How Long Does It Take To See SEO Results (And ROI)?
Honestly, it depends...
First off, let's clarify something. SEO is not an instant gratification game. It's a long-term strategy that requires patience, diligence, and consistent effort. So, if you've been working tirelessly on your SEO for a month or two and haven't seen significant results yet, know that this is normal.
When can you see SEO results?
On average, it takes about 3 months to start seeing the initial results of your SEO efforts. But the “results” at this stage are usually just the early signals - a slight uptick in organic traffic, a few more of your pages getting indexed, or a modest rise in the search rankings.
Real SEO results — lots of top page rankings, the organic traffic, and new signups that come with it — usually start materializing after 6 to 12 months and most SEO veterans know that the full impact of SEO work reveals itself in year 2.
Why so long? Factors that affect your SEO success journey
Domain age: A new domain is like a blank page - it has potential but requires work. It's much harder to rank with a brand-new domain than a seasoned one. Search engines trust older, more established sites, so it usually takes much longer to see results if you're starting from scratch.
Content quantity and quality: To see significant results, you need to consistently publish high-quality content. Publishing only 1-4 articles per month might not cut it. Also, valuable content is key. A 500-word fluff piece or an AI-generated article might save time, but it won't fool search engines or your readers.
Content strategy aligned with SEO: All content is not created equal. Case studies may be a critical part of your sales process, but they don't count as SEO content. Your content should be tied to your SEO strategy, targeting relevant keywords, and providing valuable information to your readers.
Competition and industry: The competitiveness of your industry and keywords also determine how quickly you'll see results. The more competitive your market is, the more effort it'll take to climb the ranks.
The timeline for new and seasoned domains
New domain:
Months 1-3: You're laying the groundwork. Expect lots of content creation, optimizing, and promotion, and perhaps even some initial signs of life in your rankings, but don't count on big traffic yet.
Months 4-6: Now, you’ll start to see some slight movement, especially if you've been consistently pushing out quality content and working on getting good backlinks.
Months 6-12: That's more like it! With continued efforts, you should see a slow but steady increase in your rankings and traffic every month.
Year 2 and beyond: This is where the magic happens! All those months of hard work start to compound, and you should see a serious uptick in organic traffic, rankings, and signups.
Seasoned domain:
Month 1: Initial assessment and fixing any big SEO issues.
Months 2-3: New SEO content strategy in place and initial new content roll-out. You’ll start seeing some progress on the rankings of individual articles, but not much to report yet.
Months 4-6: Progress! You should start seeing improvements in rankings for the new and updated content pieces and a modest boost in organic traffic.
Months 6-12: Now we're talking. You should see a clear upward trend in organic traffic, rankings, and new signups rolling in.
Year 2 and beyond: Oh yeah, the sweet spot! This is where the magic happens, with your SEO efforts' full potential and impact revealing itself and having a clear effect on the MRR growth.
The ROI of SEO is revealed only in the long term
As tempting as it might be to calculate ROI in the short term, it's important to resist this urge. SEO can't (and shouldn't) be measured like PPC. Its benefits are cumulative and often indirect. SEO's real value reveals itself over the long term, with years 2 and beyond often bringing the biggest gains to MRR.
Here's why SEO provides a better ROI compared to other channels:
Endless flow: SEO generates organic traffic that just keeps flowing. One well-ranking post could be your golden ticket to a consistent stream of signups (and millions of dollars of revenue) for years.
High-quality traffic: Organic visitors are more likely to convert. Studies, including one by BrightEdge, suggest that organic search drives 53% of all site traffic, and these users often convert better than those from other channels.
Street cred: High rankings = high credibility. This perception of trust can nudge your conversion rates upwards (and as a bonus, help with fundraising).
Remember, with SEO, patience is not just a virtue, it's a necessity. So buckle up, enjoy the ride, and know that the destination will be well worth it!