more funds there, even if it wasn't part of the initial plan.
Tip #2: Conduct Competitor Analysis
Competitor analysis usually starts by evaluating the website metrics like Domain Rating/Domain Authority, traffic, top organic keywords, top pages, website structure, visual elements, and more. Based on at least 5-10 biggest competitors SEO teams can form a clear picture of their company’s niche.
Start by listing companies that offer similar products or services. Not all direct business competitors will be SEO competitors, and vice versa. Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can help identify websites that rank for similar keywords.
Examine which keywords competitors are targeting and how they rank. Look at both short-tail and long-tail keywords. This can reveal gaps in your keyword strategy and present opportunities for targeting less competitive, high-ROI terms.
Examine the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to competitor websites. Tools like Moz or Ahrefs can help with this task. A robust backlink profile can significantly boost domain authority. By understanding where competitors are getting their links, startups can identify potential backlink opportunities.
For startups targeting local audiences, it's crucial to analyse competitors' local SEO strategies. This includes examining their Google My Business listings, local backlinks, reviews, and local keyword rankings.
Tip #3: Prioritise UX
Since Google started using basic UX metrics in the ranking, life has become somewhat harder. Generally speaking, badly designed sites had to be cleaned up, for example, by enlarging clickable areas and providing adequate contrast.
Although for well-designed sites it’s business as usual, the page load time metric hit everybody. Only very specialised businesses can still be hosted traditionally, the rest (those with competition) had to invest in geolocalised hosting to make their website faster, regardless of the country.
Tip #4: Advanced Keyword Research
Keyword research is one of the most important tasks when it comes to SEO strategy and implementation.
Startups can use special SEO tools like Ahrefs and KWFinder by Mangools. They can analyse their competitors’ pages among top Google results.
Paying attention to what keywords the competitors are ranking for is important, as well as noting phrase variations in copy. Other tactics include evaluating LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing), looking for words repeated on different pages, and counting approximate text length.
Finding Fast-Ranking Keywords
Long-tail keywords, typically three or more words in length, tend to have lower search volumes but also less competition. This makes them easier to rank for. They often have a higher conversion rate too, since they're more specific.
Tools like Ubersuggest, Ahrefs, SEMrush, and Google Keyword Planner can be invaluable. They allow you to find keyword variations, assess competition levels, and gauge search volumes.
Keyword Difficulty
Some keyword research tools, like Ahrefs, provide a 'Keyword Difficulty' score. This score gives an estimate of how hard it would be to rank in the top 10 search results for that keyword. Ideally, startups should target keywords with lower difficulty scores.
See which keywords your competitors rank for, especially those not in the top spots but on the first page. These can be potential targets if you believe you can produce better content or a more relevant offer.
Some keywords might offer quick wins in terms of rankings but not drive valuable traffic. Ensure the keywords you prioritise align with your business goals and user needs.
Final Thoughts
For startups, navigating the SEO landscape may seem overwhelming, especially with limited resources and the pressure for immediate results. However, by adopting a strategic approach, startups can effectively harness the power of SEO to their advantage.
It all starts with establishing clear budgets and conducting thorough competitor analysis. Prioritisng user experience is key, as well as utilising advanced keyword research techniques.
Taking inspiration from Noda's growth, it's evident that a well-executed SEO strategy, combined with a deep understanding of one's niche and target audience, can lead to substantial returns and lay the groundwork for long-term success in the digital realm.
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