What Is The Google Sandbox

What Is The Google Sandbox?

What is the Google Sandbox? Is it some imaginary talking point that get people attention because their website suddenly took a dive after it has been up for a little while? Some says it doesn't exist, while some say it does. I'm one to say that the Google Sandbox does exist.

If you have just put up a new website, you may agree with me. Why? You may see a lot of traffic coming to your site, or at least some. Then, the traffic dies. You go online and do a site check. (for those people who do not know how to do a site check here is the command in the search box: site: nameofyoursite) In the site check you see that your web pages are indexed. If you see zero, you have a bigger problem, you may have been banned.

If your pages are indexed but you are not seeing any traffic, you have been hit with the ominous Google Sandbox Filter. To learn more about the filter check out my article The Ominous Google Sandbox.

You may find it's not that ominous at all, frustrating maybe, but not ominous.


 The Ominous Sandbox Filter

 What is this thing called the "Sandbox Filter" and why do people talk about it in whispers. For those new to the Internet and have just put your website online, eventually you will be hit with the sandbox filter. I'll give you some key facts that will help you to determine if you have been hit by the ominous beast, explain why it exists and if you can do anything about it.


Signs of being in the Sandbox Filter

Okay, you may be saying, "I just put my website up and the Google Search Engines picked up my website rather quickly. And, I must say I'm excited at how well it is performing." My answer to that is, "Just you wait, the "Sandbox Filter" has not hit you yet. But it will." How do you know you have been hit?

1. The website will show in the result pages, but it will not rank well regardless of how much original, well-optimized contents you have.
2. You'll get no hits from Google.
3. Will quality inbound links to your site help? Nope.


If you don't know what this beast is, you will become frustrated, confused and will struggle to find a way to improve what you think is your website ultimate demise. But wait, you are not in the minority. The sandbox filter will affect almost all new websites, there are a few exceptions, but it is a rarity.
Is it something you did wrong? No. The sandbox filter is not used for punishment by Google, nor has the new webmaster done anything wrong. Than what it it!

The filter is merely an initiation period for new websites. However, if the sandbox filter hits your website, it may be driven by the "competitive keywords" you are using on your website.. If your website is focusing on highly competitive keywords or phrases, you may likely remain in the sandbox for a longer period of time, than if you focus on relatively non-competitive keywords. (That is why that I suggest using keyword phrases and not compete with the big boys).


Do We Need The Sandbox?

In my opinion, yes. If though I am not fond of being in the sandbox, I know that there is good reasons for it's existence.

It exists because:

1. It helps curtail the workings of search engine spammers. In the beginning search engine spammers would setup websites that violated Google policies and rules. Their purpose was obvious. To make profits as quickly as possible before being banned by Google. Did it stop them. No. They would just create another website with a different domain and content.

How did Google solve the problem? With the sandbox filter, of course. They would still quickly index the websites, but they would launch their spam filters on the site over a period of time to make sure that the website passed all of their spam filters. Once they have passed all of the spam filters, the website will leave the sandbox and join the Internet community.



Getting Out Of The Sandbox

Since this is a right of passage to having a working website on the Internet, accept this as fact, and realize there is nothing you can do to get out of it. It will not be in your power to get out of the sandbox. Your best bet is wait, and continue to create quality content. Why, would you want to create more content? Because you will not be in the sandbox forever.

In fact, this is a good time, to tweak your content and continue to build inbound links. Why? It will improve the traffic levels once you are out of the sandbox.

You can sulk about being in the sandbox, and even threaten to quit. Don't quit, instead think of it as an induction into the Google community. Be patient, tweak, and continue to create content, and soon the sandbox filter will be behind you.