SEO for Startups: A Step-by-Step Guide to Long-Term Growth

Last Updated on 18 October 2024 by Stu Edwards

SEO is one of the most reliable growth channels for startups. It’s scalable, cost-efficient, and builds momentum over time.

With the right approach, SEO helps you reach potential customers at key moments—whether they’re discovering a new problem, searching for solutions, or ready to make a purchase.

The real power of SEO lies in creating content that speaks directly to your audience’s needs.

It positions your startup as a trusted source of information, driving traffic and building credibility at the same time.

To make the most of SEO, startups need to focus on strategies that:

• Target emerging markets where competition is low, but interest is rising.
• Reduce reliance on paid ads by generating consistent, organic traffic.
• Support every stage of the customer journey with useful, engaging content.

SEO is a long-term game, but when done right, it becomes a key driver for sustainable growth.

Here’s why startups should invest in SEO early on.

5 unique reasons why startups should invest in SEO

1. SEO encourages startups to create high-quality, informative content.

To rank well, startups must focus on answering customer questions and addressing their pain points. This forces you to think like your customer, creating content that builds trust and positions your brand as a reliable source of information.

Google prioritises people-first content over search engine-first content.

Google’s algorithm rewards content that provides real value, meaning startups that consistently share useful insights not only rank higher but also build credibility and authority.

Google wants websites to publish “reliable, people-first content”:

“We recommend that you focus on creating people-first content to be successful with Google Search, rather than search engine-first content made primarily to gain search engine rankings.”

Bottom line: Write for people first. Then optimise for search engines.

The best part? Adopting this mindset means you’re coming from a place of adding real value to your customers’ experience.

This leads to improved trust, goodwill, and customer loyalty over time.

2. SEO future-proofs your business growth

Startups often focus on short-term growth hacks, but SEO sets the foundation for sustainable, long-term growth that compounds as your company evolves.

Unlike paid ads, which disappear when the budget runs out, SEO continues to deliver traffic and leads long after you’ve published content.

Take an e-commerce startup that writes an evergreen blog post on “how to choose the right size of shoes online.”

With the right optimisation, this post can generate traffic for years, attracting new customers without additional ad spend.

Each visitor becomes a potential conversion, building long-term value for the business.

SEO is an investment that compounds over time, offering startups a sustainable growth strategy that continues delivering results.

In fact, according to HubSpot Blog Research in 2023, blog posts are one of the highest-ROI channels for businesses, further highlighting the long-term benefits of investing in quality content.

3. SEO gives startups a competitive edge in emerging markets

Startups can carve out a space in emerging niches where established competitors haven’t dominated yet, gaining traction before the market gets saturated.

SEO allows startups to capitalise on this advantage by targeting niche keywords and search queries that aren’t yet competitive, giving them a chance to gain visibility and establish themselves as authorities early on.

One example is the Peanut App.

Dimitris Drakatos, SEO lead for the company, scaled the organic traffic of this Series A startup to 2.3 million visitors in 12 months.

4. SEO enhances the effectiveness of paid ads

SEO and paid ads complement each other. When your website ranks well organically, users who also see your paid ads are more likely to trust your brand, increasing click-through rates (CTR) and overall ad performance.

Think of SEO and paid ads like a relay race: paid ads give you a fast start, while SEO carries the baton for the long run.

As your organic traffic grows, SEO reduces the need to spend as much on ads, but when you do, those ads perform better thanks to the trust built by your SEO efforts.

5. Creates value across the customer journey

SEO adds value at every stage of the customer journey, from awareness to post-purchase support.

At the awareness stage, SEO-optimised content introduces your brand to users researching their options.

A startup selling eco-friendly packaging might rank for “why sustainable packaging matters,” educating potential customers who aren’t ready to buy yet.

As customers move into the consideration stage, SEO provides detailed product comparisons and case studies to help them evaluate their choices.

Research shows that 60% of consumers conduct online searches before making a purchase decision, highlighting how important it is to be visible at this point.

At the decision stage, SEO drives engagement by providing valuable support content like how-to guides, tutorials, and FAQs.

SEO doesn’t stop at the point of conversion — It continues to add value post-purchase by offering resources that keep your customers engaged with your brand.

The beauty of SEO is that while it improves visibility and drives traffic, it also builds long-term relationships by meeting your customers’ needs.

How to do SEO for startups (in 8 steps)

Step 1. Identify internal needs and objectives

Most people jump straight into customer research, going straight to finding out what their audience wants to consume.

They forget to ask:

• What are we trying to achieve with all this content?
• Which business goals are we supporting?
• What internal needs are we satisfying?

So, where do you start?

Bring together your key stakeholders—marketing, sales, product, and leadership—for a brainstorming session.

Look to nail down your startup’s:

• Core business goals for the next 6-12 months.
• The pain points of your target audience.
• The KPIs that will really make a difference.

Once you’ve established these, translate your business goals into SEO objectives.

For example:

• Want to grow market share? Focus on ranking for high-intent keywords related to your product.
• Want to build trust with your audience? Create content that answers the big questions in your industry.

SEO shouldn’t exist in a vacuum. When it’s tied to clear business objectives, it becomes a growth engine that amplifies your overall strategy.

Step 2. Conduct a customer needs analysis

When it comes to SEO, understanding your customers should always come first. Skipping this step means you’re operating on guesswork—hoping your content resonates, but not really knowing if it will.

Purna Virji puts it perfectly in her book, High Impact Content Marketing:

“Without properly understanding your customers’ needs, you’re working from assumptions. You’re guessing what will and won’t stick. You’re gambling with your budget and time—and yes, the house will win.”

To get it right, you need to dig deep into your audience’s needs.

Start by asking:

• Who are they? What roles do they hold, and what experience do they bring?
• What problems are they trying to solve?
• What solutions have they already tried that didn’t work?
• What common questions do they keep asking?
• What objections do they raise when considering your product?

Understanding these details puts you in a better position to create content that speaks directly to your audience.

And when your content reflects their needs and concerns, it’s going to perform better.

Step 3. Lay a solid technical SEO foundation

While content is king, even the best content won’t perform well if search engines can’t properly crawl, index, and understand your site.

Here are few tips to make your startup’s website is technically sound:

• Site Structure: Create a logical hierarchy. Keep important pages within 3 clicks of the homepage.
• Page speed: Aim for under 3-second load time. Compress images, minify code, and consider a CDN.
• Mobile-friendly: Implement responsive design. Test across various devices.
• HTTPS: Secure your site with SSL. Google may penalise non-HTTPS sites.
• Schema markup: Implement structured data to enhance search appearance and understanding.
• XML Sitemap: Generate and submit to Google Search Console. Essential for proper indexing.
• Core web vitals: Optimise LCP, FID, and CLS. Use PageSpeed Insights for measurement.
• Crawl errors: Regularly check and fix via Google Search Console.
• Internal linking: Use descriptive anchor text. Ensure important pages have sufficient internal links.
• Canonicalization: Use canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues.

Technical SEO is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process. Regularly audit your site’s technical health and stay updated with search engine algorithm changes.

By laying a solid technical foundation, you’re setting the stage for your content to perform its best in search results, giving your startup a competitive edge in the digital landscape.

Step 4. Focus on user intent-driven keyword research

If you’re only chasing high-volume keywords without considering the user’s intent, you might attract visitors, but they’re less likely to convert.

That’s where user intent comes in. When someone types a query into Google, there’s always a reason behind it—whether they’re searching for information, comparing products, or ready to make a purchase.

Knowing this intent helps you choose the right keywords that match your audience’s needs at every stage of their journey.

So, how do you find these intent-driven keywords?

1. Classify search intent

Break down user intent into these categories:

• Informational: Users want answers (e.g., “how to improve SEO for a startup”).
• Navigational: They’re looking for a specific brand or site (e.g., “HubSpot login”).
• Transactional: They’re ready to buy (e.g., “buy SEO software”).
• Commercial investigation: They’re comparing options before buying (e.g., “best SEO tools 2024”).

2. Use Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords are phrases that are typically more specific and less competitive.

They reflect a clear search intent and often attract a more qualified audience.

For example, instead of targeting “SEO services,” try “affordable SEO services for tech startups”.

3. Use keyword tools

Tools like Google Search Console, Ahrefs, and SEMrush are your best friends here. They help you figure out which keywords drive traffic and what your competitors are ranking for.

These tools also surface intent-driven keywords with lower competition—ideal for startups.

For a startup, every pound and minute spent on SEO counts. By focusing on user intent-driven keywords, you’ll attract users who are genuinely interested in your product or service, leading to better conversions and a stronger customer base.

Step 5. Create flexible, value-driven content

Startups can’t afford to simply churn out content. To stand out and stay relevant, you need flexible, high-value content that engages your audience and can be repurposed across different channels.

This way, you’ll get more mileage out of every piece you create.

Here’s how to do it:

Start with pillar content

Pillar content is your foundation. These are comprehensive guides, case studies, or whitepapers that dig deep into the biggest problems your audience is facing.

You’re not just scratching the surface—you’re delivering serious value that positions your brand as an authority in your niche.

• In-depth guides: Produce detailed, actionable content around key topics relevant to your industry or audience. For example, a startup offering productivity tools might create a pillar guide on “How to Build a More Productive Remote Team.”
• Case studies: Showcasing real-world applications of your product or service can build credibility. Focus on how your solutions have solved specific problems for your customers, highlighting measurable outcomes.

We discuss pillar content in depth in our Hub and Spoke SEO Content Strategy article, so definitely check that out!

Repurpose for multi-channel reach

Creating good content doesn’t mean stopping at one format.

Break down your pillar content into pieces that work across multiple channels, so you can reach different segments of your audience.

• Blog posts: Take sections from your guide and turn them into a series of blog posts. This not only gives you more content, but also improves SEO by targeting different keywords.
• Videos: Repurpose your guides or case studies into educational videos. Platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn love video content, so use these to explain key takeaways from your pillar content.
• Infographics: Summarise the most important points from your guides into eye-catching infographics that are easy to share on social media.
• Social media posts: Turn your content into quotes, tips, or bite-sized insights to share across LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. For example, a long guide on SEO could be turned into a Twitter thread or a series of LinkedIn posts

Keep the content value-driven

Repurposing is great, but don’t lose sight of quality.

Each version of your content should still deliver real value—whether it’s answering a question or solving a problem.

Tailor your content to the platform and audience you’re targeting.

For instance, LinkedIn users might appreciate detailed posts, while Instagram followers want quick, visual content.

Step 6. Build internal links

Internal links are often an afterthought in SEO strategies, but for startups, they’re a powerful way to improve your site’s structure, boost rankings, and create a better user experience.

While backlinks get a lot of attention, internal links help users and search engines make sense of your site’s layout and content.

Here’s how you can create an effective internal linking strategy:

• Link to high-value pages: Identify your key content—whether it’s a detailed guide, a case study, or an important product page—and make sure you’re linking to these from relevant spots across your site. Search engines see pages with lots of internal links as important, so direct links to your high-value content can give it a ranking boost.
• Use descriptive anchor text: The clickable text in a link, or anchor text, should be clear and informative. Avoid phrases like “click here” or “learn more.” Instead, use anchor text that tells users and search engines what the linked page is about. For example, if you’re linking to a guide on “startup SEO tips,” make sure the anchor text reflects that exact topic.
• Create a logical hierarchy: Your internal linking should follow a natural flow from broad topics to more specific content. This helps both users and search engines navigate your site easily. Try using a hub-and-spoke model, where pillar content acts as the hub and more specific pages serve as spokes.
• Prioritise user experience: Yes, internal links help with SEO, but they should always enhance the user experience. Don’t overload your content with links just for the sake of rankings—make sure each link provides value and helps users find more relevant information. The goal is to guide users to related content that deepens their understanding of the topic.

Step 7. Analyse competitor SEO data without copying

Competitor SEO analysis is a powerful tactic, but the key is to analyse, not imitate.

Instead, look for opportunities where you can stand out by offering better solutions or targeting gaps they’ve missed.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Identify competitors’ top pages

Find out which pages are bringing the most traffic to your competitors.

Look for common themes in their high-ranking content and consider what resonates with their audience. Are they ranking with long-form content? Are product pages pulling in the most visitors?

Then ask: What are they covering that you’re not? Can you create more valuable, in-depth content on similar topics?

2) Evaluate competitor keywords

Examine the keywords your competitors are ranking for.

Pay attention to:

• High-volume keywords they target, as well as the keywords you can realistically compete with.
• Keyword gaps—terms with solid search volume but your competitors haven’t optimised for.

Targeting these underserved keywords gives you a chance to attract traffic without directly competing with larger, established players.

Don’t Copy—Differentiate

Simply copying content or keywords won’t give you a competitive edge. Instead, focus on where your unique value proposition (UVP) can fill gaps or improve upon what they’re doing.

• Identify content gaps: Look for areas where your competitors’ content falls short—outdated information, unanswered questions, or lack of depth. Your goal is to fill those gaps with high-quality content that provides more value to your audience.
• Spot weaknesses in UX or readability: Go beyond keyword targeting. Assess how user-friendly your competitors’ content is. Do they use complex language? Improve on these weaknesses by making your content more accessible and easier to read, with a clear structure and better internal linking.
• Offer better solutions: Where competitors might offer general advice, you should go deeper. If their blog gives basic SEO tips, your content should include step-by-step checklists, practical tools, and real examples that make it more actionable and useful.

Studying competitor SEO data allows you to shortcut some of the trial and error that comes with SEO, while still creating your own path.

Instead of reinventing the wheel, you can take advantage of competitor research to find content opportunities, keyword gaps, and areas where you can differentiate yourself.

Step 8. Measure, learn, and iterate

SEO is not a one-time task. It’s an ongoing, iterative process. For startups, regularly tracking your progress and making adjustments is key to scaling your SEO success.

The data you gather gives you the insights needed to refine your strategy and drive long-term growth.

Here are the key performance indicators (KPIs) to keep an eye on:

• Organic conversions: Track how many visitors from organic search take meaningful actions, like making purchases or signing up for your newsletter. This is one of the clearest signs that your SEO efforts are paying off.
• Organic traffic: Measure how many visitors land on your site through search engines. A steady increase shows that your visibility and rankings are improving.
• Keyword rankings: Monitor your ranking for target keywords. Climbing higher in the results for important terms means more traffic and exposure for your brand.
• Website authority: Domain authority reflects how credible your website is in the eyes of search engines, based on factors like backlinks and content quality. Higher authority boosts your rankings.
• Click-through rate (CTR): This shows the percentage of users who click on your link from search engine results pages (SERPs). A high CTR means your titles and descriptions are relevant and compelling.

Want more details on how to track these metrics? Check out our complete guide on measuring SEO success.

Learn from the data

Once you’ve collected enough data, the next step is to extract insights and learn from your performance. Here’s how to interpret and act on key insights:

1. Look for patterns

If certain keywords consistently rank well, evaluate the structure and content of those pages. What are you doing right? Can this be replicated across other pages?

If certain types of content (e.g., how-to guides or case studies) are driving more traffic, consider producing more of this content to capitalise on what resonates with your audience.

2. Diagnose problems

If traffic is stagnating or declining, examine potential causes. Has there been a recent Google algorithm update that may have affected your rankings? Are your competitors outpacing you in content quality or backlink acquisition? Understanding the root cause allows you to make targeted improvements.

Analyse high bounce rates on certain pages to see if content is misaligned with search intent or if technical issues (like broken links or slow page speed) are causing users to leave prematurely.

3. Test and experiment

SEO is dynamic, and what works today may not work tomorrow. Continuously test new strategies, such as experimenting with different content formats, trying new keywords, or optimising your site structure.

Use A/B testing to see how changes impact user behaviour and rankings.

For example, if you notice a low click-through rate (CTR) for certain pages, test different meta titles and descriptions to see if they generate more clicks.

SEO for Startups FAQs

Is SEO worth it for small businesses and startups?

Yes, small businesses and startups would absolutely benefit from SEO. In the early stages, SEO helps build online visibility, attract organic traffic, and generate leads without requiring a large marketing budget.

It also allows startups to compete with established players by focusing on targeted keywords, creating valuable content, and optimising their websites for search engines. SEO is especially important for startups looking to build brand awareness, establish credibility, and drive sustainable growth over time.

How long does it take to see results from SEO?

SEO is a long-term strategy, and results typically take 3 to 6 months. Factors like keyword competition, website quality, and the effectiveness of your SEO efforts influence the timeline.

How can startups compete with larger businesses in SEO?

Startups can compete by focusing on niche long-tail keywords, offering unique and high-quality content, and building strong internal linking and backlink strategies. Targeting underserved areas that larger businesses may overlook gives startups an edge.

SEO Doesn’t Stop When You Hit Publish

Investing in SEO isn’t a one-time effort. Even after your SEO efforts begin to show results, the real work has only just begun.

• Track performance metrics to identify where improvements are needed. If a page ranks but fails to engage, revisit your content to improve its relevance.
• Adapt to changes in search algorithms and user behaviour. Refresh and update your content to stay aligned with shifting trends.
• Integrate SEO with other strategies like paid ads, social media and email marketing. SEO strengthens your overall marketing mix and drives compounding growth.

Lastly, remember that patience is key. The effects of SEO compound over time, but consistency is key to seeing lasting results.

Those who remain adaptable and persistent will reap the greatest rewards.

Ready to see SEO drive real growth? Please feel free to reach out and arrange a strategy call with us to explore how we can accelerate your startup with targeted SEO strategies.