Getting organic traffic to your website or blog post is important to any business working on their SEO, but how long does it really take for your link to get to the top of SERP results? How long should you wait before you adjust your strategy or update content? Many factors contribute to page rank on Google, but there are a few crucial ones that can push the content to organic search results.
The general consensus is that it takes about 3-6 months to rank organically on the first page of Google. Businesses or creators can adjust a few aspects to help rank faster and beat out their competitors. Let’s take a look at the ranking timeline and factors in this blog.
What Helps A Page Or Website Rank?
It is important to know what a blog or webpage needs to rank before you start writing. Meeting the criteria that Google has set for well-written and researched content is the best way to get your page to rank on Google. The more boxes you tick and the more users you can get to view your page, the faster you will rank.
Some factors that will impact the ranking and overall speed of a ranking include:
- Value in the content
- Search intent
- Relevant keywords
- Expertise in your field or built authority
- Quality user experience
- Sharing personal experiences rather than just generalities
The Keyword You Choose Matters
In order for Google to put your page in search results, you need to have a keyword. When someone asks a question on Google, the bots will scan thousands of pages to find one that will answer that question. If someone asks “how to change a tire” and your content doesn’t have a relevant keyword, the searcher won’t find your content. In your industry, there will be many keywords that are trending or relevant. Using Google Trends or looking at your competitors’ blogs can help you determine what people are searching for.
Searches are often questions or when someone needs knowledge, so content that ranks will help provide quality answers. When your keyword is a commonly asked question or phrase, you should provide an adequate answer if you want to keep ranking.
Building Topical Authority
Google also prioritizes content written by experts or those with credentials. Your content should show that you are a trustworthy source, have personal experience, and have spoken on this topic before. This should be easy when you are talking about your specific industry, but a more niche topic may take longer to rank. For example, a furniture store will typically rank well for blogs or page content on furniture maintenance, choosing the right pieces for each room, and interior design trends. Blogs or subpages on topics like material waste, furniture construction, or moving furniture could hurt rankings.
In order to build topical authority, you will also need to increase the amount of content you have on your site. While you don’t want to spam content on your site, having more relevant and highly clicked content will help your content rank faster than your competitors. The more authority you build with Google, the more visibility your page will have.
Track Your Data
You can make necessary adjustments and speed up the ranking on Google by monitoring your content’s rankings and visibility. When you monitor your rankings, you can see what efforts are doing well and how future content can be improved. One of the best ways to stay on top of SERP rankings is to set up automated reports and notifications. This will help you see when a page has seen a significant traffic increase and help you make strategic adjustments promptly. Making adjustments as you see trends or audience needs change will help you rank faster.
How Old Are Top-Ranking Pages?
Oftentimes, it can take a few years for a page to rank on the first page. In 2017, the top-ranking pages were just 2 years old, but recently, older pages (up to 5 years old) have been ranking higher on SERP results.
Experts also say that if you are not moving up in ranks in the first 6 months, it could be helpful to update the content or make some changes to help rankings. With all content, your chances of ranking are always a little up in the air. It is important to follow these factors and watch your rankings continuously to achieve better rankings. Continually adding content to your website can help boost other pages that have already been posted.
Rank Faster With The Help Of Performance Driven Marketing
Our team at PDM can help monitor your content, adjust your website, and improve your SEO so that you can rank on Google, without the stress. We monitor your content for you and provide you with real numbers and conversions. While clicks on your webpages are important, customers who trust you and keep coming back are crucial. Our writers, developers, SEO experts, and ad managers can boost your visibility and speed up the time it takes for your page to rank on Google. Reach out to us to learn more about our packages and get started today.
