SEO at the website development stage

Work begins with studying the product, promotion geography, target audience, and website's commercial model. Without this, the semantic core can easily turn into a large list of queries that are technically relevant to the topic but don't correspond to the company's actual services or the goals of the future pages.

Next, the search results are analyzed. The specialist looks at competitors' page types, titles, descriptions, H1 sections, H2 and H3 structure, commercial blocks, content, internal links, FAQs, prices, forms, calculators, and other elements. The resulting data is used to design your own structure without mechanically copying competitors.

The semantic core shows how users search for services, products, and related information. Queries are filtered, intent-based, and grouped. Several similar queries may refer to the same page, while seemingly similar queries sometimes require different URLs.

Clustering helps avoid two extremes: huge pages where different user needs are mixed, and a large number of weak URLs for specific low-frequency phrases. After grouping, each significant cluster receives a clear role in the site structure.

An SEO structure is built after analyzing demand and competitors. It defines the section hierarchy, the relationships between pages, the nesting level, and the navigation logic. At the same time, it checks whether the search engine robot can find the main URLs through simple internal links without relying on complex JavaScript.

Internal linking is also determined at this stage. Important commercial pages should receive links from relevant sections of the site, and informational materials can support them thematically and direct the user to the next step.

Categories, services, and landing pages

A suitable page type is determined for each group of queries. A commercial cluster may lead to a category, service, or a separate landing page, while an informational question is more often addressed in an article, FAQ, or a corresponding section on the main page.

The number of URLs should be justified by search results and content. Creating dozens of nearly identical pages for the sake of minor keyword permutations is unnecessary. This structure complicates site maintenance and increases the risk of cannibalization between your own pages.

URL structure

The page address must be clear, consistent, and scalable. URL logic is determined before launch to avoid indexed URLs changing later due to inconvenient structure, random identifiers, or excessive nesting.

For multilingual projects, the format of the language versions is determined immediately. During development, we also check how the CMS generates URLs for categories, filters, pagination, and other dynamic pages that could cause significant duplication.

Filters and additional landing pages

In online stores, filters can create thousands of parameter combinations. Some of these pages match actual search demand and can be used as a separate landing page, while other combinations can create duplicates and waste crawling resources without benefiting the user.

Therefore, filtering rules are developed in advance. For valuable combinations, permanent URLs, meta tags, H1 tags, content, and internal linking are determined. Technical variants without independent demand are blocked from indexing or processed using a different logic appropriate to the specific project.

Breadcrumbs and internal linking

Breadcrumbs help users understand their position within the structure and provide search engines with additional links between website levels. Their format is best determined in conjunction with the site architecture, especially if the project contains multiple category levels and a large number of nested pages.

Internal linking is also carefully designed. Links between categories, services, articles, and other materials should appear where the user can actually continue exploring the topic or navigate to a relevant service.

Once the structure is designed, SEO requirements are translated into specific technical specifications. The developer needs clear rules: which pages are indexed, how URLs are formed, what response codes the server returns, how canonicals are created, and how multilingual support works.

Phrases like "make a website SEO-friendly" are useless for development. The task should describe specific scenarios, examples, and expected results. After implementation, the requirements are tested on a test site before the project is opened for indexing.

Website indexing and crawling

The technical specifications specify rules for robots.txt, meta robots, and sitemap.xml. Search engines must unblock useful pages and restrict access to technical URLs, internal operation results, and other sections that should not appear in search results.

The accessibility of the main content for search engines is checked separately. If significant elements appear only after complex user actions or depend on client-side JavaScript, their implementation should be assessed during development.

Canonical, duplicates and GET parameters

Duplicates occur due to filters, sorting, parameters, multiple URL variations, and CMS features. It's best to define rules for processing such pages in advance, as search engines can quickly detect a large number of redundant URLs after launch.

Canonical is used where it corresponds to the actual page logic, not as a universal replacement for a normal architecture. GET parameters are evaluated separately: some of them are needed by the user, but should not create independent indexable copies of the content.

Redirects and 404 pages

The server must correctly distinguish between existing, migrated, and deleted pages. A 301 redirect is used for permanent migrations, and a missing URL must return a correct 404 code, even if the user is shown a well-designed page with navigation and useful links.

During migration, a redirect map is created from old URLs to the most relevant new ones. A mass redirection of all deleted pages to the homepage is not recommended, as this scenario does not preserve the meaning of the old URL and may be perceived by search engines as an incorrect error handling.

Pagination

Pagination should help users browse long categories while maintaining search engine crawlability. The specific implementation depends on the CMS, design, and number of elements, so the rules are defined in the project-specific specifications.

Infinite scrolling additionally checks whether products or content are accessible via standard URLs and links. The user interface can remain user-friendly, but search engines should have a clear path to the content without performing any non-standard actions.

Multilingualism and hreflang

Each language requires separate indexable URLs, its own Title, Description, H1, and text. Language versions are linked via hreflang, and canonical tags should point to the corresponding version of the page unless there is a specific technical reason to use a different scheme.

Automatic translation without proper structure control can create incomplete or mixed language versions. Therefore, multilingualism is considered during SEO design: menus, system strings, breadcrumbs, forms, Schema.org, and links between relevant pages are checked.

Loading Speed and Core Web Vitals

Performance depends on the chosen technology, images, fonts, JavaScript, CSS, and the behavior of above-the-fold elements. It's easier to immediately determine requirements for image sizes, modern WebP and AVIF formats, space reservations, and loading heavy resources during the development stage.

Lazy loading is applied to images below the fold, but the main visual element of the page should not be artificially delayed. After implementation, Core Web Vitals and PageSpeed are checked, and any issues found are addressed by specific resources and templates.

Schema.org micro-markup

The microdata type is selected based on the page content. Organization, BreadcrumbList, Article, Product, and other suitable entities can be used for a website if the relevant information is actually present on the page and accessible to the user.

Fake reviews, ratings, prices, or FAQs should not be added for the sake of a rich snippet. JSON-LD must match the actual page content and update correctly with site data, especially for products and dynamic sections.

Content is planned simultaneously with the structure, as some page elements need to be included in the prototype. If a commercial cluster requires specifications, a comparison of options, a table, an FAQ, or a section with terms and conditions, it's best to determine the placement of these elements before finalizing the design.

A copywriter's specifications are created after analyzing the semantics and search results. They outline the page's intent, heading structure, key topics, necessary data, internal links, and restrictions that help avoid duplication between adjacent pages.

Title, Description, and H1

For basic page types, rules for generating Title, Description, and H1 tags are defined. On a small site, these elements can be created manually, but a large catalog often requires scalable templates that work correctly for categories, products, and other recurring URL types.

The focus query should appear naturally and be relevant to the page's content. Meta tags shouldn't be filled with a bunch of identical keywords, as the snippet should clearly explain to the user what they'll see after clicking the link.

Commercial page texts

A sales letter answers questions users ask before contacting or purchasing. The page may disclose the service's scope, process, results, cost, limitations, deadlines, project examples, and other information if it's relevant to the company's offering.

Website creation and optimization don't require lengthy text just for the sake of character count. Length is determined by the topic and competitive search results, and information is distributed among the main text, tables, cards, FAQs, and other page elements.

Information content

It's better to organize informational requests into separate content if the user is looking for a detailed explanation, instructions, or comparison. Such pages expand the site's subject matter and can support commercial activities through internal linking.

Blog topics are selected based on semantics and search engine rankings. Publishing articles solely for the sake of search volume is not recommended if the company cannot cover the topic expertly or the material is unrelated to the needs of the target audience.

EEAT and commercial factors

Users should understand who provides the service and why the information on the website can be trusted. Depending on the topic, pages about the company, contact information, information about specialists, authorship of expert materials, case studies, real reviews, portfolios, and legal information are useful.

For sensitive topics, reliability requirements are especially high. Information must have a clear source, and expert statements should be linked to actual experts who are responsible for the content and can prove their expertise.

Before launching, you need to define the key actions that will be measured after users arrive. Events and conversions are configured in Google Analytics 4, and Google Search Console is connected to monitor indexing, search queries, and technical issues.

If analytics are installed after advertising and SEO efforts begin, some initial data is lost. Therefore, it's advisable to test events for inquiries, calls, forms, purchases, and other significant actions on a test version, along with other requirements, before release.

SEO at the website development stage includes researching search demand, designing the structure, preparing technical requirements, working with content, and monitoring implementation before launch. The specialist determines in advance which pages will be needed for promotion and how search engines should access them.

After development, a pre-release review is conducted, followed by indexing monitoring. Further promotion continues on the live website, taking into account real search data.

It's best to engage a specialist before the structure and prototypes are approved, when the project architecture can still be modified without significant costs. At this stage, it's easier to add a landing page, adjust navigation, or provide the necessary template.

Integration is also possible later, including during the programming stage. In this case, an audit of the already implemented portion is first conducted to determine what changes can still be made before release without major reworking the project.

Yes, SEO for an existing website remains a standard workflow. A specialist conducts an audit, analyzes demand, and gradually optimizes the existing structure, taking into account technical limitations and accumulated indexing.

The difference lies in the scope of rework. If the architecture was created without semantic and search engine analysis, new pages, URL changes, template refinements, and technical bug fixes may be required after launch.

Development is responsible for the technical implementation of the project's interface, functionality, and business logic. SEO design determines which pages will be needed to meet search demand, how they will be linked, and what technical requirements must be considered during implementation.

These processes intersect in many tasks. URL structure, filters, navigation, multilingual support, and content loading are directly dependent on development, so it's best to coordinate SEO requirements before the relevant modules are completed.

Yes, preparing a website for release creates a foundation for further work, but rankings and organic traffic require constant improvement. After launch, real data on indexing, queries, clicks, and the performance of individual pages in search results becomes available.

The team analyzes results, improves content, expands the structure based on confirmed demand, and addresses internal and external promotion factors. The strategy is gradually refined based on actual project data.

The composition depends on the project, but the task usually describes the URL, robots.txt, sitemap.xml, canonical, meta robots, pagination, filters, GET parameters, redirects, 404, hreflang, mobile version, and content accessibility requirements.

Additionally, rules for Schema.org micro-markup, images, meta tags, and internal linking may be specified. Each requirement should ideally be accompanied by a clear post-implementation verification scenario.

The cost is calculated after assessing the project's scope. It is influenced by the number of pages, the volume of semantic content, the type of website, the complexity of technical scenarios, multilingual support, and the need to migrate an existing resource.

Before starting work, a specific list of tasks and expected results is defined. This calculation provides a clear scope of SEO planning, without including work that is unnecessary for the project at this stage.