Five clocks that run at different speeds#
When we improve the site, our work is done at once. Then the search engines work at their own pace: they discover, read, process and choose what to show. Each step can take a different amount of time, and some steps are never completed if the search engine does not think the page is worth it [1] [2].
What we can show: A change report with before and after, and the preview where everything we changed pulses.
What we can show: Sitemap and links in place. We see that we have notified, not that the search engine has read.
What we can show: Google's own reports for sites we have connected (last crawled, indexed or not).
What we can show: Positions on real results pages, with dates, and Search Console data.
What we can show: Visits, forms and calls compared with how it was before, taking the season into account.
We never add the steps up into a single “SEO time”. That Google has read a page does not mean it is shown, and that it is shown does not mean it brings customers.
What the search engines themselves say about time#
These times come straight from the own pages of Google, Bing and IndexNow. They are explanations and not promises to any customer. A single page can go faster, slower or never be included [1].
Show as a table, with sources
| What | The source says | What it does not promise | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Removal via Search Console | usually within a day | It is temporary (about six months), not a permanent deletion. | [3] |
| Google rereads a page on request | a few days to a few weeks | A request does not guarantee that the page is indexed. | [4] |
| A new title shows in Google | a few days to a few weeks | Google may choose to show a different title. | [5] |
| A new or rebuilt site shows in Bing | a couple of weeks | No time limit per page or position. | [6] |
| Moving a small or medium-sized site | a few weeks for most pages, larger sites longer | A date when the move is complete. Keep the redirects for at least a year. | [7] |
| Review after a manual action | several days or weeks, sometimes longer | That the review is approved, or that the position comes back. | [8] |
| Improvements to the content of the whole site | days to several months, sometimes only at the next core update | That the improvements give a higher position. | [9] |
| Indexing, IndexNow and AI answers | no time is given | That a page is published, indexed or cited at a certain time. | [10] |
Google's own conference figures for 23 different steps are on the page Google (SEO). They were reported by someone in the audience and should be read as benchmarks [11].
A quick fix can have a slower effect#
Most of what we do shows on the site at the same moment. What takes time is the search engine's part. Tap a card to see the difference.
How we show progress while the search engines work#
You should not have to wait in uncertainty. Each step gives its own proof, and we say plainly what that proof does not show.
- 1The change is live and tested✓ Proves: What we promised exists and passes our tests.✕ Does not prove: That the search engine has seen it.
- 2The search engine's program has read the page✓ Proves: A search engine fetched the page at a certain time.✕ Does not prove: That the page was indexed or ranks.
- 3The page is reported as indexed✓ Proves: The search engine's own tool says that a version is stored.✕ Does not prove: Exactly when it happened, or future traffic.
- 4Impressions and clicks in the search results✓ Proves: The page has been shown and has had clicks.✕ Does not prove: That the whole change is due to a single action.
- 5Enquiries and deals✓ Proves: The site gave a measurable result.✕ Does not prove: That it repeats at the same pace.
Our report always has two parts: what we have done, which we control, and what the search engines have done, which they control. Every figure has a source and a date.
When something is delayed: how we troubleshoot#
Time is no excuse for work that has not been done. We look at where in the chain it has stopped and do what can be done there. Open a row to see what we check.
1The change does not show on the site
We check: The publishing, the cache, a wrong address or a wrong version.
It means: The change itself is not finished yet. That is our responsibility.
2The search engine has not read the page
We check: Links, sitemap, robots rules, status codes and the stability of the server.
It means: The search engine has not been seen fetching the new version.
3Read but not indexed
We check: Whether the page may be indexed, quality, duplicates and the canonical address.
It means: The crawl is confirmed. Including the page is a separate decision.
4Indexed but with a different title
We check: Title, headings, link texts and conflicting signals.
It means: Google writes the titles in the results itself, and we can only influence them.
5Indexed but little traffic
We check: How many people search, which keywords the page is shown for, the competition and the click rate.
It means: The technology is done. Now it is about the choice of keywords and the content.
6More clicks but not more enquiries
We check: The page's offer, buttons, forms and the measurement.
It means: The visibility has increased. Now the page needs to convert better.
7A drop around a core update
We check: Wait until the update is complete and at least one more week, then analyse keywords and content.
It means: A core update is not a penalty that can be lifted on request.
Questions we often get#
Why has the traffic not increased after a week?
It may be too early for the pages to have been reread, reassessed and compared against enough searches. We first check what was published, whether the search engine has read it and which measurable signals have changed. [4]
Can we force Google to index an important page?
No. We can make the page easy to reach, relevant and well linked, include it in the sitemap and ask for a new crawl. Google decides itself whether the page is included. [1]
Does a new title give a higher position tomorrow?
Not necessarily. Google says it can take a few days to a few weeks before the change shows, and Google chooses itself which title is shown. A better title can make more people click. [5]
Is the move finished on launch day?
No. A successful launch is the start of a transition. Google says that most pages on a small or medium-sized site usually take a few weeks, and that the redirects should stay in place for at least a year. That is why we keep your addresses when we can. [7]
Does AI search need special hidden tags?
No, not for Google. Google says there are no special requirements or markup for the AI features beyond ordinary searchability and quality. Other AI services work in their own way, and none of them promises a time for when a page is cited. [12]
When should we judge whether it works?
We judge in two steps. What we have done, you can check at once. Search and business results we judge when there is enough data, and how long that takes depends on the site, the demand and which change it is about. [9]
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Sources on this page
- Crawling and indexing frequently asked questions Google Search Central · Official documentation
- How Google Search works (overview) Google Search Central · Official documentation
- Remove information from Google Google Search Central · Official documentation
- Ask Google to recrawl your URLs Google Search Central · Official documentation
- Title links in search results Google Search Central · Official documentation
- Webmaster support and indexing times Microsoft Bing · Official documentation
- Move a site with URL changes Google Search Central · Official documentation
- The Manual Actions report Google Search Console Help · Official documentation
- Google's core updates Google Search Central · Official documentation
- IndexNow: frequently asked questions IndexNow.org · Open standard
- Search Central Live Deep Dive Barcelona, day 3 (Gary Illyes's timings) ROAST (John Campbell) · Reported (conference)
- AI features and your website (AI Overviews, AI Mode) Google Search Central · Official documentation