Did you know that Google managed a sand vat? It is in any case the term used by the Anglo-Saxons (sandbox) to indicate a new form of filtering or penalty which touches sites on Google.
Nothing is really confirmed, as we will see it in this article, but the number of cases observed is sufficiently important to take the business with the serious one. The sandbox is a form of penalty which seems to touch the new sites on Google. Whereas they do not have a problem particular to be indexed, it is difficult to position them well for expressions which do not seem out of reach. It would seem that Google penalizes these new sites during several weeks or month, the time undoubtedly which they make their proof, then when forty are finished the sites suddenly gain many places in Google whereas no optimization was carried out.
This effect was identified since the beginning of 2004; according to my research this type of penalty was perceived following Google Dance Florida and Austin, without one being able for as much associating in an unquestionable way the changes of the algorithm which rose from it and this sandbox effect. This discussion refers to other discussions which would have taken place on other a long time front forums but I could not find them…
There is not any certainty on the details of the sandbox effect, just a series of assumptions that I will try to summarize you.
Does the sandbox effect apply to all the sites? Undoubtedly that yes, but certain sites do not seek to position for competitive terms, only niches, therefore they do not realize inevitably there. For my part I do not believe in an algorithm which would touch only certain sites or certain requests. On the other hand the effect can seem stronger in strongly competing fields. That touches sites as well having 10 pages as sites having thousands of pages. The fact of being registered in DMOZ does not seem to have of influence.
On which Google criteria is based it to inflict this penalty? That seems to touch all new site. The seniority of a site thus becomes a criterion which counts… It is not hard for Google to determine the date of first indexing associated with a site. Many are those which think that the penalty does not apply to the site directly, but with the backlinks of this site which would be taken into account only very tardily by Google. Some thought that the new sites which profited as of their setting on line from hundreds or thousands from backlinks would be sanctioned, this popularity not seeming natural enough with the eyes of Google. Finally it is possible also that the origin of the backlinks is taken into account (just like in the algorithm general of Google besides): a number of sites different making from the bonds, IP addresses and classes C of these sites, diagrams of interconnection, etc.
How long lasts the sandbox effect? From a few weeks in 6 months in general, but it is rather difficult to know if a site is concerned with this effect.
One leaves there in how long? Some noticed a brutal exit but once again it is very difficult to answer this question.
Of course, Google forever nothing desired statement on this subject, even less than usually. How can one explain the interest for Google of such a process? Google would wait a certain time before taking into account backlinks. The new site which obtains backlinks should thus wait this period before benefitting from these backlinks (in term of PageRank but especially in term of positioning. Perhaps what Google installed this filter to fight against the sale of bonds and PageRank?
And if the sandbox were not a rule simplissime added by Google to its algorithm? The sandbox would touch all the sites, for all the requests, for the same length of time, quite simply to limit hunting to the backlinks and especially the purchases of bonds and PageRank. The fact that Google does not put almost up to date any more the posting of PR on the toolbar (even thing for the bonds provided by the order link: URL) goes in the same direction… Do some think that the sandbox does not apply to their site, or that there remained there only 1 month, but how knowledge really, especially if one does not check the positioning of his site for all types of requests (including very competing)?