I’d probably start with research before touching the actual build. For a new site, the biggest mistake is usually creating a lot of content without knowing what can realistically rank. My first 90 days would be something like: find a narrow niche angle, map out the topics, publish a mix of helpful content and supporting pages, and make sure the site has a clear purpose from day one. I’d handle the basic technical SEO early, but I wouldn’t spend weeks chasing a perfect score if the site has no useful content yet. For backlinks, I’d focus less on mass outreach and more on creating something worth mentioning — tools, original data, unique resources, or content that fills a gap. AI/AEO is interesting, but I’d treat it as an extension of good content rather than a separate strategy. If the foundation is weak, optimizing for AI answers won’t save it.
