In this article, we explain the basics of SEO marketing and its relevance to start-ups and SMEs in Singapore. We also included a SEO template by AKIN by Techlyon, an award winning digital marketing agency. 

Startups need SEO for a number of reasons, including:

• To reach their target audience. When people are looking for products or services online, they use search engines like Google. By optimising their websites for SEO, startups can increase their visibility in search results and reach more potential customers.
• To attract more customers. The higher a startup ranks in search results, the more likely people are to visit their website. And once people are on the website, startups have the opportunity to convert them into customers.
• To boost their online presence. SEO helps startups to improve their overall online presence. When startups rank higher in search results, they are more likely to be mentioned on social media and other websites. This can help to increase their brand awareness and credibility.
• To save money on marketing costs. SEO is a relatively low-cost marketing strategy. Once a startup has optimised its website for SEO, it can continue to generate organic traffic for years to come without having to spend any additional money.

In addition to these general benefits, SEO can also help startups to:

• Generate leads. By optimising their website for relevant keywords, startups can attract potential customers who are already interested in what they have to offer. This can lead to a significant increase in leads and sales.
• Increase brand awareness. When startups rank higher in search results, they are more likely to be seen by potential customers. This can help to increase brand awareness and make it easier for startups to attract new customers.
• Gain a competitive edge. In many industries, startups are competing with larger, more established businesses. SEO can help startups to level the playing field and gain a competitive edge by improving their visibility in search results.

Statistics to back up the importance of SEO for startups:

• 93% of online experiences begin with a search engine. (BrightEdge)
• 75% of people never scroll past the first page of search results. (Backlinko)
• Organic search drives 53% of all website traffic. (BrightEdge)
• SEO-generated leads have a 14.6% close rate, compared to 1.7% for outbound leads. (HubSpot)
• Companies that invest in SEO have a 223% higher average annual growth rate than companies that don't. (HubSpot)

These statistics clearly show the importance of SEO for startups. By investing in SEO, startups can reach their target audience, attract more customers, boost their online presence, and save money on marketing costs.

Here are some additional statistics that show the benefits of SEO for startups:

• Startups that invest in SEO see a 40% increase in website traffic on average. (Moz)
• Startups that rank on the first page of Google for relevant keywords see a 20% increase in leads on average. (HubSpot)
• Startups that invest in SEO have a 15% higher customer lifetime value on average. (BrightEdge)
  

To start, optimising your website for relevant keywords is paramount. Conduct thorough keyword research to identify the phrases your target audience is using to search for products or services like yours. Use tools like SEMRUSH and Google Keyword Planner - they can also suggest keywords based on your website or related keywords that your business is in. Incorporate these keywords strategically into your website's content, meta tags, and URLs.

Additionally, creating high-quality and engaging content is crucial for SEO success. Regularly publish fresh, informative, and shareable content that attracts users. By providing value to your audience, that is how you keep them coming back for more. A trick here is to recycle your content - for example, a long blog post can be split into 2-3 parts, then each part can be made into an infograph, the infograph can then be shared online, and the one that performs the best can be made into a short video and so on.  Always ask your audience to subscribe to your newsletter and/or blog so that they will be updated on new developments plus keep up your website's traffic.

Good content not only sends you traffic but with enough visibility, it can also earn backlinks from other credible websites. Backlinks is where other websites hyperlinks to your site which effectively sends a portion of their audience to you. Google and other search engines decides how trustworthy your site is based on a large part on how many of such backlinks there are. This is a quantity AND quality game, you'll want as many as you can of backlinks from bigger and more popular websites. Reach out to influencers or industry experts in your niche and request them to link to your website. You can offer to do the same for them and it will be a win-win.

Finally, ensure your website is mobile-friendly and loads quickly, as these factors significantly impact your search ranking. This means designing a responsive website that automatically adjusts its layout and content to fit different screen sizes (especially due to more users surfing on their mobiles). Additionally, startups should prioritise website speed by minimising file sizes, optimising images, and using caching techniques. By focusing on these aspects, startups can create a seamless mobile experience for their users and increase their chances of attracting and retaining customers. So, don't overlook the importance of mobile-friendliness and quick loading times – they can make a significant difference in the success of your online presence. The Website Grader by Hubspot is a good tool to see how well your site is doing so far. 

By implementing these essential SEO tips and tricks, startups can improve their chances of ranking higher on Google and driving organic traffic to their website. Overall, SEO is a valuable investment for startups, by investing in it early, startups can improve their bottom line and achieve their business goals.