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Have you heard of the so-called
Google 'Sandbox Effect'? If not, and you are a webmaster planning, or just launching a new web site, you need to know about it as it may have a quite dramatic initial negative effect on your ranking in, and referrals from, Google.
In simple terms, the Google Sandbox is a term used to describe the 'probationary period' that Google appears to impose on new web sites. We say 'appears' as not everyone agrees that that the Sandbox exists and Google have certainly not confirmed its existence. The effects of the so-called 'Sandbox', though, have been very widely noted. So, exactly, what is it? The Sandbox effect which was first noted in early 2004, appears to affect virtually all newly launched web sites, although probably affecting sites based on more competitive keywords to a greater extent. Google still quickly indexes new web sites, allowing them to appear in Google's search results pages, but, while they are in the Sandbox, new sites will fail to rank highly regardless of the amount of high quality content or the number of quality, inbound links they possess. New web sites can be in the Sandbox or probationary sin bin for a period of months until they are confirmed as 'genuine' web sites of value and granted the ranking that their content and link popularity 'deserve'. Why was the Sandbox introduced? The Sandbox is not a punishment - although it may well feel like it! If your web site ends up in the Sandbox it's not because you have done anything wrong. The Sandbox is one of Google's many measures to try and ensure the ongoing quality of its search results. Before the Sandox was introduced, it had become pretty easy for those in the know to achieve and benefit from very high short-term Google rankings for newly launched web sites through unethical means. Although sites involved in such practices would eventually be banned by Google, the profit generated from top Google rankings for even, say, a month, made such endeavours worthwhile. The Sandbox probationary period is designed to prevent such 'search engine spammers' from corrupting Google search results. New web sites are indexed but subjected to ongoing quality control checks before finally being released from the Sandbox once they have established their credentials. What does this mean for your new web site? First, let's be honest - a great deal of frustration as your brilliantly designed, innovative web site sits on the Google sidelines for up to a few months, waiting to be granted entry to Google world! But the perhaps unpalatable truth is that there is nothing you can do about your site's enforced probation. You should certainly not, though, let your frustration lead you to neglect the good housekeeping basics of achieving high search engine rankings, namely:
Your work will be rewarded by the rankings Google gives your web site once it is permitted to leave the Sandbox. And you can of course run Pay Per Click campaigns during the Sandbox probationary period to at least partly offset the shortfall in expected Google referrals... |
