{"id":136651,"date":"2021-11-11T11:00:48","date_gmt":"2021-11-11T16:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=136651"},"modified":"2025-07-21T10:56:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T15:56:11","slug":"seo-for-startups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-for-startups\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO for Startups: 9 Steps to Grow on a Budget"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p><div class=\"intro-txt\">Startup SEO is about attracting valuable search traffic by making a startup\u2019s website more visible for relevant keywords on Google and other search engines.<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Startups should invest in SEO to gain free organic traffic which can compound and scale over time, offering a cost-effective alternative to paid advertising.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO costs vary, from expensive agencies to the more affordable and definitely viable DIY approach, which we\u2019ll focus on in this guide. I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll find that learning SEO isn\u2019t overly complex and doesn\u2019t require special skills such as coding. Plus, there are many online resources to learn from, even free ones like this&nbsp;guide.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To do SEO effectively, startups need to follow&nbsp;<span style=\"box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">the eight key steps outlined in this article. These include <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-buy-in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">getting buy-in for this SEO strategy<\/a>, <\/span>keyword research, content creation, and link building.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A critical component to the success of this strategy is the commitment to long-term goals. SEO can get your site ranking for some keywords in a matter of days, but on average, it takes 3 - 6 months to see the effects of this strategy. That\u2019s the trade-off for free, passive traffic, so the sooner you start, the better.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I have worked with several startups and seen what success, failure, and missing out on SEO look like. I\u2019ve also had the opportunity to see how a 9-figure ARR company grows thanks to this strategy (and be a small part of it as well). So if you\u2019re interested in SEO, I think you will find this guide a great&nbsp;start.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Why should startups invest in SEO?\" data-section=\"1-why-should-startups-invest-in-seo\">\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why should startups invest in&nbsp;SEO?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you still have doubts about <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/is-seo-worth-it\/\">whether SEO is suitable for you<\/a> or need some data to support your SEO plan, here are three reasons to do SEO in a startup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 1. Because of the macro&nbsp;trend<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2014, Google and Millward Brown Digital <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thinkwithgoogle.com\/consumer-insights\/consumer-trends\/the-changing-face-b2b-marketing\/\">conducted a study<\/a>&nbsp;on the research and purchase habits among B2B decision-makers. That study revealed that 71% of B2B researchers start their research with a generic search (instead of a branded search).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Google itself said, \u201cThey\u2019re looking for [a] product first, not for&nbsp;you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 2. Because people are searching for what you&nbsp;do<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if your product is really niche, people are likely still searching for it in one way or another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, take something like animal-free dairy (real product category). While there may be little search demand for \u201canimal-free dairy\u201d (because this is a new concept), there is tangible demand for related searches like \u201cvegan,\u201d \u201clactose free,\u201d or \u201clow lactose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-keywords.png\" alt=\"List of keywords with corresponding volume\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reason 3. Because you can get free organic traffic and scale&nbsp;it<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>We currently get about 1.1M monthly visits from search engines alone. If we had to buy that traffic using PPC ads, it\u2019d cost us an estimated $2M per&nbsp;month:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/2-ahrefs-organic-traffic.png\" alt=\"Data on Ahrefs' monthly organic traffic and traffic value\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>So while SEO is never truly free because you have to invest in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-creation\/\">content creation<\/a>&nbsp;and optimization, you don\u2019t need to pay for every user and every visit\u2014unlike with&nbsp;ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to do SEO for startups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n<p>Follow these eight steps to start doing SEO in your startup the right&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 1. Get buy-in\" data-section=\"step-1-get-buy-in\">&nbsp;\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1. Get buy-in<\/h3>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Who do you need to convince to start doing SEO in your startup? The CMO, CFO, CEO, investors, your marketing team, or maybe yourself? Whoever it is, it all boils down to improving the bottom line,&nbsp;right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, SEO is an investment that won\u2019t pay for itself overnight. It takes time to do <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">keyword research<\/a>, create content, and promote it. It even takes time for Google or any search engine to crawl and index your content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But SEO can pay off unlike anything else, and Ahrefs is living proof of that. We\u2019re an eight-figure ARR company with a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-strategy\/\">marketing strategy<\/a>&nbsp;built upon SEO content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the person you need to convince is interested in marketing, an excellent way to get buy-in is to start with the benefits of&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can explain the benefits of SEO by illustrating the marketing tactics that it fuels, mainly <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-marketing-for-startups\/\">content marketing<\/a>. Content marketing serves many different purposes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creates awareness and attracts potential customers<\/li>\n<li>Helps engage your audience and build credibility<\/li>\n<li>Helps convert customers<\/li>\n<li>Helps you build loyalty and retention<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Content marketing also has compounding results, as I\u2019ve already mentioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, if you use SEO to create content, the attribution of SEO will touch every phase of the <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/marketing-funnels\/\">marketing funnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you need to convince someone who only cares for the impact on the company\u2019s revenue\u2014that\u2019s OK too. You just need to speak that person\u2019s language, e.g., use a chart that visualizes the break-even point of your investment:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/3-breakeven-point.png\" alt=\"Chart showing projected break-even for SEO investment happens in month 12\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/justifying-seo\/\">How to Convince Your Boss to Invest in&nbsp;SEO<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 2. Set goals and get resources\" data-section=\"step-2-set-goals-and-get-resources\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2. Set goals and get resources<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you already have a green light for SEO, it\u2019s time for the next step: set your goals and prepare resources for the&nbsp;trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to set SEO&nbsp;goals<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The ultimate goal of SEO is to reach prospective users through organic search and convert them into customers. But this is a top-level goal, and it\u2019s quite hard to work with because it doesn\u2019t tell you how you will get&nbsp;there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A much more efficient approach is to divide your grand, top-level goal into smaller \u201cbites\u201d that can get you closer to the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can envision your SEO goals as a pyramid, with the outcome at the top and smaller goals that lead there at lower levels. The idea is to start at the bottom and work your way&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, let\u2019s say your goal is to rank in the top three for a keyword in six months. The goal pyramid for this outcome could look something like&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/4-seo-goal.jpg\" alt=\"Pyramid split into 3 sections. Outcome at the top, then performance, then process. \"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As you can see, we dissected something that cannot be done by one single action (ranking higher for a keyword) into smaller, doable tasks that have a high chance of influencing the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Equally important to setting smaller, doable steps is defining how you will measure them. In the above example, we\u2019re using Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>&nbsp;to measure how many backlinks we&nbsp;get.<\/p>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-goals\/\">How<\/a><em><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-goals\/\"> to Set the Right SEO Goals with 3 Examples<\/a><\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Resources you\u2019ll need<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Resources mean costs, and startups need to be careful about them. While SEO doesn\u2019t require any ad budget or super expensive tools, this is not a costless process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO needs these things in order to&nbsp;work:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Research<\/li>\n<li>Optimized content<\/li>\n<li>Backlinks<\/li>\n<li>Measurement tools<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re a team of one with no budget for building a team or outsourcing, there is no other way besides learning all those things and doing the work yourself on top of anything else you\u2019re currently doing. But no worries. With the right advice, prioritization, and tools, this is doable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If your startup has a budget for an SEO-related role, here are your options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Hire someone with all the above skills <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong> They are either superstars or people who just owned various marketing operations, possibly in another startup. Superstars will probably be outside your budget, but the latter should be quite possible to find. After all, content marketing and SEO are closely related.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hire someone who has experience in writing and an interest in SEO <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Then give them some time to learn SEO on the job. There are many excellent learning materials online, like our completely free <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\">Ahrefs Academy<\/a>&nbsp;or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/\">this very blog<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hire someone with some success in SEO and give them the ability to outsource <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;An experienced SEO professional should be able to create a content strategy. Still, they may need the ability to outsource parts of the process (like content creation or link building) to move&nbsp;fast.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Next stop:&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately for startups, there are a lot of free and freemium tools in the SEO realm. We\u2019ve already gathered a list of the 45 best ones in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/free-seo-tools\/\">this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With SEO tools in a startup, you basically have two options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Go with free tools (as far as you can) <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;You can do a lot with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/free-seo-tools\">free SEO tools<\/a>, as I will show you in this guide. The caveat here is that you will have to use different tools with different workflows, and data will always be limited.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Try different premium SEO tools <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Once you\u2019ve done so,&nbsp;upgrade to the one that suits you the most. If you include those early in the process of implementing SEO, you\u2019ll have premium data and premium features that will help you (and your team) work more efficiently right from the&nbsp;start.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 3. Get your technical SEO in order\" data-section=\"step-3-get-your-technical-seo-in-order\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3. Get your technical SEO in&nbsp;order<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Technical SEO is the process of optimizing your website to help search engines like Google find, crawl, understand, and index your pages. Unless Google can do all of the above things, the chances of ranking are slim to&nbsp;none.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tl;dr, beginner-friendly answer to technical SEO is this: fix the issues that a tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs Webmaster Tools<\/a>&nbsp;(AWT) will bring to your attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the many functions of AWT is monitoring your website\u2019s health for over 100 SEO issues, including technical ones. If Google or any other search engine has a potential problem with crawling and indexing your website, AWT will usually let you&nbsp;know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, it may find that there are pages with a noindex tag stopping search engines from indexing them. When you click on that problem in your report, you\u2019ll get an explanation of what it means and how to fix&nbsp;it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/5-noindex-tag.png\" alt=\"Page showing &quot;Noindex&quot; meta tag issue and explanation of how to fix it\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>To complement AWT, we\u2019ve got an entire section in our <a href=\"https:\/\/help.ahrefs.com\/en\/collections\/87920-site-audit\">knowledge base<\/a>&nbsp;dedicated to understanding SEO issues and fixing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another cool thing about AWT is that even if you forget to check your website\u2019s health regularly, you will get regular emails (like the one below) that show the status of errors:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/6-site-audit-email.png\" alt=\"List of status of errors\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<\/div>\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/technical-seo\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/technical-seo\/\">Technical SEO: The Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 4. Do keyword research\" data-section=\"step-4-do-keyword-research\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4. Do keyword research<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Keyword research is where you find what your target customers are searching for in Google, then analyze and compare those terms to prioritize the best opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn how to do that in our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/keyword-research\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/keyword-research\/\">beginner\u2019s guide to keyword research<\/a>. But as most startups have little to no \u201cauthority\u201d and brand equity, we recommend initially targeting low-competition keywords that you can rank for without many backlinks or high website authority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, for example, pet insurance startups will likely have a hard time ranking for a keyword like \u201cpet insurance\u201d because the #1 SERP (search engine result page) is dominated by pages with lots of backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our Keyword Difficulty (KD) score suggests that you\u2019ll need backlinks from about 932 websites to rank in the top&nbsp;10:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/7-keyword-difficulty.png\" alt=\"KD score of 92 for keyword &quot;pet insurance&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>But within that broad topic, you can find low-competition keywords like \u201cfrench bulldog pet insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/8-low-competition-keyword.png\" alt=\"KD score of 9 for keyword &quot;french bulldog pet insurance&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You can find low-competition keywords at scale using a keyword research tool like Ahrefs\u2019<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">&nbsp;Keywords Explorer<\/a>. Just enter a topic there, go to the <strong>Matching terms <\/strong>report, and set your KD to max&nbsp;20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result, for a \u201cseed\u201d keyword like \u201cpet insurance,\u201d you\u2019ll get 426 <strong>potential <\/strong>low-competition keyword ideas you can create content for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/9-keywords-explorer.png\" alt=\"Matching terms report results for keyword &quot;pet insurance&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Note that these are your potential keyword ideas because you need to consider a few more factors before finally selecting a keyword\u2014e.g., search intent, competitors\u2019 brand equity, and traffic potential. We explain how to assess those factors in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/low-competition-keywords\/\">our guide to finding low-competition keywords<\/a>&nbsp;and in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=s7hR-i6Go4c\">this video<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beyond this, you can also take inspiration from your competitors\u2019 low-competition keywords.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s how to find those in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Enter a competitor\u2019s domain<\/li>\n<li>Hit <strong>search<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Go to the <strong>Organic Keywords 2.0<\/strong>&nbsp;report<\/li>\n<li>Add a KD filter set to max&nbsp;20<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if you run a design software startup and compete with Invision, you can see all the low-competition keywords it ranks&nbsp;for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/10-competitor-keywords.jpg\" alt=\"Organic keywords report results for Invision's website\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Then it\u2019s just a case of sifting for worthwhile targets. In this case, that may be \u201cred color palette,\u201d as it has a low KD score and reasonably high search volume. Also, you can easily create the kind of content searchers seem to be looking for (listicle of red color palette inspiration):<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/11-serp-overview.jpg\" alt=\"SERP overview for keyword &quot;red color palette&quot; \"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 5. Create content\" data-section=\"step-5-create-content\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5. Create content<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you have an idea of which keywords to target, you need to create high-quality, optimized content that will attract organic traffic. There are a few pieces to this puzzle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A. Make sure you understand your audience<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Knowing what people search for online is powerful. However, relying solely on SEO metrics can make you lose focus on the people reading your content. That\u2019s why you sometimes need to broaden your research and tie your SEO findings to your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/market-research\/\">market research<\/a>. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The one element of your <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/building-a-go-to-market-strategy\/\">go-to market strategy<\/a> that is critical to the selection of topics for your content is your target audience.&nbsp;So make sure that you have your buyer persona ready before creating your first piece of SEO content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A buyer persona is a semi-fictional person who represents the common characteristics of your customers (an archetype). Here\u2019s an example for our product:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/12-buyer-persona.png\" alt=\"Infographic of buyer persona &quot;Anna Agency&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">B. Design your content with search intent in&nbsp;mind<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Search intent refers to what the searcher is looking for. It\u2019s important because Google wants to rank content that\u2019s helpful, so you\u2019re probably not going to rank unless your content aligns with user intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand the intent behind a keyword, you should analyze the search results for what we call the three Cs of search intent:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Content type<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Is there a dominant type of content in the SERP, like blog posts, product pages, videos, or landing pages?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content format<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013 <\/strong>Is there a dominant content format in the SERP, like guides, listicles, news articles, opinion pieces, or reviews?<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content angle<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013 <\/strong>Is there a dominant angle in the SERP, like freshly updated content or content aimed at beginners?<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s quickly analyze one example. Here\u2019s what we can see after plugging in \u201cSEO tools\u201d for the U.S. into Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/13-seo-tools-serp-overview.png\" alt=\"SERP overview for keyword &quot;seo tools&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Can you identify the three Cs&nbsp;here?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Content type:<\/strong>&nbsp;Almost all are <strong>blog posts<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content format:<\/strong>&nbsp;Almost all are <strong>listicles<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Content angle: <\/strong>Almost all are lists of <strong>free tools.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>If you don\u2019t use <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keywords-explorer\">Keywords Explorer<\/a>, you can use our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo-toolbar\">free SEO Toolbar<\/a>&nbsp;to view the SERP for almost any country:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/14-ahrefs-toolbar.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' SEO Toolbar drop-down options to view SERP for &quot;seo tools&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">C. Plan, publish, repurpose<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>At this stage, you probably have dozens of content ideas. How will you manage and create all of that content?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A common practice among professional content creators is keeping a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-calendar\/\">content calendar<\/a>. It is a system used to organize, manage, and schedule content production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is no one way to create a content calendar. First and foremost, a content calendar should be usable for you and your organization. You can use a Google calendar, create a kanban in an app like Notion or Trello, create a project in the likes of Asana, or keep everything in a good ol\u2019 spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some types of information worth keeping in a content calendar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Topic<\/li>\n<li>Author<\/li>\n<li>Assignee<\/li>\n<li>Status<\/li>\n<li>Due date<\/li>\n<li>Relevant metadata (business potential, funnel stage, target persona, etc.)<\/li>\n<li>Format<\/li>\n<li>Channel<\/li>\n<li>Link to the work in progress<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At Ahrefs, we use Notion to keep everything in one place (the calendar, attachments, comments, etc.). Here\u2019s a content calendar card for one of the articles we&nbsp;did:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/15-ahrefs-notion.png\" alt=\"Notion content card for article on inbound marketing\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>When it comes to writing, recording, and creating content, it is a somewhat personal thing. After all, people have different styles of working and staying creative. Especially in a small startup, tasks tend to have a fair degree of autonomy, so most things will be just \u201cup to&nbsp;you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, when it comes to creating content for business, it\u2019s good to develop some kind of methodology and get feedback before publishing. A bonus side to this is that developing efficient practices from the start will help you scale your content creation process later on. Here are a few&nbsp;tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Always start with an outline<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Plan what you\u2019re going to say. This will help you avoid writing about irrelevant things or writing too little\/too much.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Look for some tips on writing\/recording\/editing<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;This can help you in different ways: be more productive, write in a more attention-grabbing way, or whatever else you feel you may need. There are tried and tested methods out there, like the inverted pyramid method (putting the \u201cneed to know\u201d before the \u201cnice to&nbsp;know\u201d).<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-sops\/\">Create standard operating procedures (SOPs)<\/a> along the way<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;SOPs are documents explaining how to do specific tasks, e.g., naming images. Obviously, SOPs are not as important for a team of one. But every additional person added to the content creation process puts more weight on the need to create SOPs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Get feedback<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Because it\u2019s always good to get a second opinion.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>If you wonder what the content creation process looks like at Ahrefs, here\u2019s a chart explaining that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/16-ahrefs-blog-content-creation-process.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' chart on its blog creation process\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>To make things even more efficient, you can then repurpose some content for multiple channels to get even more mileage out of each piece. This strategy works great for startups and big companies alike, and we do it all the&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, we have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=a6sqyOh0Njc\">video<\/a>&nbsp;and <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ahrefs\/status\/1374405656954826770\">tweet<\/a>&nbsp;about long-tail keywords\u2014both of which we repurposed from the original <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/long-tail-keywords\/\">blog post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 6. Optimize existing content\" data-section=\"step-6-optimize-existing-content\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 6. Optimize existing content<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes the best way to get more organic traffic is to optimize your existing content. There are two reasons for&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Your existing content may already be ranking.<\/li>\n<li>Your existing content may be the best way to match the search intent.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Google has a pretty clear model of what to rank for the keyword \u201c3d printers\u201d: buying guides. It even ranks guides higher than pages from established 3D printer manufacturers\u2014despite them having more backlinks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/17-serp-overview.png\" alt=\"SERP overview for keyword &quot;3d printers&quot;\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>It seems as if most people searching for this term were in buying mode. Thus, Google tries to match that with pages that offer help with buying a 3D printer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s interesting is that one 3D printer manufacturer ranks high among the guides: Formlabs. It has found a way to optimize its existing content to get as far up the SERP as possible by creating a&nbsp;mix of a 3D printer guide and a product category page.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-145095 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/formlabs-3dprinting-guide-headings.png\" alt=\"Formlabs' 3D printer guide - headings \" width=\"1364\" height=\"1119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/formlabs-3dprinting-guide-headings.png 1364w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/formlabs-3dprinting-guide-headings-518x425.png 518w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/formlabs-3dprinting-guide-headings-768x630.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1364px) 100vw, 1364px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Formlabs titled the page \u201c3D Printing <strong>Guide<\/strong>: Types of <strong>3D Printers<\/strong>, Materials, and Applications.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>They provided some basic definitions, explained the process of 3D printing, showed some types of 3D printers, gave some tips on how to choose one, etc. That\u2019s pretty much everything you\u2019d want from a&nbsp;guide.<\/li>\n<li><strong>But at the same time, <\/strong>the only 3D printers you see there are Formlabs products. On top of that, they are the first thing you see before you scroll down to the guide section.<\/li>\n<li>From a navigational perspective, this is Formlabs\u2019 main product category page. For this reason, anyone who links to the assortment of Formlabs 3D printers will have to link to this page, most probably with some variation of the \u201c3D printer\u201d anchor text.<\/li>\n<li>Additionally, this page acts as a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-hub\/\">content hub<\/a>, spreading \u201clink juice\u201d to the other parts of Formlabs\u2019 website.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>And what\u2019s the effect of all that from an SEO perspective?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The page is optimized for a high \u201cbusiness potential\u201d keyword: \u201c3d printers.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Since that keyword has a Parent Topic with higher search volume and the same search intent, \u201c3d printer,\u201d it ranks for that keyword as&nbsp;well.<\/li>\n<li>The page gets a significant amount of organic traffic from the keyword \u201c3d printers\u201d and even more from the Parent Topic \u201c3d printer,\u201d as you can see in the screenshot below:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/19-formlabs-organic-keywords.png\" alt=\"Organic keywords report results for Formlabs' webpage\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Another example: Canva ranks #4 in the U.S. for the keyword \u201cmeme generator\u201d with this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/create\/memes\/\">landing page<\/a>.&nbsp;As you can see, there\u2019s no reason for Canva to create, let\u2019s say, a blog article to rank for that keyword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn more about optimizing existing content in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-optimization\/\">this guide<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 7. Build links\" data-section=\"step-7-build-links\">\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 7. Build&nbsp;links<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>With your SEO content complete, it\u2019s time to move the needle on arguably the most important ranking factor: links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Link internally<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s start with something easy: linking between different pages on the same website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s what happens when you link internally:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>You help new pages get discovered by search engines <\/strong><strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;This is because it provides a crawl path to the new&nbsp;page.<\/li>\n<li><strong>You pass link authority between your pages<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013 <\/strong>This way, you can boost your underperforming pages.<\/li>\n<li><strong>You help search engines understand what a page is about<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;This is important because you need Google to understand the meaning of your content if you want to rank for relevant keywords.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>To find relevant internal link opportunities, check the<strong>&nbsp;Link opportunities<\/strong>&nbsp;report in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">Ahrefs Webmaster Tools<\/a>. It shows unlinked keywords that could be used as links to another page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, from a blog post about rank trackers, AWT suggests that we could link the keyword \u201ckeyword research\u201d to a list of \u201ckeyword research tools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/20-link-opportunities.png\" alt=\"Internal link opportunities report results\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>There are a few more good practices of internal linking. We\u2019ve gathered the most important ones in <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/internal-links-for-seo\/\">Internal Links for SEO: An Actionable Guide<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Analyze your competitors\u2019 links<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Unless you\u2019re in some kind of \u201cunheard of\u201d blue ocean market, there is someone who has been blazing the trails before you. In other words, another company has already done its keyword research, created content, and built links to its website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By now, your competitors may be a few steps ahead of you, but the good news is that you can take up where they left off and steal some of their thunder. Sounds interesting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This link building strategy is all about analyzing your competitors\u2019 links to learn two things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Links that you can replicate<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong> Some of your competitors\u2019 links may come from sources that should probably link to you too, like lists of the best apps, reviews, etc. You can pitch to those sources and get featured and linked.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Patterns in the types of backlinks<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;You can study what <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/types-of-backlinks\/\">types of links<\/a> helped your competitors rank and see which strategies and tactics are likely to work for you. For example, you may find that a competitor has built several backlinks by creating a unique study that other sites quote and link&nbsp;to.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get reviews<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting your product reviewed online has obvious benefits: brand and product awareness, incoming traffic, and, often, valuable product feedback. But there\u2019s another \u201csilent hero\u201d in that story: backlinks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019re a tech startup making electric scooters. Here are two ideas on how to look for review sites:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plug your competitor\u2019s URL in Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/site-explorer\">Site Explorer<\/a>, go to <strong>Backlinks<\/strong>&nbsp;report, and filter the results for referring URLs that contain words like \u201creview,\u201d \u201cguide,\u201d or \u201cbest.\u201d This will show you websites that have reviewed your competitor. From there, you can browse through the results and pitch your product to websites that stand out to&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/21-backlinks-report.jpg\" alt=\"Backlinks report results for Razor's website\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>One piece of advice here: Don\u2019t ask for a review only to get a backlink. Above all, think about how the review can influence your product\u2019s sales, and do it only if your product is ready. Backlinks are just the bonus in this&nbsp;game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Digital PR<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting your business mentioned by the press is great in itself. But in addition to that, you can boost your rankings through links included in the&nbsp;story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Startups often possess that novelty factor, which makes them great candidates for press coverage. Here\u2019s an example story from The Next Web on a startup called Sprig&nbsp;that creates an AI-powered tool never seen before (naturally, it features a link to the company).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"is-style-default aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/22-press-coverage.jpg\" alt=\"Excerpt showing title of The Next Web's article about Sprig\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Some of the links you will get this way will be \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/nofollow-links\/\">nofollow<\/a>\u201d and likely won\u2019t pass \u201clink authority,\u201d but that shouldn\u2019t dissuade you. Even if a link doesn\u2019t directly boost rankings, chances are one story can lead to mentions on other websites; on top of giving you additional recognition, these can boost your rankings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are a few more tips on getting your story covered by the press (and getting a&nbsp;link):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Answer journalist requests<\/strong>&nbsp;on sites like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.helpareporter.com\/\">HARO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.responsesource.com\/\">ResponseSource<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.prnewswire.com\/profnet\/\">ProfNet<\/a>, or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.sourcebottle.com\/\">SourceBottle<\/a>. You can also scan Twitter for hashtags like #journorequest. This way, you can get quoted and request to include a link in your&nbsp;bio.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Write and pitch press releases<\/strong> to reputable and relevant media outlets. Don\u2019t overdo it, or else you will be ignored the next time you pitch something. Also, focus on newsworthy facts. You can probably get coverage more often in industry magazines, so you can try pitching to these kinds of sites on more occasions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Try to include something \u201clink-worthy\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;in your pitch, like unique data. Don\u2019t forget high-quality images.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/link-building\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building\/\">Link Building for SEO: The Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/link-building-strategies\/\">9 Easy Link Building Strategies (That Anyone Can Use)<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/resource-page-link-building\/\">Resource Page Link Building: The Only Guide You Need<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/white-hat-link-building-techniques\/\">7 Popular White Hat Link Building Techniques (That SEOs Are Still Using&nbsp;Today)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/guest-blogging\/\">Guest Blogging for SEO: Everything You Need to Know<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 8. Track and measure\" data-section=\"step-8-track-and-measure\">\n<h3>Step 8. Track and measure&nbsp;<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, how do you measure success in SEO? What metrics should you focus&nbsp;on?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That all ties into the goals you\u2019ll set, which I explained in step two&nbsp;of this&nbsp;guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on your goals, the SEO metrics you\u2019ll be tracking most frequently are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Organic traffic<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong> The number of visits you get from the SERPs. You can measure this using website analytics software like Ahrefs\u2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/web-analytics\">Web Analytics<\/a>, Google Analytics or Google Search Console.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Organic keywords<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong> The keywords that your webpages rank for. Some website analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics) will hide some of the keywords under the \u201cnot provided\u201d category, while others (like Google Search Console) will show a limited number. A tool like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/webmaster-tools\">AWT<\/a>&nbsp;will fix that for&nbsp;you.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keyword rankings<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Where you rank for tracked keywords in the SERPs over time. For a basic, costless solution, head over to our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/keyword-rank-checker\">free keyword rank checker tool<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Backlinks<\/strong>&nbsp;<strong>\u2013<\/strong>&nbsp;Links to your website from other websites. As I already mentioned, backlinks are one of the most important ranking factors. For tracking up to 100 backlinks to any website, a <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/backlink-checker\">free backlink checker tool<\/a>&nbsp;by Ahrefs will do the&nbsp;trick.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>You can easily find free tools for tracking all of your most important metrics. Their paid versions usually allow you to reveal more data, use advanced filters, and get more insights (like data trends and history).<\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Step 9. Expand globally with international SEO\" data-section=\"step-9-expand-globally-with-international-seo\">\n<h3>Step 9. Expand globally with international SEO<\/h3>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p class data-start=\"236\" data-end=\"538\">If your startup is seeing traction in one market, expanding internationally through SEO can unlock huge growth potential. International and multilingual SEO can help you reach audiences in new countries or those who speak different languages, even within your existing market.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"561\">For example, top global companies like Canva, Wise, and Amazon generate over half their organic traffic from multilingual content. Canva alone saw a 164% lift in organic traffic by targeting multiple languages and dialects with tailored design and content strategies.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"540\" data-end=\"561\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/ahrefs-screenshot-of-some-of-wises-multilingual-s.png\" alt=\"Canva's multilingual seo \" width=\"730\" height=\"728\"><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1149\" data-end=\"1173\">Here are some tips to get started:&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li data-start=\"1178\" data-end=\"1406\"><strong data-start=\"1178\" data-end=\"1229\">Start language-first if you\u2019re low on resources. <\/strong>You don\u2019t have to launch full-blown country-specific sites. A language-led strategy (e.g. English + Spanish content) is easier to manage and can still open doors globally.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1411\" data-end=\"1658\"><strong data-start=\"1411\" data-end=\"1443\">Use subfolders or subdomains. <\/strong>Subfolders like <code data-start=\"1465\" data-end=\"1471\">\/es\/<\/code> or <code data-start=\"1475\" data-end=\"1481\">\/fr\/<\/code> are often best for startups because they consolidate your domain authority, making SEO more efficient than managing multiple ccTLD.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1663\" data-end=\"1968\"><strong data-start=\"1663\" data-end=\"1694\">Localize beyond translation. <\/strong>Translate content, yes, but also adapt tone, images, and even color schemes to match cultural preferences. Canva does this well, offering French users elegant designs while showcasing bold, vibrant templates to Mexican audiences.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1973\" data-end=\"2255\"><strong data-start=\"1973\" data-end=\"2010\">Do international keyword research. <\/strong>Terms vary by country and dialect, even in the same language. Use tools like Keywords Explorer to compare volume and competition in each target market. For example, Australians search for \u201cbin chicken,\u201d not \u201cibis&nbsp;bird\u201d.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2260\" data-end=\"2450\"><strong data-start=\"2260\" data-end=\"2287\">Implement <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/hreflang-tags\/\">hreflang tags<\/a>. <\/strong>These help Google serve the right version of your content to the right user. Avoid automatic redirects based on IP\u2014it confuses both users and search engines.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2455\" data-end=\"2651\"><strong data-start=\"2455\" data-end=\"2480\">Build local backlinks. <\/strong>Your authority needs to grow in every target market separately. Getting featured on local sites helps boost rankings regionally.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/multilingual-seo\/\">Multilingual SEO: How Canva, Wise and Amazon Doubled Their Organic Traffic<\/a><\/li>\n<li class=\"entry-title\"><a href=\"http:\/\/10 International SEO Best Practices + Checklist\">10 International SEO Best Practices + Checklist<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"Startup case studies\" data-section=\"case-studies\">\n<h2>Startup SEO case studies&nbsp;<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Just recently, we did a data study that analyzed thousands of sites to identify top trending startups by organic traffic growth (examples <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/fastest-growing-companies-and-startups\/\">here<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/top-saas-startups\/\">here<\/a>). Here\u2019s how some of them made the top of our&nbsp;lists.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3 class data-start=\"268\" data-end=\"326\">BoldDesk \u2014 content-led SEO with TOFU&nbsp;focus<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"329\" data-end=\"358\"><strong data-start=\"329\" data-end=\"347\">Traffic Growth<\/strong>: +2,786% YoY<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"361\" data-end=\"453\"><strong data-start=\"361\" data-end=\"371\">Tactic<\/strong>: Published blog content focused on customer service phrases and best practices.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"456\" data-end=\"570\"><strong data-start=\"456\" data-end=\"473\">Why it worked<\/strong>: Capitalized on high-volume, evergreen queries that appealed to both users and search engines.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-07-at-14.26.19.png\" alt=\"BoldDesk organic search performance.\" width=\"2006\" height=\"928\"><\/p>\n<h3 class data-start=\"577\" data-end=\"627\">LeadIQ \u2014 programmatic SEO at&nbsp;scale<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"630\" data-end=\"659\"><strong data-start=\"630\" data-end=\"648\">Traffic Growth<\/strong>: +2,588% YoY&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"662\" data-end=\"744\"><strong data-start=\"662\" data-end=\"672\">Tactic<\/strong>: Created 205,000+ templated landing pages with enriched company data.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"747\" data-end=\"864\"><strong data-start=\"747\" data-end=\"764\">Why it worked<\/strong>: Smart use of long-tail branded queries and bulk pages boosted their organic footprint massively.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-07-at-14.27.17.png\" alt=\"LeadIQ organic growth.\" width=\"2946\" height=\"1176\"><\/p>\n<h3 class data-start=\"1179\" data-end=\"1235\">Dealls \u2014 career content + social signals<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1238\" data-end=\"1267\"><strong data-start=\"1238\" data-end=\"1256\">Traffic Growth<\/strong>: +1,565% YoY<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1270\" data-end=\"1372\"><strong data-start=\"1270\" data-end=\"1280\">Tactic<\/strong>: Published 490 pages of career advice content and used TikTok to build brand recognition.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1375\" data-end=\"1481\"><strong data-start=\"1375\" data-end=\"1392\">Why it worked<\/strong>: Combined SEO with social media growth to drive branded and non-branded search volume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-07-at-14.28.37.png\" alt=\"Dealls organic growth. \" width=\"2532\" height=\"1132\"><\/p>\n<h3 class data-start=\"1488\" data-end=\"1552\">Storylane \u2014 product-led SEO using their own&nbsp;tool<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1584\"><strong data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1573\">Traffic Growth<\/strong>: +1,356% YoY<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1701\"><strong data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1597\">Tactic<\/strong>: Created 2.7K interactive product demos targeting branded search for tools like Canva and Salesforce.<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1817\"><strong data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1721\">Why it worked<\/strong>: Hijacked long-tail branded queries with valuable demos that showcased their product in action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/Screenshot-2025-01-07-at-14.29.29.png\" alt=\"Organic traffic Storylane.\" width=\"2320\" height=\"1288\"><\/p>\n<h3>Mastt \u2014 SEO-driven glossary directory<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1584\"><strong data-start=\"1555\" data-end=\"1573\">Traffic Growth<\/strong>: +7,854% YoY<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1701\"><strong data-start=\"1587\" data-end=\"1597\">Tactic<\/strong>: Created 197 glossary pages explaining construction industry concepts, drawing in 49.7% of all organic traffic.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1817\"><strong data-start=\"1704\" data-end=\"1721\">Why it worked<\/strong>: Took advantage of low-difficulty keywords with relatively low volume but high relevance to their industry.&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-187008\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary.png\" alt=\"Mastt glossary\" width=\"2098\" height=\"864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary.png 2098w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary-680x280.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary-768x316.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary-1536x633.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/mastt-glossary-2048x843.png 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2098px) 100vw, 2098px\"><\/p>\n<p>If you want to explore their SEO strategies in more depth, plug their domains in Site Explorer and explore the Top pages, Site structure, Best by links, and Organic keyword reports.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-187007\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check.jpg\" alt=\"Reports to check in Ahrefs. \" width=\"2108\" height=\"1468\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check.jpg 2108w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check-610x425.jpg 610w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check-768x535.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check-1536x1070.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/reports-to-check-2048x1426.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2108px) 100vw, 2108px\"><\/p>\n<p data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><\/p><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\" data-anchor=\"FAQ\" data-section=\"faq\">\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Before we wrap things up, let\u2019s answer a few common questions about doing SEO in a startup.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Why do startups need&nbsp;SEO?<\/h3>\n<p>Because startups need scalable growth tactics that can be done with little or no money. SEO is a great fit because it doesn\u2019t need any ad budget, and it has compounding effects.<\/p>\n<p>SEO has even more benefits for startups, as explained in the first chapter of this&nbsp;guide.<\/p>\n<h3>How much does SEO&nbsp;cost?<\/h3>\n<p>It depends on whether you want to do it yourself or hire someone for it. Here are your options:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hiring an agency<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> Probably the most expensive option, costing $134.66\/hour (+ retainer) on average. But you don\u2019t have to learn SEO, and you can start&nbsp;fast.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Building a team or outsourcing to freelancers\/consultants<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> Somewhat expensive. On average, SEO consultants cost $122.33\/hour (+ retainer), freelancers cost $68\/hour (+ retainer), and an in-house SEO specialist costs $71K\/year (in the U.S.). You need to know what you\u2019re doing, and you need to invest time in the hiring and onboarding process.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Doing it yourself<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> The cheapest option. But it takes time and&nbsp;skill.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Hybrid option<\/strong> <strong>\u2013<\/strong> hiring an agency\/freelancer for some time to see the results. Then you may want to build an in-house SEO team or even learn SEO yourself.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The cost estimates are based on our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-pricing\/\">study<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Can I do SEO by myself?<\/h3>\n<p>If you run a small to medium size website, the short answer is yes. All you need is some time to learn and practice SEO, plus good SEO&nbsp;tools.<\/p>\n<p>For bigger sites, one SEO specialist on the job may not be enough.<\/p>\n<p>The main thing to consider here is whether you have the time to learn and actually do SEO for your website. Alternatively, you can hire someone for SEO; see the average prices listed above.<\/p>\n<h3>Is SEO difficult to&nbsp;learn?<\/h3>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\/seo-basics\" data-ahr=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-basics\/\">basic process of SEO<\/a> is not complicated. You can start creating search-optimized content after reading\/watching one good guide on the&nbsp;topic.<\/p>\n<p>Naturally, that won\u2019t make you an SEO pro yet. As with all things in life, it takes knowledge and practice to get the best possible results.<\/p>\n<h3>Where can I learn SEO for&nbsp;free?<\/h3>\n<p>There are many options online. You can start from our guide on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/seo\">SEO for beginners<\/a> or take a free course in our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/academy\">Academy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Is coding required for&nbsp;SEO?<\/h3>\n<p>Coding is not required for SEO. That said, there are some areas of SEO where basic coding skills can help you get work done faster - <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=QMk2iaJGpSA\">here are some examples<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final thoughts &nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t need a large budget to start growing your organic traffic with SEO. You can go quite far with free tools, and the paid tools you\u2019ll need from that point won\u2019t break the bank. If you have the funds for a premium SEO tool, consider an all-in-one toolset like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/\">Ahrefs<\/a>&nbsp;that has everything you need&nbsp;in one&nbsp;place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As with many things in life, the beginning is always the hardest. It may take some time to get your SEO up and running. But once you do so, you can use the same tactics over and over again for consistent results that have compounding effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All we\u2019ve covered in this guide can be a lot to digest. I get it. So whenever you need a reminder on all the important things, you can pull out <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-checklist\/\">our SEO checklist<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got questions? Ping me <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/m_makosiewicz\">on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Startups should invest in SEO to gain free organic traffic which can compound and scale over time, offering a cost-effective alternative to paid advertising.&nbsp; SEO costs vary, from expensive agencies to the more affordable and definitely viable DIY approach, which<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[412],"class_list":["post-136651","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>SEO for Startups: 9 Steps to Grow on a Budget<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You don&#039;t need a large budget to start growing your organic traffic with SEO. If you want to start doing SEO for your startup, you\u2019re in the right place.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-for-startups\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"SEO for Startups: 9 Steps to Grow on a Budget\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Compound your startup growth with SEO.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-for-startups\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-11-11T16:00:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-21T15:56:11+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/1-keywords.png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mateusz Makosiewicz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Compound your startup growth with SEO.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@m_makosiewicz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mateusz Makosiewicz\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c7e64c851ecc4eabb77eaefae90a440c\"},\"headline\":\"SEO for Startups: 9 Steps to Grow on a Budget\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-11T16:00:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T15:56:11+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":5679,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/11\\\/seo-for-startups-9-steps-to-by-mateusz-makosiewicz-general-seo.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General SEO\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/\",\"name\":\"SEO for Startups: 9 Steps to Grow on a Budget\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/seo-for-startups\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2021\\\/11\\\/1-keywords.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-11-11T16:00:48+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-21T15:56:11+00:00\",\"description\":\"You don't need a large budget to start growing your organic traffic with SEO. 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