So you’ve done your SEO research, peppered keywords through your website and built a strong set of respectable links. By the time you get to work tomorrow, you’ll have a deluge of new hits and steady conversions. Right?
Wrong. It might seem strange in our age of instant everything, but it could take 3-12 months to see your SEO strategy bear fruit. That means that if you want to attract buzz at a particular season or time of the year (hello, Cyber Monday sales!), it’s a good idea to get started sooner rather than later.
If you want to be ranking well in the height of spring, you really need to be planning your SEO work now.
Why does it take so long?
Here are some of the reasons why SEO doesn’t work overnight, and why it’s important to invest in a long-term SEO planning strategy.
Research takes time
Getting trustworthy analytics and a good understanding of what your competitors are doing isn’t a one-day process. Before you leap into your SEO plan with just your instincts to guide you, make sure you’ve got an evidence-based strategy on how to improve the searchability of your business.
Google crawlers crawl
Search engine results are partly determined by information gathered by crawlers, little programs that bounce around the web to create a constantly updating index of the internet. Crawlers are what will notice that your Ecommerce website has been optimised – but it often takes them 6-8 weeks to do so.
Processes have to be set in stone
Even when you make changes based on SEO, that doesn’t mean others in your company will the next time they upload piece of content. It takes time and work to educate a team in SEO, and really lay down effective practices for the future.
All things grow
Your online profile is a little like a plant – you need to give it time to grow. Google can be suspicious of sudden transformations, and so it will take a while before you start to see your SEO gradually improve. Clicks tend to accumulate as users get more familiar with your brand and share their experience through social media or word of mouth. Remember to be patient and not give up.
So what do I do?
The key to achieving long-term plans and is setting simple steps towards them.
Does your business do better at particular times of the year? It’s worth mapping out the seasonal opportunities into a calendar. They could include:
- EOFYS
- Christmas
- Easter
- Mother’s Day
- Father’s Day
- New budgets
- Fashion seasons
- Sports events
- Public holidays
The best way to fit your SEO plan with your peak seasons is to get the support of a trusted team of digital marketing professionals. Get in touch with Redline – we’d love to have a chat.