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Home » Help Hub » SEO Strategy » Website Size and SEO Impact…How Long?

Website Size and SEO Impact…How Long?

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Matt Foster

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When working on SEO by developing new content for better keyword coverage, how does the number of webpages impact the work?

First, SEO takes time. There are many variables in SEO such as competition, website size, website structure, and SEO can garner results in 3 weeks – but usually it takes 3-12 months1.

75 experts surveyed suggest that SEO takes around 6 months to show increased traffic, while the full impact becomes visible after 12 to 24 months.2

Does Website Size Affect SEO Timelines?

Let’s assume we’re only working on 3 pages per month.

Let’s work on two different websites: a website with 30 pages vs a site with 1,000 pages. Assuming a majority of the pages or less than 400 words and not optimized.

See Also: How Long Does SEO Take to Work?

Is there a difference in how fast you can get results when doing 3 out of 30 pages vs 3 out of 1000?

Absolutely, the number of webpages impacts the SEO work significantly.

SEO on Smaller Websites

In our example site that has only 30 pages, the SEO impact is greater. Working on 3 out of 30 pages means you’re optimizing 10% of the site each month. This higher percentage of total site coverage can lead to noticeable improvements in a shorter time span.

You’ll likely see quicker gains in keyword rankings and organic traffic since the changes affect a larger portion of the site. You can focus more intensely on each page, ensuring thorough optimization.

SEO on Larger Websites

Impact: Optimizing 3 out of 1,000 pages each month is only 0.3% of the site. Changes will be less noticeable initially because the optimization affects a much smaller portion of the total content. Improvements in rankings and traffic will take longer to manifest since the site has more pages diluting the impact of your work.

Case Study: How We Transformed Organic Traffic in 6 Months for a Regional Events & Entertainment Brand

Strategy: Here, a strategic approach is crucial. Prioritize high-impact pages—those with the most potential to drive traffic and conversions.

Technical SEO: Small vs. Large Websites

Technical SEO involves optimizing a website’s technical aspects to improve search engine rankings. Here’s how it differs for small and large websites.

  • Crawl Budget: Larger websites have a higher crawl budget, meaning search engines allocate more resources to crawl and index their pages. Small websites, with fewer pages, receive a smaller crawl budget, so each page is crawled more frequently.
  • Website Architecture: Small websites can be optimized more quickly and thoroughly, as there are fewer pages to manage3. Large websites require a more strategic approach, focusing on high-impact pages and ensuring proper internal linking.
  • Error Management: It’s easier to identify and fix technical issues on a small website. Large websites may have more crawl errors and broken links, requiring ongoing maintenance.

User Engagement: Small vs. Large Websites

User engagement is crucial for SEO, as search engines consider user behavior signals when ranking websites. Here’s how it impacts small and large websites.

  • Bounce Rate: Smaller websites often have lower bounce rates, as users can find relevant content more quickly. Larger websites might have higher bounce rates if users struggle to navigate or find what they’re looking for.
  • Dwell Time: Users tend to spend more time on smaller websites with high-quality, relevant content. On larger websites, ensuring that users find valuable content quickly can improve dwell time.
  • Pages per Session: Smaller websites may see higher pages per session if the content is engaging and well-organized. Larger websites need to optimize navigation and content layout to encourage users to explore more pages.

More SEO Strategy for Small Businesses >

  1. Unlocking the SEO Timeline, by Matt Foster. https://mafostmarketing.com/how-long-does-seo-take/ ↩︎
  2. Sourced from Morning Score as quoted in the Mafost Marketing blog discussing factors such as competition, website structure, content quality, and keyword selection all play a role in determining the time it takes to see improvements. ↩︎
  3. Small vs Big Websites SEO. https://seoespresso.com/small-website-vs-big-website-seo/ ↩︎

Matt Foster

Matt Foster, the mastermind behind Mafost Marketing, is on a mission to empower small businesses with digital marketing muscle. From razor-sharp website designs to lead-generating strategies that pack a punch, Matt’s got your online presence covered. Need content that captivates? PPC ads that convert? Social media that sizzles? Consider it done. Matt doesn’t just build brands, he propels them to growth.