How 2 avoid the sandbox.

[just-4-teens]

I have just started up a new site (domain is only a few weeks old) and was wondering is there any way of avoiding the google sandbox?

i have posted very few links to the new domain since i dont want it flooded with traffic since (i think) thats one of the causes of the sandbox.

any ideas

thanks

[yfs1]

Traffic has nothing to do with the sandbox. Just look at all those sites that pop up around a major world event. If anything the massive amount of related and high PR linking lifts them quickly out.

The truth is there is little you can do and there are no easy "shortcuts". Just use fundamentally good SEO and apply it with a steady hand. Doing this will pay dividends when you slingshot out of the sandbox.

One of my sites that had been steadily SEO'd over the last year escaped in Feb and was number 1 for a list of really competetive keywords.

Patience is key - Develop a long term plan!

[MattUK]

I don't actually think you can avoid the sandbox, I think at the moment all new sites have to pass through some kind of 'age filter' that lasts for about 6-9 months. I also think it applies to sites rather than links. I've added 200 or so links to one of my older sites, and 8 days later I gor a large rankings boost for the keyword I was targeting.
I don't buy the "only add two links a day" school of thought.

I know it sucks but I'd actually recommend trying to get hold of older domain names with or without PR.

[just-4-teens]

so basicly get some links from old domains that have been around for a few years.

[MattUK]

No, I'm saying to put your site on an old domain. I'm getting to the stage now where I'm registering domains I won't use until next year, putting up a few links and then leaving them. Hopefully by the time I start building on them they'll have come out of the sandbox.

I've also picked up some older domains through ebay before, it's worth keeping an eye out, I picked up a PR4 for less than $10 a couple of months ago, it's already ranking well.

[just-4-teens]

the sites is a sports company so im unlikely to find an old domain that has any relevance to my site.

should i just go all out get loads of links get sandboxxed and do the sandbox sentace like evryone else?


also is it considered a new domain from the day the site is registered or from when google first indexes it?

[MattUK]

Personally I'd just build links normally, like I said I don't believe that adding a certain number of links each day helps to avaid the sandbox. If you want why not try limiting the links you add for a couple of months to see if you start to rank, though I think this will be fruitless. Concentrate on ranking well in MSN and Yahoo, if you can do that and get some good IBLs with a targeted range of anchor text you should rank well when you escape the sandbox.

Only google would know when a domain is counted as being 'new', common sense would say it would be when it is indexed, but Google also has access to the domain registrations database (they are actually registered as a domain registrar) so they have access to a wealth of information about domains, so it could be either.

[LinkBliss]

also is it considered a new domain from the day the site is registered or from when google first indexes it?

I'm sure it would be when google first indexes it.. you need to start putting *something* on there and get it in google. Google is not scanning whois information :p

Eric

[yfs1]

A new domain in the eyes of the "Sandbox" has more to do with the length of time for SEO than the actual age of the domain.

You can buy an old domain but once you start aggresively doing the SEO work needed to compete for a top term you will find yourself "sandboxed".

[MattUK]

I've not seen that on domains that I've worked on.

[loki]

i've seen new sites escape the sandbox in the past few months.

logic would say that gg are filtering for sudden massive IBLs, so avoid that and you're on your way.

[just-4-teens]

A new domain in the eyes of the "Sandbox" has more to do with the length of time for SEO than the actual age of the domain.

You can buy an old domain but once you start aggresively doing the SEO work needed to compete for a top term you will find yourself "sandboxed".

so if i just worry about getting links and leave seo to a minimum 4 now i have less chance of being sandboxxed?

[yfs1]

i've seen new sites escape the sandbox in the past few months.



It is common to bounce up for a week or two then go settle back into your "real" sandboxed position.

I don't buy the high number of backlinks being the cause of the sandbox but if you are more comfortable with holding back on your link building strategy, then by all means do.

If you actually have examples of sites that have permanently escaped the sandbox at around a month, there are a lot of people that would want to know the url to analyze it.

I find when a url is presented, its for a non competetive word and doesn't actually qualify.

[yfs1]

so if i just worry about getting links and leave seo to a minimum 4 now i have less chance of being sandboxxed?

I build sites for the long term so I ignore the sandbox and stick to my regular SEO schedule. In 6-9 months they jump out and I am a solid #1 for the terms I have targeted.

I have experimented with varying the intensity of my SEO on test sites and have seen no difference except that when I am finally released, my ranking are fairly sub par.

I would suggest to read as much as possible and decide the strategy that fits your goals.

[just-4-teens]

i think im just gonna do this site like ive done my other one apply the needed seo and wait for sandbox to lift.

[sadcox66]

That is what I am doing as well

[just-4-teens]

yep im gonna do it for the sake of msn and yahoo - ill aim at them two search engines and google finally releases me i should have a good amount of backlinks etc and all seo would of all ready been applied.

[l234244]

I always thought it was the links that got sandboxed not the domain. If you set up a fresh domain for next year then you will still be in the same position of having to wait unless you do all your link building now.

[MattUK]

I'm pretty sure it's not the links that get sandboxed. I've added 200 links or so to a site in the last two weeks (a 10% increase) I've seen huge increases in the SERPS for the keywords that I targeted.

[just-4-teens]

i would also like to ask how long does the sandbox last 4?

[cozza]

I sometimes use Subdomains which are seen as new domains and can get sandboxed. Yet in some cases these domains can be searched on within 2 days.

[just-4-teens]

i didnt think subdomains got sandboxxed aslong as the domain had passed the sandbox phase?