SEO is slow, and that’s exactly why indie hackers should start early. A video gets attention for a few days; an article that ranks can bring signups for years. The hard part isn’t writing, it’s knowing what to write first when your domain is new and Google doesn’t trust you yet.
This is a list of the first 20 articles to write for your app, grouped by type, in the order that tends to pay off soonest. It’s written for SaaS and mobile apps alike.
How to think about keywords as a small site
A new domain won’t rank for “best project management app” this year. The big head terms are owned by large sites with thousands of backlinks. What you can win:
- Long-tail keywords: specific phrases with lower volume and lower competition (“habit tracker for ADHD”, “invoice template for freelance designers”).
- Comparison and alternative keywords: people searching “[competitor] alternative” are ready to switch.
- Problem keywords: questions your users ask before they know your category exists.
A rough rule: early on, prefer keywords where the current top results are forum threads, thin listicles or small blogs. That’s a sign Google doesn’t have a great answer yet.
Articles 1–5: alternatives and comparisons
These bring the most qualified visitors because the reader is already shopping.
- “[Biggest competitor] alternatives”: an honest list, including your app, with real pros and cons for each.
- “[Your app] vs [competitor]”: a direct comparison table. Be fair; readers can tell.
- “[Competitor A] vs [Competitor B]”: you’re not in the title, but you can mention yourself as a third option.
- “Best [category] app for [specific audience]”: e.g. “for students”, “for ADHD”, “for couples”. Narrow audiences are easier to rank for.
- “Free [category] apps”: if you have a free tier, this is worth writing.
Articles 6–10: problem and how-to
These target people who don’t know your category yet. They convert less directly but bring more volume.
- “How to [job your app does] without [common pain]”.
- “How to [job] in [tool people currently use]”, e.g. “how to track habits in Notion”. Then show where that approach breaks and how your app handles it.
- “[Job] template” with a free downloadable version. Templates attract links and searches.
- “Why [common approach] doesn’t work”, backed by your own experience or users’ feedback.
- “[Job] checklist”: short, practical, easy to bookmark.
Articles 11–15: explainers and concepts
These build topical authority: Google sees you cover a subject in depth.
- The core concept behind your app, explained simply (“the 2-minute rule”, “zero-based budgeting”).
- A beginner’s guide to your category.
- Common mistakes people make in your area.
- Examples: “30 habit stacking examples”, “25 cold email examples”. Lists of examples rank well and get saved.
- A glossary of terms in your niche, with one short section per term.
Articles 16–20: your own story and data
These are harder to copy and earn links from other founders and newsletters.
- How you built the app: stack, timeline, what you’d change.
- What you learned from your first 1,000 users.
- A teardown of a successful competitor’s marketing (respectfully, with what you learned).
- Anonymized data from your app, if you have enough users: “When do people actually complete their habits?”
- A changelog post that explains a major feature and the reasoning behind it.
The order matters
| Month | Articles | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1, 2, 4, 6, 7 | Fast to research, closest to a purchase decision |
| 2 | 3, 5, 8, 11, 14 | Mix of commercial and link-worthy content |
| 3 | 9, 10, 12, 13, 16 | Broader traffic and authority |
| 4 | 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 | Unique content that attracts links |
Five articles a month is sustainable for most solo founders. Fewer, better articles beat many thin ones.
Find what your competitors already rank for
Before writing, check which keywords bring traffic to competitors. If a site in your category gets most of its search visits from three articles, those topics are proven. We cover free and paid ways to do this in how to find the keywords your competitors rank for.
What makes an article rank
No trick here, just a checklist:
- Answer the question in the first paragraph. Then go deeper.
- Use the keyword naturally in the title, the first paragraph and a couple of subheadings.
- Add something only you can say: a screenshot of your app, a real example, a number from your own usage.
- Link between your articles. Each new post should link to two or three older ones, and vice versa.
- Update old posts. A refreshed article often climbs faster than a new one.
Publishing without a big blog setup
You don’t need a fancy CMS. A folder of Markdown files in your Next.js or Astro site works fine. Cross-posting to dev.to or Hashnode with a canonical link back to your site can bring early readers while Google catches up.
Soloreach can plan these articles from your keywords and competitors, draft them in your style, and open a pull request on your repo or publish to WordPress, Ghost, Webflow or Framer on a schedule. You still review every draft. Plans are on the pricing section.
A quick example
Take a habit tracker launched a few months ago. Its first five articles might be:
- “7 Streaks alternatives that don’t punish a missed day”
- “Habitloop vs [main competitor]: an honest comparison”
- “The best habit tracker for ADHD: what actually helps”
- “How to track habits in Notion (and when to stop)”
- “How to build a habit that sticks: a 30-day plan”
Each one targets a specific search, links to the others, and mentions the app only where it genuinely solves the reader’s problem.
FAQ
How long does it take for a new blog to rank?
For a new domain, expect a few months before articles show up for anything meaningful. Long-tail and comparison keywords usually move first.
Should I use AI to write my SEO articles?
AI drafts are fine as a starting point if you edit them, add your own examples and check every claim. Unedited, generic articles rarely rank or convert.
How long should each article be?
As long as it takes to fully answer the query, and no longer. Look at the top results for your keyword to calibrate; many land between 1,200 and 2,500 words.
Do I need backlinks?
They help, especially for competitive terms. Your own story and data articles (16–20) are the ones most likely to earn links naturally.
