How Long Does SEO Take?

SEO (search engine optimisation) is the process of improving your visibility and rankings with Google and other search engines. 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine, making SEO an important tool for your business. SEO can be tailored specifically to your goals depending on what you want to achieve. But, how long does SEO take to work?

SEO is a long-term project. Results typically start to show around 6 months in, but this is the bare minimum timeframe to start seeing positive progress. At Wildcat Digital, we recommend giving it at least 12 months as it takes time to build your domain authority – a key ranking factor. 

Read on to find out more about the results of SEO and why it can take so long with Wildcat Digital. 

How Long Does SEO Take To Show Results? 

Typically, the minimum timeframe for SEO to start showing results is around 6 months but it could be shorter or longer. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to how long SEO takes. That’s why, at Wildcat Digital, we recommend starting with a minimum 6 month retainer to get your website in a good place and start ranking. 

Why Does SEO Take So Long? 

SEO takes so long because Google and other search engines’ algorithms are ever-evolving. It can be difficult to move up the rankings when Google regularly changes its algorithm – almost like moving the goalposts every time you meet their conditions.  

Due to this and the competitive nature of SEO, it may take longer for you to see progress than you might think. This is normal.

It often depends on the health and authority of your website when you begin your SEO journey. If you’re effectively starting from scratch, it takes time to build your domain authority – a key factor that Google uses to assess the quality of a website. 

On the other hand, more established websites, perhaps those that have worked on SEO or other digital marketing practices before, may see results faster. This is because attention may have already been given to areas that contribute to SEO. 

How SEO works 

SEO works in several different ways and can be split into various categories to suit your business’s needs. Depending on the goals of your campaign, will determine what side of SEO service you need. 

On-Page SEO 

On-page SEO is the process of optimising your website’s content for search engines and users. It helps to make your website more appealing to both Google and your target audience. By using various techniques and practices, you can optimise your content to best appeal, these include: 

• Keywords: Keywords are an important tool for optimising your website. They can give you an indication of where your page is ranking and what your clientele is searching for. Keyword difficulty can help you determine what keywords you should be targeting depending on the difficulty score, which will bring you organic traffic without too much effort. 
• Title Tags: Title tags are usually the main part of a user deciding on what website they want to click on. By making them compelling and relevant to your content, you will generate organic traffic to your site. 
• Internal Linking: By linking your pages to one another, called internal linking, you can boost your authority as internal links build your link equity (ranking power). Internal links also establish the structure of your site and indicate to Google which pages of your site are the most important. 
• H1 Tags: A H1 tag helps search engines learn about the content on your pages. It also indicates to your readers what the content is and improves the readability of your website. 
• Unique, Helpful Content: Content is a key element of on-page SEO. By publishing quality content you can gain high-grade backlinks, gain media attention and develop the E-E-A-T on your site as well as your domain authority. 

Off-Page SEO 

Off-page SEO refers to the tactics applied outside of a website to improve its rankings. You have limited control over off-page SEO and it helps to build your authority as a website. The goal of implementing off-page SEO strategies is to get users and search engines to see you as trustworthy and to get you to engage with them. These techniques include: 

• Building Backlinks: One of the most important off-page SEO strategies is building your backlink profile. Backlinks help Google to see you as an authoritative source and can increase your domain authority. Backlinks from high authority and popular sites can increase your ranking with Google and other search engines. 
• Local SEO: By using Local SEO, you can optimise your presence online and target local traffic for your business. Using local SEO techniques such as Google Business Profile you can increase the visibility of your site and give your site a higher position on Google’s search results. To find out more about local seo, why not check out our blog ‘How Can I Rank Better In My Local Area?’ 
• Digital PR: Digital PR is an incredibly beneficial off-page SEO strategy. You are able to build your brand by promoting your content across multiple online channels. This will drive traffic directly to your website and encourage conversions. Additionally, it will help to build your backlink profile and, in turn, improve your domain authority.

Learn more about all the different element to SEO in our blog, What are the Different Types of SEO Services? Your Complete Guide.

See Results With Our SEO Experts At Wildcat Digital 

If you want to get started with your SEO journey but don’t know where to begin, why not get in contact with our SEO experts here at Wildcat Digital? We are an award-winning digital marketing agency, offering targeted SEO services designed for all your needs. To arrange your free consultation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. Alternatively, if you have any SEO-related questions, why not check out our Knowledge Base content hub. Our experts are here to help.