I’ve seen 2 instances of unrealistic SEO expectations online in the last 4 weeks.
I should point out before I begin that neither of these unrealistic SEO expectations were encountered during client calls. I observed them on a business forum on which business owners post for advice.
I’m not unsympathetic to the fact that people ask these types of questions. However, it serves to highlight how many view the process of ranking on Google and other search engines. Unfortunately, many think it is a lot easier than it is. That said, you only find out if you ask the question!
What were the questions?
These are the questions:
I need someone to produce 80-90 posts in the next 30 days to get me ranked on Page 1 in that time.
With the upcoming US election, I’m going to launch a news site dedicated to it. How can I get ranked high asap?
Why are these unrealistic SEO expectations?
The issue, if you haven’t spotted it already, is that they are both fantastic examples of how people under estimate the length of time SEO can take to reap rewards.
However, there are a couple of elements about both that are interesting. They are useful as pointers towards SEO timeframes.
Impossible to predict success
Taking the first question, in respect of 80-90 posts to get ranked in 30 days:
There are two problems here. The first is the thought that 80-90 posts will give results. The second is the period of time they’ve given. How can anyone quantify that 80-90 posts is what is required? It is impossible to make that kind of estimation or calculation. It is, ultimately, completely non-sensical to even suggest a number.
The second problem is that a Page 1 ranking on Google could be achieved within 30 days. I’ll be the first to say that it isn’t impossible. If you generated something that went viral and attracted national or global attention, you might be able to do it.
Saturated sectors and not enough time
That brings us nicely to the second question. The US election is 7 weeks (approximately) away and the person asking hasn’t even had the website designed. There is no suggestion as to where they’ll be getting their content from. Nor do they mention the platform it’ll be based on, or the resources they have available.
They’re also asking about a subject that every media outlet in the United States and most other western countries are currently posting content about. The chances of them curating completely original and high quality content for it in the next 7 weeks is slim. I won’t say it can’t be done as I don’t know anything about them. They might know something about the two candidates that the rest of the world don’t. They could have something ready to publish that would rock the planet. It is, however, very unlikely.
What would more realistic timescales be?
Most SEO consultants will tell you that, on a roadmap of success, you’ll need at least 3 months before you begin to see results. By that they mean results that you can put some value to, not Page 10 on Google.
However, that will be the earliest expectations that most will tell you, and that’s from SEO consultants that are honest and transparent. If someone tells you they ‘guarantee’ you a Page 1 ranking by the end of next week or within a month, you should put your running shoes on now. The only guarantee that exists in SEO is that nobody can promise you anything.
Generally speaking, you should be looking at 3-6 months and beyond. I spoke to another SEO consultant recently who said he tells all his clients not to expect anything for 12 months. That is, in my opinion, a very conservative approach, but it may well be realistic if the sector you’re targeting is extremely competitive (indeed it might even be viewed as optimistic in some markets).
The horror of the reality of SEO
The issue with both questions is extended when you witness the horror or obvious surprise when people are told their expectations are unrealistic. You’d be surprised how quick some are to say it can be done and they’ll go elsewhere. If it was that easy, and they knew it could be done, why ask? I saw one SEO consultant ask them to explain how it could be done. Unsurprisingly, there was no reply to that question.
More is not always better
It also highlights how some people are the opposite to a problem I have had to explain many times over the years – the amount of content to post. The person asking for 80-90 posts to be created appears to think that Google will respond to a huge amount of posts. It is no guarantee. It may actually have the opposite to the desired effect and be perceived as spam with the site performing worse than it would with just a single piece of highly original and high quality content.
The opposite of most publishing expectations
I usually find that site owners don’t recognise the frequency with which they should be producing high quality content. It is all too common for them to vastly under publish. However, this person is presuming that 3 new content posts per day would achieve a Page 1 position within a month. No such assumption can be made. The publication of new content on any site is all about balance, the quality of the content and ensuring it is what your readers are likely to react most positively to.
Research your competition
The other question is a better example of a complete lack of understanding. There is virtually no chance of a site of that type, with content of that nature, ranking highly in such a short space of time (without the world-breaking news I mentioned earlier). The poster was of the assumption that a site dedicated to election news would do better than a generic news site, but you only need to look at the size, scale, resources and domain authority of the major news outlets to realise that would never happen in a short space of time
I’ll go back to what I said originally – I know that people ask questions because they don’t know something. However, it is nonetheless interesting to see how some think the process of SEO and ranking is far, far easier than it is.
Your experiences and thoughts
Let me know of your own thoughts on this. SEO consultants will always have a hundred of these examples, but it’d be good to hear from businesses outside of the sector on this one.
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