Many people believe that SEO takes a considerable amount of time to yield results. They think it takes 6 to 12 months to see any real change. But that's often not true. There are two main reasons why people believe SEO takes so long: they don't act quickly enough, or they're focusing on the wrong metrics.

Let's break down SEO strategy into three parts: immediate, midterm, and long-term. SEO does not have to take forever to work. You may be looking at the wrong numbers or performing tasks in the incorrect order. You also might be moving too slowly.

Quick SEO Wins: What to Watch in the First Month

When you start an SEO plan, you should see some quick wins. In the first month, track these two things in Google Search Console:

• Impressions: How many times does your website show up in search results?

• Rankings: Where your website appears in search results.

You can track rankings in Search Console or with tools like Semrush. By the end of the first month, you should see both impressions and rankings go up. The line just needs to go up. That means you're on the right track.

SEO takes time. You need to build trust with search engines like Google. Early SEO is about building momentum.

If you expect to make much money in the first two months of an SEO plan, you might be disappointed. SEO might be profitable quickly for big brands. But it's not typical. If you're a new brand, don't expect significant returns in the first few months.

How to Get Quick Wins

How do you get more impressions and higher rankings in the first month? It's not about writing a bunch of new blog posts. Instead, optimize your existing website. Focus on your product pages, collection pages, and homepage. These pages already have some history with Google. Changes to these pages can be more effective than adding new content to a bad site.

Here are other things to look at in the first month:

• Fix keyword cannibalization: Ensure that different pages on your site aren't competing for the exact keywords.

• Fix broken links: Get rid of any broken links on your site.

• Ensure your site is easy to crawl: Search engines can easily explore and understand your website.

• Use internal linking: Link to other relevant pages on your site.

In one case, optimizing technical SEO and internal links led to a significant increase in rankings within just a few weeks.

What works for one site might not work for another. Internal linking is beneficial, but it's even more effective on sites with numerous pages. Initially, focus on optimizing what you already have.

It is possible to generate profits in the first three months of SEO, but this is not guaranteed. Don't expect huge profits right away.

SEO in the Midterm: Months 3 to 6

Around months 3 to 6, you should start to see organic revenue slowly increase. If impressions and rankings have been going up, revenue should follow. At this point, shift your focus to these numbers:

• Non-branded clicks: Clicks from people searching for things other than your brand name.

• Non-branded rankings: Rankings of your product and collection pages for non-branded keywords.

Your content and links should start to mature around this time. If you published a blog post in month two, you should see if it's working by month four. If it's not getting traffic, it probably won't. Do more of what works, and stop doing what doesn't.

If you're a bigger brand, you might also see SEO start to lower your customer acquisition cost.

The Long Game: Month 6 and Beyond

After 6 months, the most crucial number is organic revenue. Are you making money from SEO? If not, your plan may need to be adjusted. Six months is usually enough time to see results. If your SEO team can't increase revenue by month six, they probably won't figure it out later.

Around month six, you should see more consistent growth in organic revenue. The goal is to lower your customer acquisition cost with SEO.

Building a "Moat" Around Your Keywords

If you're doing well, you're likely in the top three spots of Google for your main keywords. Now, it's time to build a "moat" around those rankings. Keep an eye on what your competitors are doing for link building. Close any gaps and create even more links to protect your number one spot.

Also, don't get too comfortable with the keywords you already have. There are likely more keywords that you're missing.

For example, if you sell leather handbags, you might focus on ranking for "leather handbags." But you can also target other keywords like:

• Leather handbags for travel

• Leather handbags for festivals

• Leather handbags under $100

• Black leather handbags

• Vegan leather handbags

By ranking for these smaller keywords, you can increase your potential revenue. This also makes it more difficult for competitors to overtake your rankings.

Consider this: If you're starting from scratch, it might be easier to rank for the smaller keywords first. Stack up a bunch of wins on the way to your big keyword.

Is Your SEO Working?

If you're in month six with your SEO and aren't happy with the results, it's time for a change. Don't wait for things to improve magically. You need a better strategy.

Ready to take control of your SEO and start seeing real results? Contact a trusted SEO.