How to Create and Rank a New Website on Google

Did you know that over 90% of websites get zero traffic from Google and may never appear in search results?

For most website owners, this is incredibly frustrating. You pour time into creating content, and no one sees it, so what’s the point?

At the end of the day, It all comes down to one thing — SEO.

SEO is the difference between a thriving website and one that disappears into the depths of Google.

If you want your blog or business to grow, you can’t afford to ignore SEO.

If you don’t want to waste time writing content that no one finds, you need SEO.

If you want to see real results to stay motivated — especially when starting from scratch — SEO is your best friend.

I’ve tested several strategies over the years, and today, multiple articles from my small lifestyle blog rank on Google’s first page.

Here is one example:

Proof that SEO works to rank on google's first page

I want you to get similar results . So in this guide, I’ll break down exactly how to do SEO properly for a new website — I’ll give you what worked for me, what didn’t, and a practical checklist you can always come back to.

If SEO has always seemed complicated or you’re new to setting up a website, this guide is for you.

How to create a new website and Rank on Google

First things first, here’s the actual checklist I used to grow my website. It’s exactly what you need.

Pick a domain name
Choose a website hosting provider
Get a content management system (like WordPress)
Pick a clean and fast theme
Create essential pages
Set up a good website structure
Set up Google Search Console & Google Analytics
Do keyword research to find what people search for
Spy on your competitors
Create a content writing plan
Write useful articles that answer questions
Optimize every content you write
Track your website performance
Fix issues when they arise
Continue optimizing and updating your website content

So how do you actually implement this checklist? Let’s get into the details.

Steps to create your website and rank on Google

Pick a Domain Name

Your domain name is the foundation of your online presence. It’s how people find you, remember you, and trust your brand.

A bad domain name can make your site look unprofessional, while a good one helps you stand out.

Here’s how to pick the right one:

Keep it short and easy to spell – if people can’t type it, they won’t visit it.
Avoid hyphens and numbers – they confuse people and look spammy.
Use a .com if possible – it’s the most trusted and easiest to remember.

Choose a Website Hosting Provider

Think of hosting like renting space on the internet. Without a good hosting provider, your website can be slow, crash often, or even disappear.

Google prioritizes fast and reliable websites, so your hosting choice will affect your rankings.

I have been using Hostinger since 2021. I now host three websites on Hostinger and haven’t looked back since I started. My websites have good performance and Hostinger’s customer service are great at providing support.

Get a Content Management System (CMS)

A CMS lets you build and edit your website without coding. WordPress is a great content management system.

It’s used by 40% of all websites – including major brands
SEO-friendly – Google loves WordPress sites.
Customizable – You can add features (like contact forms and SEO tools) using plugins.
Free to use – Just pay for hosting and a domain.

Most hosting providers like Hostinger offer one-click WordPress installation, so you can set up your website in minutes.

Pick a Clean and Fast Theme

Your website’s theme controls how it looks and how fast it loads.

A slow or cluttered theme with too many built in features will:

Slow down your site
Make visitors leave before they even read your content.
Hurt your Google rankings (because Google prefers fast websites).

The best themes for speed and SEO on Wordpress are:

Astra – Lightweight and customizable.
GeneratePress – Extremely fast and clean.
Kadence – A good mix of design and performance.

Create Essential Pages

Before you start publishing content, your website must have these pages:

Home Page – The first impression of your site. It should clearly explain what your site is about.
About Page – Helps build trust by sharing who you are and why your site exists.
Contact Page – Essential for credibility. If people can’t reach you, they won’t trust you.
Privacy Policy & Terms of Use – Required for legal reasons, especially if you collect emails or use ads.

Without these pages, your site looks incomplete and untrustworthy, and Google may not rank it as highly.

Set Up a Good Website Structure

If visitors (and Google) can’t easily navigate your site, they won’t stick around.

Here is how to structure your site for success:

Use clear categories for your blog posts (e.g., “SEO Tips,” “Content Marketing”).
Make sure every important page is linked from the main menu.

A great menu can look like this:

Home
Blog

SEO Tips

Content Marketing

Web Design

About
Contact

The better your structure, the longer people stay on your site – which tells Google your content is valuable.

Set Up Google Search Console & Google Analytics

Tracking your website’s performance will allow you know what’s working and what’s not.

Google Search Console helps you:

See which keywords bring traffic to your site.
Find and fix indexing issues (so Google can read your site properly).
Submit your sitemap so Google can discover new pages faster.

Google Analytics helps you:

Track how many visitors come to your site.
See which pages perform best.
Understand where your traffic comes from (Google, social media, etc.).

Both tools are free and essential for SEO. Set them up as soon as your website is live!

Don’t skip Keyword Research

Many websites fail because they write content no one is searching for.

Pick the right Keyword and write about topics people actually Google for—your articles will have a chance to rank.

Skip keyword research and write what no one is searching for, your website may never rank.

If your site is new:

Aim for keywords with decent search volume of at least 1000 and low-competition (score of 30 or lower).
Look at the top results that rank for the keyword – If small websites are ranking, you have a great chance too.

You can also Use Google’s “People also ask” section to find common questions related to your topic.

For more details on tools you should use for your keyword research, check here.

Create a Content Writing Plan

You should have a content strategy and not just publish posts at random.

A good content strategy could look like this:

Have at least 10 blog post ideas based on your keyword research.

Have a publishing schedule (e.g., one post per week) and be consistent with it

Then, focus on one main topic at a time (Google ranks topic clusters, not random posts). For instance, if you’re starting a travel blog, instead of writing random destination guides, create a series like:
“Best Budget Travel Tips” , “How to Pack Light for Any Trip” , “How to Find Cheap Flights”. This tells Google your site is an authority in that area and allow Google rank you higher.

Optimise Every Content You Write

Here is the checklist I use to ensure each page or content on my blog is optimised:

Place keywords naturally in the post title, meta description, headings, and first 100 words of any article.
Structure articles with short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear h2/h3 subheadings.
Internal Linking – link an article to related articles to create a content network.
External Links – Link to credible sources for authority.
Optimise images - Compress images and use descriptive ALT text.
Keep URLs short, clean, and keyword-rich (e.g., example.com/best-seo-tools).

Ensure your website looks good on mobile devices.

If you use Wordpress as your CMS, the best way to ensure you are doing everything on this checklist is by using an SEO plugin like AIOSEO (All in One SEO).

Install it on WordPress, set it up in minutes, and let it do the heavy lifting for you.

Other CMS like Wix have inbuilt SEO settings which will also help you optimise your posts.

How do I know this strategy works?

I have several posts from my new blog ranking on googles first page.

Mind you, my websites are a side hustle and I can barely afford to spend a lot of time on them.

But sticking to these principles have given me real results. You can get the same results too with consistency, despite your busy schedule.