Starting a new website is a huge undertaking and getting traffic is no easy task. Simply adding your site to the array of other websites available on the internet today does not guarantee popularity or success. Getting traffic to your site can be a bit tricky to achieve because there are so many factors to consider. One very important, and sometimes overlooked, factor when first starting a new website is search engine optimization {SEO}. If you aren’t already familiar with SEO, it may seem like an overwhelming subject; but in order to get your new website off to a solid start, it’s important to educate yourself on the best SEO practices.

Quick SEO Overview

SEO is the process of getting “free” or “organic” traffic to your site by showing up in the search results on various search engines. Search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo want to provide their users with content and websites that are relevant to what they’re searching for. SEO is constantly evolving but, in general, they are looking at things like the user experience, the functionality and performance of your site, as well as, content quality and the level of authority your site holds.

Here are a few simple yet vital SEO first steps that you should take before launching your website:

Tip #1 Invest in your own domain and hosting.

It is a great investment to spend the money and purchase your own domain and hosting. Having your own domain will help build your reputation and search engines like Google, who want to show top quality websites, will consider your site more trustworthy. Websites that have their own dedicated domain and hosting will take priority over free sites. Plus, if your website is hosted on a free site like WordPress.com, your domain name will be unnecessarily long and difficult to remember.

Tip #2 Choose a strong domain name.

Your domain name should be short, unique, easy to spell and easy to remember. You want people to be able to search and find you easily. If your name is too long or easily misspelled, you may get lost in the shuffle. The same can happen if your domain name is too similar to others. It should be unique but not so unfamiliar that it can’t be easily remembered.

Tip #3 Plan for a well structured site.

When setting up your website take into consideration the ease of navigation. Your navigation and page names should be well thought out and organized. Without a clear structure, your site will be confusing to your viewers and to the search engines. Begin by creating a basic site map. Take into consideration all of the information you plan to feature on your site and try to organize and consolidate it.

Tip #4 Optimize for mobile.

You’ve probably experienced the frustration of trying to view a website that has not been optimized for mobile devices. The number of mobile users has been steadily increasing and shows no signs of stopping. Google has even recently added “mobile-friendliness” as a factor in determining ranking. It’s important to make sure your site has a responsive design so that it’s user-friendly regardless of the type of device it’s being viewed on. Not sure if your site is mobile friendly? You can check here.

Tip #5 Optimize and validate your code.

Your website and the techniques used should be carefully considered. The code should be clean, optimized, and without errors. Search engines will also look at your site’s speed. If your site is slow, they will assume that it will not provide the level of user experience it aims for. If you want to check your website, you can check for errors in your code by validating your site here and test your site’s speed here.

These are just a few quick tips to get your website started on the right foot. SEO is a wide-ranging and complex subject but it can offer plenty of rewards if used properly. Keep these steps in mind when planning your site and working with your developer. You’ll be well on your way to getting love from the search engines and ultimately driving traffic to your site.

What SEO strategies do you recommend using when starting a website? Let us know in the comment section below.