The Google Sandbox - Want to Catch It By the Horns? Part 1

The Google sandbox is like an enemy worth loving. As a webmaster/ SEO do you have any other option? If you want to generate traffic, you just cant ignore Google!

But first the primeval question. Does the Google sandbox really exist? The answer to this question is tricky at most times; there are conflicting opinions and no straight answers.

The majority opinion: Google sandbox definitely exists

The minority opinion: Many search engines veterans firmly believe that the sandbox theory is a figment of imagination from the Black Hat SEO

However, the exact positioning is somewhere in-between the YES and NO of the Google sandbox theory. Thats because there are strong indicators towards both the ends.

The YES Google sandbox exists theory

Proponents of this theory point out the fact that any new website (with a newly registered domain name) gets listed on Google after a delay of around six months, although the same website starts showing up on other search engines almost instantly The question they ask is why?

What gives more credence to this theory is the fact that many purely White Hat SEOs have admitted that they too have faced this problem. So, the moot point here is if you are doing everything in a purely ethical manner, why isnt your website showing up on Google? The answers to these questions are hard to come by, albeit they form the foundation of the NO theory.

The NO Google sandbox doesnt exist theory

Many of those who advocate this theory are in fact industry veterans, having years of experience in dealing with the search engines. The major points they have put forth against the sandbox theory pertains to the reasons why the websites dont show-up on Google and they are:

• Application of unethical techniques like
• Reverse engineering of the search engine algorithms, trying to find the errors in it and then exploiting it for their own cause.
• Link farming
• Creation of duplicate content
• Keyword stuffing
• Lack of knowledge up-gradation: Search engine algorithms change quite often and thats why the techniques to be employed need constant fine tuning. To be successful as an SEO, you need to intricately understand the changing algorithms and its significance. But, what most SEOs do is; believe in what they do and when the results dont come-up to the expected levels, they blame the Google sandbox.

In short, the Google sandbox theory is portrayed as a way employed by less competitive SEOs to cover up their in-competencies.

There seems to be truth on both ends, but our focus should be on the ways to get the website listed as soon as possible and to that end it's pertinent to note here that all is not lost as there are certain ways by which you can minimize the sandbox effect.

To be continued in part 2.

About The Author

Search Engine marketing expert, Tarun Gupta is one of the most prolific writers in the internet marketing domain with his articles being published in numerous websites and newsletters. He is the founder and director of web development and SEO Services Company =>http://www.BrainPulse.com