Startups usually can’t run a full SEO program on day one. This sequence prioritizes the work that compounds fastest with limited resources.
Month 1: Foundation
Technical audit and fixes (technical SEO), keyword research to confirm you’re targeting realistic, winnable terms rather than the highest-volume ones, and on-page fixes to existing pages.
Month 2: Content Foundation
Publish core pillar content around your main product/service categories, plus set up local SEO basics if you serve a specific geography.
Month 3: Authority Building
Begin targeted link building toward the pages built in month two, and start a consistent publishing cadence for supporting blog content rather than a one-time content push.
What to Skip Early On
Don’t spread budget across every possible keyword or channel — a startup with 10 genuinely strong pages will usually outperform one with 100 thin ones, at a fraction of the cost.
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