You’ve built the product. Maybe you’ve even landed some funding. The site is up, the landing page is live, and… nothing.
No steady traffic. No demo requests. Just a few clicks here and there — mostly from friends or investors checking it out.
It’s frustrating. But also, completely normal.
Early-stage teams often treat SEO like it’s something to deal with later. They focus on quick wins — ads, social posts, launch buzz. And sure, that can bring attention early on. But none of it lasts like search traffic can.
Done right, SEO sends the right people to your site — the ones actively looking for what you’re building.
That’s why it’s worth investing in from the start.
Not with hacks. Not with keyword stuffing. Just real strategy, built to grow with you.
Let’s walk through how to make SEO actually work for a startup — without turning it into a full-time job.
Why SEO Is Worth Your Time Early On
Founders ask this all the time: “Should we even be thinking about SEO right now?”
The product’s still changing. You don’t have a content team. You’re stretched thin already.
Even so — yes, you should. Here’s why:
SEO works over time. It builds on itself. Every decent page you publish, every good link you earn, makes the next one stronger. And the longer you wait to start, the longer it takes to see that compound effect.
No, you don’t need a blog with 50 posts. You just need a plan — one that helps people searching for answers land on your site instead of someone else’s.
And when they do find you? They’re not there by accident. Someone searching “stripe integration for SaaS billing” isn’t browsing for fun — they’re looking for a solution.
You want to be the one they find.
How SEO Looks Different at a Startup
Most SEO advice is written for companies that already have traffic, teams, and years of content.
Startups don’t.
Here’s what you’re probably working with:
- A brand-new domain with no real authority
- Maybe one or two pages of content
- Little to no backlinks
- A product that’s still evolving
- No full-time SEO person (and no time to become one)
So your approach has to be different.
Instead of chasing huge traffic, focus on building a strong foundation. Start with what actually matters.
1. Get Your Site in Order
Before you even think about content or keywords, make sure your site isn’t holding you back.
You don’t need anything fancy — but the basics have to be right:
- Fast load times (especially on mobile)
- Mobile-friendly layout
- Clean URLs (think /features/pricing instead of /page?id=87)
- HTTPS is on
- No broken pages or weird navigation issues
Also, make sure Google can actually crawl your site. Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console, and hook up Google Analytics 4 so you can track what’s happening from the start.
Tools like Webflow or Next.js usually handle most of this out of the box. Just keep things simple, fast, and easy to navigate.
2. Use Keywords the Way Real People Do
When most people hear “keywords,” they think of stuffing the same phrase into every paragraph. That’s not what this is about.
You’re trying to figure out how people talk about the problem your product solves — and then meet them there.
Start by answering a few key questions:
- If someone needed what we’re building, what would they search?
- What terms do they use — not the ones you use?
- What tools or workarounds are they currently relying on?
If you’re creating a sprint planning tool for engineering teams, skip vague terms like “project management software.” Instead, target things like:
- “Notion alternative for sprint planning”
- “Jira replacement for small teams”
- “daily standup tracker for remote engineers”
Use tools like Ahrefs or Ubersuggest if you want to get data — but even typing into Google and checking the autocomplete suggestions can give you solid ideas.
Start with a small set — 10 to 20 focused terms. That’s more than enough to begin.
3. Create Content That Actually Solves Something
This is where SEO really starts to work — not just by showing up in search, but by being useful once someone lands on your site.
Start with the core pages:
- Homepage: clear and focused on the problem you solve
- Product pages: one for each key feature or use case
- Pricing: show value, not just cost
- About: your team, your story, and why you’re legit
Then build out content that addresses real questions:
- Blog posts that compare tools or explain your space
- Landing pages focused on specific use cases
- Help docs that explain features or integrations
Think less about volume and more about clarity.
A blog post titled “Why early-stage teams drop Notion for sprint planning” is far more useful — and findable — than one called “10 Best Tools for Startups.”
And don’t get stuck trying to write 3,000-word essays. A solid 800-word page that answers a real question is better than something epic you never publish.
4. Set Pages Up to Rank
Once you’ve written something good, help Google understand what it’s about.
Here’s what to check:
- Each page has one main H1 with your focus keyword
- Subheadings break things up clearly (H2s and H3s)
- Title tag and meta description are written to be clicked — not just stuffed with keywords
- Internal links connect relevant pages
- You’re targeting one main idea per page
Let’s say you’ve got a page about integrating with Stripe. Keep it focused on that. Don’t try to rank it for onboarding, pricing, and customer success too. Those deserve their own spaces.
And link pages together in a way that makes sense. Link your blog post about “Notion alternatives” to your actual product page. Link from your docs to your case studies.
It helps users navigate — and it helps search engines connect the dots.
5. Earning Backlinks Without Cold Outreach
Backlinks matter — they show search engines that your site is credible.
But most startups don’t have the time (or appetite) for full-on link-building campaigns.
Here are some lower-effort ways to get solid links:
- Be a guest on podcasts — most include a link in the show notes
- Publish opinion pieces on tech blogs or startup media
- Launch on Product Hunt or BetaList — those often get picked up
- Share open-source tools, templates, or resources people actually want to link to
- Build integrations — platforms sometimes list you on their ecosystem pages
You can also list your product in high-trust directories:
- Crunchbase
- AngelList
- G2, Capterra (if relevant)
- StackShare
A few legit, relevant links will go much further than dozens of spammy ones.
6. Go Local or Niche Only If It Applies
If you’re a B2B SaaS product with a global audience, skip this.
But if your startup is tied to a specific city, region, or niche, there’s value in showing up locally.
For example:
- You’re building legal tech for NYC firms
- You run a local coworking space
- You’re part of a regional accelerator
In those cases, set up a Google Business Profile, get listed on credible local sites, and consider creating geo-targeted landing pages.
Otherwise, focus your efforts on industry-specific visibility — not geography.
7. Track What Actually Matters
Forget chasing vanity metrics like “visits” or “average time on site.”
Here’s what’s worth paying attention to:
- How many people found you through search (impressions)
- How many clicked (click-through rate)
- Which keywords brought them in — branded or not?
- Did they convert — sign up, request a demo, explore features?
- Are they bouncing or sticking around?
Look for signals of real intent. If your post about “Notion alternatives” gets a ton of traffic but no one signs up, something’s off. Maybe your pitch is unclear. Maybe the call to action is buried.
Use data to guide you — but always anchor it to behavior, not just numbers.
8. What to Avoid: Common SEO Mistakes
Last but not least — here are a few traps to dodge:
- Trying to rank one page for everything
- Repeating the same title tag across multiple pages
- Relying only on your brand name for traffic
- Not linking between your own pages
- Ignoring old content that still gets traffic
- Publishing generic “top tools” posts with no original angle
Also, don’t forget the technical stuff. One bad tag or a blocked robots file can kill your rankings — and you won’t know until it’s too late.
The Bottom Line
Startup SEO doesn’t need to be overwhelming. You just need to start with intention.
You’re not trying to rank for everything. You’re trying to get in front of the right people, at the right time, with the right message.
Here’s your first playbook:
- Make your site easy to load, read, and crawl
- Write content around real search intent
- Focus on a small group of keywords that actually matter
- Connect your pages with thoughtful internal links
- Let backlinks come naturally through visibility and value
Then keep going. One good page a week is better than ten half-baked ones.
Stick with it, and SEO becomes the engine running quietly in the background — bringing in users who are already looking for what you’ve built.
