SEO is something you wait to do until after you launch a new site, right? Wrong. There are quite a few things that can be done before launching a new site that will help you succeed in the rankings. Doing SEO even before the new site is ready to go will make sure the site is able to leap in the ratings as soon as it goes live. Having a website is important, but it does little good unless people surfing the web can find your site. Make sure to do these essential SEO steps before you launch your site, and you’ll be ahead of the game.
- Launch a “Coming Soon” Page. Older sites get more authority from search engines, so a “Coming Soon” page will put you ahead and shorten the wait time to get noticed by search engines once the full site launches. You can use it as a source of leads by providing a place for people to contact you, get updates on the new site and connect with your brand. Use a call-to-action that entices visitors to fill out a lead form, and you can build your audience even before you have a full site.
- Write Blog Posts. You want to be prepared with high-quality content right from the start. With at least 10 optimized blog posts ready to go, you won’t have to scramble to keep the site fresh with content that will make users want to return. Quality, information filled content will give the web crawlers something to index and help your site rank higher. It’s a great idea to start the blog even before the site launches. By pre-blogging on your “Coming Soon” page, you can give updates about the launch and get people excited even before the site goes live.
- Optimize Your Pages. Each page of content should be optimized and ready to go before the site launches. Ensure that you have several pages of quality content rich with keywords and long-tail keywords. You may not be able to rank for generic, large terms right away, so having key phrases that are unique to your site will help users looking for those specific phrases find your site. Don’t forget your page titles, and once your site launches the web crawlers will have the info they need to properly index your site.
- Guest Blog. Writing quality guest blogs on other sites in your niche is a great way to get external links to your site. Find sites by googling “guest blogging opportunities” or “write for us” along with your keyword and you can find sites to guest blog for. This will bring traffic to your own site. `
- Join Social Media. Don’t wait to establish your social media image until your site is ready. Join Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube. Build your audience right away, so that once your site launches, you already have people excited to visit the page. By posting relevant content on your social media platforms, you’ll show that you are an authority on your niche, and can grow trust with your target audience. Connect your social media profiles with your “Coming Soon” page, so that people can get info about the launch and can easily find your site when it launches.
- List Your Site in the Right Directories. Find out which directories your target audience is most likely to visit and get listed there. Don’t waste your money listing with every directory you find. Do some research and find only the ones that will be most beneficial for your company. Directories will list the businesses by categories and subcategories. There you can put a link to your “Coming Soon” page and have it ready for when your site is live.
- Claim Your Page on Core Sites. Google+, Yelp, Best of the Web, Bing Places and other sites are places where people look for business listings. Either claim your site or get your site listed on these pages and you will be visible to a large audience. Link your web address to these places so that searches can easily find your site.
Don’t Wait to Do SEO
Don’t wait until your site launches to start SEO. Complete these steps even before your site is finished, and you’ll be more successful from the start. Each of these steps will prepare your audience and make it so that you already have a following before the website it up. Optimize each page before the site is done, and you’ll be ready to take the SERPs by storm. SEO is something that takes time, and the sooner you get started, the better your results.
