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When should you change your keywords, and how long does it take to rank?

October 16, 2025

If we are being precise, what we call a keyword is usually a keyphrase, for example, “Dentures in Wimpole Street” or “Teeth Whitening Watford”. In SEO, most searches are made up of phrases rather than single words, but for simplicity, we will continue referring to them as keywords throughout this article.

Why keyword stability matters

Before talking about when to change your keywords, it is important to recognise the value of stability. Once you have chosen a keyword to target, it is generally best to give it a sustained period of focus rather than switching too soon.

Frequent changes can confuse search engines, cause ranking volatility, and make it difficult for Google to fully understand what your page is about.

A good rule of thumb, based on experience, is to keep your keyword stable for at least three months after reaching your target ranking, ideally within the top five. This helps maintain consistency and prevents sharp fluctuations.

How long does it take to rank for a keyword?

This is one of the most common questions we hear, and the truthful answer is, it depends. The time it takes to rank is influenced by several factors, including:

  • The competitiveness of the keyword.
  • The authority of your website.
  • The quality of your content.
  • Your backlink profile.
  • Your technical SEO.
  • Search intent and user engagement.

Research and industry benchmarks.

While exact timelines vary, these widely cited findings provide useful benchmarks:

  • Most websites begin to see ranking movement within three to six months if SEO best practices are followed.
  • For more competitive keywords, six to twelve months is common to reach stable top positions.
  • Only a small percentage of brand-new pages reach the top ten within their first year.
  • Some domains can reach a top ten position within six months, although many do not maintain those positions long term.

When should you change your keywords?

You should not change your keywords impulsively. Search engines reward consistency and authority over time. However, there are situations when it is wise to review or adjust your targets.

  • There is no progress after three to six months.
  • Your rankings drop sharply or become unstable after you have ruled out technical issues and known Google updates.
  • Your business focus evolves, for example, you shift towards a specialist service.
  • Search trends change, and patients start using different terms.
  • You are targeting seasonal or short-term campaigns.

How often should you review or refresh keywords?

It is sensible to review your SEO strategy, including keyword targets, every three to six months.
That does not mean overhauling everything; rather, introduce new variations, test secondary
keywords, and expand your keyword clusters while maintaining the strong performers.

You should also review SEO analytics twice a month to identify trends early.

A typical keyword ranking timeline

Here is a realistic view of how progress might look for a local dental keyword, based on
experience and research:

MonthFocusWhat to expect
0 to 1Launch or optimise content, submit sitemapGoogle begins crawling and indexing your page
1 to 3Build foundational authorityRankings begin to fluctuate, early signs of progress
3 to 6Strengthen on-page SEO, refine backlinksRankings stabilise and visibility increases
6 plusConsolidate the top five positionsFocus on content freshness and maintaining authority

Key factors that influence ranking speed

  • Competition, the more businesses targeting the same term, the harder and slower the climb.
  • Domain authority, established websites usually rank faster.
  • Content quality, comprehensive, well-optimised content wins.
  • Backlinks, high-quality backlinks, remain a major ranking signal.
  • Technical SEO, page speed, mobile friendliness and site structure matter.
  • User experience, Google values engagement metrics such as click-through rate and dwell time.
  • Algorithm updates, regular updates can shift rankings, so stay current.

The bottom line

SEO is both a science and an art. For local dental key-phrases like “Dentures in Wimpole Street” or “Teeth Whitening Watford”, expect around three to six months for meaningful progress, and allow your top rankings to stabilise for at least three months before reshuffling your keywords.

Ultimately, SEO success comes from a balance of consistency, patience, and strategic adaptation. Changing keywords too often can reset your progress, but leaving them untouched indefinitely can cause missed opportunities. The key is knowing when to hold steady and when to pivot.

Dale King
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