{"id":18426,"date":"2025-11-09T21:36:06","date_gmt":"2025-11-09T21:36:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/"},"modified":"2025-11-09T21:36:06","modified_gmt":"2025-11-09T21:36:06","slug":"website-seo-reddit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/","title":{"rendered":"Website SEO: How to Start SEO for a Small Website"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Introduction_%E2%80%94_based_on_Reddit_discussions\" >Introduction \u2014 based on Reddit discussions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Reddit_consensus_where_most_people_agreed\" >Reddit consensus: where most people agreed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Points_of_disagreement_from_Reddit\" >Points of disagreement from Reddit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Concrete_actionable_steps_to_start_website_seo_for_a_small_site\" >Concrete, actionable steps to start website seo for a small site<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#1_Setup_and_baseline_tracking\" >1) Setup and baseline tracking<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#2_Quick_technical_audit_day_1%E2%80%937\" >2) Quick technical audit (day 1\u20137)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#3_Keyword_research_and_content_mapping\" >3) Keyword research and content mapping<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#4_On-page_optimization\" >4) On-page optimization<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#5_Content_strategy_for_small_sites\" >5) Content strategy for small sites<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Low-cost_link_building_and_promotion_tactics_discussed_on_Reddit\" >Low-cost link building and promotion tactics discussed on Reddit<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#What_to_measure_and_realistic_timelines\" >What to measure and realistic timelines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Common_pitfalls_Redditors_warned_about\" >Common pitfalls Redditors warned about<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Expert_Insight_%E2%80%94_Prioritization_Framework\" >Expert Insight \u2014 Prioritization Framework<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Expert_Insight_%E2%80%94_Simple_Technical_SEO_Checklist\" >Expert Insight \u2014 Simple Technical SEO Checklist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Putting_it_together_a_90-day_starter_plan\" >Putting it together: a 90-day starter plan<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/website-seo-reddit\/#Final_Takeaway\" >Final Takeaway<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_%E2%80%94_based_on_Reddit_discussions\"><\/span>Introduction \u2014 based on Reddit discussions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>This article synthesizes advice shared by members of a long Reddit thread about how to begin <strong>website seo<\/strong> for a small website. I\u2019ve 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.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reddit_consensus_where_most_people_agreed\"><\/span>Reddit consensus: where most people agreed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Across the discussion, a few themes kept coming up. These represent low-hanging fruit and foundational tasks almost everyone recommended:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Fix crawlability and tracking first<\/strong> \u2014 set up Google Search Console (GSC), Google Analytics (or GA4), and ensure your site can be crawled (robots.txt and sitemap.xml).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Run a technical audit<\/strong> \u2014 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.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Start with a small set of realistic keywords<\/strong> \u2014 focus on a handful of buyer-intent keywords and local or long-tail phrases where competition is lower.<\/li>\n<li><strong>On-page basics matter<\/strong> \u2014 optimize title tags, meta descriptions, headings, and image alt text for your target keywords.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content &gt; tricks<\/strong> \u2014 create helpful, well-structured content that matches user intent. Many recommended long-form pages, FAQs, and structured content.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Points_of_disagreement_from_Reddit\"><\/span>Points of disagreement from Reddit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Not all users agreed on the same tactics. The main areas of debate were:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Backlinks vs content-first<\/strong> \u2014 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\u2019t stick.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Scale of keyword targeting<\/strong> \u2014 some recommended targeting dozens of keywords quickly; others suggested zeroing in on a few to prove traction before scaling.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tools and paid vs free<\/strong> \u2014 some users pushed paid tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush) as essential; others shared many free approaches and DIY workflows.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Concrete_actionable_steps_to_start_website_seo_for_a_small_site\"><\/span>Concrete, actionable steps to start website seo for a small site<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Below is a pragmatic roadmap that incorporates the Reddit wisdom plus an expert-prioritized order so you know what to do first and why.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Setup_and_baseline_tracking\"><\/span>1) Setup and baseline tracking<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Install Google Search Console and verify ownership.<\/li>\n<li>Install Google Analytics \/ GA4 and link it to GSC.<\/li>\n<li>Submit an XML sitemap in GSC and check index coverage to see what pages Google sees.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Quick_technical_audit_day_1%E2%80%937\"><\/span>2) Quick technical audit (day 1\u20137)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Fixing technical issues unlocks everything else. Use a crawler (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or a free online scanner) and look for:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>404s and broken links \u2014 set up 301 redirects.<\/li>\n<li>Duplicate titles\/meta descriptions \u2014 make them unique and descriptive.<\/li>\n<li>Slow pages \u2014 optimize images, enable compression, use caching.<\/li>\n<li>Mobile issues \u2014 test with Google\u2019s Mobile-Friendly Test and resolve layout\/viewport problems.<\/li>\n<li>Schema markup \u2014 add basic structured data (Organization, Breadcrumb, FAQ) to help SERP visibility.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Keyword_research_and_content_mapping\"><\/span>3) Keyword research and content mapping<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t chase every keyword. Use the following approach:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create a list of core topics related to your product\/service.<\/li>\n<li>For each topic, find 5\u201310 long-tail keywords with intent you can serve (use Google Autocomplete, &#8220;People also ask&#8221;, or free keyword tools).<\/li>\n<li>Map keywords to pages \u2014 each page should target 1 primary keyword and 3\u20135 related secondary keywords.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_On-page_optimization\"><\/span>4) On-page optimization<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Optimize title tags and meta descriptions to include target keywords and a clear value proposition.<\/li>\n<li>Use H1 and H2 headings to structure content logically and include keywords naturally.<\/li>\n<li>Optimize images (filename, alt text, compressed size).<\/li>\n<li>Add internal links from authoritative pages on your site to the pages you want to rank.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Content_strategy_for_small_sites\"><\/span>5) Content strategy for small sites<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Redditors recommended a mixture of evergreen pages and practical guides. For small sites, focus on:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High-intent service\/product pages that convert.<\/li>\n<li>Clustered blog content answering specific questions and linking to pillar pages.<\/li>\n<li>Local or niche content if you serve a specific geographic or vertical audience.<\/li>\n<li>Refreshing and expanding old content \u2014 improving an existing page can often yield faster results than creating new ones.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Low-cost_link_building_and_promotion_tactics_discussed_on_Reddit\"><\/span>Low-cost link building and promotion tactics discussed on Reddit<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Many Reddit users suggested creative and low-budget ways to get your first links:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Claim local citations and business listings (Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Yelp).<\/li>\n<li>Reach out for local or niche directories and partner sites for simple resource links.<\/li>\n<li>Create linkable assets (how-to guides, templates, calculators) and promote them via relevant forums and social groups.<\/li>\n<li>Use HARO or local press outreach for brand mentions and coverage.<\/li>\n<li>Guest post sparingly on relevant, high-quality sites \u2014 prioritize relevance over volume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_to_measure_and_realistic_timelines\"><\/span>What to measure and realistic timelines<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Tracking progress helps you learn what works. Key metrics to monitor in the first 3\u20136 months:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Impressions and clicks from GSC \u2014 shows whether pages are surfacing in SERPs.<\/li>\n<li>Organic sessions and bounce rate in GA4.<\/li>\n<li>Keyword position movement for target terms (even simple manual checks).<\/li>\n<li>Page load times and Core Web Vitals improvements.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>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\u20136 months to move meaningfully; competitive niches may take longer.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_pitfalls_Redditors_warned_about\"><\/span>Common pitfalls Redditors warned about<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Chasing vanity metrics (total backlinks, raw traffic) without focusing on conversion or intent.<\/li>\n<li>Over-optimizing for exact-match keywords \u2014 write for users first.<\/li>\n<li>Buying low-quality links that risk penalties \u2014 focus on relevance and quality.<\/li>\n<li>Neglecting mobile and page speed \u2014 both directly affect rankings and user experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expert_Insight_%E2%80%94_Prioritization_Framework\"><\/span>Expert Insight \u2014 Prioritization Framework<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>From experience, a simple Impact vs Effort matrix will save you time. Prioritize tasks that are low effort with high impact first:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>High impact, low effort: fix broken redirects, submit sitemap, optimize title tags, compress images, add alt text, claim Google Business Profile.<\/li>\n<li>High impact, high effort: build a content cluster, earn relevant backlinks, redesign slow templates.<\/li>\n<li>Low impact, low effort: tweak meta descriptions on low-traffic pages (still useful), add minor internal links.<\/li>\n<li>Low impact, high effort: broad guest post campaigns with low relevance, chasing extremely competitive keywords too early.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Do 80% of the foundational checklist first; then invest remaining effort into content and link-building campaigns.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Expert_Insight_%E2%80%94_Simple_Technical_SEO_Checklist\"><\/span>Expert Insight \u2014 Simple Technical SEO Checklist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before heavy content creation, ensure these are complete:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Robots.txt allows crawling and sitemap is referenced.<\/li>\n<li>Noindex tags are only on pages you intend to hide (test staging sites!).<\/li>\n<li>Canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues.<\/li>\n<li>HTTPS sitewide with valid certificate.<\/li>\n<li>Fast Time to First Byte (TTFB) and optimized images (serve WebP where possible).<\/li>\n<li>Structured data for key page types (articles, products, local business).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Putting_it_together_a_90-day_starter_plan\"><\/span>Putting it together: a 90-day starter plan<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Day 1\u20137: Setup GSC &amp; GA4, submit sitemap, run a tech crawl, fix critical errors.<\/li>\n<li>Week 2\u20134: Keyword mapping, optimize top 10 pages (titles, headings, images), claim local listings.<\/li>\n<li>Month 2: Publish 4\u20136 targeted content pieces (long-tail, how-to, FAQ), internal link to product\/service pages.<\/li>\n<li>Month 3: Begin link outreach for your best assets, monitor GSC for ranking improvements, iterate on content based on queries and engagement.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Takeaway\"><\/span>Final Takeaway<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>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\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n<p><em>Read the full Reddit discussion <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/SEO\/comments\/1b19i20\/how_do_i_start_seo_for_a_small_website\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Introduction \u2014 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\u2019ve 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[37],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-18426","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-seo"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18426","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18426"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18426\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18426"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18426"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rankz.co\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18426"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}