What is achievable and when.
TIMEFRAMES
A new site takes months to rank for anything competitive. Search engines are cautious about new domains.
Content published today may take weeks to be indexed and months to reach its eventual position.
Technical fixes can show effect within weeks. Content and authority take considerably longer.
WHAT IS ACHIEVABLE
Ranking for specific, narrower queries where you have genuine relevance Ranking locally, where competition is thinner Ranking for your own brand name, quickly Being found for queries describing exactly what you sell
WHAT IS NOT
Outranking established national competitors for broad commercial terms, on a new site, without substantial investment
BE SUSPICIOUS OF
Guaranteed first-page rankings Anyone claiming a relationship with search engines Very cheap link building Promises of results in weeks
MEASURING PROGRESS
Traffic from search, and conversions from it. Not position on one keyword, which fluctuates and varies by searcher.
THE HONEST SUMMARY
SEO is a long-term investment in content and site quality, with technical work as the foundation rather than the whole.
