SEO for a New Website: The First 90 Days

You launched a new website. Nobody visits it. That is normal. Search engines do not know you exist yet, and trust takes time to build.

This plan covers the first 90 days. It focuses on actions you control. We do not promise rankings, because nobody can. We can promise that a site with a solid base gives you the best chance.

What SEO means for a new site

SEO is the work of helping search engines find your pages, understand them and show them to people who search for what you offer. In the first three months, your job is to build the base. Fast results are rare.

The 90 day plan

Period	Focus	Main tasks
Days 1 to 7	Make the site findable	Index, sitemap, analytics, search console
Days 8 to 30	Fix the basics	Titles, descriptions, speed, Business Profile
Days 31 to 60	Publish useful content	Service pages, guides, local pages
Days 61 to 90	Build trust and measure	Reviews, links, review of data

Days 1 to 7: make the site findable

Check that search engines can see you

• Confirm your site is not set to hide from search. Many sites launch with this setting left on by mistake.
• Check that every page uses https.
• Create a sitemap and make sure it lists your important pages.
• Open a free Google Search Console account and verify your site.
• Submit your sitemap there.

Set up measurement

• Install an analytics tool so you can see visits.
• Track clicks on your phone number, WhatsApp button and contact form.

Without this, you will not know what works.

Days 8 to 30: fix the basics

Page titles and descriptions

Each page needs its own title and description. The title names the page and the main topic. The description tells searchers why they should click. Keep both clear, honest and under the display length.

One topic per page

Give each service its own page. A single page that tries to cover everything ranks for nothing. Choose one main phrase for each page and use it naturally in the heading, the first paragraph and the title.

Speed and mobile

• Compress images before you upload them.
• Test your pages on a phone.
• Remove plugins and features you do not use.
• Check that buttons are large enough to tap.

Google Business Profile

If customers find you locally, this is among the most useful steps you can take. Follow our guide to setting up your Google Business Profile. Use the same name, address and phone number as on your website.

Days 31 to 60: publish useful content

Search engines need pages to show. Write content that answers real questions from your customers.

• Write down the ten questions customers ask you most often.
• Answer each in a short guide of 800 words or more.
• Add a clear next step at the end of every guide.
• Link new guides to your service pages, and service pages to your guides.
• Add local pages if you serve more than one town.

Publish steadily. One good page every week or two beats ten rushed pages in one day. Avoid copying text from other sites or from tools without checking it. Your pages should reflect real experience.

Days 61 to 90: build trust and measure

Reviews

Ask happy customers for a review on your Business Profile. Send the link on WhatsApp right after a job is done. Never buy reviews or write them yourself.

Links from other sites

Links from real, relevant sites help. Good places to start include your supplier pages, local business directories, partner organisations and your own social profiles. Avoid paid link schemes. They can harm your site.

Review your data

• Which pages get visits?
• Which searches show your site?
• Which pages have visits but no enquiries?
• Which pages need a clearer button or a better title?

Pick three pages to improve. Then repeat each month.

Keep a simple log

Write down every change you make and the date. Include new pages, new titles, new links and new reviews. When a page rises or falls, you can look back and see what changed. After three months, this log becomes the most useful record you own. It shows what worked for your business, not for a stranger in a guide.

A simple monthly routine after day 90

SEO does not end after three months. Keep a short routine so the work continues.

• Publish one new guide or update one old page.
• Reply to every new review.
• Check Search Console for errors and new searches.
• Test your site speed and fix anything slow.
• Add one useful link from a partner or directory.

An hour a week is enough to keep progress steady.

What to expect

Some pages may appear in search within weeks. Others take months. Results depend on your competition, your content and the trust your site has built. Be wary of anyone who promises a fixed result. Focus on the actions in this plan, and judge progress by visits, enquiries and customer calls rather than by a single ranking.

Pick your first ten search phrases

Do not guess. Build a list from what you know about your customers.

1. Write the services you sell in the words customers use.
2. Add your town or region where it matters.
3. Type each phrase into Google and read what appears. Note which pages rank and how they are written.
4. Use the suggestions Google shows as you type to find related questions.
5. Keep phrases that match a real page or guide you can write.

Match each phrase to one page. Never send two pages after the same phrase.

Common mistakes

• Leaving the “hide from search” setting on after launch.
• Using the same title on every page.
• Publishing thin pages with a few lines.
• Expecting results in two weeks.
• Hiring someone who guarantees first place on Google.
• Never checking the data.

Do it yourself or get help?

You can do the first 30 days yourself with this list. Content and review take longer, and many owners prefer to hand that over. The website brief template also helps you plan pages before you build, which saves rework later. For the cost of a new site, see our pricing page.

A starter site is $500, a business site is $800 to $1,500 and custom work starts from $2,000. We quote SEO as a one off setup or a monthly plan after a free call and a quick review of your site. Starter sites take 2 weeks and bigger projects 3 to 6 weeks. Payment is 50% to start and 50% on delivery, with 2 to 3 revisions.

Our studio is in Buea, Cameroon, and we have shipped over 100 products for clients on four continents. Message us on WhatsApp with your website address and we will tell you what to fix first.

Next step: Want help getting found? See our SEO and digital marketing service.