AI Search
Posted in:
Organic search drives 53% of all website traffic, and for startups with limited ad budgets, it’s one of the most scalable growth channels available. Yet most startups struggle with it, not because of lack of effort but how SEO is structured.
Startups publish blogs, target random keywords, and hope something ranks. So even when the traffic comes in, it rarely converts into leads.
That’s where HubSpot SEO stands out from traditional setups by combining content strategy, on-page optimization, and CRM data into one system. This helps startups connect their SEO efforts more closely to business outcomes.
In this guide, we’ll discuss a practical framework on HubSpot SEO strategy for startups. We’ll cover everything from topic clusters to on-page setup to performance tracking, so you can start driving meaningful organic growth this week.
Most SEO tools focus on rankings and traffic, they don’t consider whether these efforts connect to business revenue. This is where HubSpot goes a step further by connecting your SEO efforts directly to leads, contacts, and deals inside your CRM so you can track and optimize your SEO strategy.
HubSpot’s Content Hub has various in-built SEO features that support your startup by combining SEO with your data inside the CRM. These features include:
These features reduce the need for multiple third-party tools which can be especially helpful for small startup teams.
For early-stage teams, simplicity and speed matter more than anything else. Here’s how professional HubSpot SEO setup from HubSpot Platinum Partners like MarkeStac helps ensure everything from technical configuration to tracking is aligned from the beginning:
One of HubSpot’s most widely recommended approaches to SEO is the topic cluster model. Instead of publishing scattered blog posts, this SEO framework helps you to structure your content around a central theme.
This helps build topical authority over time by making it easier for search engines to understand your content and its structure.
A topic cluster includes:
HubSpot’s SEO tools help you by researching the search volume/difficulty for each topic, visualizing interlinking, and tracking performance.
Search engines like Google continuously evaluate how well a site covers a topic and not just individual keywords. This is an invaluable opportunity for a startup to outrank bigger brands by covering their niche deeply.
A cluster-based approach helps to:
Lower-volume, long-tail cluster posts help you win traffic quickly, even on a new domain.
Startups can set up their topic clusters in Hubspot’s Content Hub in three simple steps:
Start by identifying a topic that users search for and represents your core offering or expertise.
In HubSpot’s SEO tool, you can:
This ensures you’re not just picking a random keyword but choosing a topic that has both demand and realistic ranking potential for your startup.
Once your topic is defined, the next step is to create a pillar page.
Inside HubSpot, you can:
This page acts as the central hub, linking out to all your related content. This helps search engines understand the structure of your site.
After setting up your pillar page, expand your topic with subtopic keywords.
For each subtopic:
These internal links help search engines better understand the relationship between your pages and the overall topic coverage.
Example:
A startup targeting “HubSpot SEO” could build:
Over time, this structure signals authority to the search engine without needing years of backlinks.
Once your content strategy is in place, the next step is to execute it. HubSpot provides built-in guidance to help you optimize individual pages before you publish them.
This includes:
Pro Tip:
HubSpot’s SEO recommendations panel gives each page an SEO score before you publish. Aim for a score above 80 as a general benchmark, it reflects how well you’ve covered key on-page elements.
SEO performance doesn’t need to be complicated especially when your data is centralized inside the CRM. By connecting your website activity with CRM data, HubSpot helps you understand how content contributes to your growth.
HubSpot’s SEO reporting dashboard helps you track key metrics like:
If you want these reports configured and aligned with your pipeline from the start, a HubSpot SEO service can help you set up tracking, structure, and reporting.
HubSpot provides a great foundation for startup SEO but real outcomes depend on how you apply it. By focusing on structured content through topic clusters, consistent on-page optimization, and clear performance tracking, you can not only bring in more traffic but boost your conversions too.
While many startups already use the HubSpot CRM, only a select few take full advantage of its SEO capabilities. If you’re unsure whether your current setup is supporting your growth goals, it is wise to review your approach.
At MarkeStac, we’ve helped over 350+ businesses turn HubSpot into a lead-generating SEO machine. Whether you’re starting from scratch or fixing a site that’s not ranking, our HubSpot SEO service covers everything from on-page and technical content to CRM-connected reporting. Book a free consultation and we’ll audit your current setup at no charge.
See more
©2026 Programming Insider.
