SEO Checklist for New Websites (Everything You Need To Know)

You're launching a new website. Congratulations — you're also starting from zero in SEO.

No domain authority. No backlinks. No content history. Google doesn't trust you yet.

The good news: what you do in the first few months sets the foundation for everything that comes after. Get it right now, and you save yourself from fixing problems later.

Here's the complete checklist.

Pre-launch: Technical foundations

Do these before your site goes live.

1. Choose a good domain

If buying new:

Exact match domains don't help like they used to
Brandable names are fine
.com is preferred but not required
Avoid hyphens and numbers
Check for trademark conflicts

If buying existing:

Check history with Wayback Machine
Check for spam history with Google Safe Browsing
Existing authority can be valuable (or harmful if spammy)

2. Set up HTTPS

Non-negotiable. HTTPS is a ranking factor and a trust signal.

Most modern hosts provide free SSL certificates (Let's Encrypt). Enable it before launch.

Check:

+ Site loads on https://
+ http:// redirects to https://
+ No mixed content warnings (some elements loading over http)

3. Make sure site is crawlable

Before launch, verify Google can access your site:

Robots.txt:

Check yoursite.com/robots.txt exists
Make sure it doesn't block important content
Common mistake: leaving development "Disallow: /" in place

Basic structure:

Navigation links to all important pages
No orphan pages (pages with no links pointing to them)
Sitemap exists and is accessible

4. Set up proper URL structure

Good URLs:

/services/web-design
/blog/seo-checklist-new-website
/about

Bad URLs:

/page?id=123
/services/web-design/landing-page-2024-updated-final
/blog/2026/01/15/post

Rules:

Keep URLs short and descriptive
Use hyphens, not underscores
Include relevant keywords (without stuffing)
Avoid dates unless content is time-sensitive
Use lowercase

5. Mobile-friendly design

58% of searches happen on mobile. Google uses mobile-first indexing.

Check:

+ Site works properly on mobile devices
+ Text is readable without zooming
+ Buttons are tap-friendly
+ No horizontal scrolling
+ Pop-ups don't cover content

Test with: Google's Mobile-Friendly Test

Related reading:

How to Do an SEO Audit — Deep dive into technical setup
What is Meta Data in SEO? — On-page optimization guide

Pre-launch: On-page essentials

6. Unique title tags on every page

Every page needs a unique, optimized title tag:

50-60 characters
Primary keyword near the beginning
Compelling enough to click

Template: [Primary Keyword] - [Secondary Keyword] | [Brand]

Example: "SEO Checklist for New Websites | Soro"

7. Meta descriptions on key pages

Not a ranking factor, but affects click-through rate.

150-155 characters
Include target keyword
Compelling call to action
Match search intent

At minimum: Write descriptions for homepage, service/product pages, and key landing pages.

8. Proper heading structure

Every page should have:

One H1 (main topic, includes primary keyword)
Logical H2s (main sections)
H3s for subsections (if needed)

Don't skip levels (H1 → H3) or use multiple H1s.

9. Image optimization

Before uploading images:

Compress file size (use TinyPNG or similar)
Use descriptive file names (seo-checklist.png, not IMG_1234.png)
Add alt text to all meaningful images
Specify width/height to prevent layout shift

10. Internal linking structure

Plan how pages connect:

Homepage links to main sections
Category pages link to individual pages
Blog posts link to related content
All important pages within 3 clicks of homepage

At launch: Critical setup

11. Google Search Console

Do immediately after launch:

Go to search.google.com/search-console
Add your property (use URL prefix method)
Verify ownership (HTML tag is easiest)
Submit your sitemap (usually /sitemap.xml)

12. Google Analytics 4

Go to analytics.google.com
Create account and property
Add GA4 tracking code to your site
Set up conversion goals (form submissions, purchases, etc.)

13. XML Sitemap

Most CMS platforms generate sitemaps automatically. Verify:

Sitemap exists at /sitemap.xml
Sitemap includes all important pages
Sitemap doesn't include pages you don't want indexed
Submit sitemap in Search Console

14. Robots.txt final check

Verify robots.txt at /robots.txt:

Not blocking important content
Includes sitemap reference
Allows search engine crawlers

Basic robots.txt:

User-agent: *
Allow: /

Sitemap: https://yoursite.com/sitemap.xml

Post-launch: First week

15. Request indexing

In Search Console:

Go to URL Inspection tool
Enter your homepage URL
Click "Request Indexing"
Repeat for your most important pages (5-10 max)

16. Set up Google Business Profile (if local)

For businesses serving local customers:

Go to business.google.com
Claim or create your listing
Complete every field
Add photos
Verify your business

This can drive traffic even before organic rankings develop.

Set up profiles on:

LinkedIn (especially B2B)
Twitter/X
Facebook (if relevant)
Industry-specific platforms

Link to your website from all profiles. These aren't high-value SEO links, but they establish presence and can drive referral traffic.

18. Submit to relevant directories

Not spammy directory submission — legitimate industry listings:

Industry associations
Chamber of Commerce (local)
Better Business Bureau
Relevant industry directories
Local business directories (Yelp, etc.)

19. Set up basic tracking

Make sure you're capturing:

Organic traffic trends
Top landing pages
Conversion events
Search Console data

You'll need this data to measure progress.

Post-launch: First month

20. Fix any indexing issues

Check Search Console after 1-2 weeks:

Are important pages indexed?
Any errors in Coverage report?
Any unexpected "Excluded" pages?

Fix issues as they appear.

21. Begin content production

The most important step for new sites. Options:

Manual: Start writing/publishing blog content
Freelance: Hire writers to produce content
Automation: Use Soro or similar to automate production

Target: Minimum 2-4 articles in first month, ideally more.

22. Set up internal linking

As you create content:

Link new content to existing pages
Update existing pages to link to new content
Build topic clusters around key themes

23. Basic backlink building

Easy wins for new sites:

Partner/vendor links (if they list customers)
Guest posts on industry blogs
HARO responses
Local/industry directory submissions
Social profile links

Don't expect many backlinks early. Focus on content first.

The new site reality

The "sandbox" effect

New domains often experience delayed ranking — sometimes called the "sandbox." This means:

Content takes longer to rank initially (3-6 months)
Rankings may be volatile early on
Authority builds slowly

This is normal. Keep producing content.

Timeline expectations

Month 1: Setup complete, first content published, minimal traffic

Months 2-3: More content, initial indexing, maybe some long-tail rankings

Months 4-6: First page 1 rankings for easy keywords, traffic starting

Months 7-12: Real traction, multiple rankings, consistent traffic growth

See how long SEO takes for more detail.

Common new site mistakes

Launching without content: A 5-page website won't rank. Plan content from day one.

Obsessing over technical perfection: Good enough technical SEO is fine. Content matters more.

Not setting up tracking: Without data, you can't measure progress.

Expecting quick results: New sites need patience. Plan for 6-12 months.

Targeting impossible keywords: Start with easy wins, not competitive head terms.

The condensed checklist

Pre-launch:

HTTPS enabled
Site crawlable (robots.txt correct)
Clean URL structure
Mobile-friendly
Title tags on all pages
Meta descriptions on key pages
Proper heading structure
Images optimized

At launch:

Google Search Console set up
Sitemap submitted
Google Analytics installed
Google Business Profile (if local)
Request indexing for key pages

First month:

Fix any indexing issues
Begin content production
Set up internal linking
Create social profiles
Submit to relevant directories

Ongoing:

Consistent content publication
Monitor Search Console weekly
Build internal links
Pursue backlink opportunities

Get these fundamentals right, then focus on consistent content production. That's what actually drives rankings for new sites.