Local SEO: How Long Does SEO Take (Timeline Esimator)
Updated October 2024 – Each day, digital marketing agencies like Adster Creative acquire new clients and one of the most frequently asked questions is: “How long does SEO take?”. This is a fair question, and one we’re asked a ton! This is where education and setting clear expectations with your customers is important. Are we trying to generate more traffic and more leads for you Mr. Customer, or do you just want Business XYZ to be listed “HERE” because you think that’s where you should be?
Some things to keep top of mind when considering an SEO campaign:
- Business owners and SEO’s alike need to not confuse ‘rankings’ with ‘new customers’. Of course having certain rankings for high volume key-phrases is ideal, but what we’ve found over and over again is what we / they THINK they should rank for, and what key-words actually drive the most conversions can be quite different.
- At Adster, we try and educate our clientele and focus on obtaining targeted traffic and work mostly on conversions.
- We let the data and open communication with our clients tell the story; it’s easier to manage client expectations this way, especially in an ever-changing Local SEO landscape.
Local SEO … 60% of the time, it works every time!
Search Engine Optimization may not be the right fit for every business owner. It’s important to set clear expectations from the beginning. If the business is scalable, has proper systems and are patient it can be a great match. On the other hand, if you’re impatient, are adverse to change and want “faster results”, may we interest you in Google Ads?
However, you clicked on this page because you want to know ‘HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?’ Well, first, I think you should check this out. These are some of the brightest and most insightful people in the local SEO landscape so this will give you a general idea. If you’re too lazy to read through it, the general consensus is that it can take anywhere from 2 weeks to over 1 year … pretty vague, no? Well it’s hard to pin-point exactly how long it will take.
There are dozens of factors that can either increase, or decrease your chances for local search success such as:
- website authority
- NAP consistency
- link profile
- duplicate listings
- that weird look you gave Matt Cuttz on the subway station…
… really; the list could go on and on.
Local SEO Timeline Guesstimator:
While this can only be used as a guide (depends on many factors, and the competitiveness of the industry), I’ve found in many situations the following can give you a general idea of how long it will take for Google to accurately gather all the necessary information to build trust and authority into your website, and Places listings. For Canadian businesses, it typically takes 2 business data index update cycles (happens every 4-8 weeks) to update the information cluster, so even if we fix, update or add citations and business listings it can take in upwards of 6 months for everything to get sorted.
SEO Timelines
Some movement in the search results technically can be seen in as little as 4 to 8 weeks, especially if you already have a claimed Google My Business listing, your website has some built in authority and you have the appropriate categories set.
Add the following time if you don’t:
- Recently claimed Google My Business Page: + 4 to 6 weeks
- Changes & updates to GMB Page + 4 to 6 weeks
- New domain name: + 8 to 12 weeks
- Recently changed phone number or address: + 10 to 16 weeks
- Recently added listings & citations: + 4 to 8 weeks (x 2 if in Canada)
Key Factors Affecting SEO Timelines in Edmonton:
| Factor | Description |
|---|---|
| Competition in the Industry | Highly competitive industries (real estate, insurance, legal services) may take longer to achieve top rankings due to numerous businesses vying for similar keywords. (sometimes 12mths+) |
| Website’s Current Status | New websites may take longer (6 to 12+ months) to build authority, while established sites may see some movement in as little as 2 to 4 months. |
| Quality of Content | High-quality, engaging content leads to quicker and more sustainable SEO results. |
| On-Page and Technical SEO | Well-optimized pages (proper keyword use, fast load times, mobile-friendly design) can achieve rankings faster. |
| Link Building and Backlinks | The rate of acquiring authoritative backlinks is critical in influencing the speed of results. |
| Local SEO Competition | Local SEO for Edmonton businesses can yield quicker results (2 to 4 months) for location-specific keywords, depending on competition levels. |
Realistic timelines based on our experience in Edmonton, to see results: 3 Months to 24 Months (Highly dependent upon competitiveness of niche)
| Month | Phase | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Campaign Start | Discovery phase (business needs, how customers discuss services & products, best offline sales pitches). Keyword research, business research, initial reporting. Initial website review & on-site optimization. |
| 3 | Significant Initial Results Show | Less changes typically required to the site at this point. Public relations, link building, and social media efforts ramp up. Traffic increasing, some additional leads and sales evident. |
| 6 | Typical Break-even on SEO Investment | Honing in on highly monetizable keywords. Marketing and link building continue. Site changes mostly completed, just copy addition now. |
| 9 | Earn Profitability on SEO Investment | Additional profits beyond total SEO investment realized. Outreach and online marketing efforts really hit their stride. |
| 12 | Strong Results + Very Profitable Campaign | Business relationship solid between company and client. Increased understanding of online marketing. Profits typically far beyond total SEO investment. |
| 24 | Top Rankings & Income | Site trusted and authoritative in search engines. More targeted and rewarding efforts due to accumulated knowledge of industry. |
More questions? It’s best if you give us a shout so we can discuss a customized SEO program in Edmonton for your business!