Google’s Panda Update

What is Panda (Content-Farm)

• Aims of Panda or Content-Farm Algo Update are noble: to remove poor quality sites from the top of Google’s results pages.
  
• According to Matt Cutts "This update is designed to reduce rankings for low quality sites—sites which are low-value add for users, copy content from other websites or sites that are just not very useful. At the same time, it will provide better rankings for high quality sites—sites with original content and information such as research, in-depth reports, thoughtful analysis and so on.

Difference b/w Penalty & Algo Change

• It's important to define the difference between an algo change and a penalty.
  
• A penalty must be served if it has a time limit and lifted if it is to be removed.
  
• An algo change exists and its results will continue until it is changed, your site changes (or your site gets whitelisted).
  
• Panda is an algo change but no ordinary one. It's an algo change that works like a penalty because if your site crosses the Panda Line then the whole site is affected, quality pages too.
   
• Panda is penalty by algo.
  

Factors make a site vulnerable to Panda?

• A high % of duplicate content. This might apply to a page, a site or both. If it’s a site measure then that might contribute to each page’s evaluation.
• A low amount of original content on a page or site.
• A high % (or number) of pages with a low amount of original content.
• A high amount of inappropriate (they don’t match the search queries a page does well for) adverts, especially high on the page.
• Unnatural language on a page including heavy-handed on-page SEO (‘over-optimization’ to use a common oxymoron). Eg unnatural overuse of a word on a page.
• High bounce rate on page or site.
• Low visit times on page or site.
• Low % of users returning to a site.
• Low clickthrough % from Google’s results pages (for page or site).
• High % of boilerplate content (the same on every page).
• Low or no quality inbound links to a page or site (by count or %).
• Page content (and page title tag) not matching the search queries a page does well for.
• Low or no mentions or links to a page or site in social media and from other sites.

Note:- Google have said that “low quality content on part of a site can impact a site’s ranking as a whole.”

Google Panda Update now hit the UK

You can download the loser list here.

UK Winners after Panda Update

Download the Top100 winners here.

Posted in: Panda Updates