The Sandbox

Many websites are relegated to what is called "the sandbox" while Google makes a decision about what to do with them. It is strange to think that Google cares, as if Google has some sort of human attributes. Whether Google really cares or not is really not the point -- the point is: there are factors that help Google discern whether a site should be relegated to the sandbox, or whether the site should appear in the organic search results. The factors are all part of Google's algorithm to rank sites, with the ultimate goal being to provide searchers with the best possible search results. Here are some factors that influence whether a site is destined for the sandbox, or is able to join the party...

Age & Maturity

With age comes wisdom. The search power house looks not only at the age of the domain, but also at the history of the domain. If an old domain has recently changed hands, it might find that it drops from the rankings. In hope of making a quick buck, spammers will often buy domains that have high page ranks, or are considered "trusted" by the search giant. But Google considers this factor as part of their ranking algorithm in order to thwart such attempts by spammers to manipulate search results and rankings.

Optimization

Optimization can impact whether a website is destined for the sandbox. The key is finding a balance and allowing optimization to appear natural. Optimization should be a tool to assist search engines in ranking a specific webpage; it is not intended to manipulate search engines. Webmasters should include keywords in the web page title, description, URL. Keywords should also be used in anchor text in text links, alt tags, and integrated into the body of the web page.

Links

Is the website loved by reputable sources? The links need to be from related and reputable sources, which are popular themselves. It is best to gradually amass links over time.

History Of Visits

Google tracks how long visitors stay on a domain using their Google Toolbar, search requests, and click-throughs in the organic search engine results. If a historic pattern is established that web visitors clicks through to a domain but never actually spend any time on that website, it is clear that the value of the website is questionable.

Content Freshness

Google prefers a website that is current. Google gives better rankings to websites that maintain existing content with current information, and adds new content on a regular basis. Google is partial to an old site with continuous new content that is updated on a frequent basis.

Keywords

You should target keywords that are less common. If you are attempting to compete for highly popular and competitive keywords, you will have a difficult time. It is far easier to rank well for obscure (but relevant) keywords and phrases.

Avoiding Google's sandbox can be a challenge for even the most experienced webmasters. Considering the volume of traffic and number of searches conducted each day in the search giant, appearing in the top search results for critical keywords and phrases can make or break an online business. Take care to avoid Google's sandbox, so your business can benefit from Google's traffic.