Website SEO: How to Start SEO for a Small Website

Introduction — based on Reddit discussions

This article synthesizes advice shared by members of a long Reddit thread about how to begin website seo for a small website. I’ve summarized the consensus, noted where people disagreed, and expanded the conversation with expert guidance and prioritization so you get a clear, practical plan rather than a scattered set of tips.

Reddit consensus: where most people agreed

Across the discussion, a few themes kept coming up. These represent low-hanging fruit and foundational tasks almost everyone recommended:

Fix crawlability and tracking first — set up Google Search Console (GSC), Google Analytics (or GA4), and ensure your site can be crawled (robots.txt and sitemap.xml).
Run a technical audit — identify broken links, 404s, redirect issues, duplicate content, and slow pages. Tools like Screaming Frog, Search Console, and free site speed tests were commonly mentioned.
Start with a small set of realistic keywords — focus on a handful of buyer-intent keywords and local or long-tail phrases where competition is lower.
On-page basics matter — optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt text for your target keywords.
Content > tricks — create helpful, well-structured content that matches user intent. Many recommended long-form pages, FAQs, and structured content.

Points of disagreement from Reddit

Not all users agreed on the same tactics. The main areas of debate were:

Backlinks vs content-first — some argued backlinks still drive the majority of ranking power and you should do outreach early; others said without solid content and on-page SEO backlinks won’t stick.
Scale of keyword targeting — some recommended targeting dozens of keywords quickly; others suggested zeroing in on a few to prove traction before scaling.
Tools and paid vs free — some users pushed paid tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush) as essential; others shared many free approaches and DIY workflows.

Concrete, actionable steps to start website seo for a small site

Below is a pragmatic roadmap that incorporates the Reddit wisdom plus an expert-prioritized order so you know what to do first and why.

1) Setup and baseline tracking

Install Google Search Console and verify ownership.
Install Google Analytics / GA4 and link it to GSC.
Submit an XML sitemap in GSC and check index coverage to see what pages Google sees.

2) Quick technical audit (day 1–7)

Fixing technical issues unlocks everything else. Use a crawler (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or a free online scanner) and look for:

404s and broken links — set up 301 redirects.
Duplicate titles/meta descriptions — make them unique and descriptive.
Slow pages — optimize images, enable compression, use caching.
Mobile issues — test with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and resolve layout/viewport problems.
Schema markup — add basic structured data (Organization, Breadcrumb, FAQ) to help SERP visibility.

3) Keyword research and content mapping

Don’t chase every keyword. Use the following approach:

Create a list of core topics related to your product/service.
For each topic, find 5–10 long-tail keywords with intent you can serve (use Google Autocomplete, “People also ask”, or free keyword tools).
Map keywords to pages — each page should target 1 primary keyword and 3–5 related secondary keywords.

4) On-page optimization

Optimize title tags and meta descriptions to include target keywords and a clear value proposition.
Use H1 and H2 headings to structure content logically and include keywords naturally.
Optimize images (filename, alt text, compressed size).
Add internal links from authoritative pages on your site to the pages you want to rank.

5) Content strategy for small sites

Redditors recommended a mixture of evergreen pages and practical guides. For small sites, focus on:

High-intent service/product pages that convert.
Clustered blog content answering specific questions and linking to pillar pages.
Local or niche content if you serve a specific geographic or vertical audience.
Refreshing and expanding old content — improving an existing page can often yield faster results than creating new ones.

Low-cost link building and promotion tactics discussed on Reddit

Many Reddit users suggested creative and low-budget ways to get your first links:

Claim local citations and business listings (Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp).
Reach out for local or niche directories and partner sites for simple resource links.
Create linkable assets (how-to guides, templates, calculators) and promote them via relevant forums and social groups.
Use HARO or local press outreach for brand mentions and coverage.
Guest post sparingly on relevant, high-quality sites — prioritize relevance over volume.

What to measure and realistic timelines

Tracking progress helps you learn what works. Key metrics to monitor in the first 3–6 months:

Impressions and clicks from GSC — shows whether pages are surfacing in SERPs.
Organic sessions and bounce rate in GA4.
Keyword position movement for target terms (even simple manual checks).
Page load times and Core Web Vitals improvements.

Expect to see technical fixes and on-page changes reflected in a few days to weeks in GSC. Organic traffic and rankings for new content typically take 3–6 months to move meaningfully; competitive niches may take longer.

Common pitfalls Redditors warned about

Chasing vanity metrics (total backlinks, raw traffic) without focusing on conversion or intent.
Over-optimizing for exact-match keywords — write for users first.
Buying low-quality links that risk penalties — focus on relevance and quality.
Neglecting mobile and page speed — both directly affect rankings and user experience.

Expert Insight — Prioritization Framework

From experience, a simple Impact vs Effort matrix will save you time. Prioritize tasks that are low effort with high impact first:

High impact, low effort: fix broken redirects, submit sitemap, optimize title tags, compress images, add alt text, claim Google Business Profile.
High impact, high effort: build a content cluster, earn relevant backlinks, redesign slow templates.
Low impact, low effort: tweak meta descriptions on low-traffic pages (still useful), add minor internal links.
Low impact, high effort: broad guest post campaigns with low relevance, chasing extremely competitive keywords too early.

Do 80% of the foundational checklist first; then invest remaining effort into content and link-building campaigns.

Expert Insight — Simple Technical SEO Checklist

Before heavy content creation, ensure these are complete:

Robots.txt allows crawling and sitemap is referenced.
Noindex tags are only on pages you intend to hide (test staging sites!).
Canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues.
HTTPS sitewide with valid certificate.
Fast Time to First Byte (TTFB) and optimized images (serve WebP where possible).
Structured data for key page types (articles, products, local business).

Putting it together: a 90-day starter plan

Day 1–7: Setup GSC & GA4, submit sitemap, run a tech crawl, fix critical errors.
Week 2–4: Keyword mapping, optimize top 10 pages (titles, headings, images), claim local listings.
Month 2: Publish 4–6 targeted content pieces (long-tail, how-to, FAQ), internal link to product/service pages.
Month 3: Begin link outreach for your best assets, monitor GSC for ranking improvements, iterate on content based on queries and engagement.

Final Takeaway

For most small websites, the fastest wins come from fixing technical issues, focusing on a small set of well-targeted keywords, and publishing user-focused content that answers real questions. Backlinks matter, but they’re most effective when your content and on-page foundations are solid. Use free tools where possible, prioritize high-impact fixes first, and expect steady progress over months rather than days.

Read the full Reddit discussion here.