![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/launch-800.jpg\")
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Building SEO into a website from the ground up \u2014 even before you launch \u2014 sets your website up for success right out of the gate. And yet, SEO is often an afterthought, even for large companies with big budgets. \u201cWe launch next week so let\u2019s check the SEO\u201d<\/em> is certain death.<\/p>\n This Gartner data<\/a> on percentage of marketing budget invested per channel baffles me. Below, you can see that most of the budget goes to things like the website, digital commerce and mobile marketing. But all the way down the line is SEO \u2014 as if it has nothing to do with any of those top priorities.<\/p>\n So, let\u2019s look closer at how you can incorporate SEO throughout the whole design process and launch your website with higher success.<\/p>\n When launching a website, there are four stages to consider, each with its own tasks and milestones. In each of the following phases, the person in charge of SEO should cooperate with other teams (design, development, UX, strategy, and others):<\/p>\n FAQ: How can I effectively incorporate SEO strategies into every stage of building and launching a website?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n A web launch’s strategy and planning stage is fundamental for its success. This is when you lay the foundation.<\/p>\n In terms of SEO, the most important steps in this stage are keyword research and content architecture. Before the web design team gets to work on concepts, the person in charge of SEO needs to provide the keyword and architecture strategy. That\u2019s because this SEO guidance will help shape how designers and developers build the site.<\/p>\n Keyword research is one of the most important steps in an SEO project. As a website publisher, you need to understand who your target audience is and what search queries they use to find your products and services. Then, this information serves as the foundation for your website in terms of how you architect it and the content you create for it. More on that next.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n Once keyword research is done, the person in charge of SEO can begin to theme the website. This involves mapping out the website structure based on the top keywords that are important to a website. A site map mockup will show what pages to create, including the top navigation and the subnavigation.<\/p>\n This is what we refer to here at Bruce Clay Inc. as SEO siloing. SEO siloing can make or break a website\u2019s perceived expertise by Google, its rankings, and even the user experience.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n The build stage is usually the longest stage of a website project. During this stage, the designers and developers build the site. But from an SEO perspective, there are two key tasks: creating content and working with developers on the technical side.<\/p>\n Each silo or navigational category needs to be filled with quality content. That means creating quality content that is built with an understanding of Google\u2019s quality standards. It also means creating webpages driven by real-time SEO data based on the top-ranked competitors for those target keywords.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll want to get this data before you create the pages. That way the content meets or exceeds what your competitors are doing on the first page of the search results.<\/p>\n And anyone can get this data through the right tools, one of which is our WordPress SEO plugin. You can read more about that below.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n SEO is not a core strength of many website designers and developers. So they often inadvertently build a site that hinders the search engines from doing their job: crawling, indexing and understanding a website and its content. For example, Flash and JavaScript implementations sometimes create obstacles for search engines.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s just one example of what can go wrong and what needs to be optimized during the build for SEO. As Google tunes its algorithms to reward sites that provide a good user experience, performance issues also become concerns for SEO.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n Before you launch the site and during launch, the person in charge of SEO needs to be involved in overseeing some critical things. This stage should be fairly smooth if the previous stages were conducted well. But you still need to ensure everything is in order.<\/p>\n The website should be crawled using an SEO tool to see if there are any errors. You can use a site crawler like Screaming Frog or our tools in the SEOToolSet<\/a>\u00ae <\/sup>for this. As part of this task, you\u2019ll want to see that the number of pages that are created and crawled is the same. If there is a difference, the next step is to find out what is causing the issue and fix it.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to have basic SEO analytics set up before launch. It will help you watch the website and get access to valuable data from the moment the site is published. Without this data, it is impossible to improve website performance through data-driven decisions.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em> 7 Google SEO Tools Every Website Publisher Should Use<\/a><\/p>\n At this stage, things like the XML sitemap, HTML sitemap and robots.txt file should be properly set up. But you\u2019ll want to test them. In some cases, web developers or others can forget to remove the Disallow: \/ directive from the robots.txt file (used to keep pages from being indexed during the build and testing phases).<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n SEO to-dos in the launch stage involve a lot of monitoring. In particular, you\u2019re watching for errors and indexation.<\/p>\n Using SEO tools including Google Search Console, check and fix any technical errors that might pop up. Common issues include 404 errors that stop users from accessing a webpage or other problems.<\/p>\n Depending on the size of the website, it might take a few days or weeks for search engines to index a site fully. If it seems that there are some areas that are not indexed, investigate and fix the issues. Is there adequate internal linking to ensure maximum indexation?<\/p>\n The work does not stop once the website is successfully launched. SEO is an ongoing process \u2014 there are always things to test and optimize.<\/p>\n Add new content to the site regularly. Build more supporting content for your silo structure and interlink pages appropriately.<\/p>\n Also, update the existing content to keep it fresh.<\/p>\n Maintain your link profile. You want to ensure you have high-quality, relevant links over other types.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n Once the site goes live, check the performance of the homepage and other important pages you want to rank regularly. Tools like Google\u2019s PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse help with this. You can earn a ranking boost for providing a measurably good page experience.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/em><\/p>\n SEO is critical to building a website that is not only functional, but also able to compete in the search results. If you\u2019re part of a website launch team, remember these principles:<\/p>\n We\u2019ve helped many clients through web migrations and new site launches. If you\u2019d like guidance to ensure your strategy succeeds, contact us today<\/a> for a free quote and consultation.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n The journey of building and launching a website encompasses several pivotal stages that can significantly enhance a site’s visibility and reach when approached with SEO in mind. By seamlessly blending search engine optimization techniques into each phase, you can lay a strong foundation for your website’s online success.<\/p>\n Planning and Research<\/strong><\/p>\n Before diving into website development, thorough planning and research are essential. Identify relevant keywords and key phrases that resonate with your target audience. Conduct competitive analysis to gain insights into what’s working in your industry. This groundwork will set the stage for strategic content creation and optimization.<\/p>\n Design and UX<\/strong><\/p>\n Prioritize user experience (UX), and make sure your website is mobile-friendly and responsive. Site speed, intuitive navigation, and engaging visuals contribute to user satisfaction and search engine rankings. Integrate keywords naturally into your design elements and metadata.<\/p>\n Content Creation and Optimization<\/strong><\/p>\n Compelling, relevant, and well-optimized content is the backbone of SEO. Create valuable content that addresses user intent and incorporates your identified keywords. Regularly update your blog with fresh content to showcase your expertise and keep users returning. Use descriptive titles, headers, and meta descriptions to enhance search visibility.<\/p>\n Technical SEO Implementation<\/strong><\/p>\n Underneath the surface, technical SEO plays a crucial role. Optimize your website’s structure for search engine crawlers by creating a logical URL structure, using XML sitemaps, and implementing schema markup. Ensure your website is secure with HTTPS, fix broken links, and optimize images for faster loading times.<\/p>\n Pre-launch and Post-launch Optimization<\/strong><\/p>\n Before launching, conduct a comprehensive SEO audit to address any issues. Check for duplicate content, ensure proper 301 redirects, and verify metadata accuracy. After launching, monitor your website’s performance using analytics tools. Track keyword rankings, organic traffic, and user engagement to make data-driven refinements.<\/p>\n Weaving SEO strategies throughout every stage of website development is essential for achieving long-term online success. A holistic approach will enable you to develop a website that attracts both search engines and users alike. SEO is an ongoing process; therefore, keeping up with industry trends and algorithm changes is vital for keeping your site competitively priced.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: Incorporating SEO Strategies in Website Development<\/strong><\/p>\n SEO is a critical part of each of the four stages in a website launch. Find out why.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":94336,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1724,1500,1232,1572,1476],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"![\"Graph](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Figure7-800.jpg\")
The 4 Stages of a Website Launch with SEO<\/h2>\n
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![\"Infographic](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/SEO-Stages-800px.png\")
<\/p>\n<\/a>Stage 1: Strategy and Planning<\/h2>\n
Keyword Research<\/h3>\n
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Content Architecture<\/h3>\n
![\"Siloing](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/silo-diagram-400.jpg\")
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<\/a>Stage 2: Develop and Build<\/h2>\n
Content Creation<\/h3>\n
![\"Bruce](\"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/BCI-SEO-WP-plugin-summary-800.jpg\")
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Technical Strategy<\/h3>\n
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<\/a>Stage 3: Prelaunch and Launch<\/h2>\n
Prelaunch<\/h3>\n
Crawlability and Accessibility<\/h4>\n
Google Analytics and Google Search Console<\/h4>\n
Technical Items<\/h4>\n
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Launch<\/h3>\n
Errors<\/h4>\n
Indexation<\/h4>\n
<\/a>Stage 4: Post Launch<\/h2>\n
Content<\/h3>\n
Links<\/h3>\n
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Performance<\/h3>\n
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Takeaways<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>FAQ: How can I effectively incorporate SEO strategies into every stage of building and launching a website?<\/h3>\n
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