Best tactics for a new website

Starting from scratch, if it was me, I'd go for a killer URL with contained my preferred key word.

Then start with a good framework, plan how your site will look, content wise. How many clicks will get me to your juicy content, or a potential goal conversion. Once you have your structure in place, you can add content to it logically instead of randomly bolting on stuff.

Start with a well optimized homepage, outstanding title tags, good content. If you have enough content to make it readable/usable and you are happy with the quality, then make it go live. I doubt starting with 3 pages or 20 pages would make little difference in the Google Gods eyes, but once you have you a decent framework in place, you can just keep adding content as you go along, and Google will happily index it as you add it.

Biggest mistake I made was to launch MLS USA all in one go with 14 million pages We live and learn.... Matt Cutts said large sites need to drip feed their content slowly into the index, but this is purely for sites with hundreds of thousands of pages.

You'll have domain age working against you as a new site, but good on page SEO and content will see you right.

Adword's is not the cheapest thing in the world, but it is instant SEO and this is prefect while you work your way up.

It is a fairly low competition area and a feeder for what I do now so if I get work each month or better I will do well from it. I think this is achievable but I was hoping to get the best start possible.

I think I may do both a launch of the near complete site say 10 pages and some adwords too.

What made me think about this was the idea that getting links to a small site with low traffic is less natural than one getting more traffic with more pages and hopefully a lowish bounce rate getting links. Or is that pushing the natural linking idea a bit too far??.

I wouldn't concern yourself too much over that, once you've got the key things covered off that Steve has mentioned above, just make sure you keep adding content that's relevant - which by default - should have some keywords with it.


This is often where a lot of people fall down, as they don't add content once they have a website in place. It's needs to be updated with new (good and relevant) content to help in search rankings.

Thanks for the comments guys.

Just a little tip going off mrb's point - one great way of adding regular content to your website (which Google loves!) is by having a news page/blog on your site. Dynamic content is a brilliant way of showing Google your website is fresh, updated regularly and is not out-dated.

Okay, after you get nice domain with keywords, and contents, pictures, videos ready for website, choose any good CMS. I always go with Wordpress platform. There are some amazing plugins which make your job easy for SEO, perhaps, you would want to flip it later.

So how did you get on Bill? Did you get the project off the ground or is it still at the planning stage?

Thanks for asking Steve. There was actually two with one of the two now 'functioning' and getting up the listings I think.

Needs more work on the visual elements and on content. I will be refining the call to action and putting on a video or two. It is the LPA one below. The target population is definitely older and many will not use the net but I realise this is changing with more and more silver surfers.

I dont expect much from it right now but if I make Google page 1 it should become more useful although I am leaning towards 'local search' so that may cause it to get better results. I have set up 'locallanding pages' which also need refining (they dont feature on the menu). Actually there is a point for discussion!

I think the second one will happen when my in laws come to ours for christmas