The difference between long and short term SEO

Luke Meredith

SEO (search engine optimisation) is often talked about as though every change takes months to work. This isn’t always the case.

Some improvements can help a website perform better relatively quickly, while others need consistent work over a longer period. This is where the difference between short term and long term SEO comes in.

Understanding both can help you set realistic expectations and make better decisions about where to focus your time and budget.

What does short term SEO involve?

Short term SEO usually focuses on opportunities that already exist within your website.

You may have a service page sitting just outside the most visible Google results, for example. Updating the content, improving the page title or adding stronger internal links could give it a better chance of moving higher.

Other short term improvements might include fixing broken links, removing duplicate content, improving page loading speeds or making it clearer what each page is about.

These are sometimes described as quick wins, although that phrase can be slightly misleading. SEO results are rarely instant. Google still needs to revisit your website, notice the changes and decide whether they make the page more useful.

How is long term SEO different?

Long term SEO is about building stronger foundations and gradually increasing the number of searches your website can appear for.

This can include creating new service pages, publishing useful articles, improving older content and developing your website’s authority within its industry.

More competitive searches usually take longer to target. You may be competing with businesses that have established websites, years of content and a strong history of appearing in Google.

One page is unlikely to change everything on its own. Over time, however, a collection of useful and well-connected pages can help Google understand what your business offers and which searches your website should appear for.

This work can also create lasting value. A helpful page published today may continue attracting relevant visitors and enquiries for years.

Do you need both?

In most cases, yes.

Short term SEO can help you make better use of the website and content you already have. Long term SEO gives you room to grow, target more valuable searches and reach people who may not currently know your business exists.

A good SEO strategy looks at the full picture. It fixes immediate issues, builds on existing opportunities and creates a clear plan for future growth.

Improve your website’s visibility

SEO works best when it is treated as an ongoing investment rather than a one-off task. Some changes may deliver results sooner than others, but both short term improvements and long term planning have an important role to play.

If you would like to find out where your website could improve, speak to Engage Web. Our team can identify practical opportunities, create useful content and develop an SEO strategy focused on bringing the right people to your website.

About
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Luke Meredith

Content Editor at Engage Web

At home in both the digital sector and the world of communications, Luke thrives on deadlines and has held roles in healthcare, retail and digital marketing, gaining a sound knowledge of a wide range of sectors. He’s a massive swot as well, holding a first-class degree in BA Communication and Media, and now uses his writing skills and keen editorial eye in his role as Content Editor here. Luke helps to oversee our clients’ content requirements, while also looking after a pool of freelance writers across three continents.