Search Engine Optimization

SEO Best Practices for New Websites

Q: How do I get my new website indexed quickly?

Remove any noindex or blocking in robots.txt, submit your XML sitemap in Google Search Console, use URL Inspection to request indexing for priority pages, and add internal links from your homepage and related pages.

Q: Which pages are essential at launch for SEO?

Home, About, Contact, individual Service pages, a Services overview, a Blog hub with at least one pillar and 2–3 clusters, and Privacy/Terms. Add Location pages and Case studies if relevant.

Q: How should I choose and map keywords for a new site?

Start from customer problems and competitor pages, then confirm with search volume. Map one primary keyword per URL with a few related secondary terms and avoid keyword cannibalization.

Q: What’s the right URL structure for a new website?

Use short, lowercase, hyphen-separated slugs with consistent trailing slash behavior, avoid dates in evergreen posts, and enforce a single host (www or non-www) with 301 redirects.

Q: Can I change URLs later without hurting SEO?

Yes—with 301 redirects from old to new URLs, updated internal links and sitemaps, and by avoiding redirect chains. Monitor 404s and indexing in Search Console.

Q: Which structured data should I add on day one?

Organization, WebSite (with SearchAction if applicable), BreadcrumbList, and Article. Use FAQPage for FAQ sections and LocalBusiness for local services. Validate with Rich Results Test.

Q: How do I optimize images and media for SEO?

Serve AVIF or WebP with responsive srcset, include width and height attributes, write descriptive alt text, compress assets, and lazy-load below-the-fold media.

Q: What should I track in the first 90 days?

In Search Console: Coverage, Performance (queries, CTR), and Core Web Vitals. In GA4: conversions such as form submissions, WhatsApp and phone clicks, and engaged sessions.

Q: How often should I publish to build momentum?

Aim for 1–2 posts per week clustered around pillar topics, refresh content every 60–90 days based on Search Console data, and interlink posts with pillars and service pages.

By Marketing Team • 14 August 25

SEO best practices playbook for new websites by Seelan Graphics

Launching a new website? Use this end-to-end SEO playbook to get discovered by search engines—and by the audience that matters. From technical setup to content strategy, structured data, and performance, this guide helps you launch right and grow faster.

Tip: The examples below use seelangraphics.com. Adjust to your stack and deployment. Submit this URL to Google Search Console after publishing.

Foundation: Site Structure, Indexing, and Crawl Control
On‑Page SEO Essentials
Structured Data and Rich Results
Performance and Core Web Vitals
Analytics, Search Console, and Tracking
Content Strategy: Pillars, Clusters, and a 90‑Day Calendar
Internal Linking and Navigation
Off‑Page: Links, Citations, and PR
International and Local SEO
Pre‑Launch and Post‑Launch Checklists
FAQ

1) Foundation: Site Structure, Indexing, and Crawl Control

Information architecture with pillar pages and clusters — Pillar pages (broad topics) link to focused clusters; clusters link back up and across.

Choose a primary domain and stick to it (prefer www or non‑www, then 301 redirect the other).
Enforce HTTPS site‑wide.
Keep URLs short, lowercase, hyphen‑separated. Example: /services/branding/ not /Services/Branding?id=12
Use a shallow structure: homepage → pillar → cluster → article.

robots.txt

User-agent: *
Disallow: /cart/
Disallow: /checkout/
Disallow: /search?
Allow: /
Sitemap: https://www.seelangraphics.com/sitemap.xml

XML Sitemap

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<urlset xmlns="http://www.sitemaps.org/schemas/sitemap/0.9">
  <url><loc>https://www.seelangraphics.com/</loc><lastmod>2025-08-14</lastmod></url>
  <url><loc>https://www.seelangraphics.com/blogs/</loc><lastmod>2025-08-14</lastmod></url>
  <url><loc>https://www.seelangraphics.com/blogs/seo-best-practices-for-new-websites/</loc><lastmod>2025-08-14</lastmod></url>
</urlset>

Force HTTPS and one host (choose one)

Apache (.htaccess)

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on [OR]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^seelangraphics\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.seelangraphics.com/$1 [R=301,L]

Nginx

server {
  listen 80;
  server_name seelangraphics.com www.seelangraphics.com;
  return 301 https://www.seelangraphics.com$request_uri;
}

2) On‑Page SEO Essentials

Quick reference: On‑page elements

Element	Recommendation	Notes
Meta Title	50–60 chars	Primary keyword near start, brand at end
Meta Description	140–160 chars	Benefit‑led, action verb, secondary keyword
H1	1 per page	Human‑readable, not stuffed
H2–H3	Logical outline	Use related entities/topics
URL	3–5 words	Lowercase, hyphens
Alt Text	5–12 words	Describe image purpose/context
Internal Links	3–8 per page	Use descriptive anchors
Word Count	As needed	Depth over length; answer user intent fully

Example head markup

<head>
  <title>Affordable Branding Services for Startups | Seelan Graphics</title>
  <meta name="description" content="Logo design, brand strategy, and identity systems that help startups stand out and grow. Get a custom brand in 2–3 weeks." />
  <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.seelangraphics.com/services/branding/" />
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
  <meta name="robots" content="index,follow" />
  <meta property="og:type" content="website" />
  <meta property="og:title" content="Affordable Branding Services for Startups" />
  <meta property="og:description" content="Logo design, brand strategy, and identity systems that help startups stand out." />
  <meta property="og:image" content="https://www.seelangraphics.com/metatagImage.webp" />
</head>

Content framework for new pages

Open with a clear promise + who it’s for.
Answer the top 3 search intents within the first 300 words.
Add a scannable H2/H3 outline, images/diagrams, and a clear CTA.
Include FAQs that mirror “People Also Ask”.

Title earns the click; description sets expectations; URL reassures relevance.

3) Structured Data and Rich Results (JSON‑LD)

Add JSON‑LD via your theme/head where possible, then validate with Google’s Rich Results Test. Below are common patterns you can reuse.

Organization

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"Organization",
  "name":"Seelan Graphics",
  "url":"https://www.seelangraphics.com",
  "logo":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/assets/Logo_a1-BHmIMXeN.webp",
  "sameAs":[
    "https://www.instagram.com/seelangraphics/",
    "https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61561991840263",
    "https://www.youtube.com/@SeelanGraphicCompassPvtLtd",
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/seelan-graphic-compass-pvt-ltd",
    "https://jsdl.in/RSL-JFV1744289662"
  ]
}
</script>

Website + SearchAction (optional if you have on‑site search)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"WebSite",
  "url":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/",
  "name":"Seelan Graphics",
  "potentialAction":{
    "@type":"SearchAction",
    "target":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/search?q={search_term_string}",
    "query-input":"required name=search_term_string"
  }
}
</script>

Breadcrumbs

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement":[
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/"},
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blogs","item":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/blogs/"},
    {"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"SEO Best Practices for New Websites","item":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/blogs/seo-best-practices-for-new-websites/"}
  ]
}
</script>

Article

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"Article",
  "headline":"SEO Best Practices for New Websites",
  "author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Marketing Team"},
  "datePublished":"2025-08-14",
  "image":["https://www.seelangraphics.com/metatagImage.webp"],
  "mainEntityOfPage":"https://www.seelangraphics.com/blogs/seo-best-practices-for-new-websites/"
}
</script>

FAQ (rich results)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context":"https://schema.org",
  "@type":"FAQPage",
  "mainEntity":[
    {"@type":"Question","name":"How long does SEO take for a new site?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Early traction in 4–8 weeks; compounding growth in 3–6 months with consistent content and links."}},
    {"@type":"Question","name":"Do I need both a sitemap and robots.txt?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. robots.txt guides crawlers; the sitemap lists canonical URLs you want indexed."}}
  ]
}
</script>

4) Performance and Core Web Vitals

Aim for: LCP < 2.5s • CLS < 0.1 • INP < 200ms

Metric	Pass Threshold	What to fix
LCP	< 2.5s	Compress hero image, preload font/hero, reduce server TTFB
CLS	< 0.1	Reserve image/ads space, avoid layout shifts
INP	< 200ms	Reduce JS, defer non‑critical, limit heavy third‑parties

Preconnect and Preload

<link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin>
<link rel="preload" as="image" href="https://www.seelangraphics.com/metatagImage.webp" imagesizes="100vw">

Responsive images (picture)

<picture>
  <source type="image/avif" srcset="/images/hero-800.avif 800w, /images/hero-1600.avif 1600w" sizes="100vw">
  <source type="image/webp" srcset="/images/hero-800.webp 800w, /images/hero-1600.webp 1600w" sizes="100vw">
  <img src="/images/hero-1600.jpg" alt="Creative team planning website SEO roadmap" width="1600" height="900" loading="lazy" decoding="async" style="width:100%;height:auto;border-radius:12px">
</picture>

Lazy‑load images with IntersectionObserver

<script>
document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',function(){
  if('IntersectionObserver' in window){
    const imgs=[...document.querySelectorAll('img[data-src]')];
    const io=new IntersectionObserver(entries=>{
      entries.forEach(e=>{
        if(e.isIntersecting){
          const img=e.target;
          img.src=img.dataset.src;
          img.removeAttribute('data-src');
          io.unobserve(img);
        }
      });
    });
    imgs.forEach(img=>io.observe(img));
  }
});
</script>

Minify critical CSS, defer non‑critical JS

<link rel="preload" href="/assets/critical.css" as="style" onload="this.onload=null;this.rel='stylesheet'">
<noscript><link rel="stylesheet" href="/assets/critical.css"></noscript>
<script defer src="/assets/app.js"></script>

5) Analytics, Search Console, and Tracking

Search Console verification (HTML tag)

<meta name="google-site-verification" content="YOUR_TOKEN_HERE" />

GA4 gtag (site‑wide)

<script async src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-XXXXXXX"></script>
<script>
window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || [];
function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);}
gtag('js', new Date());
gtag('config', 'G-XXXXXXX', { anonymize_ip: true });
</script>

Track key events (CTA clicks)

<script>
document.addEventListener('click',function(e){
  const a=e.target.closest('a.cta, a.btn');
  if(a && typeof gtag === 'function'){
    gtag('event','cta_click',{label:a.textContent,location:window.location.pathname});
  }
});
</script>

6) Content Strategy: Pillars, Clusters, and a 90‑Day Calendar

Pillar → Cluster example for a design/marketing site

Pillar: “Website SEO for Small Businesses”
- Cluster: “Keyword Research Basics”
- Cluster: “On‑Page SEO Checklist”
- Cluster: “Image SEO (Alt, Formats, Compression)”
- Cluster: “Technical SEO for Non‑Developers”
- Cluster: “Local SEO for Service Brands”

Keyword mapping template (example)

URL	Primary KW	Secondary KWs	Search Intent	Notes
/blogs/seo-best-practices-for-new-websites/	seo best practices	new website seo, launch seo checklist	Informational	Long‑form guide
/services/seo/	seo services	technical seo, local seo services	Transactional	Service page
/blogs/keyword-research/	keyword research	keyword tools, search intent	Informational	Tutorial

90‑Day publishing plan

Week	Focus	Deliverables
1–2	Foundation	About, Services, 1 Pillar, 1 Cluster, set GSC/GA4
3–4	Depth	2 Clusters, 1 case study, internal linking
5–6	Expertise	Add FAQs, update pillar, guest post outreach
7–8	Authority	2 Clusters, 1 downloadable guide/lead magnet
9–10	Optimization	Refresh metadata, add schema, speed tweaks
11–12	Scale	3 Clusters, start email capture flow

7) Internal Linking and Navigation

Use descriptive anchors: “brand strategy pricing” not “click here”.
Link down (pillar → cluster), up (cluster → pillar), and across (cluster ↔ cluster).
Add related content blocks around 60% scroll depth.

8) Off‑Page: Links, Citations, PR

Secure foundational links: social profiles, design directories, local citations.
Publish data or visuals people quote (original stats, templates, checklists).
Pitch relevant podcasts and newsletters with a unique angle.
Avoid spammy link exchanges or paid link schemes.

9) International and Local SEO

hreflang (multi‑region/multi‑language)

<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.seelangraphics.com/" hreflang="en" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.seelangraphics.com/in/" hreflang="en-IN" />
<link rel="alternate" href="https://www.seelangraphics.com/" hreflang="x-default" />

Google Business Profile (local)

Consistent NAP across site and citations.
Add categories, services, photos, and Q&A.
Use UTM on website and appointment links.

11) FAQ — SEO for New Websites

How do I get my new website indexed quickly?

Remove any noindex/meta robots blocking and allow crawling in robots.txt.
Generate and submit your XML sitemap in Google Search Console (GSC).
Use “URL Inspection” in GSC and click “Request indexing” for priority pages.
Link new pages from your homepage/nav and related pages to help discovery.
Avoid staging/demo URLs being crawled; block or password‑protect them.

Which pages are essential at launch for SEO?

Home, About, Contact
Service pages (one page per core service) + a Services overview
Blog hub (/blogs/) + 1 pillar article + 2–3 cluster posts
Privacy Policy, Terms (trust + compliance)
Optional: Location pages (if local), Case studies/Portfolio

How should I choose and map keywords for a new site?

Start with customer problems and competitor pages; confirm with search volume.
Map one primary keyword per URL; add 2–4 closely related secondary terms.
Prioritize bottom‑of‑funnel terms for service pages and long‑tail queries for early blog wins.
Avoid keyword cannibalization by ensuring each page has a distinct intent.

What’s the right URL structure for a new website?

Short, lowercase, hyphen‑separated (e.g., /blogs/seo-best-practices/).
Choose trailing slash or not—and be consistent.
Avoid dates in blog slugs if content is evergreen.
Pick one host (www or non‑www) and 301 redirect the other.

Can I change URLs later without hurting SEO?

Yes—add 301 redirects from old to new URLs and update all internal links.
Update the XML sitemap and canonicals; avoid redirect chains.
Monitor 404s and coverage in GSC after the change.

Which structured data should I add on day one?

Organization, WebSite (with SearchAction if you have site search), and BreadcrumbList.
Article for posts and service pages (where applicable); FAQPage for FAQs.
If you serve locally, add LocalBusiness on your Contact/Location page.
Validate using Google’s Rich Results Test.

How do I optimize images and media for SEO?

Use modern formats (AVIF/WebP), responsive srcset, and width/height to prevent layout shift.
Write descriptive, purpose‑led alt text; compress to the smallest acceptable size.
Lazy‑load below‑the‑fold assets and preload the hero image if it’s your LCP element.

What should I track in the first 90 days?

GSC: Coverage (errors/warnings), Performance (queries, CTR), Core Web Vitals.
GA4: Conversions (form submits, WhatsApp/phone clicks), engaged sessions, top landing pages.
Links: Foundational citations/profiles and relevant partner/industry links.

How often should I publish to build momentum?

Target 1–2 quality posts per week, clustered around your pillar topics.
Refresh/expand existing content every 60–90 days based on GSC query data.
Interlink new posts to pillar pages and relevant service pages.

Seelan Graphic Compass Pvt Ltd

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