SEO for Startups: How to Get Your Website Ranking (and Growing) Fast

If you’re a startup founder or marketer, you’ve probably heard that search engine optimization (SEO) takes time. Which is true — but unhelpful when you’re trying to grow fast, with a tiny team and a to-do list that just keeps growing. You’re focused on building your product and keeping customers happy. So when it comes to SEO, it can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re not sure where to start or what will actually make a difference. 

SEO for startups doesn’t have to be overwhelming. This guide will help you with  practical, step-by-step SEO tips to help your startup rank higher and grow faster. Let’s dig in.

What you’ll learn:

• What SEO is and why it matters
• Three common SEO myths that trip up startups
• 8 simple SEO steps for startups
• Your startup can be SEO-ready by end of day

What SEO is and why it matters

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving your website through marketing efforts, so it ranks higher in search engine results. When someone searches your startup or key words around it, you want your website to show up at the top of the search engine results page (SERPS) like Google or Bing. 

Search engines scan millions of web pages to find the best matches for what people are searching for — and now, powered by artificial intelligence (AI), they are more tuned in now than ever before. The better your website matches what people want, the higher it will appear in search results.

Research shows that around 75% of all clicks on search traffic come from the first page of Google results (the top ten spots). In fact, a recent study found that ranking at the top of the search results in a niche generates a 39.8% click-through rate (CTR), while the second and third positions receive 18.7% and 10.2%, respectively. Simply put, organic search is one of the highest-converting channels for startups.

But that’s not all. Here’s why SEO really matters:

• It delivers long-term benefits: The more effort you put into SEO, the more it pays off over time. Unlike paid ads, which stop generating traffic when your budget runs out, SEO builds value long after your initial investment.
• It matches you with your customers: SEO attracts people who are actively looking for solutions your startup offers, making them more likely to engage. 
• It keeps you flexible: As trends and customer behavior change, you can adjust your SEO strategies to meet demand without needing a complete overhaul of your marketing efforts.

PRO TIP: Don’t invest in SEO until you’ve nailed product–market fit. If your messaging isn’t clear, it will just amplify the confusion.

Three common SEO myths that trip up startups

Startups love a good growth hack. But SEO isn’t one. It’s a long game. And if you’re just getting started, it’s easy to fall for advice that sounds smart but sets you back. Let’s bust a few myths that your startup might have.

Myth 1: “We need to rank for high-volume keywords first.”

Reality: Ranking for broad, high-volume key terms (or keywords) like “social media tools” or “project management” might sound great in a pitch deck. But it’s rarely the best move for a startup. Those keywords are ultra-competitive, often dominated by companies with entire SEO teams and million-dollar budgets. Instead, focus on intent-rich, specific terms that match what your potential customers are actually searching for. Things like “best social media scheduler for startups” or “project management tools for freelancers”.

Myth 2: “SEO is dead.”

Reality: With Google rolling out hundreds of algorithm updates each year, it may seem like SEO is dying out. While these changes can be challenging, they don’t mean SEO is obsolete. The truth is people are still searching, every day. For answers, for tools, for products like yours. And if you’re not showing up, someone else is. 

The truth is SEO has changed. Keyword stuffing is out. Gaming the algorithm is out. But helpful, clear, genuinely useful content? That’s very much in. The formats are evolving (featured snippets, product reviews, video results, AI search) but the goal is still the same: focus on delivering valuable, relevant content that meets your audience’s needs.

Myth 3: “Once we publish content, the SEO will take care of itself.”

Reality: SEO doesn’t really work on autopilot, especially not these days. Search behavior changes, trends shift, and new competitors enter the scene. Google is smart, but it also expects you to do more than just hit “publish.” If you want your content to actually rank (and keep ranking), you need to:

• Keep your content fresh by updating outdated stats and replacing old examples with timely, relevant ones
• Promote it through social media, newsletters, and partner channels to bring consistent traffic
• Improve on-page experience by using clear content structure and mobile-optimized layouts that keep readers engaged

8 simple SEO steps for startups

Let’s learn about the eight key steps that will help your startup build a solid SEO foundation from the ground up.

Step 1: Set clear goals and objectives

You need SEO goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). Tie your goals to the stuff that moves your business forward: demos, signups, purchases, revenue — not vanity metrics. Think about it like this: 

• If you’re a SaaS startup: Aim to rank for high-intent terms that bring in demo requests
• If you run an online store: Focus on product pages that lead to checkouts
• If you’re in business-to-business (B2B): Target long-tail keywords that bring in qualified leads, not passing visitors

Here’s what a solid goal might look like:

• Increase newsletter signups by 30% by including it in the latest blogs
• Rank in the top 3 for [product category] + ‘alternatives’ within 6 months
• Improve the conversion rate from SEO landing pages from 1.2% to 2%

Step 2. Research your keywords’ volume and difficulty

Once your SEO goals are set, it’s time to dive into keyword research. Think about the key products or services you offer. What would you search for to find your business? You can also ask your customers what they searched for when they found you. Gather these keywords and start building your list.

Next, expand your keyword list using research tools. Free options like Google Keyword Planner, or AnswerThePublic can help you find related keywords. For more in-depth features, consider tools like SEMrush, which also offers limited free plans. 

Pay attention to how many people are searching for a keyword (search volume) and how hard it will be to rank for it (keyword difficulty). Look for keywords that hit three things:

1. Relevant to what you offer
2. Low to medium competition (so you can actually rank)
3. Search intent matches your goal (like someone researching vs. someone ready to buy)

PRO TIP: “Your Tool vs [Competitor]” and use case pages are easy to rank and bring in visitors who are ready to buy.

Step 3. Write content that’s optimized for search engines

Next, focus on creating content that solves your audience’s problems or answers their questions. Write for humans, not algorithms, and keep your content engaging. Use short paragraphs, subheadings, and bullet points to make it easy to skim. Tools like Grammarly can help you keep your writing clear and error-free. 

Search intent mapping helps you figure out what kind of page to create based on what the person is trying to do. If someone searches “how to write a business proposal,” give them a helpful guide. If they search “best proposal software,” they’re comparing tools, so show them a list. When your content matches what people actually want, it’s more likely to rank and convert.

Make sure your content actually fits for SEO and your product. It’s tempting to write content just because a keyword has a high volume. So it’s easy to chase trendy terms even if it has zero relevance to your product. That’s how you end up with traffic that doesn’t convert and blogs that collect dust. Use this simple filter before writing anything.

Once you’ve written valuable content, naturally include your keywords in the context. 

• Put your main keyword in the title
• Mention it in the first 100 words
• Add it at least 5-10 more areas, organically

PRO TIP: You can start putting your content to work in time for the holiday season, where many users will be using answer engines to find gift ideas.

Step 4. Build quality links to improve your rankings

Link building is the process of getting other reputable websites to link to your content. The more high-quality, relevant sites that link to you, the more trustworthy your content appears to search engines like Google. Focus on getting high-quality backlinks. One link from a respected site is worth more than dozens from spammy or irrelevant directories.

To earn quality backlinks, build genuine relationships within your industry. Share valuable content with your network or consider guest blogging on reputable sites. Tools like BuzzSumo, Hootsuite, or NinjaOutreach can help you find trending content in your niche and identify influential websites that might be interested in linking to your work. Additionally, collaborating on projects like webinars or podcasts can naturally lead to backlinks while strengthening your industry connections.

While backlinks from other sites are important, don’t forget about internal linking (linking between your own pages). When you create new blogs or pages, link to relevant older content. This keeps visitors engaged, helps them explore more of your site, and boosts your SEO by spreading link authority throughout your content.

Step 5. Improve your on-page SEO

On-page SEO makes sure that everything on your website is structured and optimized so search engines (and users) can easily find, understand, and engage with your content. Before diving into content and keywords, take a step back and look at how your website is organized. 

Build depth around key topics. Write one main piece (like “Guide to Remote Work Tools”) — then link it internally to 3–4 related articles (for example “Best Tools for Async Teams” or “Managing Remote Standups”). This helps the search engines understand your site’s structure and keeps readers engaged longer. Here are some other ways to improve your on-page SEO:

• Use a clear, logical structure: Your website should be easy to navigate, with content grouped into relevant sections. For example, if you have a blog, make sure it’s neatly organized by topics or categories. 
• Create a sitemap: A sitemap helps search engines find all the pages on your website. Most content management software (CMS) have plugins that automatically generate a sitemap for you.
• Focus on title tags and meta descriptions: Your title tag should clearly describe the page content, include your primary keyword, and stay within 50-60 characters. Make it engaging to encourage users to click. While meta descriptions don’t directly affect rankings, they should summarize the page in 150-160 characters and entice users to visit.
• Mobile-friendliness: More than 60% of global web traffic now comes from mobile devices, so it’s essential to ensure your site is mobile-friendly. Use the Mobile Usability report in Google Search Console to assess how easily users can navigate your site on mobile devices. 

Step 6. Find and fix technical issues that impact SEO

Search engines use crawlers (automated bots) to understand your website and its content, but if it’s not set up correctly, important pages might not get indexed. To prevent this, regularly check for crawl errors with tools like Google Search Console. Fix broken links that result in 404 errors and set up 301 redirects for any moved content. Also, combine similar pages and use canonical tags to avoid duplicate content issues. Tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush can help you monitor and fix site errors.

Site speed is also key for SEO and user experience. To improve it, compress images to reduce loading times while keeping their quality intact. Tools like GTmetrix, Google, or PageSpeed Insights can analyze your site and provide tips to boost performance.

Step 7. Get other sites (and people) to talk about you

Off-page SEO includes activities like social media, influencer marketing, and online reviews. While social media doesn’t directly affect your search rankings, it is important for your overall SEO strategy. Platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, and Quora can increase engagement and boost traffic to your site, helping your SEO efforts. Here are some ways social media can indirectly boost your SEO:

• Increased visibility and brand awareness: Regularly sharing high-quality content on social media helps you get in front of potential customers who may not have found you through search engines.
• More backlinks: As your content spreads across social media, it increases the chance that other websites will link back to your site, improving your off-page SEO.
• Faster content indexing: Search engines can index your content more quickly if it’s frequently shared and discussed on social platforms.

Using AI-powered CRM can also amplify social engagement insights, providing startups with a more actionable understanding of customer interactions.

PRO TIP: If your startup serves a specific area, set up your Google Business Profile and focus on local SEO early. It’s a simple way to boost visibility in nearby searches.

Step 8. Review and reoptimize your SEO regularly

Monitor your keyword rankings, organic traffic, bounce rates, and user engagement to evaluate the success of your SEO efforts. Google Analytics and Google Search Console are great for tracking these metrics. But don’t just stop there — regularly update your content to keep it fresh and relevant.If you see some pages aren’t performing well, revisit them and make improvements. Here’s a simple approach to reoptimizing your content:

• Update your keywords: Search trends change, so regularly revisit your keyword research to incorporate newer, more relevant terms.
• Refresh old content: Add up-to-date information, new links, or more engaging media like images or videos.
• Refresh your technical SEO: Make sure your site’s loading speed, mobile-friendliness, and security are in top shape.
• Analyze backlinks: See which of your pages are attracting the most links and focus on building more high-quality links to underperforming content.

The right marketing tool for small businesses can make all the difference in running efficient campaigns, reaching the right customers, and gaining valuable insights. With AI-powered automation, you can create personalized campaigns that connect with your target audience at every step. This helps you engage better, close deals faster, and build strong relationships for growth.

Your startup can be SEO-ready by end-of-day

Getting started with SEO can feel like a big leap, especially when you’re managing so much else as a startup. The good news is, you don’t need to break a sweat to make meaningful progress. While you focus on your SEO strategy, let Salesforce for small business take charge of your sales, marketing, customer service, and online store functions. 

Start your journey with the Starter Suite today. Looking for more customization? Explore Pro Suite. Already a Salesforce customer? Activate Foundations and try out Agentforce today.

AI supported the writers and editors of this article.

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