About

1. Project Summary We are launching a daily content platform dedicated to exposing the Chinese Communist Party’s lies and misinformation. The site will host long-form investigative pieces, breaking news analysis, and educational resources, while serving as the foundation for a large-scale newsletter audience. Because of the politically sensitive nature of our work, we expect targeted cyberattacks — from DDoS floods to intrusion attempts — by state-aligned actors. This website must be secure by design, search-engine optimized, and built to scale as our audience and influence grow. This project requires two areas of excellence: SEO-first architecture to maximize visibility and organic traffic growth. Strong cybersecurity foundation, developed collaboratively with a cybersecurity specialist, to safeguard the site and its users. 2. Goals Drive Traffic & Growth: Establish a highly discoverable, fast-loading site optimized for Google and other search engines. Publish daily content with SEO-backed workflows and analytics-driven strategy. Build a Robust Newsletter: Capture subscribers through integrated email marketing funnels. Deliver high-quality, personalized content and lead nurturing campaigns. Secure Against Cyber Threats: Architect the site to withstand censorship attempts, DDoS attacks, and hostile actors. Ensure privacy for readers, writers, and the organization. Enable Team Collaboration: Streamlined editorial tools for writers and editors. Secure admin workflows with role-based permissions and zero-trust principles. 3. Scope of Work A. SEO-First Web Architecture Technical SEO implementation: Clean URL structure, canonical tags, schema markup (Article, Breadcrumb, FAQ). Robots.txt and XML sitemaps auto-generated and synced. Internal linking tools to boost topical clusters. Core Web Vitals target: FCP 1.5s, LCP 2.5s, CLS 0.1. Content publishing workflow: CMS built for daily publishing with templates optimized for headlines, meta descriptions, and structured data. Custom editor checklist for on-page SEO. Keyword strategy integration: Tools embedded in the CMS such as RankMath or SurferSEO for writers to optimize posts before publishing. Analytics & tracking: Google Search Console and GA4 setup. Privacy-friendly analytics such as Plausible to respect user privacy. B. Newsletter Engine & Audience Growth ESP Integration: ConvertKit, Beehiiv, or Buttondown (final selection during discovery). Subscriber capture: Sticky header/footer signup. Exit-intent and scroll-trigger modals. Dedicated newsletter landing pages optimized for SEO. Email automation: Welcome sequence for new subscribers. Weekly digest automatically pulling in daily posts. Re-engagement campaigns and segmentation based on user behavior. Deliverability setup: Custom sending domain with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. Domain warm-up plan to ensure high inbox placement. C. Cybersecurity Foundation (collaboration with security expert) Work side-by-side with a cybersecurity consultant to: Define a threat model specific to CCP-aligned attack vectors. Implement secure-by-design architecture, potentially using a headless CMS with static deployment. Harden all admin routes with MFA, hardware keys, and Cloudflare Zero Trust. Enable Cloudflare WAF and DDoS protection from day one. Block or filter high-risk traffic regions. Establish incident response plan and daily log monitoring. Regular security audits and penetration tests. Non-negotiable: No launch without cybersecurity sign-off. D. Daily Content Publishing Workflow CMS must allow for high-frequency posting (1–3 posts per day at launch, with room to scale). Features: Scheduled publishing. Draft collaboration with role-based permissions. Easy integration of multimedia: images, charts, video embeds. Version control for editorial integrity. E. SEO Content Growth Content strategy consulting for: Keyword research targeting geopolitical, financial, and breaking news niches. Evergreen pillar pages with internal linking to daily updates. On-page optimization training for editorial team. Analytics dashboard showing: Keyword rankings. Organic traffic performance. Newsletter conversions by source. F. Backup, Compliance, & Resilience Automated daily site backups with 30-day retention. DNSSEC-enabled domain with Cloudflare registrar for protection against hijacking. GDPR and CCPA compliance for newsletter subscribers and analytics. Static export plan to deploy content even under hostile censorship attacks. 4. Deliverables Fully functional, SEO-optimized publishing platform with secure architecture. Newsletter integration with subscriber capture funnels and automation. Keyword strategy and editorial workflow documentation. Cloudflare WAF and DDoS protection configured and tested. Backup and recovery process verified. Training session for editorial and admin teams. Security audit report and sign-off before launch. 6. Collaboration Roles Web Developer / SEO Specialist Build the site, implement SEO features, integrate analytics and ESP. Cybersecurity Expert (consultant role) Design security architecture, perform audits, configure WAF, and train team on secure practices. Content Team (Client-provided) Daily publishing, keyword-driven content production, newsletter campaigns. 7. Required Skills SEO Expertise: Keyword research, on-page and technical SEO mastery. Familiarity with schema markup and Core Web Vitals optimization. Experience building content-heavy, high-traffic sites. Technical Proficiency: WordPress headless or Jamstack (Next.js, Astro, etc.). Cloudflare WAF and DNS management. Newsletter platform integrations (ConvertKit, Beehiiv, Buttondown). Security Awareness: Understanding of web application vulnerabilities. Ability to collaborate with cybersecurity specialist. 9. Acceptance Criteria SEO Metrics: Core Web Vitals pass on desktop and mobile. Sitemap indexed in Google Search Console with no critical errors. At least 10 starter posts optimized for target keywords. Newsletter Metrics: Subscription forms live and functional across all devices. Deliverability verified through SPF, DKIM, DMARC tests. Automated welcome email sequence fully operational. Security Metrics: SSL Labs score: A+ Cloudflare WAF configured and tested against sample attacks. Admin access locked behind MFA and IP restrictions. Successful backup and restore drill. 10. Ongoing Growth After launch, the site will: Publish daily articles, with SEO-driven keyword targets. Grow newsletter subscribers through consistent content and lead magnets. Conduct quarterly security reviews and Cloudflare rule updates. Monitor analytics to refine content strategy and improve engagement. 11. Why This Matters This project isn’t just a website — it’s an information hub standing against powerful adversaries. SEO and newsletter growth ensure the truth spreads far and wide. Cybersecurity collaboration protects the platform and its audience from disruption. Daily publishing workflows build momentum, credibility, and resilience. By combining digital marketing growth tactics with state-level cyber defense, this platform will be equipped to grow rapidly while staying secure and censorship-resistant.