Ongoing SEO is a term you’ll often hear when dealing with SEO agencies of all sizes. Even if your initial goal isn’t ongoing SEO, it’s likely to be offered as part of the solution. Having spent six years working at a company primarily focused on this type of service, I can provide insights into what ongoing SEO truly means. Are SEO specialists merely trying to upsell you, or is there genuine value in this approach? Let’s break it down, starting with a shared understanding of the term.
What Is Ongoing SEO?
Ongoing SEO refers to a continuous process of optimizing a website over an extended period, typically three to six months or even a year. Every month, the SEO specialist performs a specific set of optimizations, often repeating some tasks as needed. Sound complex? Here are some examples to clarify.
How Does Ongoing SEO Differ From One-Time SEO Work?
Certain SEO tasks are performed just once, such as SEO migrations, manual penalty recovery, or disavowing spammy links. These projects usually have a clear checklist, and the goal is achieved by completing specific steps. Migrating SEO rankings from an old domain to a new one or eliminating harmful backlinks are one-time tasks aimed at stabilizing your website’s performance, not necessarily pushing it to the top of search engine rankings.
But, if your goal is to rank in the top three (or even the coveted top spot) for specific keywords, this involves more than the current state of your website. It’s tied to your competitors, Google’s ranking rules for your niche, and the overall dynamics of the market. Let’s explore why ongoing SEO is a preferred approach for achieving and maintaining high rankings.
Why SEO Requires Time and Effort
Slow Growth and Why SEO Isn’t Instantaneous
SEO is not a quick fix—it’s a long-term investment. Think of it like learning to sing: you won’t become a star after just one lesson. Similarly, a single blog post won’t transform you into a top influencer overnight. The most valuable achievements require consistent effort because they are difficult to replicate.
In SEO, competition grows every year. Your competitors may have started earlier, and they’re not eager to give up their positions in Google’s organic SERPs. For Google to replace a long-standing, relevant website with a newcomer—even one filled with fresh content and backlinks—would be unnatural. Strong brands and genuine projects take time to grow, and Google’s algorithms reflect this reality.
The Website Sandbox Effect
The “sandbox” is a term often used to describe a probationary period for new websites. This phase, which can last anywhere from three to six months (or even up to a year), acts as a kind of quarantine. While not officially confirmed by Google, many SEO professionals, including myself, observe its effects. New websites often struggle to rank initially, only to see their low-competition pages start climbing after several months. This phenomenon underscores why patience and persistence are vital in SEO.
The Role of Link Building
Regardless of whether you’re building black-hat, gray-hat, or white-hat links, your efforts must appear natural. And that takes time. Throughout my career, I’ve seen countless competitors achieve top rankings, and none of the long-lasting ones did so in less than a year—unless they had zero competition, which is increasingly rare.
Strategies Evolve Over Time
One of the most important aspects of ongoing SEO is flexibility. As your campaign progresses, priorities may shift. New trends emerge, unexpected rankings take off, or hidden opportunities present themselves. Sometimes, you might rank for highly competitive queries faster than expected, while low-competition ones lag behind. Staying agile allows you to adjust your focus and maximize results.
Why You Shouldn’t Pause SEO
Many SEOs believe that the consistency of link building and content updates influences how Google evaluates your website. If your site grows steadily for a few months and then activity abruptly stops, Google might interpret this as a sign of stagnation. Moreover, Google rarely ranks outdated articles highly, aside from a few exceptions. Regular updates and ongoing efforts are crucial not just for climbing the ranks but for maintaining your position.
Ongoing SEO Prevents Disasters
SEO is about more than rankings; it’s also about anticipating and preventing potential issues. Over the years, I’ve seen developers accidentally delete title tags, designers replace homepages with “404 – Under Construction” messages, and sites lose rankings due to expired SSL certificates. Timely intervention saves money, time, and stress.
SEO Is About Growth, Not Just Optimization
I believe SEO goes beyond tweaking keywords and titles. It’s not just about audits or hitting the number-one spot. SEO is a growth strategy, and a good specialist will focus on using your resources effectively to drive long-term success. Sometimes, this might mean prioritizing something other than SEO. The right specialist will view your project not just as a job but as a challenge to deliver value and contribute to your vision.
So, Do You Need Ongoing SEO?
In my opinion, ongoing SEO is essential not just for achieving great rankings but also for keeping them. The best specialists continuously improve your content, build quality links, and refine strategies to leave competitors no room to overtake you.
Still unsure whether ongoing SEO is right for you? Reach out to me! I’m not an agency looking to lock you into a six-month contract—I’m someone who loves SEO and is happy to answer your questions. And the best part? It won’t cost you a dime.
