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Beware of the Panda! | Google Panda Algorithm Changes

Change happens! And there has certainly been some very big changes with Google Panda Algorithm. Many webmasters lost their income overnight as their top ranking websites dropped to the bottom like a cold brick. Subsequently, other webmasters suddenly experienced much better rankings than before. So what is this all about? Why is this happening? And what is “Panda”?

Panda is Google’s corrective measure for search result ranking algorithm in response to mass exploitation and manipulation by many webmasters who have been dominating search results with “low-value sites” by finding loop-holes and manipulating the system. This, of course, was pushing down the “high-quality sites”  as it was quite easy to “game” the system. With Panda, not so easy now.

I’m sure anyone can recall the frustration of searching for something on the net and finding nothing but garbage sites filled with advertisements. And it’s been even more frustrating for webmasters who labor to create high-quality sites- only to be outranked by low to no-value sites. Well change is certainly happening and the tables are turning in favor of high-quality sites as low-value sites are being de-indexed.

Panda Algorithm Overview Panda was first released in February 2011 and went global in March of that year, but was not quite effective until the recent updates which have just hit the U.S. and very soon will be impacting the rest of the globe. Essentially, Panda is a form of artificial intelligence that has evolved to “think” more closer to a human level as it can also “learn” in a more sophisticated and scalable way than ever before.

The purpose of Google’s  Panda is to promote a healthy web-ecosystem to deliver quality search results to make it easier for people to find what they’re looking for. Panda is achieving this by devaluing garbage sites and rewarding quality sites. The basic principles that govern Panda algorithm are as follows:

  • Quality Content- Originality, length, authority, quality and relevance
  • Site Metrics- User experience, time on site, bounce rate, load time, etc.
  • Back-link Evaluation- Link profile, quality and relevance
  • Social Signals- Comments, social media response, reviews and citations
  • Authority & Verification- Establishes and protects authorship

What Will Not Work Anymore

  • Low to no-value ad sites
  • Duplicate content
  • Low % spun content
  • Auto-blogging
  • Fabricated back-links
  • High pitch-to-content ratio
  • Copy & paste i.e. Amazon customer reviews

What Will Work with Panda Algorithm

  • Content Marketing
  • Authority Sales
  • Adsense
  • Effective Social Media Strategy
  • Effective Mobile Strategy
  • Local Research / Offline Marketing
  • “Personalized Search” SEO individual preference
  • Lead Generation/ List Building
  • Video marketing
  • Mobile / Multi-modal
  • Services

Questions Webmasters Need To Ask About Their Own Content

  • Would you trust the information? Was it written by an expert?
  • What is the value compared to the SERP results?
  • Is it original content, adequately researched with accurate analysis and reporting?
  • Are there spelling, stylistic or factual errors? Well edited or sloppily & hastily produced?
  • Does it deliver real value and good experience or does it have selfish motives?

As a webmaster, all I can say is I am so glad I never fell for black-hat techniques such as ‘fabricated back-links’ and ‘fake reviews’ because now it will really pay-off for keeping things on the up-&-up.  I did have to put some work into adequately spinning some of my own duplicate content, but I definitely do not need to start from scratch like so many other webmasters are having to do.

Well I hope this info about Panda algorithm has been helpful- I know it sure has been for me. Much of the information in this article I gleaned from a webinar hosted by Adam Franklin and delivered by Mike Ullman and I must say it was one of the best webinars I ever watched- Thanks guys!

Related Articles: Do You Have What It Takes To Win The SEO Game? Some Internet Marketing Tips That Won’t Upset The Panda 7 Steps To Building An Online Presence

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Written by Scott Yonker