The Google Sandbox is a metaphorical term to explain why most new websites have very poor rankings in Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). Very few people know for sure if the 'sandbox' actually exists, but it seems to be a filter added to the Google algorithms sometime around March 2004.
The generally accepted principle behind the Google Sandbox is that it enables Google to filter out 'Flash-in-the-Pan' websites from those that offer good quality, up-to-date content. It is within Googles interest to ensure that the results it displays to its users within the SERPS lead to highly relevant, up-to-date, useful websites Relevancy is key to the search engines success so it will take all steps it can to ensure the relevancy of its search results. Filtering out new websites and monitoring them may allow them to provide more accurate results within the real SERPS.
How do you know if your website in in the sandbox? Most new websites under newly registered domains will get relegated to the sandbox once Google knows about the site. Google will find the site by following an Inbound Link (IBL) from another site that the Googlebot crawls. You will then see the website in the normal Google SERPS if you search for the actual domain name, but the website is unlikely to be listed for any of its keywords. Google also won't show signs of any other websites linking to your website, nor will it display pages related to yours. In addition Google won't list any pages other than your Home (index) page.
If you track your websites visitor stats whilst it is in the Google Sandbox, you will see that the Googlebot comes crawling fairly regularly and that it does crawl, and therefore catalogue, all of your pages. Google does know that your pages exist and knows what they contain, but doesn't list them in the main SERPS. In other words, because your website is new, it is under probation in the 'sandbox'.
It is difficult to say how long a website will stay in the Google sandbox as this seems to depend on the types of keywords it will be completing for in the real SERPS It can be up to 6-8 months and the only way to get out of the sandbox is to wait.
The Google Sandbox isn't all bad news. If your site contains good quality relevant material it will find its way out of the sandbox and will get the rankings it deserves in the Google SERPS. I even have some theories that may mean that your time in the sandbox can be used wisely to actually improve your final rankings.
You also shouldn't forget that Google isn't the only search engine out there. MSN is widely used and with the might of Microsoft behind it is likely to become a bigger player in the search engine world in the new future. At the time of writing, MSN or other search engines such as Yahoo! and Alta Vista don't have a 'sandbox' filter and your new websites will be listed in the quickly and should start driving traffic to your site.
Alan Cole runs http://www.pixelwave.co.uk, a one-person web design studio. His aim is to provide cost effective website design production and maintenance by offering professional web solutions that stand out from the crowd.
It's in our genes, we're driven to seek. We 'hunt'... Read More
In the first part of this series on ranking at... Read More
Watching a recent football game, I imagined two very different... Read More
Since search engines are the first stop for people on... Read More
What's all the talk about links we hear about? Reciprocal... Read More
The world of search engine optimization (SEO) can be a... Read More
"This is a continuation of the pervious part, split into... Read More
Want to know the secret to great search engine listings?... Read More
Good Content: The Key To Search Engine RankingWhat drives visitors... Read More
Back in November, when the Google Dance began, Barry Lloyd... Read More
Most Search Engine Optimization (SEO) experts agree that links back... Read More
Contrary to what most people think, it is not necessary... Read More
When does long term SEO show ranking results? It takes... Read More
Regardless of which type of business you currently have, you... Read More
Everybody knows that getting indexed in Google is getting more... Read More
While search engine advertising has been a great advertising medium... Read More
When it comes to promoting your website, you might think... Read More
Search engine optimization is on every webmaster's mind these days.... Read More
Been hearing the words Search Engine Optimization lately? I know... Read More
Computers have become a way of life for people around... Read More
As Google has gained in their search reputation the past... Read More
One thing is for sure, you don't want to spend... Read More
We all know that the search engines can't "see" or... Read More
Before you make drastic changes to your website after a... Read More
First, here's the rundown of some of the terminology I'm... Read More
Some web sites receive hundreds or thousands of unique visitors... Read More
What Are Search Engines?A search engine is a database system... Read More
In recent times, I have been closely studying keywords that... Read More
Most Internet marketing methods are risky and many will not... Read More
If you are the owner of a new website, trying... Read More
OK. So you've created a nice website with lots of... Read More
Google use a very complex function to determine which search... Read More
I admit it, our SEO services are pretty bad.Speaking of... Read More
For a long time now, marketing gurus all over the... Read More
It's in our genes, we're driven to seek. We 'hunt'... Read More
In one of my articles, I discussed how to market... Read More
Been hearing the words Search Engine Optimization lately? I know... Read More
Let's talk about what keyword density is and how to... Read More
A recent Google patent application has the SEO community buzzing.... Read More
Getting a high ranking on Google is a big achievement.... Read More
With the ever evolving internet market for just about anything... Read More
Every business owner I've met has been encouraged at some... Read More
More and more webmasters are building websites with publicly available... Read More
To arrive at the set of keywords that:Describe business correctly... Read More
Little do you know but you too could be making... Read More
Anyone involved in an Internet-based home business will soon come... Read More
Search engines constantly strive to advance their technology and algorithms... Read More
1. Search Engine - Is a database of web sites... Read More
It's common knowledge - we all know that it is... Read More
When you were just a young and precocious student of... Read More
Google use a very complex function to determine which search... Read More
Want to know the secret to great search engine listings?... Read More
In a recent study looking at the "descriptions" of website... Read More
Want to avoid being blacklisted by the search engines and... Read More
Some search engine submissions are free and some pay for... Read More
Are you working on getting your web site up onto... Read More
By now, virtually every webmaster has heard or read that... Read More
Before we explore the world of search engine optimization, it... Read More
Most people feel that optimizing is to target the search... Read More
To be successful in the search engines it's important to... Read More
For your business web site, good search engine rankings and... Read More
Search engine optimization sounds so daunting for most young companies.... Read More
Search Engine traffic accounts for nearly 80% of the Internet... Read More
Google is currently one of the dominant entities on the... Read More
Have you ever got one of those silly emails that... Read More
You've got a cool new website with all the works:... Read More
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) |