Everything I Know About SEO

The Ultimate SEO Playbook for Indie Hackers

Hey Indie Hackers! 👋

After launching my first few projects, I learned a harsh truth: building a website doesn't automatically mean people will find it. I've spent countless hours learning SEO, and today I'm sharing everything I know - from basic concepts to advanced technical strategies.

Why Should You Care About SEO?

Unlike posting on Twitter or Instagram, there's no feed automatically pushing your content to potential visitors. You need a way for people to find your awesome product. Here are the two main ways to get found online:

1. Organic Traffic (Free) - People finding you naturally through search
2. Paid Traffic (SEM) - Paying for ads to appear for specific keywords

As Bootstrappers, we love organic traffic because it's:

• Free (your time is the only investment)
• Long-lasting (content stays relevant for years)
• Compounds over time (like a good investment)

The Complete SEO Strategy for Indie Hackers

1. Discovering Keywords

There are two types of keywords you should focus on:

Short-Tail Keywords: the most common words that relate to your industry or product

• Broad terms (ex. bath soap, productivity tools, etc.)
• Generic and typically hard to rank for

Long-Tail Keywords: these are phrases people use when searching for related products or services

• More specific (e.g., "best project management tool for solo developers" vs "project management tool")
• Higher conversion rates because of specific intent

2. Follow Your Competition

• Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to analyze competitors
• What keywords and phrases are they using?
• Look for high search volume, low difficulty combinations
• Get creative if you see a gap take advantage of it

3. Technical SEO (The Foundation)

This is the boring but crucial stuff that many skip. Here's your checklist:

Essential Setup:

• Google Search Console (your SEO command center)
• Google Tag Manager (for tracking)
• sitemap.xml (your site's map for Google)
• robots.txt (traffic rules for search engines)

Technical Optimization:

• Crawling: Help search engines navigate your site

  • Optimize site architecture
  • Use internal links strategically
  • Add breadcrumbs for better navigation

• Indexing: Make sure Google can find everything

  • Use canonical tags to handle duplicate content
  • Structure your HTML properly (H1 to H6 headers)
  • Keep your sitemap updated

• Rendering: Make your site fast and reliable

  • Fix broken links
  • Ensure mobile-friendly design
  • Use SSL/HTTPS
  • Optimize page speed

4. Content That Actually Ranks

E-E-A-T Principles: Google's Quality Guidelines

• Expertise (show you know your stuff)
• Experience (share real examples)
• Authoritativeness (back up claims with data)
• Trustworthiness (be transparent and accurate)

5. Building Domain Authority Through Backlinks

Backlinks are still one of the best ways to improve your website's Domain Authority which is one of if not the biggest determining factor in Google's algorithm. Here's everything I've learned about using backlinks to improve your Domain Authority:

What Actually Works for Getting Backlinks:

• Strategic Guest Posting
  Instead of mass outreach, try this:

  • Find sites where your competitors got backlinks
  • Look for sites that have published other indie hackers
  • Pitch content that's performed well on your own site
  • Pro tip: Offer to write about topics they're ranking for but could improve

• Create Link-Worthy Resources
  Some content naturally attracts backlinks:

  • Industry statistics/data
  • Free tools/calculators
  • Original research
  • Comprehensive guides
  • Indie hacker success stories

• The HARO Method

  • Sign up for Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
  • Respond to 3-5 queries daily
  • Focus on your expertise area

What to Avoid:

• Paid links (Google can spot these)
• Link exchanges
• Low-quality directory submissions
• Blog comment spam
• Private Blog Networks (PBNs)

Remember: focus on getting links from sites that:

• Have real traffic
• Are relevant to your niche
• Would send you real users

6. Advanced Tactics That Move the Needle

Programmatic SEO (pSEO): write multiple blogs using the same template

Template: "{Product} alternatives for {user type}"
Becomes:
- Notion alternatives for developers
- Notion alternatives for writers
- Notion alternatives for students

Schema Markup:

• Adds "Rich Snippets" to your search results
• Makes your listing stand out
• Use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper if you're not technical

Internal Linking Strategy:

1. Find your highest-authority pages
2. Link from these to pages you want to boost
3. Use relevant anchor text

7. Maintenance and Growth

SEO isn't "set it and forget it." Here's your ongoing checklist:

• Check Google Search Console for issues
• Update old content (Google loves fresh content)
• Monitor competitor keywords
• Track your rankings
• Review analytics and adjust

The Real Talk Section

Here's what nobody tells you about SEO:

1. It's a long game - expect 6-12 months for significant results
2. You'll need to experiment to find what works for YOUR site
3. Tools are helpful but not mandatory - start with free ones
4. Focus on solving user problems first, SEO second

Get Started Today

Here's your first-week action plan:

1. Set up Google Search Console
2. Install a simple SEO plugin if you're on WordPress
3. Write one piece of content targeting a long-tail keyword
4. Set up proper heading structure (H1, H2, H3)

Let's Learn Together

I'm constantly updating my SEO knowledge and would love to hear your experiences. What SEO strategies have worked for your indie projects? Drop your stories in the comments!

P.S. Our agency designs, develops, and deploys websites that not only look good and are built for SEO. [email protected] - let's connect!

Resources I Use:

• Google Search Console (free)
• Google Keyword Planner (free)
• Ahrefs (paid)