Anytime you switch jobs it’s a little overwhelming at first. It’s not really the work that’s overwhelming though, it’s the work culture adjustment that can really throw you off for the first few weeks.
What’s the Difference?
You may still work on the same type of projects and apply the same theories as you did in your previous position. But your work day may be different. The hours could be different. Your desk could be different. And the people will most likely be different. These changes take time to acclimate to. It takes time to figure out how to navigate through it all until it becomes familiar - sort of like a search engine’s algorithm and a newly relaunched website.
Being the New Kid and Trying to Win Them Over
When you make changes to your website, you are essentially changing a search engine spider’s “job” in navigating your site. The changes could be small or large. Nonetheless, you changed your site, and now a spider has to navigate through it and figure out what to do with the changes. It could take weeks for the search engines to recognize that you’ve made changes and it could take a few more weeks before it decides how to rank your site after recognizing the changes.
You may notice no change in visibility in the top search engines at first. But it is likely you will see a drop in visibility before you see any indication from the algorithm that it likes your changes. This doesn’t mean it was a mistake to make the changes in the first place. Like with any change, it takes time. The most important thing is to make sure you made changes the right way.
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
How the Heck Do You Know It Was the Right Change?
The truth is, no one outside the engines themselves knows exactly what makes search engine algorithms tick. Search engine algorithms are living things. They change what they like all the time. Yes, there is much speculation about what is important to them (textual content, external links, internal linking structures, how you publish your pages), but no one can guarantee you that the changes you make will lead you down the path of “SEO righteousness” to top rankings in top search engines. This is why it is critical for you to work with an experienced SEO vendor to help you prioritize for organic search LONG before you relaunch your site.
I recommend: Learn more about
Search Engine Optimization.
Choosing an SEO Firm
SEO vendors dedicate resources and time to monitoring and researching what it takes to gain solid visibility and have gone through the relaunching process with dozens, if not hundreds, of clients. And while the basic outline of best practices for relaunching a site to make it “spider-friendly” should be applied when planning your relaunch, other factors may come into play that you can’t control (e.g. competitors in your online vertical). A good SEO firm will also help you decide which changes to your site are the most critical to perform within your competitive landscape.
I recommend: Learn more about
Search Engine Marketing.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- It is impossible to jump into any change and expect to know if it will turn out well for you. The most you can do is figure out what your expectations should be by researching the changes before you make them. If you go into a change with realistic expectations that it will take for to produce a positive result, you’ll be more patient and open to adjusting and tweaking things while waiting for that desired result to come. With SEO, as in life, change can be a very good thing.
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