Is SANDBOX Really Exists?

[Grand Next]

From the beginning of my SEO journey I am hearing a word "SANDBOX." If you launch a new site, google doesn't rank your site from the beginning. Ahrefs said: SANDBOX is an alleged filter that prevents new websites from ranking in Google's top results. Let's say SANDBOX exists and all of the brand new site have it's effect. But as far I know the period varies depending on niche.

But, Back in July I started a JOB site. The content was not so good even then content was copied from job description. What I noticed is, some of the articles even ranked in top 3-5 positions. How is it possible? Now can I say SANDBOX doesn't exists?

What is your practical opinion?

 

[GenesisOne]

Practical opinion: it does exists for longer periods than I would like.

 

[Captain Authority]

it exists imo
The way to actually test would be to get dozens of actual real very high quality niche and contextual backlinks (not just spam), which is very difficult for new sites anyway…

 

[Grand Next]

Practical opinion: it does exists for longer periods than I would like.

Yes you are right but how my job site articles ranked after 1 week?

it exists imo
The way to actually test would be to get dozens of actual real very high quality niche and contextual back links (not just spam), which is very difficult for new sites anyway…

yep

 

[tazarbm]

half of this forum believes that sandbox is real, the other half believes that it's not real. I am part of the group that believes it's real (because it's happened to my sites several times)

 

[Grand Next]

half of this forum believes that sandbox is real, the other half believes that it's not real. I am part of the group that believes it's real (because it's happened to my sites several times)

This happens to my regular niche sites. But my job site instantly got into SERP. Don't know how is it possible!

 

[ridersark]

Yes you are right but how my job site articles ranked after 1 week?

There is no fixed answer to your question. Are you using an expired domain? How old is the site? How competitive is the niche? Competition on the first page?

 

[IM Dude]

Google indexes job sites faster because of sheer number of job posts. Same with a forum site. Also google treats blog posts differently. Hence you can't compare a job site or a static site with a blog site.

 

[tazarbm]

This happens to my regular niche sites. But my job site instantly got into SERP. Don't know how is it possible!

it varies from niche to niche and from keywords to keywords (probably). I'm saying "probably" because most of us can only guess how google works, the real knowledge about their internal workings is known by very few people and those are usually on a beach somewhere now, drinking their pina colladas and having some hotties dancing in their laps, they don't care about sharing these secrets with mere mortals on BHW. And yes, I love overdramatizing every once in a while

But seriously, it does vary from niche to niche and - while I don't like admitting it - I do think google is right in sandboxing some niches / websites and not sandboxing others because, if you think about it, there's just so many URLs you can fit on google's 1st page for the most profitable keywords in the world but the entire planet wants to rank for those keywords and get to google's 1st page for the USA market. So, some limitations (the sandbox being one of them) have to be put in place. I've never disagreed with google on this aspect. What I do disagree with them on is the favoring of big, multi-trillion companies to the detriment of relevant content. Nowadays, as @bartosimpsonio had said a few days ago, you rarely get any relevant and useful information for keywords like "how to repair a wash machine" (I think that this is the example he had given) but instead you get the same boring, filthy rich companies trying to sell you another wash machine. And this, among other things, is what enrages me about google, but I digress....

The point I wanted to make is that for some niches (the ultra competitive ones) sandbox has to be a thing, while for other niches and keywords (long tails usually, and niches in which google doesn't have a lot of content to show) your 7-day old domain name could very well spring into google's top 10 with just some quality (and well optimized) content. That's why I think some domains get sandboxed, while others don't

 

[Grand Next]

There is no fixed answer to your question. Are you using an expired domain? How old is the site? How competitive is the niche? Competition on the first page?

Are you using an expired domain?
- NO

How competitive is the niche?
- Job niche

Competition on the first page?
- Not much

it varies from niche to niche and from keywords to keywords (probably). I'm saying "probably" because most of us can only guess how google works, the real knowledge about their internal workings is known by very few people and those are usually on a beach somewhere now, drinking their pina colladas and having some hotties dancing in their laps, they don't care about sharing these secrets with mere mortals on BHW. And yes, I love overdramatizing every once in a while

But seriously, it does vary from niche to niche and - while I don't like admitting it - I do think google is right in sandboxing some niches / websites and not sandboxing others because, if you think about it, there's just so many URLs you can fit on google's 1st page for the most profitable keywords in the world but the entire planet wants to rank for those keywords and get to google's 1st page for the USA market. So, some limitations (the sandbox being one of them) have to be put in place. I've never disagreed with google on this aspect. What I do disagree with them on is the favoring of big, multi-trillion companies to the detriment of relevant content. Nowadays, as @bartosimpsonio had said a few weeks ago, you rarely get any relevant and useful information for keywords like "how to repair a wash machine" (I think that this is the example he had given) but instead you get the same boring, filthy rich companies trying to sell you another wash machine. And this, among other things, is what enrages me about google, but I digress....

The point I wanted to make is that for some niches (the ultra competitive ones) sandbox has to be a thing, while for other niches and keywords (long tails usually, and niches in which google doesn't have a lot of content to show) your 7-day old domain name could very well spring into google's top 10 with just some quality (and well optimized content). That's why I think some domains get sandboxed, while others don't

Well said!

 

[cyrusv]

Living in the sandbox for one of my site right now. Initially when the articles got indexed, for low competition kw it was ranking on first page. A week later it got down to page 6 and fluctuates between page 3-6.

I believe when the time comes, it'll go back up to page 1 again but I'm expediting the process with quality links.

 

[popbradley]

My sites now at 10 months old and ive slowly exited the sandbox. I started another site and had a keyword rank number 2 within the first week. I am dead sure the sandbox exists and I am dead sure from what others have shown over the years that it is different from niche to niche. Sometimes it’s 3 months, sometimes 6, sometimes a year or more.

Ask the experts too. Some say it even applies to each individual article. Ive seen this a few times where my article will sit page 3 or 4 for months and then randomly go to page one top 3.

oh and as an example to it being for some articles as well, I published a post in February 24th of this year. It indexed on March 4th. It has sat page 5 for months. It has never had a single article written on the subject. All sites in the top 10 are forums and 2 DA 4 or lower sites with articles completely unrelated.(think articles And topics talking about skydiving and the keyword is about hang gliding) I just KNEW I’d hit page one for this keyword the day it was indexed but that wasn’t the case. It just moved from page 5 to rank 4 yesterday. No backlinks or anything. If that’s not a page specific sandbox idk what else to think of it as.

 

[HustleTong]

What is your practical opinion?

I believe the time period fluctuates with niche
For instance, micro niche sites attain visibility early on.

 

[xReminisce]

I believe the time period fluctuates with niche
For instance, micro niche sites attain visibility early on.

it varies from niche to niche and from keywords to keywords (probably)
The point I wanted to make is that for some niches (the ultra competitive ones) sandbox has to be a thing, while for other niches and keywords (long tails usually, and niches in which google doesn't have a lot of content to show) your 7-day old domain name could very well spring into google's top 10 with just some quality (and well optimized) content.

I agree with this.

Going keep it short, you never know until you start.
Some sites may get sandboxed for weeks to months while others will rank right off the bat.
I experienced it with many of my sites in the past few years and still haven't cracked that formula.
It very well exist, but it's a layer that just doesn't affect everyone or has some sort of criteria who to affect.

 

[phoenix9]

Sandbox doesn't exist.

It's a myth.

 

[The_Rekster_730]

What would be a strategic course of action to take to get out of the sandbox?

Launch a site, build citations to it, then social media profiles, then what? PBN's maybe ?

Any ideas?

I am a visual leaner so I would love to see a nice infographic on this topic. would be nice.

 

[rafark]

Sandbox doesn't exist.

It's a myth.

SEO can’t be measured. You could say everything is a myth because google doesn’t disclose the way its algorithm works.

 

[phoenix9]

SEO can’t be measured. You could say everything is a myth because google doesn’t disclose the way its algorithm works.

Who told you seo can't be measured?
Good seo bring your site to page 1. Bad seo bring your site vanished. Easy.

SEO is not rocket science. SEO is boring stuff. Every guide that i've read generally telling me the same shit. It's all about engaging contents and good backlinks.

The problem people have is how they interpreted 'engaging' and 'good'.

Sandbox is a myth, spreading by people who don't know how to do seo.

Just like diversity backlinks that people tell is "a must". It's a myth too. Try to rank site with only 'good' guest posting links and you don't need other link types.

 

[rafark]

Who told you seo can't be measured?

What I mean is that it’s not an exact science (like 1 + 1 = 2). It’s all guesses and estimations because google doesn’t have a public specification or anything.

 

[rankjacker]

Take it this way,

You've a new business, which is in a competitive niche and there are multiple shops/mechandise around you catering to a set of customers.
Since you're new you'll have a few customers coming on to your shop. But as the time pass, people start visiting your shop to check your products, offering you an opportunity to show your competitive advantage. You offer them good products, great price, better environment or dealings or any other feature that put your business ahead of your competition. Slowly the word of mouth spreads and gradually you start having more customers and start competing with others at par.

Same thing happens with your website in Sandbox stage. you can out pass this stage if you have any of this achieved with your website content

1. Newer low competition KW
2. Great Content
3. Better Engagement
4. Better Navigation
5. Better Experience
6. High Conversion


Hope that helps!

Amit