SEO
SEO for startups
At the start I establish the scope of the SEO work, the priorities and the way of working, and collect the key access: the site admin panel, the CMS/hosting or deployment repo, content editing, traffic data and indexing data, and the tools in use. Together we choose the model: I implement the changes or hand over tasks for delivery.
About the service
SEO kick-off for startups: agreeing the scope, priorities, access and implementation model
About the SEO for startups service
A few service details- Agreeing the scope and priorities
- Collecting access to the site admin panel
- Verifying the CMS/hosting or repo
- Agreeing the implementation model
- Backlog and order of delivery
- Division of roles: content and development
Work process
Kick-off, implementation plan and iterative SEO based on access
I start with a kick-off to establish the scope, priorities and way of working, and to collect the necessary access to the site and the data. I then choose the implementation model with you and put the responsibilities in order. From there I work from the backlog, combining the audit, planning and successive implementations.
- 01/ 03
Kick-off and access
I establish the scope, priorities and way of working, and collect access to the site admin panel, the CMS/hosting or repo, and traffic and indexing data.
- 02/ 03
Implementation model
I agree whether I implement the changes on the site or hand over precise tasks for your team to deliver, in order to match the responsibilities and the order of the work.
- 03/ 03
Audit and iterations
After auditing the starting point, I carry out successive tasks in content and configuration, taking into account developer availability, testing, approval, feedback and monitoring.
Kick-off strategy and access management for startups
The kick-off in SEO for startups serves to establish the scope, priorities and way of working, and to collect the access needed for the SEO work. At this stage, access to the site admin panel is collected, along with traffic data and information about the tools used by the team. In parallel, it is clarified what the work should focus on first, so that the following stages (audit and planning) are based on shared arrangements. The kick-off is the starting point after which it is possible to move on to the audit of the starting position.
In practice, access management decides whether the work will take the form of real implementations or mainly recommendations. Without access to the CMS/hosting or deployment repo, the ability to edit content, and traffic and indexing data, part of the work is limited to recommendations. This affects, among other things, the completeness of the audit and the later monitoring, because the conclusions have to rely on incomplete data or there is less direct verification. That is why, at the start, it is established which access is available and which has to be provided so that the agreed scope is achievable.
Why the choice of implementation model matters in SEO
The choice of implementation model determines whether the contractor implements the changes on the site or delivers tasks for the client’s team to carry out. Establishing this at the outset shapes the form the results of the work take: they can be direct changes to content and configuration, or precise tasks to be implemented. The model also affects how responsibilities are planned between the content and development areas and how the order of the work is set. As a result, the backlog and the priorities take the real way of execution into account from the start.
This choice is particularly important when technical changes affecting crawling and indexing are involved, as well as modifications to the information architecture and URLs. Some implementations require a development team, and the pace of delivery depends on its availability for implementation and testing. Similarly, work on content and on-page elements can depend on the approval process, feedback and the speed of publication on the client’s side. An agreed implementation model makes it possible to match the action plan to these dependencies and operational constraints from the very beginning.
Carrying out an SEO audit as the foundation of the work
The SEO audit is the foundation of the work, because it establishes the starting point and shows what is really blocking the visibility and indexing of the startup’s site. The audit includes a technical review, a content analysis and intent analysis, and a verification of visibility in the context of the search results. In parallel, the conclusions from the keyword analysis are collected and organised in order to link topics and queries to page types. The result is a clear list of problems and areas for improvement before moving on to planning and implementation.
The audit covers the identification of indexing blockers, content gaps and potential “quick wins” that can be planned for fast delivery. In the competitive part, the content types and page structures that win in the results are checked in order to determine the formats required (e.g. landing page, guide, comparison) to enter the topic. On that basis a report is produced that organises the problems, their impact on visibility and the recommendations. The report is the input for the next stage of planning and setting priorities in the backlog.
Technical analysis and its impact on a startup’s visibility
Technical analysis affects a startup’s visibility because it puts the conditions for crawling and indexing in order and eliminates problems that can distort the site’s signals. The elements related to indexing, errors and redirects are verified, as is the correctness of the canonical URLs. The sitemap and the robots file, which control crawler access to resources, are also checked. The analysis is completed by an assessment of URL parameters, speed and mobile compatibility.
The conclusions from the technical analysis are used to build a “must-fix” list and to indicate the fixes that should be implemented before the work on content is intensified. This limits the risk that new or rebuilt pages will not be indexed effectively or will compete with one another because of problems with canonicalisation and URLs. The errors identified, incorrect redirects and wrong robots/sitemap settings go into the audit report as specific recommendations. This list is the basis for planning the technical work in the following stages.
- Checking indexing, errors, redirects and canonical URLs.
- Verifying the sitemap, the robots file and URL parameters.
- Assessing speed and mobile compatibility as elements of technical quality.
- Indicating the technical problems to be included under “must-fix” and “quick wins” in the audit report.
Developing the plan and priorities for the SEO work
Developing the plan and priorities means turning the conclusions from the audit into a practical backlog of tasks to be delivered in a sprint or monthly cycle. At this stage I organise the tasks so that it is clear what is to be done first, what the dependencies are between the content and development areas, and what is blocking further work. The backlog contains task descriptions, acceptance criteria and an indication of the owner (content/dev), which makes execution easier on the side of the client’s team or in the model where I carry out the implementations. As a result, the plan is not a list of general recommendations but a queue of work that can be implemented.
The planning takes into account decisions about markets and languages and about the priority of pages and topics, because this affects the scope of the content and the technical requirements. If the product or the site changes frequently (e.g. pivots, URL rebuilds or changes in messaging), the backlog needs updating: the priorities, the content map and the technical tasks have to be adapted to the new layout. In startups with a young domain or a small amount of content, the priorities usually direct the work towards building a base of pages and structure and gradually strengthening authority, instead of scattered expansion. The plan is therefore a working document that can be updated iteratively as things change on the product side.
Optimising content and information architecture for better indexing
Optimising content and information architecture for better indexing covers the implementations that put crawling, indexing and the site structure in order for the development of topic clusters. On the technical side, fixes are carried out relating to robots and sitemap settings, the elimination of incorrect redirects and the tidying up of canonical URLs. Part of the work is also limiting the presence of low-quality pages in the index, so as not to dilute the signals of the most important URLs. In parallel, the information architecture and URLs are refined: the structure of sections, categories and navigation, so that it is clear and easy to extend.
Once the technical foundations are in place, the work moves on to content and on-page, where pages are created or rebuilt for keyword clusters and intents. A cluster map with URL assignment is used, indicating the target URLs (existing or to be created) and the page types, and then content briefs are prepared with requirements for the heading structure, user questions and linking. As part of on-page optimisation, titles, descriptions, headings, content, images and structured data (where justified) are matched to queries and semantic consistency. Internal linking connects product pages with educational content, strengthening priority URLs and making crawling easier, and the pace of the work depends on the availability of dev resources and the content approval process on the client’s side.
- Indexing and crawl fixes: robots/sitemap, redirects, canonical URLs, tidying up the index.
- Information architecture and URLs: the structure of sections, categories, URLs and navigation for topic clusters.
- Cluster map and URL assignment as the basis for creating and expanding pages.
- Content briefs for authors, on-page optimisation and internal linking for priority pages.
- Taking dependencies into account: technical implementations require dev time, and content publication depends on the approval process.
Testimonials
What clients and the industry say
Feedback from clients and industry people I have worked with on SEO projects.
I had the chance to work with Kuba at Kulturalnie o SEO, an event I organise. Kuba did a great job as a speaker and received high marks from the audience. He showed professionalism and broad knowledge. In other projects at Vestigio, Kuba shows enormous commitment, a willingness to explore and implement new ideas, and excellent organisation of his work.
01 / 08
You talk to me, not a salesperson
Tell me what you want to achieve. I’ll reply personally
I work as a freelancer: the same person reads your message, prepares the quote and then runs the project. No sales team in between.