First-time use of Codex + SEO Agent for a standalone website: from data integration to 30-day SEO operations

After a client already has a standalone website and connects SEO Agent to Codex via MCP, the first step is not to have Codex immediately write articles or modify the website. The correct order is to first let it understand the business, then establish technical, keyword, competitive, and real traffic baselines, and finally turn the conclusions into actionable page tasks.

This article will directly explain what problem each step solves, how to use the instructions, how to judge the results, and what to do after completing them. You don't need to learn all SEO terminology first; just copy the instructions in order, check the results, and then complete the corresponding web operations.

Below is a complete process suitable for first-time use. Clients can directly copy the instructions in the article to turn Codex + SEO Agent into a standalone website SEO operations approach that has data, priorities, and acceptance criteria.

1. Prepare business information before starting

Codex can only determine whether a keyword or page is truly suitable for your business if it knows what you sell, who you sell to, and in which market you sell. Otherwise, it may treat high-traffic words without purchasing value as priorities.

What you will get: A fixed project background. Every subsequent analysis will be based on the same set of products, market, and goals, reducing irrelevant answers and repeated communication.

Please prepare the website domain, main products or services, target country, website language, target customers, 3-5 core product keywords, and 2-3 real competitors. You also need to clarify whether your current goal is to increase organic traffic, increase qualified inquiries, improve rankings, expand into new markets, or improve AI search visibility.

Replace the example with your own real information, then copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog box.

This is my standalone website project:

Website: example.com
Main products: industrial stainless steel sheets and coils
Target market: United States
Website language: English
Target customers: importers, distributors, and engineering purchasers
Core product keywords: stainless steel sheet, stainless steel coil
Competitors: competitor1.com, competitor2.com
Business goal: increase Google organic traffic and increase qualified inquiries

Please use this information as the project background for subsequent SEO analysis. Do not call paid tools for now.

2. Confirm MCP Connection and Permission Boundaries

MCP is the channel through which Codex calls SEO Agent data. Confirm the tool is available first, so you don't mistake 'no permission' for 'the website has no data' later.

Copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog box.

Please check whether the SEO Agent MCP is connected and list the SEO tools currently available.

If Codex does not list tools such as keywords, competitors, site audit, GSC, GA4, or GEO, check the API key, MCP address, and API/MCP permissions, and reopen the conversation after modifying the configuration.

3. First, do a site audit.

If Google cannot crawl the page, or the page is noindex blocked, or multiple URLs conflict with each other, writing more articles later may have no effect. A site audit is about first checking whether search engines can properly see and understand your website.

Replace the domain with your own website, then copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please use SEO Agent to conduct a site audit for example.com, checking crawlability, status codes, robots, noindex, canonical, Title, Meta Description, H1, image alt, internal links, duplicate content, and structured data, and sort by P0, P1, P2.

First confirm whether the website can be crawled stably, whether robots/noindex is incorrectly blocking, and whether canonical, redirects, and status codes are correct. Then check titles, descriptions, H1, product page content, image alt, internal links, and structured data. Solve P0 technical issues first, then build content at scale.

4. Establish a keyword and ranking baseline

A baseline is your "current report card." It tells you which keywords already have opportunities, which pages are getting impressions, and whether things have actually improved after optimization. Without a baseline, you can't tell whether SEO work is making progress or just increasing the number of articles.

First check the website's existing rankings

After replacing the domain, country, and language, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please analyze the keywords that example.com currently ranks for in the US English market, and explain:
1. Keywords that have entered the top 10, top 20, and top 100
2. The corresponding ranking pages
3. Keywords with potential but low rankings
4. Whether to optimize old pages or create new pages
5. Do not generate articles for now

Then research core product keywords

After replacing with your own product keywords and target market, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please research stainless steel sheet and stainless steel coil in the US English market for search volume, difficulty, search intent, commercial value, related keywords, and question keywords, and group the keywords.

Search volume is not the only criterion. You also need to assess whether the keyword matches the actual product, whether it carries purchase intent, whether it should be served by a product page, category page, or article, and whether it will conflict with existing pages on the keyword.

After finding keywords, what to do next?

Don't stuff all keywords into the homepage or a single article. The correct approach is to group keywords by search intent first, then assign the most suitable page to each group of keywords.

1. Confirm whether it's relevant: Does this keyword actually describe your product, service, or target customer? Directly exclude irrelevant high-search-volume keywords.
2. Determine what users want to see: Words with product models, specifications, prices, and suppliers are usually served by product or category pages; question words like "how to", "what is", "guide" are usually served by tutorials or FAQs.
3. Check whether a page already exists: If an existing page ranks in the top 20, optimize the old page first; if there is no suitable page, plan a new page; if multiple pages are competing for the same word, merge or reassign them.
4. Natural placement: Place the primary keyword in the page topic, Title, H1, and important paragraphs; use related words for subheadings, product details, FAQs, and internal links. Don't sacrifice readability for keyword frequency.
5. Record goals and acceptance criteria: Record the target page, current ranking, target intent, and next review date, then use GSC impressions, clicks, CTR, and ranking changes to verify results.

After completing the query above, continue in the same Codex conversation by sending the following text to turn the keyword results into page tasks.

Please don't just give me a keyword list. Turn the keyword results above into actionable page tasks:
1. Remove words unrelated to actual products and target customers
2. Group by search intent and topic
3. Assign a landing page to each group
4. Mark as optimize existing page, create new page, or do not use for now
5. For existing pages, explain whether keywords should go in Title, H1, body text, FAQ, or internal links
6. Give P0, P1, P2 priorities based on business value, current ranking, and execution difficulty
7. First give me a plan for up to 5 pages for the next 30 days; don't generate a large number of articles at once

5. Analyze Real Competitors

Competitive analysis is not about copying competitors, but about identifying the page types, content depth, and user questions that Google already recognizes. It helps you reduce blind trial and error and prioritize filling content gaps that competitors have proven effective.

After replacing the domains for yourself and competitors, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please compare example.com, competitor1.com, and competitor2.com in the U.S. English market to find keyword gaps:
1. Keywords where competitors rank but we don't cover
2. Which pages competitors mainly rely on for traffic
3. Product pages, category pages, and articles worth building first
4. Keywords not suitable for our business
5. Sort by business value and execution difficulty

Competitors must be in a similar business and target market. Industry media, Wikipedia, large platforms, or directory sites can be samples for search results but should not automatically be treated as direct business competitors.

6. Connect GSC and GA4

Keyword tools tell you "what people are searching for in the market," GSC tells you "how many impressions and clicks Google actually gave you," and GA4 tells you "whether those visits brought inquiries, sign-ups, or orders." Combining all three helps you avoid chasing traffic without business results.

Public SEO data can help discover market and competitive opportunities, but your website's own clicks, impressions, traffic, and conversions still require GSC and GA4.

If you haven't completed site verification, GA4 property creation, and analytics code installation, please first read How to Configure GSC and GA4 for Standalone Websites: Adding a Website, Verifying Ownership, and Installing Tracking Code.

1. Add and verify your website in Google Search Console.
2. Create the corresponding property in Google Analytics 4.
3. Install the GA4 tracking code on your website.
4. Configure key events such as form submissions, WhatsApp messages, phone calls, registrations, or orders.
5. In SEO Agent, authorize GSC and GA4 separately, and select the correct website and property.

After authorization is complete, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please check whether SEO Agent is currently connected to GSC and GA4, and tell me which website and which GA4 property are selected.

7. Diagnose why your website has no traffic or inquiries.

"No traffic" and "traffic but no inquiries" are two completely different problems. The former may be crawling, indexing, or ranking issues; the latter may be page relevance, trust information, or conversion path issues. You must distinguish between them before taking action.

After replacing it with your own domain, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please use the site audit, keyword rankings, GSC and GA4 data to analyze why example.com has insufficient organic traffic.

Requirements:
1. Distinguish between crawling, indexing, ranking, click, and conversion issues
2. Every conclusion must cite real data
3. Mark uncertain content as "to be verified"
4. Sort by P0, P1, P2
5. Generate a 30-day action plan

The key here is to make Codex answer based on real returned data, not to guess the industry from the domain name or replace a diagnosis with a generic SEO template.

8. Create keyword-to-page mapping

Keyword-to-page mapping turns research results into an implementation checklist. It prevents a keyword from having no page to cover it, and also avoids multiple pages competing with each other, leaving Google unsure which page to rank.

After completing the previous data queries, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog.

Please generate a keyword-to-page mapping table based on the previous data. Fields include:
keyword, search intent, target country, search volume, keyword difficulty, business value, current ranking, current page, suggested page type, optimize existing page or create a new page, priority, and recommended action.

Each important keyword must have a clear landing page. If a page already has ranking foundation, optimize the existing page first; if there is no suitable page and the business value is clear, plan a new page. After completing the mapping, pick 1-3 high-value pages to implement first, and do not create dozens of new pieces of content at once.

9. Execute page optimization by priority

SEO resources are limited, and priority determines whether you can see clear changes within 30 days. Technical blockers must be fixed first. Pages with existing ranking foundation usually yield early gains more easily than new pages starting from scratch.

Order	Execution Content
P0	Technical blocks such as crawling, indexing, canonical, redirects, and error status codes.
P1	Pages already ranking at positions 4-20, as well as pages with high impressions and low CTR.
P1	Product specifications, materials, standards, applications, FAQs, case studies, and inquiry entry points.
P2	Missing category pages, product pages, market pages, topic content, and internal links.
Ongoing	Structured data, page speed, mobile experience, and conversion readiness.

In the same conversation where Codex already has the preceding data, copy and send the entire text in the black box below.

Based on the preceding keyword and competitor data, generate an optimization plan for this product page, including:
Title, Meta Description, H1, page content structure, product selling points, specifications module, application scenarios, FAQ, internal links, Schema suggestions, and CTA copy.

All recommendations must align with the website's real product information; do not fabricate certifications, customers, prices, or case studies.

Post-execution acceptance: Before publishing, check URL, Title, H1, product parameters, internal links, and CTA; after publishing, record the modification date. After 7-14 days, first check whether the page has been recrawled; around 28 days, compare GSC and GA4 data. Don't revert immediately because of ranking fluctuations within a few days.

10. What to Do When You Need Codex to Modify the Website

SEO Agent provides the data, and Codex handles analysis and assists with execution, but website publishing can still affect normal business operations. Have Codex first list the scope of changes and obtain manual confirmation, which can prevent accidental changes to pricing, product parameters, forms, or live pages.

SEO Agent provides data and diagnostics and does not automatically modify the website just because MCP is connected. To have Codex execute page changes, you also need to provide the website code, technical framework, build commands, the scope of changes allowed, and a test environment.

First open the website code directory in Codex, then copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog box.

This is the website code. Please first examine the project structure and related pages; do not modify immediately.
Based on SEO Agent's analysis results, list the files to be modified, the changes, and the risks. Implement only after confirmation, and after completion run the build and page checks.

Before official release, back up, validate in a test environment, and manually check product parameters, certifications, pricing, customer case studies, and business commitments.

11. Creating a Content and GEO Plan

A content plan is not about filling a calendar with a certain number of articles; it's about assigning high-value questions that currently have no page to handle to the right page types. Each piece of content should serve a product, a customer question, or an inquiry goal.

After completing keyword and page analysis, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog box.

Based on real keyword data and page gaps, create a content plan for the next 8 weeks.
Prioritize serving product pages and inquiry goals; distinguish between product pages, category pages, articles, and FAQs; indicate target keywords, search intent, and landing pages; and avoid conflicts with existing pages.

After basic SEO is stable, check AI search mentions of the brand or domain, citing pages, competing brands, content citability, AI crawler access, structured data, fact sources, authors, and update times. GEO cannot replace normal crawling, indexing, and content quality.

12. Do This for the First 30 Days

During your first operations, don't try to solve all problems at once. Follow the cadence below: first complete basic checks, then focus on optimizing a few high-value pages, and finally review with real data.

Time	Main Tasks	What Marks Completion of This Step
Days 1-3	Provide business background, confirm MCP, GSC, and GA4 connections, and complete the first site audit.	Know whether the tools are usable, and get a list of issues sorted by P0/P1/P2.
Days 4-7	Fix P0 issues that block crawling and indexing, and check existing rankings and core product keywords.	Key pages are crawlable, and the first ranking baseline is saved.
Days 8-14	Complete keyword grouping and page mapping, and select 1-3 pages with existing rankings or high commercial value.	Each priority keyword group has a dedicated page; no longer stuff all keywords onto the homepage.
Days 15-21	Optimize the selected pages, including titles, page structure, product information, FAQ, internal links, and sales inquiry entry points.	Page changes are published, content is consistent with real products, and the publication date and changes are recorded.
Days 22-30	Check changes in crawling, impressions, clicks, and conversions; analyze competitor gaps; arrange next month's tasks.	Be able to clearly state which actions worked and which still need validation, and form 3-5 tasks for the next round.

13. Establish a Weekly and Monthly Operations Cadence

SEO is not a one-time decoration. Search results, competitors, page performance, and customer needs all change. Make small adjustments weekly and review monthly to know which actions are truly effective.

Weekly

• Check GSC clicks, impressions, CTR, and ranking changes.
• Identify pages ranking in positions 4-20, as well as pages with high impressions and low clicks.
• Optimize 1-3 key pages and add internal links.
• Check new page crawling, GA4 key events, and qualified inquiries.

During the weekly review, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog connected to SEO Agent.

Based on this week's GSC and GA4 data, tell me the 3 most important SEO tasks for this week, and provide data evidence and acceptance metrics.

Monthly

• Review on-site technical issues and content decay.
• Compare organic traffic, qualified inquiries, keywords, and page performance.
• Update keyword-page mapping and check competitors' new content.
• Review external links, brand mentions, and GEO visibility.

During the monthly review, copy the entire text in the black box below and send it to the Codex dialog connected to SEO Agent.

Based on this month's GSC, GA4, rankings, site audit, and competitor data, generate a monthly SEO operations report and provide P0, P1, and P2 action plans for next month.

Recommended order for first use

1. Provide website and business background.
2. Confirm MCP tool connection.
3. Perform a site SEO audit.
4. Query existing rankings and research core product keywords.
5. Analyze real competitors.
6. Connect GSC and GA4.
7. Diagnose traffic and qualified inquiry issues.
8. Generate keyword-page mapping.
9. Create a 30-day action plan and execute it in batches.
10. Review data weekly and schedule next steps.