One of the most common questions I get is, “How long will it take to see results after starting SEO?” While the answer can vary, my go-to response is that you’ll start to see an increase in traffic within 3 months, but the real momentum builds after 6 months as new ranking keywords drive consistent organic traffic.
To illustrate this, let’s look at a real client example. This case study details the journey of a new e-commerce business specializing in children’s clothing, operating on the Shopify platform.
The Client
- Business Type: New e-commerce business focused on children’s clothing.
- Platform: Shopify
- Timeline: The site launched in January, and we began our SEO partnership in April.
Our Approach
To build a solid foundation for SEO, we implemented a comprehensive strategy focusing on several key areas:
- Competitor Analysis & Keyword Research: We identified keyword opportunities by analyzing competitors and conducting thorough keyword research. This helped us pinpoint the most relevant and high-potential keywords for the client’s niche.
- Meta Data Optimization: All product metadata was updated to include targeted keywords, improving the search engine visibility of individual product pages.
- Content Creation: We crafted keyword-rich, helpful content for the Collections pages. This content was designed to attract and engage potential customers by providing valuable information about the products.
- Content Planning: A 3-month blog content plan was developed, although the client has only published one post so far. This plan aimed to boost organic traffic by creating informative and engaging blog posts centered around relevant keywords.
- Additional Activities: To support our SEO efforts, we also ran social media ads and collaborated with influencers to boost the client’s social reach and drive traffic to the site.
Traffic Results: April – June
After just 3 months of dedicated SEO work on this brand new site, we observed significant improvements:
- Total Traffic: Increased from 53 to 4,237 visitors.
- Organic Traffic: Grew from 5 to 316 visitors.
- Ranking Keywords: Expanded from 165 to 511.
These results demonstrate that SEO is starting to work, with organic traffic and keywords consistently increasing. While ads are currently driving the majority of traffic, we expect the organic traffic gap to close over the next 3-6 months.
Key Takeaways for Your Business
- SEO Works: This case study clearly shows that SEO can drive substantial traffic to your website, even in the early stages.
- SEO Takes Time: Patience is crucial. While initial results can be seen within a few months, real momentum builds over a longer period.
- Diversify Your Efforts: Just like with health and finances, it’s good to diversify. Build your organic reach while running ads to ensure a balanced and sustainable traffic strategy.
By focusing on these principles, you can build a robust SEO foundation that will drive consistent and sustainable organic traffic to your site. Remember, SEO is a marathon, not a sprint, but the results are well worth the effort. If you’re ready to start your SEO journey, let’s work together to achieve similar success for your business.
