| The Google Sandbox is an algorithmic filter designed | | | | The list of things to do while your site is sandboxed is |
| by Google and implemented around March 2004 with | | | | literally limitless. The purpose of doing these things is |
| the purpose of weeding out spam sites by placing all | | | | that by the time you site is released from the Google |
| new websites under quarantine for a period of | | | | sandbox, it will rank much better for those competitive |
| assessment. | | | | keywords you're targeting and will have better SERP |
| How Does The Google Sandbox Affect Your New | | | | (search engine rank pages) listings than your |
| Site? | | | | competitor's site that is equally new. |
| Although the Google sandbox was designed with the | | | | Because, instead of taking the effective action you did |
| primary aim of targeting spam sites, in reality it affects | | | | (while your site was under quarantine) your |
| all new websites. The general consensus in SEO | | | | competitors spent the entire time fumbling around in |
| (search engine optimization) circles is that the Google | | | | the dark wondering just why the heck they couldn't |
| sandbox algorithm functions to prevent new sites from | | | | their site indexed by Google, let alone get any PR! |
| blasting their way to the top of Google (using | | | | A word of caution though—Do not spend all your |
| whatever means possible) and in effect overtaking | | | | time trying to outwit Google. There are plenty of other |
| quality websites that have been around for years. | | | | methods to draw traffic to your site as well as other |
| WHICH SITES GET SANDBOXED? | | | | search engines to woo. Just implement good SEO |
| All new sites are subjected to a period of quarantine. | | | | techniques and with time they will pay off. |
| HOW LONG WILL YOUR SITE REMAIN IN THE | | | | HOW TO SHORTEN THE TIME YOUR SITE IS IN |
| GOOGLE SANDBOX? | | | | THE GOOGLE SANDBOX |
| As far as Google is concerned not all new sites are | | | | Is it possible to cut short the time your site spends in |
| born equal. Certain factors will determine the length of | | | | the Google Sandbox? Most SEO experts concede |
| your website's duration in the Google sandbox. If the | | | | that on average any new site is going to spend at |
| keywords your website is targeting are highly | | | | least 3 months in the sandbox. |
| competitive then your website will be quarantined for | | | | However the good news is that there're ways around |
| longer. If you think about it, this approach makes sense. | | | | this: |
| Most spam sites have one goal—to make as | | | | A. Register your domain name for more than one year |
| much money as quickly as possible. So accordingly the | | | | (spam sites are rarely registered for longer than a |
| average spam site will target big-profit keywords | | | | year). |
| which naturally tend to be more competitive. | | | | B. Upload your site for live viewing as soon as possible |
| Following this thinking, if your website focuses on | | | | even if it isn't ready for prime time (content-wise). |
| keywords and markets that are not very competitive, | | | | Tweak the content later on or on-the-fly. The logic |
| your stay in the Google sandbox will be considerably | | | | here is that the search engine spiders will crawl your |
| shorter. Once again, this explains why niche market | | | | site sooner. What is more, as you perfect and change |
| sites tend to ascend the SERPs (search engine results | | | | the content of your site it will register positively to the |
| pages) much faster. | | | | search engines as constantly changing content (think |
| WHAT FEATURES DO SITES IN THE GOOGLE | | | | blog). |
| SANDBOX EXHIBIT? | | | | C. Maintain good-practice SEO-linking campaigns. By |
| Sandboxed websites tend to be characteristic of the | | | | doing this you will be killing two birds with the same |
| following: | | | | stone. |
| 1. Do not appear in the Google Index | | | | Here let me explain: |
| 2. Have Google page rank without being in Google's | | | | THE NEW LINKS AGING FILTER |
| index; | | | | Other than the sandbox, Google has another filter in |
| 3. Have good homepage page rank (4 or 5) but no PR | | | | place aimed at reducing the effect of newly acquired |
| for inner pages; | | | | links until a certain period of time has elapsed. The logic |
| 4. Have good Google page rank (PR) but rank poorly | | | | here is that your new inbound links will not be allotted |
| for primary keywords; and | | | | full value immediately in an effort to counter the habit |
| 5. Have a good number of inbound links yet rank | | | | of buying links and other link purchasing schemes that |
| poorly for primary targeted keywords. | | | | people like you and I participate in to improve our |
| THINGS TO DO WHILE YOUR SITE IS IN THE | | | | search engine rankings. |
| GOOGLE SANDBOX | | | | This makes sense otherwise anybody with the cash |
| Like most other situations in life, here you have a | | | | could quickly acquire quite a stable of high page rank |
| number of choices. You can sulk, fret, stamp your feet | | | | links and in effect outrank far older sites on the |
| and moan and groan that the those tricky Google folk | | | | SERPs. One other thing about link |
| have hijacked your site—or you can get into the | | | | acquisition—When you get links make sure you |
| swing of things and utilize your time effectively: | | | | retain those links even though they aren't apparently |
| 1. Go ahead and add quality content to your fledgling | | | | registering with the search engines to begin with. What |
| site. | | | | is actually happening (as I just mentioned above) is that |
| 2. Work on increasing the number of inbound links | | | | the search engines (notably Google) is sequestering |
| (quality links not just any old link). | | | | your newly acquired links to ensure they are genuine |
| 3. Tweak and improve the SEO quality of your site. | | | | long-term links, not links you acquired for say, one |
| 4. Write articles. | | | | month or so, so as to get quickly indexed. |