Nowadays, seeking an information is just a click away, having said that, it is supported by a very detailed set of algorithms and process happening at the backend to deliver and a swift experience to the user. Google ranking the top most portal used worldwide, its creators have always worked extensively to keep improving its systems and deliver most relevant information. In accordance to same, there have been apparent changes into Google’s system that may or may not affect the user or the third party platforms which outsource its content to the users via Google. Google’s panda update is amongst on of the tremendous discoveries with the aim to illumine and overhaul the challenges faced by users and improving SEO Tactics.
In 2011 it was highlighted, the fall in quality of Google’s Search result owing to the inflation in content hub business model; which started producing content in low quality and insensitive content in higher quantity. Thus, this started to hamper user experience and increase in webcams.
To reinstate a healthy user journey, a lot of manual feedback collection and machine algorithm tests were done to finally produce this “Panda” update, named after the engineer who designed its model. The team collected humanitarian feedback for the content to which they were exposed to and post analysing, designed an algorithm that can prevent disturbance caused to an online consumer. In the beginning it was used as an extension, a part of the main system to test and verify the effectiveness.
HOW DOES IT WORK ??
It was designed to rank the websites/ content basis its relativeness to a particular query. It negated lower quality content and promoted the sites with original content and information that could help the user.
Criteria for the Low ranking content:
Non-relevant/ repetitive / Less informative/ Copy & pasted
Criteria for the High ranking content:
Unique/ Relatable/ original/ well researched/ non- repetition
Understanding the logic and basic criteria was imperatively critical for the content creators of that time, especially those who have been earning handsomely by involving in the practise of low quality content, with resulting losses costing in millions of dollars.
With a change like such, divisive arguments contemplating the merits and demerits were observed. Many believed on the miconcpetions circulated in the outside world, who were unaware of the detailed logic behind the set up.
MYTHS:
Duplicity: Removes duplicate content.
2. Blocks all the pages.
3. Word Count was key criteria to be met.
FACTS:
1. Panda update was aimed to get rid of irrelevant content.
2. The update started to black site the pages, never targeted all the pages. If a website have higher number of irrelevant pages than such situation may happen.
3. It was never the key criteria. If basic word limit was met that suffices the legitimacy.
NORMALISING THE UPDATE INTO PRACTISE:
After facing multiple challenges and penalties taken by the sites and content creators, people have starting focusing on the key criteria and are amending content.
At the same time, Google have undergone numerous alterations, and after the tedious jobs over the couple of years finally in the year 2016 Google had incorporated this update into Google algorithms and evidently rolled out in different geographies of the World.
As a key takeaway, in the 21st Century with high paced digitalised environment, one should certainly keep the core concept in mind, avoid the spam tactic and priorities are to be set with regards to content. Thereby, improving the quality, ranking and SEO listing of your website.