How long does it take for SEO to work for a local North Carolina business?
As a digital marketer, I get the question, "How long does it really take for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to work?" Bottom line – it takes time.
When it comes to SEO, many people focus on rankings, especially aiming for the number 1 spot, which depends on various factors and is more challenging to control. However, investing time and money in SEO should ideally lead to an increase in organic traffic. I found a recent study looking at data based on tracking over 100 million domains, explicitly focusing on 42,391 actively engaged in SEO activities.
The findings over several years indicate:
• In the first 6 months, there's an 11.4% increase in organic search traffic.
• In the second 6 months, there's an increase of 9.58% over the first 6 months.
• In the second year, a substantial increase of 49.4% on average over the first year.
• Year 3 shows a 30.7% increase over year 2.
• Year 4 sees an additional growth of 13.5%.
The article emphasizes that these results are averages and there are significant outliers. The top 1% of sites, growing at least 50% per year, share common traits in their SEO strategy:
Content Update Focus: They prioritize keeping content current understanding the value of fresh information.
Brand Building: Successful sites build a brand through omnichannel marketing, utilizing social media, email marketing, and sometimes paid ads.
Trend Riding: They capitalize on trends within their industry, leading to spikes in organic traffic.
Fast Load Time: The 1% have faster load times than others, contributing to increased search traffic.
Total Addressable Market (TAM): They target larger markets, aiming for a broader audience recognizing that a bigger TAM correlates with more potential traffic.
The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of consistency, patience, and dedication to SEO efforts over time for long-term success. It also notes that those who struggle often lack consistency and patience, highlighting SEO's substantial workload but emphasizing the significant return on investment.
So, how long does SEO take? SEO takes 6 months to show an increase in traffic on average, while the full results of good SEO strategies are visible after 12 – 24 months.
The Moonbus loves working with local North Carolina businesses and would love to handle your SEO. Call us at 704.268.9566 or send us an email.