Wondering how long it will take for your website to rank highly in Google search results?
As an SEO agency in Brisbane, this is a common question we receive from our clients. The short answer is: it depends.
There are numerous factors that can influence how long it takes to rank on Google, including your website’s strength, SEO optimisation, and the competitiveness of your industry.
In this post, we’ll break down the typical time it takes to start ranking, the factors that can influence your position, and give you our top tips for reaching Page 1 faster.
How Long Does it Take to Rank on Google?
On average, a new website takes 3 to 6 months to start ranking on search engines like Google. As noted above, this timeframe can be affected by not only the quality of your website and content, but also the state of your industry. For some websites, it can take up to a year to start ranking consistently in search results for their target keywords.
According to a study by Ahrefs, the top positions in search results pages are generally held by older, more established website pages. They found the average Top10 page is over two years old, and those in position #1 are around three years old.
This shows it’s harder for new websites to climb their way to the top of search results. However, it can be achieved, through consistent effort and a dedicated SEO strategy. Let’s take a deeper dive into what makes a website page hit the mark.
Factors that Affect Google's Rankings
Google uses complex algorithms to determine which websites rank highest in search results. This includes factors such as:
- Topical authority refers to how well-respected and knowledgeable your website is on a specific subject. Sites that consistently publish high-quality content on a particular topic build stronger authority over time.
- Content quality remains one of the most significant ranking factors. Google rewards comprehensive, well-researched, and original content that provides genuine value to readers.
- Relevance to search intent means your content must match what users are actually looking for when they type a query. Understanding the difference between informational, navigational, and transactional searches is key.
- User experience signals like page loading speed, easy navigation, and minimal pop-ups affect how users interact with your site. Google pays attention to metrics like bounce rate and time on page.
- Mobile friendliness is non-negotiable since Google primarily uses mobile-first indexing. Your site must perform well on smartphones and tablets.
- On-page SEO includes optimising title tags, meta descriptions, headers, image alt text, and internal linking structure to help Google understand your content.
- Off-page SEO primarily involves backlinks from other reputable websites, which serve as "votes of confidence" for your content's quality and relevance.
What Does it Take to Rank Higher on Google?
To climb Google's rankings more quickly and effectively, focus on these key strategies:
1. Prioritise Backlinks
Backlinks from authoritative and relevant sites remain one of the strongest ranking signals. Quality matters more than quantity—one link from an industry leader is worth more than dozens from unknown sites. Prioritise your link-building efforts by creating link-worthy content and actively reaching out to relevant websites. Guest posting, broken link building, and creating shareable infographics can accelerate your link acquisition.
2. Target Longtail Keywords
Target longtail keywords where competition is lower. These specific multi-word phrases help you target users with clearer search intent and often have higher conversion rates. While they might have less search volume individually, collectively they can drive significant targeted traffic to your site.
3. Understand Search Intent
Understand search intent behind keywords and tailor your content accordingly. Match your content format (guides, lists, reviews) to what users actually want to see when they perform a search.
4. Focus on In-Depth Content
Focus on creating longer, more in-depth content that demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT). Comprehensive guides and well-researched articles typically rank better because they cover topics thoroughly and naturally include more semantic keywords. In fact, a study by Semrush found that top-ranking pages often exceed 800-1000 words.
5. Create a Link Building Strategy
Create an internal link building strategy to distribute page authority throughout your site. Strategic internal linking helps search engines discover and understand your content hierarchy while keeping visitors engaged with your site longer.
6. Monitor Site Health
Closely monitor site health using tools like Google Search Console to identify and fix technical issues quickly. Regularly check for crawl errors, mobile usability issues, and core web vitals performance. A technically sound website with good speed, security, structured data, and crawlability builds trust with both users and search engines.
7. Drive Traffic
Drive more traffic and engagement to create positive feedback loops. Pages that attract more clicks and engagement tend to rank better over time, as high user engagement signals quality to Google's algorithms.
Final Thoughts
The truth about ranking on Google is that timeframes vary widely. New websites typically take 3-6 months to gain meaningful visibility, while established sites might see results in weeks. Instead of fixating on timelines, focus on building a sustainable SEO foundation.
Remember that SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. Quick wins are possible with low-competition keywords, but lasting results come from consistent effort across content quality, technical optimisation, and backlink building.
Be patient, track your progress, and look for gradual improvements rather than overnight success. As your site builds authority, you'll likely experience a snowball effect where ranking becomes progressively easier. By consistently delivering value to your audience, you'll build a website that truly deserves to rank—and Google will eventually reward your efforts.
Let's Get Started
Want to rank higher on Google? We can get you there!
At Margin Media, we are your Brisbane SEO company. We know that SEO is a complex game that requires long-term investment and refinement.
Getting your SEO strategy right is about focusing on your audience’s behaviours, search patterns and interests, and tuning your strategy to serve the right message at the right time.
We have a holistic approach to SEO that focuses on driving organic growth for your business. Talk to our team of Brisbane SEO specialists today.
