How long does SEO take? A Realistic Take


How long does SEO take

Table of Contents

I usually tell them SEO is a marathon, not a sprint—it takes time, just like anything worthwhile. 

In this article, I’ll walk you through what SEO really is and why it takes time to see results. 

So, let’s dive in and get a clear understanding of the basics of SEO.

Understanding the Basics of SEO

In simple terms, whenever we’re trying to rank a website on any search engine, we’re optimising that website specifically for those search engines—that’s what we call Search Engine Optimization, or SEO. That’s the shortest definition you’ll get! 

But behind that simple definition, there’s a lot happening, like on-page SEO, off-page SEO, technical optimisation, and technical SEO. Each of these elements plays a role and needs attention when we’re working to improve SEO.

SEO = Reputation

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that the time it takes for SEO to work on your website largely depends on the website’s reputation. 

If your website doesn’t have a strong reputation, isn’t widely known, or is newly created, it will take time to rank for your target keywords. On the other hand, if the target keyword website already has a solid reputation, is well-known, or has gained some spotlight, it becomes a lot easier to rank that website.

Read More: Top 10 SEO KPIs Marketer Should Track & Measure

Factors Influencing SEO Efforts & Timeline

Before we dive into why SEO takes time and how much time it actually requires, it’s important to discuss the factors that typically impact the search engine optimization of any website. Understanding these factors will give you a clearer picture of the SEO landscape and why some websites see results faster than others.

Competition

One of the main factors is competition. If a website faces a lot of competition—meaning there are many other websites doing exactly the same thing—it will take significantly longer for that website to rank. 

On the other hand, if the website is in a less competitive niche, where not many people are aware of it and there’s only one website addressing a particular topic, it will take much less time for that website to rank higher in search results.

Industry

Another important factor that affects the duration of SEO is the industry. Some industries are easier to rank in, while others are much harder. For example, in the web hosting industry, there’s intense competition—every business offering web hosting services is vying for the same rankings, making it a tough space to break into. This means it can take a long time to see results.

On the other hand, the electronic signature industry is comparatively easier to rank in. While there are some major players, the overall landscape is less crowded, allowing for more opportunities. In such cases, it’s easier for companies to rank because the competition isn’t as fierce, and the arena is more open for new entrants.

Quality of Website

Similarly, it’s crucial to understand the quality of the site structure. If a website isn’t functioning properly, has low performance, or suffers from slow loading speeds, it will take much longer to rank. People simply won’t stick around for a slow website—most don’t have the patience to wait for it to load.

If the website has a bland or unappealing landing page, visitors are likely to leave without engaging. This is something website owners and marketing managers need to keep in mind when creating their sites. The website must be engaging and compelling enough to hook the reader or prospect so they’ll want to explore further and take action. Improving the quality of the website is essential for both user experience and SEO success.

Frequency & Richness of Content

Next, we have the frequency and richness of the content. If the content on the website is being frequently updated, with new posts being published regularly and older content being audited and refreshed as needed, that’s a big plus. Content that is rich, thought-provoking, and detailed—showing a unique perspective rather than just regurgitating what’s already out there—will help the website rank faster and achieve more visibility than its competitors.

In-depth websites that do keyword research, cover topics comprehensively and create content clusters tend to attract more readers because they provide valuable insights. In fact, Google has emphasized that websites with in-depth, original content that don’t just follow trends or replicate others’ work rank much faster and often avoid penalties. So, focusing on high-quality, well-researched content is key for SEO success.

Technical SEO

Another important factor in SEO is the technical aspect of the website. If there are technical issues—like excessive redirects, too many broken links resulting in 404 pages, improper indexing of website pages, or a generally slow website—these problems can accumulate and significantly affect your SEO timeline. If Google can’t crawl the site efficiently, it will hinder your site rankings as well as organic traffic. Ensuring that your website is technically sound and has a great website structure is essential for a smooth SEO process and faster results. Addressing these technical issues can greatly improve your site’s performance in search engine rankings.

Read More: Technical SEO Guide (2024)

Another important factor for SEO longevity is the website’s backlink profile. As I mentioned earlier, if a website doesn’t have a strong backlink profile or reputation, and if people aren’t familiar with it, it will take more time for that website to rank. In contrast, a website with a solid backlink profile and high-quality links from reputable sources will generally rank more easily and quickly. Backlinks are essential because they signal to search engines that the site is trustworthy and valuable, so focusing on building a robust backlink profile is key for SEO success.

Search Engine Updates

This is one of the most critical factors that can make or break your website. Why? Because search engine updates affect nearly every website out there, often without warning. We’ve seen Google roll out AI updates, helpful content updates, and technical changes like Panda & Penguin, which can directly impact your SEO performance. These updates can either enhance or hinder your SEO efforts, depending on the nature of the update. Staying informed about these changes and adjusting your SEO plan accordingly is essential for maintaining and improving your website’s search visibility.

Average Website SEO Timeline

The duration of SEO depends on several key factors, like content quality, link-building efforts, and overall website authority. Let’s break down each of these aspects in detail below.

Research & Content Writing

On average, it takes about a day to write a single article. If you’re planning to produce around 20 articles, this process will span approximately 20 to 22 days—about a month in total in terms of SEO timelines.

On-Page SEO Improvements & Technical Audits

Once the content is written, we proceed with on-page SEO, which generally takes about 3 to 4 hours per article. This includes optimising target keywords, metadata, and formatting. It also involves performing technical audits, such as ensuring page load speed and mobile responsiveness, before publishing the article. Typically, it takes around 2 days to fully optimise and publish each article for an SEO campaign.

After publishing, we shift focus to off-page SEO, which includes link-building efforts and promoting the article across various sites to increase authority. This off-page optimization also contributes to site authority through both internal and external links. For each article, this process generally aligns with the 2-day on-page SEO timeline, so a complete optimisation for one article would take around 2 days.

Continuous Maintenance

To ensure the website remains optimised, we recommend ongoing maintenance, which can be performed on a quarterly or monthly basis. Regular updates and audits help maintain SEO performance and address any new issues, allowing for steady performance improvements over time.

Expected Duration for SEO Results

Once the SEO work is completed, it’s important to understand that results aren’t instantaneous. On average, it takes about 15 to 20 days for Google to index a website. And we’re not even talking about ranking yet; this is just the initial indexing process.

Even after indexing, it can take another week to two weeks for Google to assess how the website is performing and linking. This phase is often referred to as the “Google Dance,” where rankings may fluctuate as Google evaluates the relevancy of content.

Visibility in Search – 3 to 5 Months

We’ve established that it typically takes around three to five months for a website to gain visibility on Google or any other search engine from the very start. This timeframe encompasses the entire process, starting from content creation to blog promotion, as well as internal and external linking strategies.

During this period, here’s what happens:

  • Content Creation: Initially, the focus is on developing high-quality content that addresses user needs and incorporates relevant keywords.
  • Promotion and Linking: Once the content is created, it’s promoted across various platforms, and links are established both internally within the site and externally from other websites. These efforts are crucial for building authority and driving traffic.
  • Indexing and Early Rankings: The three to five months include everything from indexing the website to achieving some initial rankings. However, it’s important to note that we’re not yet discussing absolute rankings, as Google is still assessing the website’s performance and relevant content.

Rankings in top 30 Positions – 5 to 7 Months with Consistency

After two quarters have passed, we can expect that around 50 to 100 blog posts or pages have been added to the website. At this point, approximately 80% of these pages are getting indexed for their relevant search queries already. As a result, we can anticipate that the website will start ranking within the first 30 positions after four to five months – this can be checked through the Google search console.

During the six to seven-month mark, Google will have established that the website consistently provides quality content, positioning it as a valuable resource on its platform. Additionally, we’ve likely seen an increase in traffic, with users engaging more and displaying lower bounce rates. This positive user interaction signals to Google that the site is worth promoting, which can lead to improved search rankings elsewhere.

This same pattern applies across other search engines as well. Thus, it generally takes about six months for a new website to reach the top 30 positions in search results, considering the foundational work done on search intent from the start.

Increased Traffic & Leads – 8 Months to 1 Year

Now, let’s discuss increased traffic and leads. Given that the website is ranking in the top 30 positions within the first six months, we can reasonably expect it to generate at least a few leads. The benchmark suggests that for every 200 visitors, a website should ideally secure one lead, particularly if it ranks well for its key solution or product pages.

Once we start seeing leads coming in, the next step is to optimise the overall pages and the lead generation process to increase the number of leads generated. This optimisation phase typically takes around eight months to one year, with approximately three to four months dedicated specifically to enhancements and conversion rate optimization (CRO).

Myths in SEO

Let’s take a moment to address some common myths in SEO that are important to be aware of.

Are SEO Results Instant?

One of the most common questions I hear from people who don’t really understand how SEO works is whether the results are instant. And that’s just not true! I’m not sure why this myth even exists because it should be obvious that SEO takes time. Typically, it takes about three to six months before you can actually see how your website is performing.

It usually takes around three to four months just to get your first lead from organic traffic. Once you have at least 50 to 60 pages ranking well with high-quality backlinks and content, and they have proper SEO and URL structure, then you can start to expect that number of leads to increase significantly.

So, remember, SEO isn’t a quick fix; it’s a long-term game, and it definitely takes time to see results.

SEO Rankings are Forever

The second myth I often hear is that SEO rankings are forever. Again, that’s not true at all. Yes, getting those rankings takes time and effort, but once your website is ranking for certain keywords, it doesn’t mean it will stay there forever.

A lot can change that. Maybe another website comes along with better quality content, or perhaps your site’s performance drops—like if it’s loading slowly. You are not able to find keywords that are relevant to your site anymore, or the queries people are making could change over time. User interests can shift, too.

Plus, search engines update their algorithms all the time. Sometimes your website could be affected by an update to search engine algorithms, or it might get hit accidentally. So, rankings can fluctuate. That’s why it’s essential to optimise your website regularly—about once a quarter—to help maintain your position in the search results.

Only Adding Content Can Rank Websites

So, there’s this old saying that “content is king,” and there was a time when just writing good content was enough to rank your website. But now, the game has changed. There’s so much competition out there! Every website in your industry is fighting for the same keywords, all trying to get noticed by users.

With everyone vying for the same spots, it’s tough for all these websites to rank at the same time. That’s why websites with the best link-building strategies and strong backlink profiles tend to stand out. They’re the ones that are well-known among other top sites and trusted by users.

SEO is Free

I’m honestly surprised that people think SEO is free. When you consider paid search, you’re paying for leads, organic traffic, or impressions. But with SEO, you’re investing in a lot more than that. You’re paying the content writer for their expertise and skills. You’re also compensating the SEO specialist for their knowledge and connections, as well as investing in the digital marketing and department to help boost your organic traffic and rankings.

So, the budget for SEO isn’t determined by the number of leads or conversions. It’s based on the overall investment you’re making in your team and their capabilities to drive results.

Conclusion

So the answer to the question: ‘How long does SEO take’ is… SEO takes time.

On average, it takes about five to six months for a website to start ranking and generating leads. To really establish a website as an authority in its niche, you’re looking at a timeline of one to two years. This journey requires a lot of effort and consistency.

We also have to consider that Google updates and other unexpected changes can influence the website’s direction, which adds to the complexity. So, it’s clear that SEO is a long-term commitment. There will be ups and downs along the way, along with challenges to tackle. However, in the long run, SEO can significantly boost your website’s visitors and leads, ultimately impacting your bottom-line revenue positively.

Hire the Best Australian Talent for Website Optimizations

At WP Creative, we are among the top website development experts in Australia. Our team has crafted thousands of WordPress-based websites that not only rank well in Australia but also attract global attention, consistently meeting leads and revenue targets for our clients.

If you’re looking to enhance your website design and optimise it for SEO, we’re here to help. 

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Updated on: 13 November 2024 |

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Nirmal Gyanwali, Director of WP Creative

Nirmal Gyanwali

With over 16 years of experience in the web industry, Nirmal has built websites for a wide variety of businesses; from mom n’ pop shops to some of Australia’s leading brands. Nirmal brings his wealth of experience in managing teams to WP Creative along with his wife, Saba.