The State of SEO Websites 2026
How do purpose-built SEO websites actually index, rank and perform? We pulled the numbers from our own live network of 5 sites, 568 indexed pages and 2,466 tracked keywords. This is what the data shows, with every figure sourced and every estimate flagged.
What the network tells us
Across 568 pages, the network earns 227.4k impressions and 2,129 clicks every month, built entirely from content and architecture with no paid links.
Of 2,466 tracked keywords, 738 sit on page one. The long tail compounds as each domain ages and internal links mature.
Every site scores 97 or higher on Lighthouse performance. Static builds on the edge make near-perfect Core Web Vitals the default, not a project.
How fast do new SEO sites gain traction?
Every site below started from zero authority. The curves track monthly organic impressions across the first twelve months. The pattern is consistent: a slow first quarter while pages index, then a compounding climb as the long tail matures. Full indexation lands within the first 12 months, with 100% of submitted pages indexed.
Source: Google Search Console impressions, first 12 months per site. Median days to first impression: approximately 14 (estimate pending full Coverage export).
Lighthouse scores by build platform
Core Web Vitals are a ranking input and a conversion lever. The chart compares our measured network average against typical scores for the two most common DIY platforms. Static, edge-cached HTML wins on every axis because there is no database query, no plugin stack and no render-blocking theme to slow first paint. See our approach to technical SEO setup.
Our column is the measured network average. WordPress and Squarespace columns are illustrative platform estimates (SOURCE/PLACEHOLDER) pending a cited benchmark such as the HTTPArchive Web Almanac.
First paint, platform by platform
Speed is where architecture shows. A static page served from the edge paints in a fraction of the time a plugin-heavy CMS needs to assemble the same HTML. Lower is better.
Page Load Speed Race
First Contentful Paint: median of 10 runs via WebPageTest on 4G throttled connection. Lower is better.
The Astro figure reflects our edge-cached static stack. Other platform load times are illustrative (SOURCE/PLACEHOLDER) and require cited WebPageTest runs before publication.
Where the keywords actually rank
Aggregating every tracked keyword across the network shows the shape of a healthy long-tail strategy: a strong page-one core, with a deep bench of positions 11 to 20 that lift over time. The full breakdowns sit in the case studies.
All network keywords by position
Schema coverage
Structured data is what wins rich results and AI citations. Every page in the network carries 100% valid schema coverage, against a typical CMS build estimated near 38% (SOURCE/PLACEHOLDER). Learn how we build the schema graph.
What an SEO website costs to own
The headline figure for any web project is upfront cost, but the figure that matters is total cost of ownership. A one-time build you own outright behaves very differently from a monthly retainer or a subscription platform. Our full breakdown is on the pricing page.
| Model | Upfront | Ongoing |
|---|---|---|
| SEO website build (our model) Measured | £1,500 to £3,000 | £0 / month |
| Agency retainer | £0 to £1,000 setup | £1,000 to £3,000 / month |
| DIY site builder | £0 to £300 | £18 to £50 / month |
| Freelance one-off site | £800 to £5,000 | £0 to variable |
Our model is taken from the published build price. Comparator ranges are market estimates (SOURCE/PLACEHOLDER) pending a cited source.
How we measured this
Figures cover a five-site live network built and operated by OptimisedWebsite, measured over the first twelve months from launch of each domain.
Measured from our data
- Network totals (sites, pages, clicks, impressions, ranking keywords, Lighthouse) are aggregated directly from the live case-study data in this repository, which mirrors Google Search Console performance and Coverage reports.
- Growth curves are monthly impression series (in thousands) for each site across its first twelve months.
- Ranking distribution is the count of tracked keywords by average position bucket, summed across all five sites.
- Pricing is taken from the published one-time build range with no ongoing fees.
Estimates to confirm
- Median days-to-first-impression is a working estimate pending a full GSC Coverage export.
- WordPress, Squarespace, Wix and Next.js performance and load-time figures are illustrative platform comparisons, not measured from our network, and require a cited source (for example the HTTPArchive Web Almanac or owner lab tests) before publication.
- Comparator cost ranges and the typical-CMS schema-coverage figure are market estimates pending a cited source.
Where a site reports impressions but not yet a stable click figure, it contributes zero clicks to network totals rather than an estimate. No figure is rounded up beyond its measured precision.
Last reviewed: 2026-06-05. Dataset licensed CC BY 4.0; cite OptimisedWebsite with a link.
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