This document was created to address the difficulties Korean Framer users face due to a lack of Korean resources. We've translated content from the official blog into Korean and added practical insights. We hope this helps those of you using Framer.

Why Startups Need an SEO Strategy

While there are countless SEO guides online, most are tailored to ecommerce or location-based services (e.g., Toronto wedding photographer). Startup websites often focus on acquiring signups or leads, making user/customer acquisition a top priority. Use this guide focused on startup goals to develop an SEO strategy that fits your company.

When SEO Might Not Be Suitable

SEO isn't a one-size-fits-all solution, and there are scenarios where it may not be appropriate.

• Needing automated solutions for signups or sales

  : SEO requires high-quality content and consistent investment, rather than just simple tricks. Given the effort needed for search engines, it may not be the best fit for achieving these objectives.

• When fast results are essential

  SEO is an investment that builds over months and years, requiring ongoing commitment and careful monitoring. For rapid conversion, paid acquisition might be more effective.

Why Is SEO Important?

A successful website should lead visitors to take actions such as signups → purchases → reservations. Maximizing results eventually means driving more traffic. While some visitors may arrive via links or by entering the URL directly, 30-70% arrive through search.

Search-driven traffic can be categorized as follows:

1. Brand Search Type: Visitors who search using a company name like “Framer.”

2. Non-Brand Search Type: Visitors who search broader terms (e.g., "how to build a custom site"). A high rank in non-brand search results can boost traffic and conversion rates.

What Can You Expect?

You can categorize how visitors find your site through acquisition channels. However, even with modern analysis tools, enhanced privacy and security measures in browsers often lead to incomplete tracking. Using Google Analytics → Acquisition → All Traffic → Channels, you can see analytical results like the following.

The SEO activity to focus on is Organic Search (Non-Brand). Depending on the company's type, different strategies and expected results can be planned.

• Series A-B Stage Startups

  : Investing about 20% of a small marketing team in SEO and content creation can increase non-brand search traffic to rival brand search over time. With excellent SEO execution, you can expect 1.5 to 2 times more visitors.

• Large Corporations (e.g., 1-800-FLOWERS)

  : A dedicated SEO team can drive non-brand search traffic to over ten times the traffic of brand searches, significantly increasing visitor numbers. In this case, SEO can become a core business driver beyond a mere marketing channel.

How Does SEO Work?

SEO is about achieving high rankings in search results. The higher the rank, the higher the click rate, while a low rank results in minimal traffic. To improve ranking, focus on these key factors.

1. Backlinks

: In the early days of the internet, various search engines competed, until PageRank revolutionized the market by counting the number of links connecting to a specific page from other pages. Pages connected by numerous links were deemed valuable and useful. This system made search results more relevant and reliable. As other websites can't control these links, manipulating them is difficult, making backlinks the most crucial factor in SEO ranking.

2. Authority

: Domain Authority measures the importance of all pages within a domain. Links from domains with high authority (e.g., Apple.com) provide much higher value backlinks than those from low authority.

3. Keywords

: Keywords are words or phrases on a page that match user search terms. Specific phrases (e.g., “California minivan camping”) can enhance targeting. SEO generally prioritizes keywords from broad terms to detailed phrases in a hierarchy.

4. Crawlers

: Search engines use crawlers (or spiders) to scan pages, index content, and track links and keywords. They discover new sites via links or sitemaps (lists of pages provided by site owners).

5. Scoring & Penalties

: Search engines rank pages for display in search results. While backlinks are the most critical factor, other variables include:

• Penalties: Pages can be penalized based on keywords, page load speed, lack of mobile optimization, and duplicate content.

• Engagement: Google evaluates how long visitors stay on a page. If users quickly leave, the page’s rank might drop. Tools like Google Analytics can help track this engagement.

The Framework of an Effective SEO Strategy

To create an effective SEO strategy, focus on these three key areas, planning approach, and executing systematically.

1. Utilizing professional site builders with advanced SEO capabilities like Framer

2. Creating high-quality content tailored to the target audience

3. Securing backlinks from authoritative sites

Trade-offs Startups Should Consider

1. Content Quality

: Producing high-quality content is challenging, especially without professional staff. Mass content generators, interns, or AI tools can help, but low-quality content can harm brand image. It’s crucial to choose approaches that align with brand goals and maintain consistency.

2. Clarifying Target Audience

A precise positioning of the target audience can streamline keyword research and backlink analysis. Define and validate your target audience, focusing on relevant keywords and partnerships with them.

3. Brand vs. Experimentation

To find effective methods, it's good to experiment frequently and measure results. However, excessive experimentation can lower quality. During experiments, set clear guidelines, assign responsibility for approvals, and establish minimum quality standards to limit exposure to low-quality experiments.

Conclusion

SEO is not a magical tool for rapid growth for startups. However, with consistent investment, it can become the most sustainable and cost-effective customer acquisition channel. Use this guide to establish an SEO strategy suitable for your company and help achieve your goals.

If you encounter issues or need further support, please contact the Framer support team through the support page.

This article is an adaptation and translation of Framer's official blog post ‘SEO strategy for startups’.