In the realm of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), patience isn’t just a virtue; it’s a necessity. As digital marketers, we often experience our clients expecting immediate results when implementing changes to a website’s SEO. However, the reality is far from instantaneous. Recently, we had a valuable lesson in patience with one of our clients that had hired us as an SEO consultant which perfectly illustrates why it’s crucial to give SEO changes time to take effect.
Our client, let’s call them Company X, approached us with the common goal of boosting their search engine rankings after seeing a number of rankings fall compared to 12 months previous. Like many businesses, they were eager to see quick results and were initially hesitant about investing in a long-term SEO strategy.
After conducting a comprehensive audit of Company X’s website, we identified several areas for improvement, including optimising meta tags, tackling thin content, and internal linking. Excited to see positive changes, Company X expected their rankings to bounce straight up as soon as we implemented a rather significant change.
However, as seasoned SEO professionals, we knew better than to expect instant gratification. We explained to Company X that SEO is a gradual process that requires patience and persistence. We assured them that while they might not see immediate results, and may not see results for a few months, consistent efforts would yield significant improvements over time.
Initially, we actually saw a significant amount of Company X’s rankings drop in the first few days. I reiterated patience was key here, and to give it at least 8 weeks before reviewing it. Understandably, Company X grew anxious and questioned the effectiveness of our strategy. This is where our commitment to transparency and education became crucial.
We reiterated again to Company X that SEO is not a sprint but a marathon. Fluctuations in rankings are common, and it’s essential to stay focused on the long-term goal. We provided regular updates on the progress of their SEO campaign and continued to refine our strategy based on data and insights.
Then, around the 8-10 week mark, something remarkable happened. Company X’s rankings skyrocketed, practically overnight, across the board. Keywords that were previously buried in the search results suddenly appeared on the first page. Organic traffic to their website saw a significant uptick, resulting in more leads and conversions.
Looking back, it’s clear that if we had given in to the pressure and abandoned our SEO efforts after just 2-4 weeks, Company X would have missed out on these remarkable gains. The delayed but substantial improvement in rankings served as a powerful reminder of the importance of patience in SEO.
So, why don’t rankings always go up straight away? The answer lies in the complex algorithms used by search engines like Google. These algorithms consider numerous factors when determining a website’s ranking, and changes to these factors may not yield immediate results.
Factors such as domain authority, content relevance, and user experience all play a role in determining a website’s search engine ranking. It takes time for search engines to crawl and index these changes, and even more time for them to assess the impact on rankings. Another key factor is core updates from Google. During the conversation around being patience, I explained to Company X that it might take a core update for Google to truly trust that the changes we had made were here to stay, and not just a test or experiment we were doing to see how it impacted rankings.
Moreover, SEO is a highly competitive landscape. Your competitors are also vying for the top spots in search results, making it a constant battle for visibility. Patience allows you to stay the course and outlast your competitors, ultimately positioning your website for long-term success.
In conclusion, patience is not just a virtue in SEO; it’s a strategic imperative. Our experience with Company X serves as a powerful reminder that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. By staying committed to our strategy and giving it the time it needed to produce results, we were able to achieve remarkable improvements in rankings and drive significant organic traffic to our client’s website. So, the next time you’re tempted to hit the panic button because your rankings haven’t budged overnight, remember: good things come to those who wait, especially in the world of SEO.
