SEO for Startups: Essential Info for Organic Marketing

Startups have a lot on their to-do lists.

There are supply chains to build, staff to hire, and operations to organize.

But search engine optimization (SEO) should also be near the top of that list. SEO for startups, just like SEO for any other business type, is an essential marketing tool, but startups require a slightly different approach.

Why You Need SEO as a Startup

A good SEO strategy can take your site to the top of the search engine rankings (including Google and Bing) for key terms related to your business, including everything from your brand name to product/service types.

Once there, your business will benefit in many ways:

• Drive more traffic to your site
• Increase sales without paying for every click or conversion
• Improve exposure within your industry
• Show customers that you are a trustworthy, knowledgeable brand
• Target the millions of people that search for products and services every day

Dispelling Startup SEO Myths

SEO methods have changed a lot over the decades, with Google constantly updating its algorithm and forcing SEO experts to adapt their approach. Combined with some general misunderstandings about startup SEO, it has created a few myths:

It’s All About Keywords

Keywords are important as they establish relevancy and are the words that prospective users will search for. But you can’t succeed on keywords alone, and there are many more elements in an effective SEO strategy.

More Backlinks are Better

First, backlinks are not as effective as many people believe. Secondly, it’s more about quality than quantity, and links on low-quality sites can severely hurt your rankings.

Startups need highly relevant links on high-quality websites, and should avoid simply grabbing as many links as they can get.

The Best Content Produces the Best Rankings

It would certainly make things easier if that were the case. It’s also what Google wants. But Google doesn’t have a foolproof way of judging great content, and will instead use a variety of other methods, including checking a page’s authority and bounce-rate, to judge its quality.

PPC Boosts SEO

Paid ads have no impact on SEO. These two forms of marketing can be effective when used together, as they create market saturation, but spending more on paid campaigns doesn’t impact rankings.

SEO is Dead

The idea behind this one is that social media marketing and other methods have taken over. But the vast majority of users still prefer Google and other search engines, and if you want to be seen by them, you need a good SEO campaign.

SEO is definitely not dead, and as long as people continue using search engines to learn and shop, it will be alive for many more years to come.

Common Startup SEO Questions

As a startup owner who’s new to SEO, you probably have a few questions about the process and anticipated results.

Here are some of the most common SEO questions that startups have:

How Long Does SEO Take to Work?

On average, it will take between 4 and 6 months before you start seeing results, but there is no specific timeframe. The only thing we can say for sure is that there are no guarantees, and you should be very wary of any agencies that promise to deliver instant results.

Can I Do SEO Myself, or Should I Hire Someone?

It depends on what kind of resources you have behind you.

You can do it yourself, and if you have an in-house content team, you can achieve excellent results with some SEO training or SEO consulting.

However, SEO takes a lot of time and effort. There are many elements, and if you want the best results, you’ll need someone who knows SEO in and out, as well as a writer, editor, researcher, and developer.

Hiring a team to do the work and supply those skills is usually the most cost-effective method.

Is SEO Expensive?

It can be, but it doesn’t need to me.

At Optics In, we offer a sliding scale that means we can create SEO strategies tailored to meet your needs. Regardless of your budget and goals, we can find something that works for you and gets the results you seek without over-extending your budget.

Can I Beat a Bigger Competitor?

Just because a competitor has a bigger marketing budget than you doesn’t mean you can’t rank higher than them. A good strategy can send your pages to the top of the rankings regardless. The search engines don’t care who has the biggest budget and focus more on who creates the best content and builds the strongest authority.

How Much Does SEO for Startups Cost?

It depends on what you need, what your current situation looks like, what type of industry you’re in, and how much work is required. These factors can differ greatly from one startup to the next, but you can get a rough cost estimation by getting a quote from an SEO expert before they begin work.

Examples of Successful SEO Campaigns for Startups

If you need the expertise of an SEO expert who has worked with startups just like yours, contact Optics In and enquire about our SEO services.

We’ve run SEO campaigns for startups across various sectors. Here’s a snapshot of the companies we have worked with:

• IOMETE: A self-hosted data lakehouse platform that provides a variety of connections and integrations.
• Dagster: An open-source orchestration platform that focuses on data assets.
• Flock Freight: Flock Freight offers sustainable freight services for small and medium-sized businesses across the United States.
• Scaled Agile: Scaled Agile powers the SAFe system, which provides agile business solutions to improve employee engagement, team productivity, and more.
• GravyWork: An on-demand staffing network that promises to fulfil 95% of jobs within 24 hours.

Conclusion: Get Started SEO for Startups

As noted above, you can manage your own SEO campaigns, but it takes a lot of work and there is no guarantee. When you’re dealing with something that can have such a major impact on your business, it’s important to get it right.

So, contact us today to discuss your project and discover how we can help to take your business to the top of the search engine rankings.