Workflow 001: New Site Launch
Overview
This workflow takes you from idea to live, ranking affiliate site. Follow each phase in order.
Workflow Phases
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| NEW SITE LAUNCH PHASES |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Phase 1: Research & Planning |
| - Niche research |
| - Competition analysis |
| - Keyword research |
| | |
| v |
| Phase 2: Foundation |
| - Domain selection |
| - Hosting setup |
| - WordPress/Theme installation |
| | |
| v |
| Phase 3: Content Foundation |
| - Site structure planning |
| - Create pillar pages |
| - Launch with 10-20 articles |
| | |
| v |
| Phase 4: Content Scaling |
| - Topical authority building |
| - AI content production |
| - 50-100 articles target |
| | |
| v |
| Phase 5: Link Building |
| - Initial link foundation |
| - Guest posts & niche edits |
| - Digital PR |
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| v |
| Phase 6: Optimization & Scale |
| - Technical audit |
| - Conversion optimization |
| - Monetization refinement |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Phase 1: Research & Planning
Step 1.1: Niche Research
Reference: SOP 001 - Niche Research
Checklist:
□ Identified 3-5 potential niches
□ Verified affiliate programs exist (20%+ commissions)
□ Checked competition level in Ahrefs
□ Confirmed seasonal stability
□ Selected final nicheStep 1.2: Competition Analysis
Evaluate top 10 sites in your niche:
| Site | DR | Traffic | Content Count | Link Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Site 1 | ||||
| Site 2 | ||||
| ... |
Key Questions:
- Can you create better content?
- What content gaps exist?
- What's their weakest area?
Step 1.3: Keyword Research
Reference: SOP 002 - Keyword Research
Targets:
□ Created initial keyword list (100+ keywords)
□ Identified 5-10 pillar keywords (high volume)
□ Found 50+ supporting long-tail keywords
□ Mapped keywords to content types
□ Prioritized by difficulty/opportunityPhase 2: Foundation
Step 2.1: Domain Selection
Brand Name Criteria:
- Memorable and unique
- .com available
- Social handles available
- No trademark conflicts
- Easy to spell/pronounce
Domain Strategy
In 2025, brandable domains > exact match domains. Focus on a name that can build brand search volume.
Step 2.2: Hosting Setup
Recommended Stack:
- Cloudways (Vultr/DO) or WPX for WordPress
- Cloudflare for CDN/security
- ManageWP for maintenance
Step 2.3: WordPress Setup
Installation Checklist:
□ WordPress installed
□ Theme installed (GeneratePress, Astra, Kadence)
□ Essential plugins:
- RankMath or Yoast SEO
- WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache
- ShortPixel for images
- WPForms (contact)
□ SSL certificate active
□ Permalink structure set (/post-name/)
□ Basic pages created:
- About
- Contact
- Privacy Policy
- Affiliate DisclosurePhase 3: Content Foundation
Step 3.1: Site Structure
Reference: SOP 010 - Internal Linking
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| SITE STRUCTURE |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Homepage |
| +-- Category 1 (Hub) |
| | +-- Best [Product Type] (Money page) |
| | +-- [Product] Review |
| | +-- [Product] vs [Product] |
| | +-- Supporting how-to articles |
| +-- Category 2 (Hub) |
| | +-- ... |
| +-- Category 3 (Hub) |
| +-- ... |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Step 3.2: Create Pillar Content
Reference: SOP 003 - Content Creation
Launch with at least:
- 3-5 pillar pages (comprehensive guides)
- 5-10 supporting articles per pillar
- Internal links connecting clusters
Step 3.3: Launch Checklist
Pre-Launch:
□ All pillar content published
□ Internal linking complete
□ Images optimized
□ Schema markup added
□ Meta titles/descriptions set
□ XML sitemap submitted to GSC
□ Google Analytics installed
□ Affiliate links added with disclosurePhase 4: Content Scaling
Step 4.1: Content Calendar
Reference: SOP 004 - AI Content Strategy
Content Targets:
Months 1-2: 20-30 articles
Months 3-4: 40-60 articles
Months 5-6: 80-100 articlesStep 4.2: Topical Authority Building
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| TOPICAL AUTHORITY |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| Goal: Be THE resource for your topic cluster |
| |
| 1. Create content for every relevant subtopic |
| 2. Answer every related question |
| 3. Interlink all related content |
| 4. Update content regularly |
| |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------+Phase 5: Link Building
Step 5.1: Initial Link Foundation
Reference: SOP 005 - Guest Post Outreach
Months 1-3 Link Targets:
□ 5-10 guest posts
□ 10-15 niche edits
□ Social profiles created
□ Business directory listingsStep 5.2: Ongoing Link Building
Reference: SOP 006 - Link Insertions, SOP 007 - Digital PR
| Month | Link Type | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| 4-6 | Guest posts | 5-10/month |
| 4-6 | Niche edits | 10-15/month |
| 7+ | Digital PR | 1-2 campaigns |
Step 5.3: Anchor Text Planning
Reference: SOP 011 - Anchor Text
Track and balance anchor text distribution across all link building.
Phase 6: Optimization & Scale
Step 6.1: Technical Audit
Reference: SOP 009 - Technical SEO
Monthly Checks:
□ Core Web Vitals passing
□ No indexation issues
□ No broken links
□ Mobile friendly
□ Page speed optimizedStep 6.2: Content Optimization
Reference: SOP 012 - Featured Snippets
- Identify ranking #2-10 keywords
- Optimize for featured snippets
- Update outdated content
- Expand thin content
Step 6.3: Monetization Refinement
Reference: SOP 013 - Affiliate Monetization
Optimization Areas:
□ Test different affiliate programs
□ Optimize CTA placements
□ Add comparison tables
□ Test display ads (if 10k+ traffic)
□ Track RPM by articleMilestone Checklist
| Milestone | Target | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Niche selected | Phase 1 | □ |
| Site launched | Phase 2 | □ |
| 20 articles | Phase 3 | □ |
| First ranking | Phase 3-4 | □ |
| 50 articles | Phase 4 | □ |
| 100 articles | Phase 4 | □ |
| First $100 month | Phase 4-5 | □ |
| First $1,000 month | Phase 5-6 | □ |
Related Workflows
- 004 - First $1K Month - After launch, hit your first milestone