Google PANDA rolls out WorldWide

[incrediBILL]

Today, for the first time, after checking daily, I can now see US Panda results on Google properties worldwide including but not limited to: .co.uk, .ca, .co.in, .com.au, .fr, .de, .se, etc.

Congratulations, it's no longer speculation if you have Panda, it's quite visibly there.

[crobb305]

@crobb305, you mean you see better results for your international traffic then before

No, when searching the English version on google.fr or google.se or google.es, I see my rankings almost as they were here in the U.S. before Panda hit (not quite, but almost). So here in the U.S., my site is still Pandalized, but international, it SEEMS as though the algorithm has incorporated my changes over the past 6 weeks and placed my site back where it was. If true, it would offer a glimmer of hope that upon re-ranking here in the States, I will see the site recover to where it is shown currently on international Panda. Make sense?

Example:

Main 3-word phrase Pre-Panda U.S.: #1 ...Post-Panda US: #33 ...Panda-International (6 weeks after Panda U.S., and after my site cleanups): #5

Main 2-word phrase Pre-Panda U.S.: #10 ...Post-Panda US: #560 ...Panda-International (6 weeks after Panda U.S., and after my site cleanups): #38

[edited by: crobb305 at 7:19 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[vandread]

I'd say this is interesting "In some high-confidence situations, we are beginning to incorporate data about the sites that users block into our algorithms". Should be easier than ever for BH-guys to throw you out of the SERPS.

[falsepositive]

Was hit by Panda the first time and was gaining ground. Got hit again this time but not as stunning as the first time. I think the results are so bad now that I doubt they will stick. I remember that the first Panda hit (first day), the 1st 2 days were a jumbled mess but it improved over time. So this could just be a huge shuffle but then things stabilize.

[stricknine]

Google says they only rolled out panda on ENGLISH language international versions, so google.fr, se, es haven't changed yet.

[dazzlindonna]

After reading Google's official proclamation, I have zero hope that there's any chance of recovery. Site=toast. Done. Burnt. Crisp.

[Mikey85]

English only... Wondering what this update will do for Dutch language, what do you guys thinks?

[conroy]

After reading Google's official proclamation, I have zero hope that there's any chance of recovery. Site=toast. Done. Burnt. Crisp.

I pretty much agree. There's nothing left for a reconsideration to do - they look at it, see it's been hit by the "quality algo" and say sorry. At least you use to be able to get out of penalties. Penalties are now algorithmic and not reversible.

[crobb305]

After reading Google's official proclamation, I have zero hope that there's any chance of recovery. Site=toast. Done. Burnt. Crisp.

Their proclamation says "As sites change, our algorithmic rankings will update to reflect that."

While it's true you shouldn't believe everything you read/hear, I do think Google will re-evaluate the sites over time. If a site had too many affiliate links, for example, cutting them in half might cause a recovery in a few months. Don't throw your domain away. Give it time. I have personally witnessed 3-month penalties come and go, all the while people were telling me to get a new domain.

[deadsea]

Official Google webmaster central blog: High-quality sites algorithm goes global, incorporates user feedback
[googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com...]

[crobb305]

High-quality sites algorithm goes global, incorporates user feedback

It will be interesting to hear if any of the webmasters who posted feedback on the Google Webmaster Central Panda forum see a recovery. Also, if Panda international reflects this feedback, when will it propagate back into the U.S.?

[c41lum]

hey crobb305, so far G say the update is only to English-language Google users. So you might be seeing non-panda results in Fr and Es. Check .co.uk if you want to see real new panda results.

[incrediBILL]

Google says they only rolled out panda on ENGLISH language international versions, so google.fr, se, es haven't changed yet.

Not true.

Read what they said.

Today we’ve rolled out this improvement globally to all English-language Google users

The English content on google.fr and .se, etc. has updated as I'm seeing identical changes to the same data seen in google.com, therefore if you search for English content worldwide you're going to get Panda results.

I checked and doubled checked and triple checked before I posted today so trust me, it's there.

[edited by: incrediBILL at 7:31 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[MoneyHoney]

"The impact of these new signals is smaller in scope than the original change: about 2% of U.S. queries are affected by a reasonable amount, compared with almost 12% of U.S. queries for the original change."
Only the 2%? And the other 98%? I don't understand..

[vandread]

I think they mean that they have made changes to another 2% of US queries based on Panda feedback and such.

[crobb305]

The English content on google.fr and .se, etc. has updated as I'm seeing identical changes to the same data seen in google.com, therefore if you search for English content worldwide you're going to get Panda results.

Yep, I am seeing Panda also searching in English on all international Google. I also see my site's rankings nearly restored on international.

hey crobb305, so far G say the update is only to English-language Google users. So you might be seeing non-panda results in Fr and Es. Check .co.uk if you want to see real new panda results.

I am searching in English.

[edited by: crobb305 at 7:34 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[Tallon]

I wasn't hit by Panda the first round but I appear to be dinged a bit with this update (reshuffling in the top 10), though overall numbers are so far slightly higher (for both U.S. and U.K.) but things aren't done yet.

Some of my highest, most linked to pages have dropped a spot or two (or three) and so far I see about, ask and sites like that outranking me.

I would say: inbounds count less than before (these pages have been naturally linked to by all types of sites, mainstream media, blogs, reference sites, social media, yada yada, all completely 100% organic). Or it could be older links no longer count for much.

I'm also seeing websites with a strong social presence moving in, and if google thinks blackhats are a problem, wait till the nepotistic mommy bloggers start gunning for keywords (they're getting stronger in this the past year or so). They are VERY GOOD at promoting each other BY THE THOUSANDS and paid links don't seem to ding their sites (running contests and twitter/facebook promos on their sites for big companies and each other).

I'm seeing one site with hundreds, maybe thousands, of super thin pages with outbounds in IFRAMES not affected at all (with the regular site articles bumped up in rankings). It's astonishing. High social media/mommy blogger.

What's different about my site with this update vs. the first one: I removed some pages I thought might be thin.

This is very, very interesting stuff and it aint nowhere near over yet!

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

It's about ads!

Just for fun I wrote 6 articles today, about subjects important to my site subject, and performed a test.

I posted the first 3 and noted their initial search results, 33,38 and 43 was their opening position for their titles which are COMPETITIVE keywords.

I then stripped all ads from the site and posted the next 3 articles. 6, 8 and 11 was their opening position, again for extremely competitive keywords.

Luck? perhaps, but I can repeat it so... ads, and probably ad location, is a factor imo. YOU can try it out too.

It makes sense really, you can't be trying to post junk for ad revenue when you have no ads on site.

[edited by: Sgt_Kickaxe at 7:36 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[cwnet]

Note that Quality, as defined by Google, has nothing, ABSOLUTLY NOTHING to do with the quality of your content.

Meaning it makes no difference if your content was written by an expert or your 5 year old daughter.

Below can be found on [google.com...] and there is not a single word about the 'quality of the actual content'.

Time to bury the misconception that Google is all of a sudden judging the quality of your content.

Quality guidelines - specific guidelines
Avoid hidden text or hidden links.

Don't use cloaking or sneaky redirects.

Don't send automated queries to Google.

Don't load pages with irrelevant keywords.

Don't create multiple pages, subdomains, or domains with substantially duplicate content.

Don't create pages with malicious behavior, such as phishing or installing viruses, trojans, or other badware.

Avoid "doorway" pages created just for search engines, or other "cookie cutter" approaches such as affiliate programs with little or no original content.

If your site participates in an affiliate program, make sure that your site adds value. Provide unique and relevant content that gives users a reason to visit your site first.

[crobb305]

I then stripped all ads from the site and posted the next 3 articles. 6, 8 and 11 was their opening position, again for extremely competitive keywords.

Interesting test Sgt_Kickaxe. Are these ads coming from affiliate networks?

I was forced to remove all my Commission Junction links about a week ago because they rudely revoked my Performer status due to the drop in revenue. I told them to shove it. If they can't stick with me through a Google snaffu, and after a 10 year relationship, then they don't deserve my business. Maybe that will work out in my favor :) I don't think Google liked those affiliate links.

[edited by: crobb305 at 7:42 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[netmeg]

So these changes that people are actually seeing (as opposed to reading about) are they actually occurring today, or did they start a few days back, or...?

[lty83]

@netmeg - appears as of today...

[Sgt_Kickaxe]

An adsense unit in the body (which had a GAN offer on noscript) and a single EPN offer at the bottom crobb305, they weren't dominating in appearance.

[edited by: Sgt_Kickaxe at 7:46 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[incrediBILL]

@netmeg, they weren't there yesterday, at least not when I looked, they were there today, that's all I know.

[ckissi]

@incrediBILL , totally agree, its out even in India, this was my main source, now its down more than 40%

[dataguy]

I visited the 'plex two weeks ago to meet with my AdSense reps. I kept my cool during the meeting, but one of the takeaways that was very clear: Google is doing exactly what they intended to do. This is not a mistake.

With this attitude, I don't see my site recovering. To repeat an old Microsoft quote, this is not a flaw, this is a feature. Congratulations Google, you are the new Microsoft.

And I trusted that Google was most concerned with end-user experience. What a fool I was.

Larry Page says he wants to take Google back to being run like a start-up. Well, congratulations. 95% of start-ups fail, and IMHO Google has just failed, big time.

[edited by: dataguy at 7:50 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]

[Tallon]

More notes:

--Text above fold: doesn't seem to make a difference, I'm watching one blogger with a header taking up 90% of the above fold space, all you can see above fold is the header, post title and advertising. No rankings loss on the keywords I watch, some bumped up.

--Sidebars loaded with crap, lots of "sponsors", "i've been seen on" and "featured on" banners (sometimes more than a dozen)

--Blog link parties at least weekly (both hosting and participating)

--Sponsored contests at least twice a month (looking for inbounds, tweets and facebook likes)

--All the ones I'm watching with the above are heavily involved in social media.

I'm not kidding, I think this algo tweak is gobbling up social media influence like candy. Forget about seo conferences, time to go to mommy blogging conferences (monthly) to network and shake it like a prom queen.

[Content_ed]

Definitely changes in the US to accompany the worldwide roll-out. We're now getting outranked by some Google Answers garbage from 2002 for a phrase that anybody in the industry cite us as the authority, given our regular research and updates.

A few key phrases are definitely higher in the US now, but it looks to be for pages where I sent out tons of DMCA takedowns. On a couple phrases I happened to check in both the US and the UK this morning, the US result has changed to match the UK result in the interim.

[Karma]

Holy ****

Most of my top pages have been whacked to the bottom of page 1 or in most cases, far beyond.

And they've been replaced with complete crap!

Wow.

[Content_ed]

My old subject theory may have been right.

I remember commenting a month or so ago that the only difference I could see between the major magazine sites of got whacked and those that didn't get whacked for a world class publisher were the subjects.

It looks to me like my hobby site that was structurally identical to my serious sites just got slammed, and all of the results in that query area have now gone social (and crappy). I think Google started with a few broad areas that were heavily targetted by MFA sites because they converted well for advertising, and they've now extended Panda to more (or all) sites.

[grimmer]

< moved from another location >

we’ve also incorporated new user feedback signals to help people find better search results.

In Google's April 11th release, google stated they incorporated new user feedback signals to help people find better search results. Does anyone know that those signals are, are those the reviews from review sites?

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 8:07 pm (utc) on Apr 11, 2011]