HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO REACH PAGE 1 OF GOOGLE
Appearing on the first page of Google is the primary objective of many businesses in South Africa today. Two types of services help you reach Page 1 of Google: SEO and Google Ads.
SEO drives websites organically to the 1st page of Google for select keywords. Google Ads allows business owners to pay to display adverts on Google. The big question is how long it takes to see results with Google for both services.
GOOGLE ADS TIME FACTOR
Google Ads platform allows for various types of marketing channels such as search, display, shopping, video, and application ads. Google Ads campaigns can be up and running within a short period.
To start advertising with Google Ads, open an account and add your personal information and credit card details. There may be verification delays, but your account should be active within 24-48 hours. Once the verification is complete, you may begin marketing.
SEO TIME FACTOR
The SEO time varies according to multiple factors. It’s difficult for SEO specialists to predict the exact dates when websites will appear on Page 1 of Google. Most SEO specialists provide an estimate, but no one can predict how long it will take to see results on Google. This section will discuss the primary SEO factors that influence the progress of your website on search engines:
AGE
Google prefers older websites over newer websites. Older websites are more established and trusted by Google. Implementing SEO on websites that are 5 years old shows great results. Websites that are 10 years old see even better results. SEO should Not be implemented on websites younger than 3 months old.
There are rumors that Google put new websites into a Sandbox, which prevents them from appearing on Page 1 of Google. The sandbox period is said to be between 3-6 months. Google does not rank newer websites for the following reasons:
- New businesses have a higher percentage of closing than established businesses.
- New websites could be SPAM websites created to manipulate Google’s ranking systems.
ALGORITHMS
Google Algorithms are updated regularly to improve the search results for the end user. There are minor and major updates. Major updates can cause previous SEO strategies to become redundant. SEO companies that saw major benefits using these strategies may struggle to adapt to newer strategies. SEO providers mustn’t provide time estimates, as Google Systems can change, and have everyone scratching their heads.
COMPETITION
Doing SEO in competitive markets is a complicated process. In some industries, it’s considered impossible to rank on Page 1 of Google from the high levels of competition. Some SEO battles can’t be won, but this happens seldom. Doing SEO in low competitive markets can render fast results. Websites can reach Page 1 of Google within 6 months in these industries.
KEYWORDS
Keyword research tools allow SEO specialists to identify popular and valuable keywords. There are 3 types of keywords: Short-Tail, Medium-Tail, and Long-Tail Keywords.
SHORT TAIL KEYWORDS
These keywords are 1- 2 words and have the highest traffic volumes. They are the hardest keywords to rank and take the longest time too. They can take anywhere between 1-5 years to see results.
MEDIUM TAIL KEYWORDS
These keywords are 3-4 words and have medium traffic volumes. Many SEO specialists focus on these keywords as they are more targeted and have good traffic volumes. These keywords can take anywhere from 6-18 months to see results.
LONG TAIL KEYWORDS
These keywords are 4 words or longer, and have the lowest traffic volumes- They are the easiest to rank and take the quickest time to reach Page 1 of Google. These keywords can take anywhere between 3-12 months to see results.
CONTENT
Quality Content greatly reduces the time it takes to see results on Google. Google values websites that provide good information and structure. Without optimizing the On-Page SEO of a site, the Off-Page SEO will not be effective. The website information should be written by humans, and not copied from other websites, or created by AI programs or Spinning Programs. Websites must contain lots of web pages and written information.
Google does not like one-page websites or content-thin websites, which are websites with a few web pages and information. Poorly constructed websites will never reach Page 1 of Google, regardless of time. Having an informative site that provides simple navigation always gets noticed by Google.
TECHNICAL SEO
Google announced that websites must follow certain expectations to reach good ranking positions. Websites that provide fast-loading times will see better results on Google. Fast-loading sites should load within 3 seconds. Websites must be compatible with all types of devices, especially on mobile phones. Failure to provide a responsive and adaptable website will result in lower rankings. Websites also need to provide an SSL Certificate, which protects website users from having their personal information from being stolen.
CONSISTENCY
SEO is not a short-term process and requires consistent effort in creating content and building backlinks. SEO takes a long to see results if it is implemented here and there. SEO requires consistent month-to-month work for 6–12-month periods to see positive results. SEO does not render results immediately so make sure you have the budget to fund it.
SEO EXPERTISE
Finding a reliable SEO provider is becoming a tricky business these days. Many SEO providers have not complied with the latest algorithm updates. This means their SEO services are either obsolete or harmful to your search rankings. The worst-case scenario is investing your money into an SEO company and not seeing any positive movement within one year. Investigate testimonials and reviews online to determine how professional an SEO company is.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long will it take to see your website appear on the first page of Google in South Africa?
It generally takes 3-12 months to see positive results and appear on Page 1 of Google for targeted keywords.
Will implementing Google Ads with SEO help speed up the process?
Yes and No. Doing Google Ads will not help your SEO rankings, however, if Google sees your Google Ads users are interacting well with your website, it will count positively towards the trust of your site.
Will I see steady growth when doing SEO?
It depends. Many SEO campaigns have steady growth while other SEO campaigns will experience big rises and drops in the first few months. Eventually, the bouncing will settle, and the website will move to Page 1 of Google.
How Can I monitor the progress of my website's ranking positions?
Google has free tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console to keep track of your website’s search positions. These 2 platforms provide detailed information regarding your search engine placements and website traffic. It’s highly recommended you take advantage of these 2 platforms.
Say if I do not see any positive progress after 6 -12 months.
You will need to do a Full SEO Audit of your website and determine what could potentially prevent your SEO rankings. Factors such as viruses can harm your rankings, or you may have indexing issues that prevent Google from crawling your website.
How do I know the SEO provider has the experience and qualifications to do SEO?
It’s always good to search for reviews of existing SEO companies. Check their Google My Business account and see what clients are rating their services.