What Is Google Panda and Can Websites Gain Ranking?

What Has Google Panda Done To Websites?

Back in February of 2011, Google updated it’s algorithm intended to better their search returns. Dubbed Google Panda, their goal was to reduce the number of content suppliers (such as ezine articles) and websites considered to be low quality (“thin” websites having little original content).

Affiliate websites took the brunt of the hit after this change, though there were a number of informational websites that were adversely affected, as well. This included .edu sites filled with sometimes obscure information, but nonetheless unique in it’s content. Some websites lost as much as 50% revenue and visitors due to the massive decline in their SERP rating. Some moving from the 1st page of Google returns to the 7th, or even deeper.

What have we discovered in the months following Google Panda?

Matt Cutts & Vanessa Fox have given some information but it seems Google is looking for popularity. Bigger websites of major retailers seemed to survive the change unscathed, for the most part.

However, there are oddities that don’t mesh with the new Google algo.

Some content farms weren’t affected at all. eHow, nothing but a content farm in which people post short articles on how to do things, never lost a beat.

A number of shopping sites were hit badly, yet Bizrate, low quality content shopping site lost no ranking.

How can you remain on top of Google Search Returns (or maybe not)?

Review your websites – again. You can begin implementing changes now to keep ahead of a possible upcoming algorithm Google is considering.

What changes can you make?

Google says they want low quality content removed from websites, but other than copy and pasting existing articles, what does Google consider “low quality”? Nobody is exactly sure. I’ve start making some changes to sites which includes (but not limited to):

Adding noindex to thin pages (think tag pages, empty review pages etc)
Fixing canonical or duplicate issues (www/non-www)
Fixing up all reported issues in Webmaster Tools
Re-evaluate any content sources that you’re using that others might also be using (think uniqueness)
If you believe you’ve been targeted wrongly I’d file a reconsideration request
Improve the content to ad ratio on your pages
Reduce usage of boilerplate text across multiple pages
Ensure that the main content of your pages are greater than the sum of the header & footer.

Perhaps these changes may be enough to get your ranking back. In any event, it can’t hurt.

This post was submitted by Mike Reese.