How long does SEO (search engine optimisation) take to work? Well, how long is a piece of string?
The standard response is that SEO typically takes between three to six months before showing results.
This may not always be the case, as there are many factors to consider that can impact the length of time it takes before you start to see results.
Unlike pay-per-click (PPC) search, SEO is a long-term investment. Rather than providing an instant outcome, the results of a successful SEO strategy build gradually over time, even after efforts towards the site’s SEO have stopped. Once your website is visible in the search results, it tends to stay there.
Optimising your website for search engines can help build a strong foundation for your online business that will continue to benefit you for years to come.
An example of this is our blog on ‘What happened to Googlewhacks?‘. This blog was published in 2018, and over the last 12 months, has averaged position six on Googles search engine results page.
There are several factors that may impact the time it takes to see from your SEO efforts. These include, but are not limited to, the following examples.
Domain age
The time in which your domain has been registered may have a negative impact on the performance of the website, as it is rumoured that Google looks at the age of a domain to determine its credibility.
In a recent leak of Google documents, it was revealed that Google places new sites in a ‘sandbox’. This ‘sandbox’ is thought to prevent newer websites from ranking highly in Google’s search engine results page (SERP) for a period. It is believed that this timeframe could range from a few weeks to a few months.
Success metrics
It’s important to note that success metrics can vary widely depending on specific business goals and objectives. SEO “working” for one business owner might look different to another’s.
For instance, an e-commerce website may consider their SEO results as successful when there are consistently improving levels of Organic Search traffic through to the site, while a local plumber may focus on obtaining higher search rankings for localised keywords.
The SEO strategy of a business should align with its unique goals and objectives; therefore, the business owner can anticipate results that are most important to them.
Technical SEO
Technical SEO is an often overlooked, yet essential component of a successful SEO strategy.
While content and keywords are crucial for improving visibility, technical SEO ensures that a website provides the best user experience, which can help boost rankings in the search engine results page. If a website isn’t technically sound, such as experiencing issues with slow loading pages, poor mobile-usability or broken links, this can be frustrating to the user, which may result in high bounce rate.
This can send poor quality signals to Google, as the site is providing visitors with a negative user experience. As user experience is a key factor of Google’s ranking algorithm, and this may result in a visible drop in rankings for the website.
There is no magic wand that you can wave or shortcut to overnight success when it comes to SEO. Consistency is key, and every effort you make to improve your site’s on-page and off-page SEO will add up over time to create a dominant presence in the search engine results page, which will continue to flourish for years to come.
Looking for some help with the SEO strategy for your website? Reach out to our friendly team of experts at Engage Web today.
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