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How to do SEO for a website, step by step

A practical sequence you can follow, from technical setup to measurement, for ranking on Google and appearing in AI answers.

Written by Nikhil Narasipura Doddamane, Founder & Head of SEO/GEO · Published 21 Mar 2026 · Updated 13 Oct 2026 · 3 min read

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How do you do SEO for a website?

Do SEO in this order: make the site crawlable and fast, research keywords and questions, map one primary topic per page, optimize titles, headings and content, add schema and internal links, earn mentions and links, then measure rankings and conversions monthly.

Step 1: How do you set up technical SEO?

Verify the site in Google Search Console, submit an XML sitemap, check robots.txt, fix broken pages, use HTTPS and make sure pages load quickly on mobile. Without crawlable, indexable pages nothing else works.

What do the numbers say about SEO and AI search?

Research presented at KDD 2024 (Aggarwal et al., Princeton University and IIT Delhi) found that adding citations, quotations and statistics can boost a source's visibility in generative engine responses by up to 40%, while classic keyword stuffing performed worse than doing nothing. Google's Core Web Vitals define a good experience as Largest Contentful Paint within 2.5 seconds, Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less and Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less, measured at the 75th percentile of page loads (web.dev). Toffyjar SEO retainers cost $499 a month for Starter and $999 a month for Growth, with Enterprise priced on scope, and every plan includes GEO for AI search. Put simply, rankings now depend on fast pages and answers that cite real sources, and the same work also earns citations in AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Step 2: How do you research keywords?

List the problems your buyers search for, then use a keyword tool for volume, difficulty and questions. Group keywords by intent and assign one primary topic per page to avoid pages competing with each other.

Step 3: How do you optimize each page?

Put the primary keyword in the title, H1 and first paragraph naturally, use question headings, answer each briefly first, add images with alt text and link to related pages. See the on-page SEO checklist.

Step 4: What content should you publish?

The best answer for each important query: service pages for buying intent, guides for research intent, comparisons for evaluation. Update pages when facts change. One strong page beats several thin ones.

Step 5 and 6: How do you build authority and measure results?

Earn links and mentions from relevant sites, keep listings consistent, then track rankings, organic conversions and AI citations monthly.

Step	Key action	Tool
1 Technical	Index and speed	Search Console
2 Keywords	Map topics to pages	Keyword tool
3 On-page	Titles, headings, answers	CMS
4 Content	Best answer per query	Editor
5 Authority	Links and mentions	Outreach
6 Measure	Rankings, leads, citations	Analytics

How do you do SEO on Google specifically?

Google rewards helpful, people-first content, good page experience and trusted sources. Follow Google Search Central guidance and read how Google ranking works. If you would rather hand it off, see our SEO services.

What are the key takeaways on how to do seo?

In short: Verify the site in Google Search Console, submit an XML sitemap, check robots.txt, fix broken pages, use HTTPS and make sure pages load quickly on mobile. List the problems your buyers search for, then use a keyword tool for volume, difficulty and questions. Put the primary keyword in the title, H1 and first paragraph naturally, use question headings, answer each briefly first, add images with alt text and link to related pages. The best answer for each important query: service pages for buying intent, guides for research intent, comparisons for evaluation. Earn links and mentions from relevant sites, keep listings consistent, then track rankings, organic conversions and AI citations monthly. Google rewards helpful, people-first content, good page experience and trusted sources.

SOURCES

WORK WITH TOFFYJAR

Want this done for you?

We build WordPress and modern websites and make them rank in Google and get cited in AI answers. Fixed quotes, senior review, you own everything. We measured these results on 16 October 2026 using OpenSEO, which draws on DataForSEO ranking and backlink data. For example, in one case study an enterprise digital engineering company whose site Toffyjar built has 65 non-brand page-one rankings, 37 at #1, with 2,717 referring domains. In another, an AI insurance process automation platform has 13 non-brand top-10 rankings including #1 for underwriting software, with 2,578 referring domains. These are current figures, not before-and-after claims, and client names stay private under NDA. Every site was planned from a requirement sheet, built on staging, reviewed by senior people and handed over with the client owning the code, content and logins. Projects are priced at about $199 per page, and SEO and GEO retainers start at $499 a month. Ask for a reference on a discovery call and we will connect you with a client where they agree.

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CASE STUDY · ENTERPRISE DIGITAL ENGINEERING COMPANY
65 non-brand page-one rankings, 37 at #1 →

Frequently asked questions

Can I do SEO myself?

Yes, for small sites; complex sites benefit from help.

How long does SEO take?

Usually 3 to 6 months.

What is the first SEO step?

Make sure pages are crawlable and indexed.

Do I need to blog?

Only if guides serve your buyers.

KEEP READING

SEO services → SEO services in India → SEO services in the USA → SEO services in the UK → Local SEO → What is SEO? → What SEO means for a business → What is an SEO company? → Google SEO: how ranking on Google works → On-page SEO: guide and checklist → Types of SEO → Blog → Small business SEO → SEO audit →

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