We hear all the time, “we’ve got a new website and they should have done the SEO” – well, as we know SEO and AEO is such an ongoing process, building authority, A/B testing keywords, blog content, altering content to rank in LLM’s, studying heatmaps – this is not a few hours whilst a website getting built. For a website to truly do well, bring in enquiries/purchases, you need a post-live strategy – let’s get stuck in.
When a website finally goes live, many people breathe a sigh of relief: the launch is done. But in truth, the real work is just beginning. Without ongoing optimisation, your shiny new site risks fading into the digital background. That’s where SEO and AEO come in — and why they deserve serious attention from Day 1 post-launch.
From Launch to Longevity: Why SEO Matters After Go-Live
A website on its own doesn’t guarantee traffic. Search engines still need to discover, index, and rank your pages. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) ensures your site speaks the “language” search algorithms understand: clean structure, relevant content, metadata, internal links, technical performance, and more.
Without ongoing SEO:
Your pages may remain invisible — If search engines don’t crawl or index your content properly, potential customers will never see it.
Initial rankings will slip — Even if you land some early rankings, lack of continuous optimisation means competitors who iterate will overtake you.
Opportunity for growth is lost — SEO is cumulative. Each page, each internal link, each keyword-optimised article compounds over time.
User experience will suffer — SEO isn’t only for bots. Improving page load times, mobile usability, structured data, and internal linking also enhances usability — which in turn helps rankings.
In short: launching a site is only half the battle. Post-launch SEO is essential in making that site findable, credible, and competitive.
AEO: The New Frontier of Answer-First Optimisation
Search has evolved. Users increasingly ask questions to voice assistants, AI systems, LLM’s like ChatGPT/AI Mode or conversational interfaces. The aim is no longer just ranking — it’s being the answer. That’s where AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) comes in.
AEO is about structuring your content so it can be directly pulled, quoted, or spoken by search assistants (like Google Assistant, Siri, or voice-powered chat systems). Key practices include:
Conversational, question-based keywords — Optimise for how people speak, not just how they type.
Concise, precise answers — The snippet or summary that’s read aloud often comprises just 30-50 words.
FAQ / Q&A sections — Use headings like “How do I…?” or “What is…?” and answer directly, near the top of the content.
Structured data / schema markup — Use FAQPage, HowTo, LocalBusiness schema, etc., to make your content machine-friendly.
Focus on authority and trust — Answer engines will favour content from credible, trusted sites. Signals like E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) matter more than ever.
By combining SEO and AEO, your site doesn’t just show up — it becomes the source of the answer, not merely one of many links.
Putting It to Work Immediately Post-Launch
Here’s how Digital Landscope recommends the journey continue once your site is live:
Run a full SEO audit — Check crawlability, broken links, XML sitemaps, meta tags, page speed, and mobile usability.
Keyword and query research for AEO — Identify real questions your audience asks, build FAQ sections, and optimise content accordingly.
Implement structured data markup — Layer in schema on service pages, blog posts, FAQs, and relevant content.
Continuous content creation & refresh — Regularly add, update and expand content to target new queries and maintain freshness.
Ongoing monitoring & iteration — Use tools like Search Console, analytics, and voice search insights to track performance, tweak, test.
By doing this, your site adapts as search evolves — and remains competitive rather than stale.
Your Post-Live Strategy Starts Here.
Building a site is just step one. At Digital Landscope, we specialise in post-launch optimisation: hooking your live site into a continuous strategy that blends traditional SEO with modern AEO. Whether it’s technical fine-tuning, content structuring, voice-first strategy, or structured data implementation, we ensure your new website doesn’t just exist — it thrives on Google Search and LLM’s like ChatGPT.
Let us help make sure your website gets seen, heard and trusted.
