As a leading digital media agency in British Columbia, Agency Media has a strong focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) no matter what we do – whether it’s creating content, building websites, or creating a digital marketing strategy. One of the first things we get asked is ‘How long will it be before we see any results from SEO?’ So, we decided to write about it.
The answer isn’t really as straightforward as one may think. There are plenty of factors that can affect how long it takes for a business to see results once they start implementing an SEO strategy. According to Google’s Maile Ohye, “In most cases, SEOs need four months to a year to help your business first implement improvements and then see potential benefits.” A general consensus by SEO experts, however, is you need to wait at least six months to see results.
Why Does SEO take at least four months to show results?
SEO isn’t as simple as telling a search engine your business exists. You need to be able to show Google that your business deserves to be ranked at the top of their list.
1.Get the Basics Right
According to Maile Ohye, one of the first tenets to remember is, “doing what’s good for SEO is also doing what’s good for your online customers”. This can include things like having a mobile-friendly website and good navigation. If you have an established website, then making sure your infrastructure is up-to-date can help push your SEO rankings higher.
2.The Age of Your Website
Older, established websites can typically build their SEO rankings faster than brand new ones. This is mainly because older websites are more likely to have ‘website authority’ in terms of backlinks, where other reputable websites link back to yours. A new website will take time to build up these links naturally.
3.Your Competitors
If you’re thinking of SEO, chances are your competitors are too. Keywords play a big role in this. It can be better to try and rank higher for less competitive keywords as you will probably see results sooner. For example, as a local business, competing for keywords in your industry in your area will drive faster results than trying to compete for those with a national business. You can learn more about keyword research here.
4.Content
SEO loves great content. According to Google’s Andrey Lipattsev, content is one of the top three ranking signals in Google’s search algorithm. The fewer people writing great content about your topic, the more Google loves it, especially when your content adds something new to the topic.
5.Resource Allocation
The more resources you are willing to invest in your SEO, the faster it should rise. While this may sound like more you can handle, not all resources cost a ton of money. Investing in SEO tools, for example, can help you focus on pain points to make the entire process more efficient. Another important investment to make is time. SEO experts state that they typically spend between four to seven hours a week on SEO for each website they run.
It’s a Constantly Evolving Game
One of the biggest parts of having an SEO strategy is to know you’re in it for the long haul. Search algorithms are constantly evolving to deliver the best experience to users. Your SEO strategy needs to be able to evolve too.
With the right SEO guidance and implementation, the results are worth it.