SEO for startups: what to do before you have traffic

Get the foundations right at launch

1. Render marketing pages on the server or statically, even if the product is a JavaScript app.
2. Choose a URL structure you won't need to change.
3. Set up Search Console, a sitemap and analytics from day one.
4. Make sure robots.txt and your hosting's bot protection allow Google and AI search crawlers.
5. Add Organization structured data and consistent profiles (LinkedIn, Crunchbase, GitHub) so your brand is recognized.

The first pages to build

• Homepage that says plainly what you do and for whom.
• Category page for the problem you solve, using the words buyers use.
• Pricing page in plain text.
• Comparison and alternatives pages once competitors exist, written fairly.
• One free tool or piece of original data that people can link to.

Early mistakes that are hard to undo

• Launching with noindex still on.
• Changing domains or URL structures without redirects.
• A client-side-only marketing site that AI crawlers can't read.
• Buying links to rank faster.