You’ll often hear the “3 to 6 months” timeframe thrown around, but the truth is, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how long it’s going to take to see results from your SEO efforts. However, there are some frameworks and rules of thumb that you can use to get an idea, given your specific scenario, market, and resources, about how long it might take to see some impact.
In this article, we break down how long it takes for SEO to start working for your business and the realistic results you can expect. At Sagapixel, we’ve been doing SEO since 2008, and in that time, we’ve encountered a wide variety of scenarios. We’ve worked with clients where we saw results literally within a week of starting. We’ve also worked with clients where we struggled for a year and a half before seeing meaningful results.
So, what are the main factors that determine how long SEO takes? Let’s break it down.
If you’d like to learn more about how long SEO takes to work for your business, schedule a call with Sagapixel today. We also have a full video playlist on SEO Tips.
Is This a Brand New Website or an Established One?
One of the biggest factors in determining how quickly you’ll see results is whether your website is brand new or has been around for a while.
Established Websites
If it’s an established business that already has some brand recognition—maybe people in the local market or industry are already Googling the business by name—those websites are much easier to move the needle on.
For example, if you’re dealing with a site that already has a similar backlink profile to its competitors but suffers from poor on-page SEO, you can often see wins as early as month one simply by addressing those issues.
Brand New Websites
On the other hand, if you’re working with a brand new business that has never had a website before, expect a longer timeline—potentially 6 months or more before seeing noticeable results. However, even in these cases, it depends heavily on the niche.
For instance, we’ve worked with a lot of new med spas and medical weight loss clinics. These markets aren’t overly saturated, and in many cases, we’ve seen over the last year new websites achieve page-one rankings almost immediately after publishing well-optimized pages.
How Competitive Is Your Niche?
The level of competition in your niche plays a significant role in how long it will take to rank in Google search results.
Highly Competitive Niche Markets
If you’re in a competitive market with numerous websites and competitors boasting strong backlink profiles and established brands, it’s going to take more time to outrank them. That being said, with sufficient resources—like a solid budget and a great SEO strategy—it’s possible to achieve results faster.
For example, a personal injury law firm in New York City with a hefty budget and a top-tier SEO company could potentially reach page one within 6 to 12 months.
What Else Are You Doing with Your Marketing?
At Sagapixel, we’ve observed a strong correlation between running Google Ads and shortening the timeline for SEO results.
The Role of Google Ads in Effective SEO
Whether or not paying for clicks directly impacts SEO rankings is up for debate, but at the very least, running ads generates brand signals. For instance, if you have a telemedicine startup spending $100,000 a month on ads and driving traffic, Google is going to take notice.
We had a case exactly like this a couple of years ago. A VC-backed telemedicine startup began working with us in September. By mid-October, we had already gotten them to position one for their main target keyword. Had we not had that large PPC campaign running simultaneously, it’s likely we wouldn’t have achieved those same results in such a short time.
Other Marketing Channels that Influence SEO
We’ve also seen cases where competitors with strong LinkedIn or Pinterest presences outrank websites with objectively stronger SEO metrics. For example, in our industry, we’ve seen lower domain rating websites with strong brand signals from LinkedIn or Pinterest outperform our higher domain rating sites.
In other words, the other marketing efforts you’re undertaking—whether it’s social media, paid ads, or content marketing—can significantly influence your SEO timeline. If you’re excelling in those areas, you’ll likely see faster results from your SEO efforts.
Schedule a Call with Sagapixel to Grow Your Business with Proven SEO Strategies
There’s no single answer to how long SEO takes to work because it depends on multiple factors: whether your site is new or established, the competitiveness of your niche, and what other marketing efforts you’re running. By understanding these factors and implementing a solid SEO strategy, you can set realistic expectations for when you’ll start seeing results.
Remember, SEO isn’t a sprint—it’s a marathon. But with the right approach and persistence, it can deliver long-term, sustainable growth for your business. Schedule a call with Sagapixel today and let us help your business take the next step with effective SEO practices.
