Why it takes Time to see Results from SEO

When it comes to SEO and increasing your website rankings, it takes time and it is not something that happens overnight. It can be a long process but there is no concrete evidence as to how long it actually takes to see results. Many website owners hold unrealistic expectations, imagining results as soon as they start an SEO campaign, but it really takes a lot more time and effort than that. In the hindsight, it can take anywhere between 4 to 6 and up to 12 months to see results. There is no magic button with SEO, it takes planning, time, readjusting to achieve and maintain the rankings and traffic results that you want to accomplish. Frustrating as this may sound it depends on many factors including how long your website has been around, was there previous SEO on your website, competition, how much content, and many other SEO factors. SEO is a long-term investment, the more money you put in the better results you will see over time. SEO is like a fine wine it just gets better over time. So, let’s take a look at the reasons why it takes time to see results from organic SEO. From my experience, link building is the most important factor but there are other examples that also help below.

• Competition  

If your competitors are dominating the search results, you should be analysing their online website. If your competitors are selling products and services that people will actually want to buy then you are going to face various degrees of competition based on demand. The more competing online websites there are, the longer it will take to see results.

• Content   

For a successful SEO campaign, your website must have exceptional and relevant content in order for it to rank well on your site. The quality of the content really matters. It should be well written so users will enjoy it and Google can effectively rank it. If your website is not receiving enough traffic when utilising SEO, then poor quality content is one of the answers. The sooner you get the content out there the better your website rankings will be.

• Search Phrases and Keywords 

Search engines like Bing, Google, and Yahoo rank websites by taking into account the relevance in relation to a user’s search. The right keywords will be more visible and rank higher in search engines.

• On-page and off-page SEO   

To seek results little quicker, you’re on-page and off-page SEO should be checked. Make adjustments to on page through the meta, anchor text, title, tags, header, descriptions, alt tags, and you should see a big difference straight away. The off-page SEO can take a small bit longer to see results as you will need to link to authoritative websites. Consider social media and blogging.

• Link Building   

It is no secret that Links play an important role in SEO, however, how long they take to work depends on many factors. It is time-consuming and can sometimes be tricky but it is an important component for Google algorithms. The best way to build links on a regular basis is to develop engaging and quality content. The more links you have on your website the better it will be for your rankings. Links from low-quality websites will slow down the SEO process so sticking to quality links from relevant websites is very important. Once your link building follows Google’s guidelines your rankings should happen naturally.

• Budget   

It is an unfortunate fact the budget you have for your business will pay an impact on how quickly you will see results. However, no amount of money can guarantee a faster trip up the search engine rankings, however, the tasks will be completed a lot quicker. If your goals are set around reaching number one for a given keyword, then you will probably receive more value for your investment. As the saying goes “you pay for what you get”.

Many companies underestimate how much money and time it takes to be successful with Search engine optimisation. Even with a healthy SEO budget, success rarely comes within the first 3 months. If you can’t budget for at least 6 to 12 months SEO you may as well put your budget and money somewhere else. SEO is a long-term investment and marketing tactic, and should not be seen as a way to generate sales on a quick basis. Plan for being in it for the long haul and in the end all the hard work and commitment will pay off from your investment.