Released in February 2011, Google’s Panda defines a ranking algorithm that aims to promote high-quality websites by placing them near the top of Google’s search results. Implicitly, this algorithm lowers the rank of low-quality websites, also referred to as “thin” sites. Similar to Google’s Panda, Penguin – another ranking algorithm – aims to eliminate spam websites that have gained high positions on the first page of Google by buying or obtaining links through “black hat” search engine optimization (SEO) techniques. Both Panda and Penguin work hand-in-hand to eliminate low-quality and scam websites from Google.
Understanding the Latest Google’s Panda Update
The latest Panda update delivers the proof that Google has put a lot of effort into raising the standards of website content. To understand the role of this update, you should know that it:
- stresses the importance of high-quality content in ranking, followed by social networking and SEO;
- lowers the rank of offensive websites, allowing Internet users to access more relevant and accurate content;
- encourages website developers to search for high-quality links and avoid spam websites;
- convinces SEO service providers to use appropriate techniques that will place their websites on high positions in Google search.
Unfortunately, this new update, also referred to as Panda #25, has negatively affected numerous high-quality websites. However, a great aspect is that most of these sites can easily recover once they start looking closer to the content they provide. While the webmasters taking care of these websites already practice “white hat” SEO, some of them fail to provide user-friendly, good-quality content. Thus, it seems that the latest Panda update goes beyond encouraging website developers to apply specific SEO techniques, focusing on the importance of superior-quality content.
Matt Cutts, the leader of Google’s Webspam team, confirms that future Panda updates are going to be more integrated into Google’s indexing process, thus less noticeable. This means that more and more webmasters will have a hard time to understand why their websites are unable to get on the first page of Google. Consequently, complying with Google’s rules is something that webmasters must do if they want to become successful.
How Will Panda Update Affect Your SEO?
Google has used the latest Panda update to warn webmasters that publishing content just to get traffic is not a good idea. The webmasters providing different search engine optimization services should bear in mind that people want high-quality, useful, real content – and Google is determined to help these people get what they’re looking for. In conclusion, make sure that the content you publish is unique and helpful to your readers, and you’ll enjoy significant benefits that revolve around getting one of the top positions in Google search.
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