Patience is a virtue, except on the internet. The sheer speed of online communication is astounding when you consider the distances involved, and we’ve all come to expect more or less instant access to data housed anywhere in the world.

However, not everything comes quickly. The benefits of SEO in particular come to those who wait. The time scale for a comprehensive search engine optimisation campaign is rarely less than a month or two for sites in a moderately competitive field. Sites that start out with very little content and few links may see gains fast if they choose keywords conservatively and keep their focus localised, but most companies looking to make serious money using the internet will have to wait a little longer to see strong progress.

That’s often said on various blogs and forums, but what is less commonly mentioned is that the initial ranking gains made during an SEO campaign may not last long. Don’t get too excited if someone gets you into the top spot for your chosen keyword, because that shift in rankings may or may not be robust. Algorithm changes- and Google makes at least one algorithm change per day on average- and action by competing sites can see your place in the result pages drop back down.

Some SEO actions produce more robust gains than others, and the stability of your step up in the rankings will also depend on how competitive your field and your keywords are. SEO is a long term process and it needs to be ongoing- a least to some degree- if you intend to keep any gains you make, but there will probably be short term fluctuations in your rankings from day to day as well.

Whether your rankings change for the better for for the worse, wait at least four or five days before celebrating or panicking.