In early 2025, I set out to build a website that not only looked great but also ranked high on Google, loaded fast, and followed modern UX practices — all without a team or big-budget tools.

Here’s how I did it, what worked, what didn’t, and what I'd do differently next time.

The Stack I Chose

Framework: Next.js (for static site generation and speed)

Styling: Tailwind CSS (for clean, responsive design)

Hosting: Vercel (for simplicity + CDN)

SEO Tools: Ahrefs, Google Search Console, Screaming Frog

The Performance Goals

Before touching code, I outlined three non-negotiables:

  1. Load under 1.5s on mobile
  2. Pass all Core Web Vitals
  3. Be fully indexed with structured data

I treated performance like a feature, not an afterthought — and that changed everything.

The SEO Wins

I implemented schema markup manually (JSON-LD) for articles, services, and reviews.

  • Focused on topical clusters, not just keywords.
  • Built contextual backlinks via relevant communities (Moz, StackExchange, GitHub, Dev.to, etc.).
  • Internal linking was done strategically using content pillars.

Within weeks, impressions and clicks started climbing on GSC.

Dev Tips That Made a Big Impact

  • Preload fonts to reduce layout shifts.
  • Used next/image for better image optimization.
  • Avoided heavy animations that delay FCP (first contentful paint).
  • Added Open Graph & Twitter meta tags for cleaner sharing.

What Didn’t Work

  • Over-relying on plugins: Even “lightweight” WordPress plugins slowed down early builds.
  • Ignoring image dimensions initially — caused CLS issues.
  • Writing content after development, which broke flow.

✅ Results (In 45 Days)
✅ PageSpeed Score: 99 Desktop / 94 Mobile

✅ Indexed pages with sitelinks

✅ Multiple keywords on Page 1

✅ Time on site: +42% increase

✅ Bounce rate: down by 30%

What I’d Improve

  • Start with content wireframes, not just design mockups.
  • Build a custom sitemap generator (current one misses deep pages).
  • Better post-launch tracking for user interactions (hotjar, GA4 events).

TL;DR Takeaway

You don’t need fancy tools or a big team to build something that ranks. Just clear goals, clean code, and an understanding of what users and search engines actually want.

Would you like a downloadable checklist or want help doing something similar for your site? Happy to share templates, tools, or code snippets. Just say hey for SEO Services in New York and California