Best Practices for Setting Up WeeklySEO

Set up WeeklySEO correctly from the start to get the best results and avoid common pitfalls.

Website Configuration

Choose the Right URL Format

**Use your primary domain:**

✅ https://yoursite.com (if this is your main URL)

❌ https://www.yoursite.com (if you redirect from www to non-www)

**Why it matters:** Match the version verified in Google Search Console for proper data syncing.

Set Accurate Timezone

**In Website Settings:**

Choose your local timezone or business timezone

Affects when reports are sent

Impacts week-over-week calculations

**Recommended:** Your local timezone for easier correlation with other tools.

Configure Crawl Exclusions

**Exclude these pages:**

Admin/login pages

Thank you/confirmation pages

Cart/checkout pages (unless you want these analyzed)

Search result pages

Tag/archive pages with thin content

**Why:** Focus crawl budget on pages that matter for SEO.

Prioritize Important Pages

**Set high priority for:**

Homepage

Main product/service pages

Google Search Console Setup

Verify Before Connecting

**Steps:**

Verify your site in GSC first

Ensure you're a site owner (not just viewer)

Then connect to WeeklySEO

**Why:** Proper verification prevents connection issues.

Match URL Format

**Critical:** The URL in WeeklySEO must match your GSC property exactly:

Domain property in GSC → use root domain in WeeklySEO

URL prefix property → match exactly

Allow Time for Data

**First sync:**

Takes 2-5 minutes

Imports last 90 days of GSC data

Some keywords may not show immediately (privacy thresholds)

**Be patient:** Full data visibility takes 1-2 syncs.

Notification Preferences

Recommended Settings for Most Users

**Enable:**

✅ Weekly Reports (Monday)

✅ Performance Alerts (critical issues)

✅ Suggestion Summaries (when new ones generate)

**Disable:**

❌ SEO Tips (unless you're learning SEO)

❌ Product Updates (check periodically instead)

Email Deliverability

**Setup:**

Add noreply@weeklyseo.io to contacts

Whitelist *.weeklyseo.io domain

Check spam folder once after setup

Move to Primary tab (Gmail)

Initial Analysis Strategy

First Week Expectations

**Don't expect:**

Immediate rankings improvements

Complete keyword data (if just connected GSC)

Perfect understanding of all suggestions

**Do expect:**

3-15 suggestions on first analysis

Learning curve with interface

Need for patience

Setting Realistic Goals

**Week 1-2:** Setup and learning

**Week 3-4:** First implementations and tracking

**Week 5-8:** Initial results start showing

**Week 9-12:** Clear progress visible

**Remember:** SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.

Plan Selection

Start with Free

**If you:**

Have 1 website

Under 50 pages

Just want to try WeeklySEO

Limited budget

**Upgrade when:** You need more pages, websites, or advanced features.

Choose Pro

**If you need:**

Multiple websites (up to 3)

More pages (500 per site)

Unlimited suggestions

Analytics dashboard

Keyword research

Competitor tracking

**Best for:** Serious site owners, small agencies.

Choose Business

**If you need:**

Many websites (up to 10)

Unlimited pages

Priority support

Extended history (24 months)

Advanced features

API access (future)

**Best for:** Agencies, enterprises, power users.

Data Organization

Naming Conventions

**Website names:**

Use clear, descriptive names

Include brand or purpose

Example: "Main Site - YourBrand.com" vs "Personal Blog"

**Why:** Easier to manage multiple sites.

Tracking Setup

**From day one, track:**

Current organic traffic (in GA or other tool)

Current rankings for key terms

Baseline metrics (impressions, clicks)

**Purpose:** Measure actual improvement over time.

Integration Strategy

Google Search Console (Priority 1)

**Connect immediately** for maximum value:

Keyword data

Performance metrics

Better suggestions

Google Analytics (Future)

**Coming soon:** Direct GA integration for deeper insights.

**For now:** Track in GA separately, compare with WeeklySEO data.

Other Tools

**WeeklySEO complements:**

Google Analytics (traffic analysis)

Google Tag Manager (tracking)

CMS (content management)

Backlink tools (off-page SEO)

**Don't replace:** Use WeeklySEO alongside other tools, not instead of.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

❌ **Wrong URL format** - Doesn't match GSC

❌ **Skipping GSC connection** - Missing crucial data

❌ **Expecting instant results** - SEO takes time

❌ **Not setting exclusions** - Wastes crawl budget

❌ **Disabling all notifications** - Missing important updates

❌ **Not verifying site ownership** - Connection fails

❌ **Incorrect timezone** - Confusing reports

❌ **Adding same site twice** - Data duplication issues

Best Practices Checklist

✅ Website URL matches GSC property exactly

✅ Google Search Console connected and verified

✅ Timezone set correctly

✅ Crawl exclusions configured

✅ Important pages prioritized

✅ Notification preferences optimized

✅ Email deliverability ensured

✅ Baseline metrics recorded

✅ Realistic expectations set

✅ First week plan ready

Next Steps

[Complete Onboarding Guide](/help/articles/complete-onboarding-guide)

[First Week Checklist](/help/articles/first-week-checklist)

[Connecting GSC](/help/articles/connect-gsc)

Set up WeeklySEO correctly from the start to get the best results and avoid common pitfalls.

Website Configuration

Choose the Right URL Format

**Use your primary domain:**

✅ https://yoursite.com (if this is your main URL)

❌ https://www.yoursite.com (if you redirect from www to non-www)

**Why it matters:** Match the version verified in Google Search Console for proper data syncing.

Set Accurate Timezone

**In Website Settings:**

Choose your local timezone or business timezone

Affects when reports are sent

Impacts week-over-week calculations

**Recommended:** Your local timezone for easier correlation with other tools.

Configure Crawl Exclusions

**Exclude these pages:**

Admin/login pages

Thank you/confirmation pages

Cart/checkout pages (unless you want these analyzed)

Search result pages

Tag/archive pages with thin content

**Why:** Focus crawl budget on pages that matter for SEO.

Prioritize Important Pages

**Set high priority for:**

Homepage

Main product/service pages

Google Search Console Setup

Verify Before Connecting

**Steps:**

Verify your site in GSC first

Ensure you're a site owner (not just viewer)

Then connect to WeeklySEO

**Why:** Proper verification prevents connection issues.

Match URL Format

**Critical:** The URL in WeeklySEO must match your GSC property exactly:

Domain property in GSC → use root domain in WeeklySEO

URL prefix property → match exactly

Allow Time for Data

**First sync:**

Takes 2-5 minutes

Imports last 90 days of GSC data

Some keywords may not show immediately (privacy thresholds)

**Be patient:** Full data visibility takes 1-2 syncs.

Notification Preferences

Recommended Settings for Most Users

**Enable:**

✅ Weekly Reports (Monday)

✅ Performance Alerts (critical issues)

✅ Suggestion Summaries (when new ones generate)

**Disable:**

❌ SEO Tips (unless you're learning SEO)

❌ Product Updates (check periodically instead)

Email Deliverability

**Setup:**

Add noreply@weeklyseo.io to contacts

Whitelist *.weeklyseo.io domain

Check spam folder once after setup

Move to Primary tab (Gmail)

Initial Analysis Strategy

First Week Expectations

**Don't expect:**

Immediate rankings improvements

Complete keyword data (if just connected GSC)

Perfect understanding of all suggestions

**Do expect:**

3-15 suggestions on first analysis

Learning curve with interface

Need for patience

Setting Realistic Goals

**Week 1-2:** Setup and learning

**Week 3-4:** First implementations and tracking

**Week 5-8:** Initial results start showing

**Week 9-12:** Clear progress visible

**Remember:** SEO is a marathon, not a sprint.

Plan Selection

Start with Free

**If you:**

Have 1 website

Under 50 pages

Just want to try WeeklySEO

Limited budget

**Upgrade when:** You need more pages, websites, or advanced features.

Choose Pro

**If you need:**

Multiple websites (up to 3)

More pages (500 per site)

Unlimited suggestions

Analytics dashboard

Keyword research

Competitor tracking

**Best for:** Serious site owners, small agencies.

Choose Business

**If you need:**

Many websites (up to 10)

Unlimited pages

Priority support

Extended history (24 months)

Advanced features

API access (future)

**Best for:** Agencies, enterprises, power users.

Data Organization

Naming Conventions

**Website names:**

Use clear, descriptive names

Include brand or purpose

Example: "Main Site - YourBrand.com" vs "Personal Blog"

**Why:** Easier to manage multiple sites.

Tracking Setup

**From day one, track:**

Current organic traffic (in GA or other tool)

Current rankings for key terms

Baseline metrics (impressions, clicks)

**Purpose:** Measure actual improvement over time.

Integration Strategy

Google Search Console (Priority 1)

**Connect immediately** for maximum value:

Keyword data

Performance metrics

Better suggestions

Google Analytics (Future)

**Coming soon:** Direct GA integration for deeper insights.

**For now:** Track in GA separately, compare with WeeklySEO data.

Other Tools

**WeeklySEO complements:**

Google Analytics (traffic analysis)

Google Tag Manager (tracking)

CMS (content management)

Backlink tools (off-page SEO)

**Don't replace:** Use WeeklySEO alongside other tools, not instead of.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

❌ **Wrong URL format** - Doesn't match GSC

❌ **Skipping GSC connection** - Missing crucial data

❌ **Expecting instant results** - SEO takes time

❌ **Not setting exclusions** - Wastes crawl budget

❌ **Disabling all notifications** - Missing important updates

❌ **Not verifying site ownership** - Connection fails

❌ **Incorrect timezone** - Confusing reports

❌ **Adding same site twice** - Data duplication issues

Best Practices Checklist

✅ Website URL matches GSC property exactly

✅ Google Search Console connected and verified

✅ Timezone set correctly

✅ Crawl exclusions configured

✅ Important pages prioritized

✅ Notification preferences optimized

✅ Email deliverability ensured

✅ Baseline metrics recorded

✅ Realistic expectations set

✅ First week plan ready

Next Steps

[Complete Onboarding Guide](/help/articles/complete-onboarding-guide)

[First Week Checklist](/help/articles/first-week-checklist)

[Connecting GSC](/help/articles/connect-gsc)