Let’s break the unbreakable!
What is the most unpleasant thing that can happen to the site we have been working on hard? The site can lose traffic. This loss happens when the visitors stop coming to the site. Why does this happen in the first place? There can be many reasons for it, the most popular being Google Sandbox. Wondering what is Google Sandbox in SEO? We will answer all the queries that are coming up right now in your minds. When we work hard in building the site and creating contents and get backlinks, and all of this ends into nothing. It’s frustrating and highly disappointing. But that is how Google works. It can let you down when you least expect, especially with organic traffic. Therefore, always remember to abide by the rules. Though we are in pickles, Google doesn’t often give out the rules of SEO. So, most of us keep getting in the loop of losing traffic. In this post here, we will try to explain everything related to what is Google Sandbox? And more importantly on dealing with it, so let the balls rolling.
What is Google sandbox in SEO?
Google sandbox is supposedly a filter that restricts new websites from ranking in top Google results. So the new websites that we create every single day are on the disadvantage of not being in the top of the rank list. This method is a step to stop spam and unnecessary feed cropping up on the search list. When this happens, it creates chaos for users. Also, all this results in the wastage of the consumer’s time and resources. The concept behind it is that new websites are not as relevant as the older ones and most likely to be spam. Think of it as probation- even if you do everything right your site won’t get good enough ranking until it comes to an end. The scenario is the causal effect of the uncontrolled creation of websites. Anyone can create a website and not be consistent about maintaining the site. Here comes the authenticity of the old websites that have been running for long.
Why Google sandbox?
After learning so much on what is Google sandbox in SEO, another question that raises its head is why Google sandbox? The reasons behind the importance that creators give to Google sandbox has us curious. As we have been discussing above, the basic function of Google sandbox is to prevent new websites from ranking top in Google results. So the one thing that google sandbox is popular for doing. Is restricting the new sites from coming up on the top in the search list. The search engine is responsible for giving the best results when a user looks into something. Therefore it becomes Google’s job to provide its users with high quality, highly relevant, and up to date content. Relevancy is most important to it. Being true to its nature and keeping users welfare at interest Google takes severe steps. Hence, It will take all the steps to maintain it. Filtering out helps google provide relevant and more accurate data to its users. If the sites are filled with unnecessary information or are not related to the topic they claim, these sites fall in the rank and are found on pages further in the end.
Is there a Google Sandbox?
Is it confusing and making you ask if there is a google sandbox? Don’t worry because we are rowing together in the same boat. Very few people know for sure if it exists, but it seems to be a filter added to the Google algorithms around march 2004. This topic is surely a debatable subject to discuss. But then we can not leave it unattended. Even if there is a slight chance of its existence, we must talk about it. And then as we already know, Google wants to serve accurate and high-quality content to its users, so using such a filter makes sense. Even though no confirmation is to it, for Google has not released an official proclamation to such an algorithm in use. But creators all make guesses that Google surely does use such an algorithm to prevent spams. Who wants spam anyway.
How long does this last?
It is difficult to say how long a website will stay in the google sandbox as it depends on the type of keywords it will be completing for in the real SERPs. It can be up to 6-8 months. There is no fixed amount of time that Google takes to retain the websites in its sandbox. The period varies from site to site. Some of the sites may take longer than the other. We have to make sure we check the status at particular time intervals. Let us move on to the reasons that we can analyse due to which Google does what it does.
What stops a new website from ranking?
Lack of Content
Lack of good content can make a website lower its ranking. Relevant data is to be given out for better ranking. The rank that Google allots to the websites is all about authentic content. If the matter on the site is true to its claim there is no doubt the site will rank well.
Lack of user signals
Until google processes more behavioural data for your website and compares it with other sites, it might postpone ranking it for popular keywords. Apart from the issue with the content on the site, the user signal is often a recurrent issue. Google checks on how the website is behaving; it then collects the statistics for further comparison with sites having a similar theme. Until all the procedure is complete, the site remains in the sandbox. Therefore wait before confirming anything.
Lack of backlinks
Backlinks are one of the most important factors for Google. If your site doesn’t have a strong backlink, Google won’t rank your site well. Backlinks are a medium through which a visitor moves to and fro from one website to the other. This availability of navigation makes a visitor come back time and again. This movement increases the traffic of a site and marks it important in the factors concerning Google. Therefore the search engine looks at the strength of the backlinks the website has to offer. If the search engine finds it strong enough it leads to a good rank.
Industry and Competition
Google ranks different verticals and industries with different signals. It’s not a one size fits all’ type of ranking algorithm. But this system is by design like this. We must never mistake it to think that Google uses the same parameter to judge all the websites. The search engine has a highly refined technique of looking into the quality of the online sites. Therefore never try to fool it with tricks.
Knowing about is a problem in-depth is partially solving the problem. Now that we know what google sandbox is in SEO, and the reasons why a site falls in the sandbox. Let us discuss on how to get out of google sandbox, or in other words how to reduce the tenure of the site in the sandbox. Here we will be talking on six ways to lessen the sandbox period. These are-
How to get out of google sandbox?
Get Indexed
Just like any other professional organisation Google doesn’t pay attention to a site until and unless it is in the index with them. If we don’t register the website with them they don’t acknowledge the presence of the site. To check if your website is indexed you need to google search for ‘site:yourdomain.com’.
Traffic
To come into google’s notice, traffic must increase on your site. Posting similar content on youtube and facebook might help speed up the process. Guest posting on popular websites can also help. Therefore pay attention to this factor at all costs.
Social Signals
To mark your presence in front of google, being active on social sites be a helpful technique. It will attract traffic to your site. It will also help google check your liability and know that the site is not a spam.
Go after the low competition
Don’t compete with bigger websites, rather keep low competition in the beginning, especially in the sandbox period.
Don’t be too aggressive
Being too aggressive might turn out bad for your site. It can be counterproductive. Taking it easy at this point might be better. Don’tbuild heavy links. Use under optimised anchor text.
Build Topical Relevance
Topical relevance refers to the relevance of your website as a whole instead of just single pages. Providing google with additional pages of content that support your target topic may help build some relevancy and trust.
Buy an active website
Find a website that has a small amount of search traffic and age, but little to no income. The best part about buying an active website is that you can gauge the power of the domain by seeing which keywords it is ranking for the website.
So this is the brief idea of what google sandbox is in SEO.