Is Google Sandbox Still in Effect

We currently operate numerous websites, all of them over 3 years old and well beyond the 'sandbox' effect. However, we need to start another one but am concerned about the Google Sandbox.

However, our current SEO guru insist that if a new website has good, original and relavent contents, Google will not place it in the sandbox. I find this hard to believe!!

Please give me your thoughts on what my current SEO guy has told me. Thanks

 

In my experience it still is in effect. My new site came out of the sandbox around a month ago after being in for around three months. I think any new site, if promoted straight away, will have problems, I think you're just best getting the new site up there and letting it settle down.

 

I agree with your SEO guy.

A newly-launched site with good, original and relevant content shouldn't have any major problems. As long as you don't go overboard getting hundreds of new links within a short space of time (build links more gradually), there's no reason to think you can't be ranking reasonably well within a few months.

Howard

 

I think there is a difference between saying that there won't be a sandbox and that you can rank reasonably well within a few months. The latter is possible. But I wouldn't bet money that you won't get yourself in the sandbox for at least some point in time.

I've seen too many websites go from page 1-2 when launched to page 10 or more and then back to page 1-2 without intervening stops at pages 3-9 to believe that the sandbox effect is completely gone.

I was searching for the menu to my new local pub yesterday (it opened in August), and it took me a while wading through other sites before I found it. The content was all original, and I doubt they've been out there spamming to get links. But I practically had to type in the domain name to get it to come up. Sandbox? Yes!

 

Your SEO guy is right if he is giving you reasonable time frame of atleast 4-6 months.

 

Honestly, here is what I've seen. Google will give a site with lots of content a nice bump for the first month or two, especially if it has plenty of links and solid content. Then they "sandbox" you for a time and you might disappear off the radar for a while, say 1-3 months. Then, Google is likely to start putting your pages ranking back in again. However, I've seen Google put my stuff on the first page for a day or two, then drop it again, then bring it back for a week, then drop it. It's very bizarre.

Ignore google and make a great site. Don't worry about the sandbox. If you keep building content and links, you will have a great site when Google finally starts to care. Trust me.

Also, your SEO guy seems to be misleading you somewhat.

 

Not true, my site's all content is original. but now in sandbox

 

I agree.

I usually get 5-6 months for most of my sites. Not sure that original content triggers anything sandbox related.

 

Hi,
Sorry to bother you guys, but can somebody explain further what sandbox is? Is this a place in google where your website is being frozen for a while because of whatever reason and then get back in the limelight after your site has been cleared or corrected by the owner himself for some google rules' inappropriateness? Just a bit confused...it's how i look on your concerns. I highly appreciate yours further..Thanks.

 

It's just when your site is not ranking for keywords it used to rank for for no reason... I mean... You might think there is no reason, but obviously G. has a reason... It usually lasts for some time and then you get out of it and your site ranks again. Hurray!
Sebastian

 

"Sanbox" effect is there to stay. In fact i am in favour of it as there are many newly launched websites that aggressively acquire links just to get high rankings without concentrating on informative and solid content. these kind of malpractice should be dealt with strong hands. But nowadays at the same time Google serps also become very unpredictable, in fact sometime very misleading one. So I fully agree with few members here that nobody be worried about "Sandbox effect", have a good and original content, pagewise meta titles, description, keywords first. And then gather links with targetted keywords without spamming.

 

Personally, I have experienced an extremely fierce Sandbox effect with some of my Squidoo lenses, but never with any of my websites.

The websites are super content-rich - I don't know if that has anything to do with it. I acquired links slowly.