Cannot see the new SSD drive after installation in a mid 2011 iMac
I find out the following solution at the end

1) Run PRAM by holding Option+Command+P+R at boot

2) Boot into macOS from  the original harddisk

3) A message should appear and say there is an uninitialised harddisk

4) Use the disk utility to format the harddisk. In my case since the OS is still at Sierra, only HFS+ options are available.

5) Reboot and select the usb installation image of High Sierra

6) The SSD drive is now visible to the installer. Proceed with installation.