Why is this? It’s because Google (and the other search engines) updates its index on an irregular basis, updating things like PageRank (though that doesn’t happen nearly as regular as it used to) and the search engine results pages; so the decisions you make now won’t take effect in the search engines until much later. All the links you’re trying to earn, all the content you’re putting up, all that is great for your current readership but it won’t come into play for a little while longer for the search engines.

So, if you’re dabbling in some SEO, just be aware that the effects are like the Fed, they happen a little while after you make them.