What SEO steps should I take for a brand new website?
SEO Basics
For a new website, start with foundation-first SEO:
1) Technical setup: Ensure fast hosting, HTTPS, XML sitemap, and robots.txt are in place.
2) Indexing: Submit your site to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
3) Keyword research: Identify long-tail opportunities relevant to your niche. Example: Instead of “fitness,” target “home workouts for beginners in 2025.”
4) Content creation: Publish cornerstone content (e.g., ultimate guides) and supporting blog posts.
5) On-page SEO: Optimize titles, H1/H2 tags, internal linking, and schema markup.
6) Local/Brand presence: Create Google Business Profile, claim social handles, and get listed in niche directories.
7) Backlinks & mentions: Start small with guest blogging or partnerships. In 2025, early brand signals and authority cues are crucial because AI search tends to trust established brands.
Further Reading:
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide