How long does SEO take? When shows the Search engine optimization Effect? These questions are always an important issue for our clients. In digital marketing in particular, companies often have very high expectations, some of which are simply unrealistic - even if their Agency has guaranteed "You'll be ranking in three months!". But that's not how SEO works. So where do such misconceptions come from? One of the reasons is that SEO is a relatively open field. There is no umbrella organization that defines certain things. As a result, there is an abundance of different opinions circulating, as well as some misinformation. All of this finds its way into many SEO campaigns.
When it comes to SEO, there are many questions. But hardly any are as difficult to answer as "How long does SEO take?" For search engine optimization, several variables must be taken into account that affect the Ranking have an impact. They also have an impact on when you will see the results of your optimization efforts. So that you appear in the search engine results (so-called SERPs), you first need to understand the basics of SEO. How does SEO work and which variables are important here? We'll be honest: you won't find a super-secret SEO hack that you can use to optimize your Ranking extremely - but you'll get a real answer from us about how long SEO takes.
How long does it take for SEO to work?
You want an exact answer? The most precise answer is: It depends. For most websites, it takes about 2-3 months to rank for low competition keywords.
For significant improvements in the search results, you need to allow about 4-8 months.
Most SEO agencies will tell you that it usually takes between 4 and 6 months for a website to gain significant rankings. While that's not wrong, we often see this:
Most brands can expect to appear in search results for low competition keywords within 2 to 3 months. Google itself even gives a timeline stating that it takes 4-12 months to achieve significant success in search. However, this depends on your keywords and content, among other things. If you are trying to rank for keywords with high competition, you will probably only see results within 2 or 3 years.
We have several clients who have seen successful SEO results before the end of this period. Recently we have "Your language coach" has helped him to improve his organic Traffic increase enormously from April 2021 to January 2022. However, keep in mind that this is absolutely not the rule.
To practically see and understand how long SEO takes, take a look at our case studies. In the case studies, we show how the results of our customers have developed with certain measures and budgets. This can help you to estimate how long SEO takes and how much effort you can expect.
Note: If you don't know exactly what you're doing, the curve can of course be much flatter and your SEO results can take much longer. With our help, it will go faster.
Why does SEO take so long?
Over the years, Google has improved its algorithms and its Search Engine improved. In the late 2000s, many "shortcuts" were able to improve the rankings in the Search Engine improve it. But this naturally led to a poor user experience for searchers.
Over time, Google has significantly improved user-friendliness by constantly optimizing its algorithm. This was accompanied by another effect: with each optimization by Google, it became more difficult to achieve a good ranking.
Nowadays, quality plays an important role. It is the be-all and end-all - and sometimes also extends the time your website needs to rank.
But what exactly has to do with the Ranking-duration? And how do inadequate SEO measures extend the time it takes to Ranking? Let's take a look at some determining factors.
How each pillar of search engine optimization affects the amount of time it works
SEO is multi-layered, but at its core there are three main pillars for SEO success. These are:
What's behind it all? Let's shed some light on this. We'll take a look at the individual pillars and illustrate how they affect the duration of SEO activities.
SEO texts
The Content on your website must be of high quality - for the user and for the Search Engine. Backlinks are important for a good Ranking, while the Content should not be underestimated. Because it is one of the elementary factors for SEO and your fast placement in the SERPs. Let's not kid ourselves: If your content is poor, your SEO efforts will be an uphill battle.
Your content must have value. Besides the Backlinks high-quality content is one of the most important factors in how quickly you rank on Google. Let's not kid ourselves: If your content is low-quality, you're going to have an uphill battle with your SEO efforts.
You can create thousands of Backlinks to your website - but if you buy poor quality content via Fiverr and put it on your site, your results will simply remain poor.
Quality, not just quantity
Of course, portals such as Fiverr or Textbroker are easy ways to order 100 text articles at a reasonable price. As much content as possible? Don't be impressed by the word count or the number of indexed pages. Neither of these are relevant ranking factors. Instead, focus on creating content that solves searchers' problems and matches their search intent.
This can be an article with 500 or 3,000 words. The length of the content depends on the topic and what type of content currently ranks (well) on Google for this topic.
Good to know: For relevant content, you don't necessarily have to dig deep into your pockets to pay for a special SEO tool. You can also take a detour and google your keywords, for example. Look at the competition's content in the top positions:
- How are they structured?
- What are the subtopics?
- How long are the texts in the top 10 on average?
You use the information to develop high-quality content that is unique to you and your company.
Technical SEO
Over the past few years, Google has expanded its Search Engine and thus also increased the complexity for website operators. Content and links are important, but if Google doesn't rank your website correctly crawl you are at a loss. Technical SEO is about optimizing your website and infrastructure so that search engines can crawl and index your website more efficiently. If search engines have problems crawling and indexing your website correctly, you will have a hard time improving your organic rankings. The most common technical SEO issues we see are:
- slow page speed
- Poor internal linking and website architecture
- technical duplicates (www. and non-www. version of your domain in the Index)
- broken links (404 error)
- Forwarding chains
- Crawling, indexing and rendering
- faulty hreflang-Implementation
Some of these areas have a bigger impact than others and not all of these issues are catastrophic. That's why it's so important to prioritize technical SEO.
External and internal links
Link building or also Linkbuilding is one of the most important aspects of search engine optimization - it is undisputed that high-quality Backlinks are important. Many think of the Link building primarily to volume. Although the number of Backlinks or the referring domains is an important factor, but you shouldn't just rely on the pure numbers. Instead, quality comes into play here.
One possibility for Backlinks is the shopping of Backlinks via platforms such as Black Hat World or Fiverr. These usually come from low-quality domains. Sounds simple in principle - but it is precisely with such Black Hat SEO-tactics you risk the Ranking of your domain. Because even Google says:
"All links that are aimed at Ranking of a website in Google search results can be considered part of a link scheme and a violation of Google's guidelines."
So Google is taking this issue very seriously. A quick search on Fiverr reveals 9,000+ providers of "Backlinks". Among them, there are 5,000+ providers that charge less than €15. This may seem tempting if you're looking for a low-cost approach, but ... in the long run, these Backlinks but do more harm than good...
At first, you might see a temporary jump in your rankings, but it won't last long. You'll be at the top of the Google mountain until the penalty knocks you off the top of the mountain and into the depths of the unknown.
Do better: Instead of buying links and Black Hat SEO to operate, build high-quality Backlinks of strong and/or topic-relevant domains.
Internal links
Unfortunately the internal linking overlooked when it comes to the question of "How long does SEO take?". We've established how important links are for SEO. But what about the internal links on your website?
I'm sure you've already heard a lot about Backlinks (and rightly so). In addition to the external links, internal links also help you with an increasing Ranking.
Internal links pass linkjuice and are one of the few Ranking-factors that you can control 100 %. Nevertheless, most SEOs neglect internal links. The internal Anchor text is also a positive on-pageRanking-factor and there is no penalty for the use of exactly matching Anchor text for internal links.
The aim is to provide Google with as much additional context as possible. Besides the Anchor text it is important what you link to. You should link to relevant subpages that support your main topic.
This principle is also known as "Hub and Spoke" model. All your internal links pass on linkjuice. The idea is simple, but often ignored. You want to pass on the ranking power of the strongest pages to the pages with the lowest rankings - how does this work? By internal linking.
The factors that slow down your SEO results
There is no one-size-fits-all SEO strategy. One-size-fits-all SEO doesn't work because every website is unique and the variables are different. Taking the same SEO approach for every website is like trying to solve an algebra equation and ignoring the variables. If you are launching a new project, this is a long-term task.
When you work with an SEO agency, it should convey that to you from the start. Promises like guaranteed first page rankings or prices, too good to be true?
In such a case, we advise you to take flight. The truth is that it can take 3-6 months before you see results. It takes several years of effort to keep up with the market leaders in your field. In other words, it doesn't happen overnight.
1. the competition
There was a time when SEO was unknown to most companies - and the companies that did know about SEO didn't put much emphasis on it. The lack of knowledge gave smaller companies the opportunity to rise quickly in the SERPs.
This is no longer the case today. The acceptance of SEO has increased. Large companies are investing heavily in SEO, expanding their internal SEO teams and additionally strengthening them with agencies in order to optimize their organic Range to maximize
Think about how much you can and want to invest in your SEO campaign. Your competitors are investing at least as much. The quality of your competition can affect how long it takes for you to see results.
If no one is actively optimizing for your keywords, you will of course see results much faster. You may be hesitant to decide whether you should invest in SEO or not. But with every week you postpone your decision, your competitors continue to build links and produce content. The more time you let pass, the greater the gap between you and your competitors. Accordingly, your Ranking-Timeline.
2. poor keyword research and targeting
Search engine optimization (SEO) has changed drastically since the late 2000s. Back then, you could rank by entering keywords in metaKeyword-tags and on your landing pages. Over time, search engines have improved massively and marketing teams are also focusing more on SEO. So the Ranking has become more difficult. Over the past year, I've talked to hundreds of companies, from small businesses to market leaders. The common theme among those that rank poorly is a weak Keyword-Research and goal setting. Without the right plan, implementation can only fail.
If you want to shorten the above-mentioned period, you have to enter the Keyword-So you need to be very careful in your research and targeting. In my opinion, all brands should focus on the low-hanging fruit right from the start. These are the so-called long-tail keywords. They are less competitive and allow you to answer specific search queries that your users ask directly.
Like search engine optimization, the Keyword-research has changed a lot in the last five years. When creating content, do you rely exclusively on Keyword-research tools, you will almost certainly fail. For most companies, it is common to use a Keyword-to use research tool, according to Search volume sort and then create a landing page with the Keyword as H1. In most of the content I've reviewed over the past year, one thing has often been ignored: the Addictionintentition. It is the absolute be-all and end-all. Anyone who bets on the wrong Keyword will not make it into the top 3.
The user should always be in the foreground. What is he looking for? What solution will help them?
An example tor Addictionintentition - Keywords alone are not enough
Google is more than ever an answer engine and wants to give its users detailed answers to their questions. So if you have a Keyword you have to think one step further and ask yourself: "What is the seeker actually looking for?" Let's take a look at an example from practice:
Let's say we want to create content that targets the long-tail Keyword "Best credit cards" is targeted. From the modifier "best" we can deduce that users are looking for the best credit card options. So it would make sense to create content that describes different credit cards, their benefits and other relevant information. Is that enough to rank well? In my opinion, no.
Once you know which search terms/topics you want to rank for, you should go one step further. Analyze the search results to gain insights into the intentions and type of content that users and Google expect from publishers. Use this data to optimize your Content strategy to develop. Not always only the right Keyword important. Nerdwallet, for example, not only ranks for "best credit cards", but has also created comprehensive content on how to apply for the cards, which criteria are important and the like. Comprehensive content has therefore been created that Search Intention and at the same time answers the most frequently asked questions on the subject.
3. internal pressure and unrealistic expectations lead to inferior SEO results
Here's a scenario for you: The competition is ranking ahead of your company for high-value search terms. You feel under pressure. Your most fervent wish? To knock the competition off their throne as quickly as possible - preferably within the next three months. Perhaps this is where an SEO agency comes into play. They tell you that they can make your goal possible in two months and make all your dreams come true.
Stop daydreaming - don't be lured by the idea of getting ahead at 180 km/h if you haven't done any SEO yet. Quality is what counts here. Valuable Backlinksexcellent content and a high-quality website are of elementary importance in today's market for the Ranking.
4. blindly copy your competitors
Every well-thought-out SEO strategy includes a competitor analysis.
After all, it's important to know what your competitors are doing and in which areas they are successful. However, over the last year we have seen this become a cycle of copycat SEO.
Companies produce the same content as their competitors just because they rank well. Of course, this is understandable somewhere - you are under pressure to achieve results as quickly as possible. Especially under time pressure, it doesn't always make sense to reinvent the wheel.
However, if you simply copy your competitors, you risk failing and receiving a Google penalty. Instead, analyze their content. Look for angles they haven't explored yet. Find ways to go deeper than the competition with your content. This will convince both users and search engines.
5. ignore creative SEO
You can use creative strategies to improve your rankings for low competition keywords. Targeting low competition keywords that have business value can enrich your SEO strategy. Creating comparison content works particularly well and targets the bottom of the funnel. This means that this content has a higher conversion rate.
Other considerations: Avoid common SEO myths
Unfortunately, there is a lot of noise and false recommendations in the SEO industry. One says this, another says that. That's why I'd like to end this post by debunking the most common SEO myths so that you can focus on the techniques that really work.
"You can also rank well without texts"
This is one of the biggest myths in SEO. I'm sure you've read about this one on a few SEO blogs. Myth It is often recommended to write at least 2,500 words. SerpIQ once compared the length of content with top rankings and found that 2,000 to 2,500 words rank best. Various studies have backed this up. Searchers want to find and be informed. Even products and categories in online stores should be equipped with optimized text. If you want your site to rank for a generic search term, you need at least 300 words of text.
"SEO is a one-time thing"
Most brands approach search engine optimization with the idea that they can make a few changes and improve their organic search rankings. Traffic then rises to the moon.But if you want to see lasting results, you need to think of SEO as an investment.
The truth is that you are never done with SEO. It's a never-ending story where you always have to stay ahead of your competitors.
A frequent question that comes up during consultations is: "Now that you have implemented your recommendations, we can concentrate on maintenance, can't we?" That's not entirely wrong. But until your website ranks on page one for everything your business could benefit from, you're not really "done" with SEO.
If you're thinking about investing in SEO, you should be aware of one thing: it's a long-term investment. This means you are committing to a certain proportion of the marketing budget over a longer period of time. This is the only way to achieve long-term results that will help a company grow.
"SEO is dead"
I'm not sure if this is a myth, but it's certainly misleading and comes up every year. For example, SEO has already been declared dead because of GPT-3. This is an autoregressive language model that uses deep learning to create human-like texts. Given this myth in particular, you might assume that companies don't invest that much in search. Or do they? In fact, search engine optimization is more popular than ever these days.
"Google Ads improve your rankings"
Unfortunately, you hear this claim from many PPC agencies. However, even Google debunks this as a big myth. Certainly, running paid ads alongside SEO work can increase the number of clicks.
However, there is no evidence that PPC has an impact on your organic rankings. Nonetheless, your PPC data is extremely valuable and can support SEO results. After all, an SEO campaign should be geared towards achieving conversions - not just Traffic.
"Domain age is a ranking factor"
Sure, the age of a domain plays a role - but not in the way you think. Google does not rate domains exclusively according to Domain ageand John Muller from Google has also explained this publicly. If you're starting with a new domain, you probably don't have one yet Backlinks. As already mentioned: Backlinks are a decisive factor for the Ranking and it takes time for you to get quality Backlinks from reputable domains.
Established domains generally rank better than new domains because they have Linkbuilding and have built up content over time. Simply put: you are authentic. A study conducted by Ahrefs has shown that the average age of domains ranking in the top 10 Google results is around two years or more.
The study also found that 95 % of newly published sites don't make it into the top 10 within a year. If you're starting out with a new domain, that doesn't sound promising. Don't panic! You can rank - but you probably won't see impressive results for the most competitive keywords for another 12 months.
FAQs
How long does SEO take?
Most brands can expect to rank for low competition keywords within 4-12 months. Google even confirms this, giving a timeline that says it takes 4-12 months to see significant success in search. If you're trying to rank for high competition keywords, you'll likely see results within 2-3 years.
Why does SEO take so long to get results?
It takes time to create high-quality content and build good links. You are also actively competing with your competitors for the same search terms. There was a time when SEO was unknown to most companies. And the companies that did know about SEO didn't put much emphasis on it. This lack of knowledge gave smaller businesses the opportunity to rise quickly in the SERPs. Times have changed - SEO has evolved. Like all big investments, it doesn't happen overnight. But with the right techniques, the payoff is huge and the work pays off.
How much does SEO cost?
I'm sure you'd like a different answer here, but it depends. What I can tell you is that you should expect to pay at least 3000-4000 EUR per month for good SEO. In our experience, it's impossible to take a holistic approach to SEO with a low-cost provider. Not only will you have problems with quality, but scaling will be almost impossible. Make sure your SEO service provider is transparent from the start. They should clearly explain how they intend to achieve your goals. If you decide to work with them, make sure you have access to the KPIs they track.
Remember: SEO is not a one-off project. It will take some time for you to rise in the search results. But it's worth it for your company.
Conclusion
SEO is not a one-size-fits-all strategy. There are many variables that affect how long it takes for your website to rank in the Ranking appears. Consistency is the be-all and end-all. SEO will be important for your success, even if you don't see any results after three months. If you create and track meaningful KPIs, you'll know if you're on the right track.
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