This post is to explain what the Google Sandbox is, and what it means for new blogs and websites.

If you are in the world of blogging, digital marketing and/or search engine optimisation (SEO), the term “Google Sandbox” will be a phrase you will have come across, most likely in your frustrations!

The Sandbox is a term used for when newly launched websites (including blogs) are subject to limited visibility within search engines.

Google Sandbox is (in simple terms), the idea that new blogs and websites experience a temporary period of lower visibility and organic rankings in Google search results. This means that new websites could be less visible and show up less in Google rankings for a temporary amount of time. 

The idea is Google does this on purpose to assess the credibility and quality of a new website before giving it any higher rankings in search results.

While this makes sense in theory, it doesn’t stop it feeling disheartening when you put so much work in and see little results (from Google). 

While your new blog or website is stuck in Google’s Sandbox, your site may not receive as much organic traffic from search as you’d maybe be hoping for!

The good news is that over time as your blog or website becomes more established, its trustworthiness increases tenfold.

The overall authority will also improve the longer the website is live and the more high quality content is published. As your blog gains this trustworthiness,  it will start to emerge from the sandbox and you will start to notice it achieving better rankings and visibility!

Let’s dive into what Google Sandbox is and why it’s important to be patient.

What Is The Google Sandbox?

The Google Sandbox refers to an online filter that Google applies to new blogs and websites. It’s one of the main reasons why the visibility of new websites in searches can be so low. It can affect both direct searches and organic rankings during an initial period after the launch of your site. 

In simple terms, the Google Sandbox is basically like a test zone for new websites. When a site or blog is brand new, Google puts it in this ‘sandbox’ for a while.

This is why you may not find new websites easily in searches.

Google does this to make sure the websites are good quality and not spammy. They want to check if the site is worth showing to people and if it will be useful in the long run!

The purpose of the sandbox is believed to be for two main reasons:

• To prevent spammy or low-quality websites/content from achieving quick (high) rankings
• To evaluate the long-term credibility and value of newly created websites.

The main idea is that Google wants to see if the website is trustworthy and credible. They check things like the quality of content, how much people interact with the site, the links coming to the site (backlinks), and how good the site looks overall.

Not all websites are created equal and this is what Google is trying to determine!

Why Do New Websites And Blogs Go Into The Google Sandbox?

Websites are believed to enter the Google Sandbox for a couple of reasons:

To Prevent Spammy Websites and Low-Quality Content

Google aims to maintain the quality and reliability of its search results as much as possible. The Sandbox helps to filter out websites that may be created solely for spamming or providing low-quality content. By subjecting new websites to a probationary period, Google can evaluate their trustworthiness and weed out those that violate its guidelines.

Assessing Long-Term Credibility

The Sandbox also serves as a way for Google to assess the long-term credibility and value of newer websites. It takes time for a website to establish a solid reputation, build a quality backlink profile, and grow its user engagement. By observing a website’s performance over a period of time, Google can better determine its authenticity and whether it deserves higher rankings!

It Levels The Playing Field

The Sandbox creates a level playing field for both established and new websites. It prevents new websites (and blogs) from rapidly climbing up the rankings and overshadowing older, more established websites.

This ensures that newer websites have to prove themselves over time and gradually gain visibility as they demonstrate their value.

Is My Website/Blog In The Sandbox For Doing Something Wrong?

The Google Sandbox is very different from manual penalties imposed by Google for violating its guidelines which could impact your website being shown in search.

While penalties are a result of specific rule violations, the Sandbox is a natural process affecting ALL new websites to some extent.

Websites in the Sandbox have not done anything wrong; they are simply undergoing a period of evaluation.

How Does The Google Sandbox Work?

This is tricky to know/answer as the exact workings of the Sandbox haven’t ever been fully disclosed!

Imagine the Google Sandbox like a waiting area for new websites. When a website is brand new, it goes into this ‘sandbox’ for a while.

During this time, Google watches the website closely to see if it’s trustworthy and valuable!

While in the Sandbox, the website won’t show up much in Google searches.

It’s like being on a timeout!

There are several theories  put out by those who understand the workings of Google and their ranking system. Those theories are based on their observations and the key points are as follows:

• Time-Based Delay: When you create a new website, it might not show up much on Google at first. This is because there’s a delay where the site doesn’t appear as high in search results. This delay can last a few weeks to a few months, and during this time, the website doesn’t rank as high as you might hope.

• Trust Building: The Google Sandbox checks if a website/blog is trustworthy and reliable. They look at things like content quality, how people interact with the site, the links to the site, and how good the site looks overall. 

• Gradual Ranking Improvements: As your website gets older and proves it is active and full of reliable, high quality content, it starts showing up more on Google. This means more people can find it, and it becomes easier to see in search results. More people will then be able to visit your site too!

As the website proves itself trustworthy by having good content, engaging visitors, and gaining credibility, Google slowly lets it out of the sandbox.

This is when it will slowly get better rankings on Google!

This means more people can find it when they search, and more people click through and visit the blog or website.

How To Navigate Out Of The Google Sandbox?

The Google Sandbox can be a frustrating period for anyone who has ever owned a blog or website! As website owners, we are all eager to see our new site gain traction! There are however several tips and tricks that can make things progress and speed up the process of getting out of The Google Sandbox:

Focus on Quality Content

Creating valuable and original content that aligns with user intent is crucial. Making content that people find useful and unique is really important.

If you keep creating great articles, blog posts, or videos, Google will see that your website is helpful for users. You want to demonstrate to Google that your website provides value to your readers!

Natural Link Building (Backlinks)

Instead of using tricky or spammy methods to get backlinks linking back to your website and blog posts, try getting good-quality links from trustworthy sites. You can do this by guest blogging, partnering with others on content, or connecting with influencers in your field.

The more high-quality backlinks you can get from reputable sources, the better it looks in Google’s eyes. 

Social Media and Building Your Brand

You can use social media platforms to promote your content and engage with your target audience. Building a strong online presence and brand reputation can help establish credibility and attract organic traffic.

Pinterest especially is an amazing way to get your blog and content seen while also helping to grow your online brand!

Sharing your content on social media can attract traffic, generate user engagement, and potentially earn backlinks from interested users or influencers in your niche. It’s a win all round!

Improve User Experience

Enhance the user experience on your website by optimising its design, navigation, and loading speed. Ensure that your blog or website is mobile-friendly, easy to navigate, and provides a seamless browsing experience as much as possible!

A positive user experience encourages users to spend more time on your site, reducing bounce rates and improving engagement metrics.

Patience and Persistence

This is the tricky part but not one that can be skipped! Knowing that The Google Sandbox period is a natural part of the SEO journey for new websites can lessen the blow though.

Stay committed to implementing sound SEO practices, continue producing high-quality content consistently, and keep an eye on your website’s performance to identify areas of potential improvement.

Monitor your website’s performance using analytics tools such as Google Analytics or Jetpack. Track your organic traffic, keyword rankings, and user engagement metrics. Identify areas for improvement and make necessary adjustments to your SEO strategies, content, keywords or website itself.

For more information on best Keyword practices, check out this post here!

How Long Can You Expect Your New Website To Be Stuck In Google’s Sandbox?

The duration of the Google Sandbox period (or the time it takes to get out of it) can vary significantly from website to website. 

There is, unfortunately, no fixed timeline or specific timeframe for your website to emerge from the Sandbox. Sorry!

Some websites may experience a shorter period of limited visibility, while others may take several months. Sometimes for unknown reasons!

This is why it’s SO important to keep on improving your website and creating amazing content!

On average, many SEO experts have reported seeing improvements in rankings and visibility within 3 to 6 months after launching a new website. 

However, it’s important to note here that these timelines are rough guides and are not set in stone. There are cases where it has taken longer for websites to emerge from the Sandbox. Especially for non-experts!

It can take 12-18 months for a newer website to emerge from The Sandbox. Don’t be discouraged, keep going and it will emerge in its own time!

Several factors can influence the duration of the Sandbox period.

This can include (but isn’t limited to) the competitiveness of your chosen niche, the quality and relevance of your content, your website’s backlink profile, user engagement metrics, and overall website authority.

It’s really important to focus on implementing SEO best practices, keyword research, creating high-quality valuable content, and consistently improving your website’s credibility and user experience.

All of these points combined will increase your chances of a faster exit from the Google Sandbox!

While waiting for the Sandbox period to end, it’s important to remain patient and persistent. Keep improving and keep going! Monitor your website’s performance, upscale your SEO strategies, and consistently produce high-quality content.

Over time, as your website gains trust and establishes its authority in the online space, you should see gradual improvements in organic rankings and visibility in search engine results pages.

Frequently Asked Questions About Google Sandbox

Can a website in the Google Sandbox still rank for long-tail keywords?

While the overall visibility of a website in the Sandbox may be fairly limited, it can still rank for specific long-tail keywords and less competitive keywords!

Is the Google Sandbox the same as a penalty?

Not at all. The Google Sandbox is different from penalties. The Sandbox is a natural period of evaluation for new blogs and websites. Penalties are imposed for violating guidelines!

Can paid advertising help overcome the effects of the Google Sandbox?

Yes, paid advertising (such as Google Ads) can provide immediate visibility and traffic to new websites. It can bypass the impact of the Sandbox on organic rankings for the time the adverts are running.

What strategies can be used to speed up the process of getting out of the Google Sandbox?

Strategies include focusing on quality content creation, building a diverse backlink profile, implementing long-tail keywords, improving user experience, leveraging social media, and being patient and persistent!

Can a website experience multiple Sandbox periods?

On the whole, the Google Sandbox period is experienced just once for new websites. This is why it can take such a time, as Google wants to be sure! 

However, if significant changes occur, such as a major domain change, a new evaluation period may happen!

Are there any specific signs or indications that a website is in the Google Sandbox?

There are no definitive signs or indications that a website is in the Sandbox since it is not actually officially acknowledged by Google. The limited visibility and lower rankings can be an indication, but other factors may also be at play.

Is the Google Sandbox the same as the “honeymoon period” for new websites?

The Sandbox and the “honeymoon period” are related concepts but not exactly the same. The honeymoon period refers to a potential period of initial higher rankings for new websites, whereas the Sandbox implies limited visibility during that time. The Sandbox also affects all websites, the honeymoon period is a period that “can” affect the rankings of a website.

Are there any official statements or documentation from Google about the Sandbox?

Nope! Google has not officially confirmed the existence of a specific Sandbox algorithm or filter for websites, so there is no official documentation about it from Google.

Are there any known cases of websites bypassing or avoiding the Google Sandbox altogether?

As far as I’m aware (and as far as research shows), there are no known cases of websites completely bypassing or avoiding the Sandbox.

Please note that these answers are based on current knowledge and observations within the SEO community, as the exact workings of the Google Sandbox remain undisclosed by Google.

The Google Sandbox remains an intriguing and (sometimes) frustrating concept in the world of websites and blogging. While the exact algorithms and workings of the Sandbox remain a partial mystery, website owners can take proactive steps to navigate through this low ranking period. By focusing on creating valuable content, building a strong online presence, and employing solid SEO strategies, you can increase your chances of your website emerging from the Sandbox with improved organic rankings and increased visibility on Google!

Speak soon!

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The post Understanding The Google Sandbox: Tips On How To Get Out! appeared first on Katherine McLee.

When it comes to creating a website, there are two terms that often cause confusion: domains and hosting. People often use them as one term “domains and hosting”, but both domains and hosting are very separate things! 

While both are essential parts of a website, they serve very different purposes. 

In this blog post, we’ll go through the differences between domains and hosting, and why understanding these differences is crucial for anyone who wants to create a website. 

Whether you’re a business owner, blogger, or just someone curious about the world of websites, this post will provide you with valuable insights into the key elements of website creation!

(Don’t panic if you aren’t overly technically minded, I’ll be going over the basis of domains and hosting as to why they are useful and how they work together, more so than all the technical ways of how they work!)

So to begin we need to go back to the basics of a website itself…

What Is A Website?

A website is a collection of digital pages that can be accessed through the internet. These pages can contain text, images, videos, and other types of content, often structured in a fairly organised or cohesive way.

Think of a website like a book. Each page of the book contains information that’s related to the overall theme or topic of the book. Similarly, each page of a website contains information that’s related to the overall purpose of the website.

When you visit a website, you can navigate between pages by clicking on links or using a menu. This allows you to explore the content of the website and find the information that you’re looking for.

Websites can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as sharing information, selling products or services, providing entertainment, or connecting people with common interests. Many businesses and individual people use websites as a way to establish their online presence and reach a wider audience.

We often use the terms “blog” and “website” interchangeably and for the most part that’s true. All blogs are websites but not all websites are blogs. 

A blog is a website where someone (or a team of people) can share thoughts, ideas, knowledge, experiences or opinions! Blogs are often regularly updated with new posts and new information. 

Websites are the general term for ANY page on the internet. This could be a blog, a niche website, a shop, a personal branding page etc! Some may have a separate blog page too.

For more information on the differences between a blog and a niche website, check out this post here.

What Are Website Domains?

A website domain is the unique address that people use to find your website on the internet. It’s like your website’s phone number or address. For example, Google’s domain name is “google.com” or my blog here is “katherinemclee.com”. 

Every website on the internet has a domain name, which is made up of two parts: the name and the extension. The name is the part that you choose for your website, such as “mywebsite.”

The extension is the part that comes after the name, such as “.com”, “.co.uk” or “.org”. There are many different extensions available so when you are buying a domain name for your website, you can choose which extension you like and that suits your website best.

When someone types your website domain name into their web browser, it sends a request to the server where your website is hosted. The server then sends your website files back to the user’s browser, which displays the website on their screen. Simple as that!

Think of a website domain like the address of a house. Just as you need an address to find a physical location, you need a domain name to find a website on the internet. Without a domain name, people wouldn’t know where to go to find your website. You need both domains and hosting to have a visible website on the internet!

You can purchase a domain name from various places such as HostGator or GoDaddy. Once on their website you can check if your chosen domain name is available, and then purchase it!

A domain is one major part of a website, a second part is of course, hosting.

So…

What Is Website Hosting?

Website hosting is like renting a space to store your website and make it accessible and findable to others on the internet. Think of it like renting a space on the internet where your website can live!

Just like you need a physical space to store your belongings, your website needs a digital space to store its files, images, code and content.

Website hosting companies provide this space on their servers, which are powerful computers that are always connected to the internet. When someone types in your website’s address or URL, their computer connects to the server where your website is hosted, and the server sends your website’s files to their computer, allowing them to view your website.

When you choose a hosting provider, you’ll usually pay a small amount to use their servers and services. Just as you would pay rent for a physical space!

Once your website is hosted, anyone can access it by typing in your website address or domain name into their web browser.

Website hosting companies offer different plans based on the size and needs of your website. They also provide security measures and technical support to ensure that your website runs smoothly and is accessible to visitors at all times! It’s imperative to find a hosting company with amazing customer service to make your website running and ownership a lot more enjoyable.

You can start off with a low-cost hosting plan and upgrade as your blog/website grows. 

Choosing a low-cost but reliable and dependable hosting company is key for new bloggers and website owners. 

I started off on HostGator and as of this post going live I still use them, even after upgrading a while back. I would always recommend them to anyone wanting their own website or blog! Plus they are amazingly affordable considering you get 24/7 live chat website assistance!

How Does A Free Blog Work?

A free blog is a type of blog that you can create and use without paying any money. 

When you create a free blog, you will be provided with a subdomain or a free website address, which will usually include the name of the blogging service in the URL. For example, if you create a blog on Blogger, your website address might look like “yourblogname.blogspot.com”.

Free blogs usually have limited features and customisation options compared to self-hosted blogs. However, they can be a good option for beginners or casual bloggers who want to experiment with blogging without investing any money! 

A thing to note with a free blog is that the service you sign up with (e.g. blogger), owns your website. You can carry on using it and customising it as much as you like, but you don’t own it. Your website will stay up for as long as you/they choose.

For anyone serious about blogging or wanting the security of owning your website, you need a self hosted website.

What Is A Self-Hosted Website?

Hosted and self-hosted are terms that also get used interchangeably. Including by me! 

True “self hosted” websites are way over my head lol so each time I talk about a self hosted website or blog, I mean hosted.

This is common to see so don’t panic if you see the term “self hosted” but someone then refers to a hosting company.

Self hosted websites and hosted websites are technically different things though which I shall quickly explain. 

A hosted website is a website that is stored on a server owned by a hosting service provider such as HostGator. This means that you don’t have to worry about setting up your own server or managing the technical aspects of your website. This is what a lot of us call “self hosted”, where in reality these are just HOSTED websites. 

With a hosted website, you pay a fee to your hosting service to store your website files and data on their server as mentioned above. The hosting service is responsible for maintaining the server and ensuring that your website is accessible to your readers – and you!

This is by far the easiest and most popular hosting option when it comes to “self hosted” websites! 

A true self-hosted website on the other hand is a website that you set up and maintain on your own. Without using a web hosting company’s services. This means that you will need to provide your own server, which can be a physical server or a virtual private server (VPS).

With a self-hosted website, you have complete control over your website. This includes content, design, and functionality. You can choose which software and applications to use, and you can customise your website to meet your specific needs. However, you will also be responsible for maintaining and securing your server, which can be time-consuming and technically challenging.

Definitely not for the faint of heart or for anyone not up to speed with self hosting!

In summary:

A Website is the collection of pages you see under one domain name.

A Domain Name is the address to reach that particular website.

Hosting is the space you rent from a hosting company so that your website has its own place on the internet!

If you have any questions on domains, hosting, blogs or self hosted websites, leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to get back to you and answer as best I can!

Did you start off on a free blog or jump straight to a self hosted (hosted!) blog?

Let me know in the comments below!

Speak soon!

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The post What Are Domains And Hosting? Simplified Explanation! Blogging For Beginners appeared first on Katherine McLee.

Scrolling through their social media may also show you posts promoting that post as soon as it went live. This would then let you know exactly when that blog post was published.

2 – You Can Check The Blog Archives (If The Website Has This Feature)

Often websites will have a section where  you can find posts by date. If this is the case, it will show you the dates of when posts were published, including all of the latest ones. This will also give a good indication as to when the blog was last updated, and how often. 

Not all blogs have archives listed, but it’s a fairly common feature. One of the most common places to find archives on a blog is in one of the sidebars. Sometimes also at the top or bottom so worth checking also, but more likely to be in a sidebar.

If you click on these, it will usually list months there were posts published, and in what year. Clicking the most recent date will show you the most recent posts.

If the website you are on doesn’t have an archives section, there are other things to check too!

3 – Check The Footer Of The Website

When it comes to the website itself, it’s common for a website to have their last updated date displayed in the footer. 

If you scroll down to the bottom of the website or blog, look for any text that says something like “last updated”, “published on” or “copyright” – and a date. 

This may not show you exactly the last date the website or blog was updated. But what it would show would be if the website on a whole was updated any time recently. 

It will depend on what information the website owner/author has decided to share. Most websites do have one of these dates listed though, even if they don’t have an archived list etc.

4 – Check for any signs of updates or changes

If you are familiar with the website, this may be an easy way for you to check when the website was last updated. At least within a rough timescale!

Check the website for any new features. If you are a returning reader to the blog, you may well notice if there are any changes in website appearance. This could be updated colours or images, or any new features or options. 

The newly added/changed features or appearance may either be on the homepage, within posts, or any added pages or information on the static pages of the website.

Of course if you are a new visitor to the website this may not be the best option. If you have visited in the past and know for a fact that things have changed or been updated, then that would indicate the website has been updated not too long ago.

Sometimes you will find that an updated older blog post will have the “currently updated” date noted. 

I try to keep all my updated older posts up to date with a date at the top of them.

This way anyone who searches or comes across that post can see that it has been updated, and on what date. 

5 – Check For The Last Email From The Blog

If you have previously been on and liked a blog you may have chosen to sign up to their email list. 

Receiving emails from a website or blog is one of the best ways they can keep you updated. Whether they are letting you know about new articles, or that they are taking a break. If you are wanting to be kept updated and in the loop, joining their email list is the way to go.

You can check the last email you had from them to see the last date you received communication from that website. 

It most likely won’t tell you when the website was last updated. What it can do though is give you a rough idea if the blog is still active.

If email communications are still active, as with social media, this can be a good indication of the likelihood that the website itself is up to date.

You can of course join an email list if you aren’t already on it. This isn’t a quick way to check when a website was last updated but may answer your question if you can’t find out another way!

Please be aware that some websites send out daily emails, some only once a week and some once every few months. Because of this, you may have to wait a while to get an answer, depending on the blog itself! 

6 – You Can Use A Website Analyzer Tool. 

If you really want to check when a website was last updated but can’t figure it out from any of the above options, you can use a website analysing tool. 

There are several online tools you can use here. You enter the URL into an online analyzer and it will show you a timeline of the website’s history, including when it was last updated.

This is a good way to check when a website was last updated, but some online analyzers do want you to create an account. This isn’t overly time consuming but may prevent you from getting an answer ASAP if you choose this option.

In conclusion, there are many ways to find out when a website or blog was last updated. Or if it’s even still active! 

Has this ever happened to you?

Have you ever found a website and weren’t sure if the information was up to date?  Or had no idea if the blog was even still active?

How did you find out in the end?

Let me know in the comments!

Speak soon!

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