SEO for New Website Builds: Built In From Day One
Most new websites launch looking great but are not built to rank. SEO gets skipped during design and bolted on after launch, when fixing it means rework.
We work alongside your designers and developers so every page, template and URL is structured for Google and AI answers before the site goes live.
Why Most New Websites Launch Without SEO
A new website is the cheapest moment to get SEO right, and the moment it most often gets skipped. These are the gaps we see again and again.
Design comes first, search comes last
Designers are briefed on look, brand and user journeys. Few briefs include the searches the site needs to rank for.
No page plan built from search demand
Without keyword and question research, the sitemap follows the org chart, not what buyers search for. Whole topics end up with no page to rank.
Templates missing the basics
Heading structure, title and meta fields, canonical tags, image alt text and structured data are often missing or hard-coded wrong.
Built in a way crawlers struggle with
Heavy JavaScript, content hidden in sliders and tabs, and slow pages make it harder for Google and AI crawlers to read the site.
SEO fixed after launch, at extra cost
Retrofitting SEO means reopening templates, rewriting pages and redirecting URLs, work that costs more than getting it right first time.
Invisible to AI assistants
Pages not written as clear answers, and crawler rules that block AI bots, keep the new site out of ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Overviews.
How We Build SEO Into Your New Website
We slot into your design and build process at six points. Your designers keep designing and your developers keep building. We make sure the result can rank.
Search research and page plan
We research the searches and questions your buyers use, then turn them into a sitemap where every important topic has a page built to rank.
Site architecture and URL structure
We define the navigation, URL patterns and internal linking so authority flows to the pages that matter commercially.
Wireframe and design review
We review wireframes and designs for heading structure, content blocks, internal links and page elements search engines need, before development starts.
Page-by-page content briefs
Each key page gets a brief: target searches, questions to answer, headings and the proof to include. Answer-first, so AI assistants can cite it.
Technical SEO spec for developers
A clear spec covering titles and meta, canonicals, structured data, rendering, page speed, image handling, robots rules and AI crawler access.
Pre-launch QA and launch setup
We crawl the staging site, fix issues with your developers, then set up Google Search Console, submit sitemaps and monitor indexing after launch.
Who This Service Is For
Two kinds of teams bring us in: businesses commissioning a new website, and the agencies building it.
You are commissioning a new website
You have a designer or agency lined up, or you are about to choose one. We sit on your side of the table, brief them on SEO requirements and check their work at each stage, so you launch a site that ranks.
You build websites for clients
Add SEO to your builds without hiring an SEO team. We work as a white-label or referral partner: we plan the SEO, review your designs and QA the build, and you keep the client relationship.
Replacing an existing site that already ranks? You also need a redirect and migration plan. See our SEO site migration services.
+104%
ProPlayerTeam: Organic Clicks Up 104% in Two Months on Its New Shopify Site
When SEO is part of the build, a new site can grow from launch instead of recovering from it. ProPlayerTeam grew organic clicks by 104% in the two months after moving to its new Shopify site. See more client results on our homepage.
SEO for New Websites: Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you start your build.
When should SEO get involved in a new website project?
Before design starts, ideally at the planning stage when the sitemap and page list are being agreed. That is when SEO decisions cost the least to make.
Will adding SEO slow down our website project?
No. We work to your project timeline and deliver at set points: the page plan before design, feedback on wireframes and designs, a spec before development, and QA before launch.
Do you design or build the website?
No. Your designers and developers build it. We provide the SEO plan, briefs, specs and reviews, and check their work before launch.
Do you write the website content?
We write keyword-led briefs for every key page, and we can write the content if you need it.
Can web design agencies white-label your SEO service?
Yes. Agencies can use us as a white-label partner under their own brand, or refer clients to us directly.
How much does SEO support for a new website cost?
It depends on the size of the site and how many stages you need us for. We agree a fixed scope and price after a call about your project.
Building a New Website? Bring SEO In Before Design Starts
Tell us about your project: your current site if you have one, your platform, who is building it and your launch date.