Launching a new website is an exciting moment for any business. You’ve invested time and effort into making sure it looks great, the user experience is on point, and now, you’re ready for the world (and Google) to see it. But wait… Why isn’t your shiny new website appearing at the top of search results for your target keywords?
If you’re wondering why your new website isn’t dominating Google searches right away, don’t worry – this is completely normal. Let’s talk about why SEO takes time and what happens after a new website goes live.
The Excitement of Launching Your New Website
When your new website goes live, it feels like the hard part is over – and it is in many ways. You’ve nailed the design, made sure the site is easy to navigate, and filled it with great content. Now, you’re hoping for the magic of SEO to kick in, so your site starts ranking for those all-important keywords. However, the road to ranking isn’t instant, and there isn’t a blanket timeframe either.
Why Doesn’t My Website Show Up Immediately?
After your website launches, search engines like Google need time to crawl and index it. Crawling means Google’s bots visit your site, following every link and scanning every page to understand its content. Indexing is when Google stores your site’s information in its database, making it available for search queries.
This process doesn’t happen right away. Depending on factors like your website’s size, competition, and how often search engines crawl websites in your industry, it could take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for your site to appear in search results. During this period, it’s important to ensure your site is optimised for crawling by using a robots.txt file and submitting your sitemap to Google Search Console. We ensure these factors are completed for you.
Our Tip:
If you haven’t done so already, make sure you have set up Google Search Console (GSC) for your website. This helps you track your website’s indexing status and identify any early crawling issues. We set this up with every website we build and we also monitor GSC if you are on an ongoing SEO plan with us. GSC not only notifies you of any issues, but it also gives you invaluable data about the keywords your website is ranking for.
Google Sandbox Effect: Does It Really Exist?
You may have heard of the Google Sandbox – a theory suggesting that new websites are “sandboxed” or held back from ranking for competitive keywords right away. While Google hasn’t officially confirmed this theory, many SEO experts believe there is some truth to it, and it’s something that we see with almost every new website. The idea is that Google wants to see if your site is legitimate and valuable before giving it a top ranking, especially in competitive industries.
So, don’t be discouraged if your site isn’t ranking right off the bat. SEO is a long-term game, and it’s normal for new websites to experience slower ranking progress in the first few months. If you think of it from Google’s perspective, their job is to display the websites that are most relevant to the users’ query. They aren’t going to throw a brand new website into the top positions until they fully understand it and trust that it answers the users’ query.
Factors That Influence How Long It Takes to Rank
Several factors determine how quickly your new website starts to rank:
- Domain Age: Older domains generally rank faster. New domains may take longer to build credibility. This is normally because older websites already have Domain Authority. Domain Authority is a score between 1-100. New websites start right down the bottom at 1 which essentially means that they have not built up the trust factor with Google yet, therefore Google is unlikely to rank you highly.
- Competition: If you’re targeting highly competitive keywords, it will take more time to climb the rankings. Websites with higher Domain Authority tend to perform better in competitive markets.
- Content Quality: Google prioritises sites with valuable, relevant, and high-quality content. Is your content informative, relevant, and engaging?
- Backlinks: The more quality websites linking to your content, the more “trust” Google places in your site.
- Website Structure and Speed: A clean, well-organized website that loads quickly is easier for search engines to crawl and index.
Our Tip:
For local business websites, focus on building high-quality backlinks and citations from trusted local sources like Gympie business directories, the local Chamber of Commerce, or partnering with other local businesses for cross-promotion. This can help boost your site’s credibility in Google’s eyes. This is something we look after in our monthly SEO packages.
SEO Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
It’s easy to feel impatient when you’re not seeing instant results, but SEO isn’t a one-time project, it’s an ongoing strategy that takes time to build momentum. For most new local websites, it can take anywhere from 6 to 12 months to start seeing consistent rankings for your target keywords. The key is to stay consistent and continue optimising your website over time.
What Can You Do While You Wait?
- Keep Publishing Quality Content: Regularly update your blog with helpful, locally-focused content that your audience cares about. For example, if you run a Gympie-based electrical business, write posts answering common questions people type into Google that are related to the electrical industry. This is a part of our keyword research and is covered in our ongoing monthly SEO Packages. This helps your website (and your business) become an authority in your niche over time. This is crucial for long-term SEO success.
- Promote Your Site on Social Media: Share your new website on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn to drive traffic and raise awareness. More traffic visiting your website can help send all the right signals to Google.
- Track and Measure Your Progress: Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your website traffic, keyword rankings, and user behavior. Adjust your strategy based on what’s working, and what isn’t working.
Building Trust with Your Audience and Google
While you’re waiting for your SEO to kick in, focus on building trust with both your audience and Google. Here’s how you can do that:
- Add Testimonials or Case Studies: If you have happy customers, let them speak for you! Include testimonials or case studies from local clients to show credibility.
- Secure Your Website: Make sure your website uses HTTPS to protect users’ data. Google gives a ranking boost to secure sites. (This is a non-negotiable these days)
- Local Listings and Reviews: Get your business listed on Google My Business, True Local, and other Gympie-based directories such as Gympie Wedding Directory. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, as they can improve your local SEO.
Internal Linking Ideas:
- Link to your About Us page, explaining more about your business history and expertise in Gympie. Having a section on your website that properly covers your Expertise and Experience within your industry is a must!
- Ensure you have a well-structured website that is simple to navigate and every page is easy to find within a few clicks.
External Linking Ideas:
- Link to trusted sources that relate to your business industry.
- Consider linking to authoritative local directories or news websites when discussing local SEO tactics.
Remember: Patience is Key
After launching a new website, it’s completely normal to wonder why it’s not ranking yet. The truth is, SEO takes time – and it’s worth the wait. By continuing to optimise your site, build valuable content, and earn trust from local users and Google, your website will gradually move up the ranks and get in front of your target audience. However, ensure you don’t solely rely on SEO to drive traffic, make sure you tap into multiple marketing strategies so that your eggs aren’t all in one basket.
While you wait for your rankings to improve, focus on the long-term success of your business and know that with consistent effort, your hard work will pay off!
As always, if you want to discuss your business website and what can be done to improve it, contact us via phone, email, or online contact form and we will help you out.