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Why does SEO usually take a long time?

Home > Blog > Why does SEO usually take a long time?

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    Oleksandr Andrianov | May 31, 2025

Search engine optimization (SEO) is often compared to a marathon rather than a sprint. Many business owners and marketers wonder why results don't appear weeks or months after they start working. According to Ahrefs (2023), 95% of new pages fail to reach the top 10 of Google within the first year. This statistic may seem disappointing, but it reflects the reality of the SEO world.

In this article, we will analyze 10 key reasons why comprehensive SEO promotion requires time, patience, and a strategic approach, and provide recommendations on how to effectively plan your SEO strategy with these factors in mind.

1. Domain age and authority factor

Google and other search engines favor websites that have proven their reliability and credibility over time. New domains face the so-called "Google sandbox" — a period when the search engine cautiously evaluates a new site.

Why it takes time:● Domain Authority is built gradually.● Young domains are less likely to compete with old, authoritative sites.● Search engines evaluate user behavioral factors on your website over a long period of time.

According to Backlinko's statistics, the average age of websites ranking on the first page of Google is 2-3 years. This doesn't mean that it's impossible to rank faster, but it does show a general trend.

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    What can be done:

Focus on less competitive long-tail keywords first while your domain gains authority. Publish high-quality content regularly and gradually expand the semantic core. We were convinced of this approach when working with the case of promoting a taxi service, where gradual optimization allowed us to significantly increase traffic.

2. Competition and market saturation

In almost every niche, there is competition for positions in search results. In some industries (finance, insurance, legal services), the competition is so high that it can take much longer to get ahead.

Levels of competition in different niches:

    • Niche

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • Difficulty level

    • Niche

    • Niche

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • Difficulty level

    • Difficulty level

    • Local services in small towns

    • 3-6 months

    • Low

    • Niche

    • Local services in small towns

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • 3-6 months

    • Difficulty level

    • Low

    • E-commerce (niche products)

    • 6-9 months

    • Medium

    • Niche

    • E-commerce (niche products)

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • 6-9 months

    • Difficulty level

    • Medium

    • Travel services

    • 9-12 months

    • High

    • Niche

    • Travel services

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • 9-12 months

    • Difficulty level

    • High

    • Financial / Legal services

    • 12-18+ months

    • Very high

    • Niche

    • Financial / Legal services

    • Average time to reach the top 10

    • 12-18+ months

    • Difficulty level

    • Very high

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    What can be done:

Conduct a thorough SEO audit and competitor analysis to understand how much effort it will take to achieve results in your niche. Develop a strategy that will allow you to stand out with unique advantages and content.

3. Indexing and crawling by search engines

Google has a limited budget for crawling each site. Not all pages are indexed instantly, and it may take time for a search robot to visit all the pages of your site, especially if there are many of them.

Why it takes time:● Google does not index all pages at once.● The frequency of reindexing depends on the authority of your website.● Updates and re-indexing are irregular.

According to Botify's research, Google does not index up to 51% of pages on large websites, which significantly affects their visibility in search.

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    What can be done:

Optimize your site structure and XML sitemap. Use Google Search Console to monitor indexing and submit the most important pages for indexing manually. The issues of proper indexing are discussed in detail in our article on the causes of ineffective SEO.

4. Cumulative effect of SEO optimization

SEO is not a one-time action, but a systematic process where each improvement gradually increases the overall effect. Publishing content, technical improvements, link building — all these actions accumulate over time.

Why it takes time:● Each optimization element individually has a small effect.● Results often appear after a "critical mass" of improvements is achieved.● The effect of SEO is often non-linear — progress happens in leaps and bounds.

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    What can be done:

Set clear intermediate goals and track progress across several key metrics, not just positions. Roll out optimization in stages, focusing on quick wins first.

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5. Time to create quality content

Google's modern E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) standards require the creation of expert, in-depth content that takes a considerable amount of time to prepare.

Why it takes time:● Researching topics and keywords.● Involvement of experts and preparation of materials.● Creating different types of content (texts, videos, infographics).● Editing and optimization.

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    What can be done:

Develop a detailed content plan for 6-12 months ahead. Focus on creating evergreen materials that will remain relevant for a long time and regularly update existing content. This is the approach we used in the case of dewpoint.com.ua, where regular creation of high-quality content helped to increase organic traffic by 450%.

6. Building a natural profile of external links

Despite changes in Google's algorithms, external links remain one of the three most important ranking factors. However, getting high-quality natural links is a long process.

Why it takes time:● Building relationships with other websites.● Creating linkable assets.● Slow natural link building.● The need to avoid artificial or spammy links.

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    What can be done:

Develop a comprehensive SEO Linkbuilding strategy that includes creating quality content, guest blogging, PR activities, and working with industry resources. Focus on quality, not quantity of links.

7. Adaptation to Google algorithmic updates

Google rolls out hundreds of updates to its algorithm every year, including several major core updates. Each update can have a significant impact on your rankings, and it takes time to adapt to the new requirements.

Why it takes time:● Detecting changes in the algorithm.● Analysis of the impact of updates on positions.● Making the necessary adjustments to the strategy.● Waiting for the next update and reindexing.

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    What can be done:

Follow Google's official guidelines and focus on long-term strategies based on content quality and user experience rather than short-term tricks. For more information on how to adapt to Google's updates, see our article on SEO results expectations.

8. Behavioral factors and their collection

Search engines analyze how users interact with your site: bounce rate, time on site, depth of browsing — all these metrics affect rankings, but are collected and analyzed over time.

Why it takes time:● The need to accumulate a statistically significant sample of data.● Analysis of behavioral patterns in different periods.● Implementing changes based on analysis and re-collecting data.

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    What can be done:

Continuously improve the user experience, analyze behavioral metrics, and optimize conversion paths on your website. Use A/B testing to check the effectiveness of changes.

9. Technical limitations and processes for implementing changes

Any technical changes to a website require time for planning, development, testing, and implementation, especially on large corporate portals.

Why it takes time:● Coordination between different departments (marketing, IT, design).● Processes for approving and authorizing changes.● Testing on different devices and browsers.● Phased implementation of changes to minimize risks.

According to a study by SearchEngineLand, 78% of SEO specialists recognize the lack of timely implementation of recommendations as the main reason for delayed results.

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    What can be done:

Create a clear plan for implementing technical changes, prioritizing critical elements. Consider SEO consulting to build processes properly and set up regular meetings with developers to track progress.

10. External factors and competition in real time

SEO doesn't happen in a vacuum — while you're optimizing your site, your competitors are doing the same, and the market environment is constantly changing.

Why it takes time:● The constant increase in the amount of content on the Internet.● Competitors are actively working to improve their positions.● Changes in user search behavior and trends.● Seasonal fluctuations in search demand.

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    What can be done:

Regularly monitor competitors and analyze market trends. Be flexible and ready to adapt your strategy to changes in the SEO landscape. In our case study of promoting a Polish travel website, this approach allowed us to increase traffic by 500% in a year.

Setting realistic expectations and planning

Understanding why SEO takes time helps you set realistic expectations and develop an effective long-term strategy.

Key recommendations for effective SEO planning:● Set clear intermediate goals — not only final KPIs, but also intermediate indicators that can be tracked.● Balance short-term and long-term tactics — combine "quick wins" with fundamental improvements.● Investing in quality and expertise always pays off in the long run.● Regularly analyze and adapt your strategy — SEO needs constant monitoring and adjustments.● Diversify marketing channels — while SEO is gaining momentum, use other traffic sources.

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    Remember:

In SEO, patience is not just a virtue, it's a necessity. The right SEO strategy, consistent execution, and a long-term perspective are the keys to success in search engine optimization.

If you're wondering when you can expect the first results from SEO, or why your SEO isn't working, please check out our related articles where we discuss these issues in detail.

Author of the article

Oleksandr Andrianov

Founder & CEO of MARZHA

15 years of experience in marketing, including 9 years in SEO. Worked with Kyivstar, Ocean Plaza, Ukreximbank, MTB Bank, SHARK.

More about the authorRequest a free consultation
Illustration

Author of the article

Illustration

Oleksandr Andrianov

Founder & CEO of MARZHA

15 years of experience in marketing, including 9 years in SEO. Worked with Kyivstar, Ocean Plaza, Ukreximbank, MTB Bank, SHARK.

More about the author
Request a free consultation
Illustration

© MARZHA Digital Agency

Illustration

© MARZHA Digital Agency