A focused 90-day playbook to turn SEO into a compounding early growth channel. Set up measurement, fix crawlability and Core Web Vitals, publish market-informed content, earn first links, and (if relevant) stand up local SEO—using an efficient workflow that leverages AI responsibly.
This 90-day plan helps early-stage teams set up measurement, establish a healthy technical baseline, publish market-informed content weekly, earn credible links, and (if applicable) activate local SEO. It's built for limited resources, with clear deliverables each week and a pragmatic way to use AI for research, briefs, and QA—without sacrificing quality or trust.
| SEO Priority | Business Impact | Risk Level | Financial Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Foundations | Discoverability, crawl efficiency, user experience | High | $50K-$200K in lost organic revenue |
| Content Strategy | Top-of-funnel growth, brand authority, conversions | High | $40K-$160K in content ROI |
| Measurement Setup | Data-driven decisions, optimization insights | Medium | $25K-$100K in missed opportunities |
| Link Building | Domain authority, competitive rankings, referral traffic | Medium | $30K-$120K in growth delays |
| Local SEO (if applicable) | Qualified leads, map pack visibility, trust signals | High | $35K-$140K in local revenue |
| AI Integration | Production efficiency, research acceleration | Low | $15K-$60K in productivity gains |
| Framework Component | Key Elements | Implementation Focus | Success Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Foundation | Crawlability, Core Web Vitals, indexation, site structure | Clean technical baseline, efficient crawling | Indexation rate, CWV scores, crawl efficiency |
| Content Strategy | Keyword research, topic clusters, publishing cadence, E-E-A-T | Market-informed content, consistent publishing | Traffic growth, rankings, engagement metrics |
| Measurement & Analytics | KPI tracking, goal setup, performance monitoring | Data-driven decisions, clear ROI measurement | KPI achievement, conversion tracking |
| Link Building | Warm outreach, partnerships, linkable assets, digital PR | Credible backlinks, domain authority growth | Referring domains, authority metrics, referral traffic |
| Local SEO | GBP optimization, NAP consistency, local content, citations | Map pack visibility, local trust signals | Local rankings, GBP insights, local traffic |
| AI Integration | Research acceleration, content assistance, QA automation | Efficiency gains, quality maintenance | Production speed, content quality, accuracy |
| Metric Category | Key Metrics | Target Goals | Measurement Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility & Traffic | Impressions, clicks, CTR, organic traffic | Upward trend after Week 4, CTR improvements | Weekly |
| Technical Health | Indexed pages, crawl errors, Core Web Vitals | 90-95% intended pages indexed, ≥80% Good CWV | Weekly |
| Content Performance | Top query rankings, engagement metrics, conversions | Movement into top 20 for long-tail, early conversions | Weekly |
| Authority Growth | Referring domains, domain authority, referral traffic | 3+ quality links, authority improvement | Monthly |
| Local Performance | Local pack visibility, GBP insights, local traffic | Appear for brand + service terms, review growth | Weekly |
| Business Impact | Goal conversions, lead quality, revenue attribution | Micro-conversions captured, early revenue signals | Monthly |
| Role | Time Commitment | Key Responsibilities | Critical Decisions |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO Strategist | 60-80% | Plan oversight, KPI tracking, strategy adjustments | Priority setting, resource allocation, plan adjustments |
| Content Manager | 70-90% | Content planning, brief creation, publishing oversight | Content priorities, editorial calendar, quality standards |
| Technical SEO | 50-70% | Technical implementation, performance optimization | Technical priorities, implementation approach, tool selection |
| Outreach Specialist | 40-60% | Link building, partnership development, PR coordination | Outreach strategy, partnership selection, content collaboration |
| Local SEO Manager | 30-50% | Local strategy, GBP management, citation building | Local priorities, GBP optimization, citation strategy |
| Analytics Lead | 20-40% | KPI tracking, reporting, performance insights | Measurement framework, tool configuration, insight delivery |
Set up Google Search Console and GA4, define KPI dashboard, fix critical crawlability, ship site map/robots, and establish URL and IA conventions. Implement initial CWV quick wins.
Research demand using competitor SERPs, jobs-to-be-done, and problem terms. Cluster topics and map to an initial information architecture. Draft briefs for first 4–6 posts and 2 landing pages.
Publish 1–2 articles per week with internal links; ship the first core landing page. Add basic schema, fix top technical priorities (canonicals, indexability, 404/301 rules).
Create/verify Google Business Profile, ensure NAP consistency, publish location/service pages. Refresh first two posts with FAQs, visuals, and stronger internal links.
Run lightweight outreach: partners, associations, customer case studies, and founder PR. Add a simple linkable asset (checklist, calculator, or benchmark).
Audit internal links, consolidate thin/duplicate pages, improve CWV on slow templates. Review KPI deltas and set the next 90-day plan.
| Cost Category | Small Team ($) | Medium Team ($$) | Large Team ($$$) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Resources | $45K-$100K | $100K-$250K | $250K-$600K |
| Content Production | $30K-$70K | $70K-$175K | $175K-$420K |
| Tools & Software | $12K-$30K | $30K-$75K | $75K-$180K |
| Technical Implementation | $15K-$35K | $35K-$85K | $85K-$200K |
| Link Building | $18K-$40K | $40K-$100K | $100K-$240K |
| Analytics & Tracking | $10K-$25K | $25K-$60K | $60K-$140K |
| Total Budget Range | $130K-$300K | $300K-$745K | $745K-$1.78M |
Sitemap, robots, canonical rules, and noindex hygiene for low-value pages.
Optimize images (WebP/AVIF), defer non-critical JS, font-display swap, caching and CDN.
Logical URL structure with topic clusters; internal links from nav and body content.
Organization, Article, Product/Service, and FAQ where it clarifies intent.
GA4 or equivalent, server-side or privacy-friendly options; event tracking for micro-conversions.
Consistent 404 template, 301 rules for moved content, and simple monitoring.
| Content Component | Key Activities | Outputs | Success Indicators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research & Planning | Keyword research, competitor analysis, topic clustering | Content briefs, topic maps, editorial calendar | Market-aligned content, clear intent mapping |
| Production & Optimization | Content creation, internal linking, on-page SEO | Published articles, landing pages, optimized content | Quality content, proper optimization, user engagement |
| Publishing Cadence | Weekly publishing schedule, content refreshes | Consistent content flow, updated assets | Traffic growth, ranking improvements, audience growth |
| AI Integration | Research assistance, outline generation, QA support | Accelerated production, consistent quality | Efficiency gains, maintained quality, accuracy |
| Risk Category | Likelihood | Impact | Mitigation Strategy | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Issues | High | High | Regular audits, monitoring, quick win prioritization | Technical SEO |
| Content Quality Problems | Medium | High | Content briefs, editorial review, quality standards | Content Manager |
| Measurement Gaps | Medium | Medium | Comprehensive tracking, regular audits, backup systems | Analytics Lead |
| Link Building Ineffectiveness | Medium | Medium | Quality-focused outreach, relationship building, performance tracking | Outreach Specialist |
| AI Content Risks | Low | Medium | Editorial review, fact-checking, human oversight | Content Manager |
| Local SEO Neglect | Medium | High | Local strategy integration, regular GBP optimization, citation management | Local SEO Manager |
Creating content without proper briefs, intent analysis, or internal linking structure
Using link schemes or paid links that risk penalties and damage domain reputation
Neglecting Core Web Vitals and basic indexability issues for extended periods
Building complex architectures before establishing basic traction and user behavior
Allowing AI to generate claims, statistics, or expert advice without human verification
Failing to establish KPI review cadences or track decision-making processes
Clear triggers, models, and ROI for bringing in external guidance—augmented responsibly with AI
Read more →Ship the technical essentials that actually move SEO for new sites
Read more →Move beyond ranks—instrument page groups, assisted value, leading indicators, and decision triggers
Read more →Spend where it compounds—content, technical, and evidence-first link earning
Read more →Stand up local SEO that actually drives leads—fast, clean, and measurable
Read more →We'll review your baseline, prioritize the right fixes, and deliver a week-by-week plan that your team can execute.