Google's Sandbox Theory Penalizes New Sites
In an effort to cut down on search engine spam results, Google implemented an algorithm in early 2005 that effectively penalizes new websites until they prove their worth. Their 'Sandbox' theory places new sites in a penalty box of sorts for an indeterminate amount of time.
Background
Previous to 2005, adept SEO professionals built small satellite websites of 1-5 pages, optimized them around a keyword, and linked back to one main website. The small websites performed reasonably well in the search engines but more than that, they created hefty linking benefits for the big site.
Secondly, SEO folks purchased links by the plenty to point at their main website. While these links rarely produced direct traffic, they added to the link benefits and greatly increased performance in Google.
As with all "tricks of the trade" they are over-utilized and become a problem. Google caught on and found ways to filter this sort of activity. Google's 'Sandbox' effect forces these new links and sites to age for months before creating any effect, if ever. It's no longer cost effective to spend funds on links that will not work for 3-6 months and may never actually help.
Another black-hat SEO trick is burned.
Moving Forward
Google now actively searches for duplicate content and backward links from "link farms" and satellite sites --penalizing for both. In the same action, they make new websites sit on the sidelines until they deem worthy to rank in search for lucrative terms. If you approach an Internet Marketing firm that presents you with either tactic, keep looking.
Build a good website full of quality content, publish it to the Internet, present it to Google, and wait. And wait...
"A watched pot never boils..."
A new website at a new domain name sits in the Google 'Sandbox' theory until it builds credibility via traffic, links, and some additional coaxing.
In the mean time you're watching your statistics for a flood to your new website and it isn't going to happen. You won't get traffic until you have traffic. Enter Pay Per Click.
MSN will pick up your website quickly and send you traffic. Meanwhile, we suggest a modest PPC campaign to bring numbers until the site begins to perform. At which time you may either throttle back on PPC or alter your campaigns to bolster traffic on competitive terms.
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