Google Panda - a step towards defining quality and credibility

[Gorgwatcher]

* Ok i tried to post the table but it didn't worked :)

so here is the summary actually.

In these good days of Panda-nization we have heard a lot about "quality". People seems to be taking the word "quality" as a synonym of Panda Update but the big question still unanswered was, WHAT THE (hell) is QUALITY?

Bill Slawski posted a very good post on "QUALITY" today at his wonderful blog and its worth to read to get the idea of what is a credible and quality website?

Post: [seobythesea.com...]
QUALITY/CREDIBILITY FACTORS: [consumerwebwatch.org...]

10 GUIDELINES TO MAKE A CREDIBLE WEBSITE: [credibility.stanford.edu...]

[crobb305]

Great summary. Thank you for sharing. Those are great sources. I am going to start looking over Bill's latest summary. And may have some ideas to talk about in the morning.

Good stuff :)
Chris

[Shatner]

Not really anything new there and while some of the Panda penalties handed out do fit these guidelines, many don't.

So I'm not sure that really encapsulates how Panda defines quality.

[whatson]

Is Panda a penalty or algo factor like Pagerank, Trustrank, and now Quality [Panda] Rank?

[Shaddows]

It's an algo factor. Thinking of it like a penalty precludes any possibility of understanding it.

[viggen]

i happen to get a gps yesterday as a present, a Garmin 1350t, typing that into google was not a good idea, first three results were from the same website (shopping comparison site) first three result from same url always crap, next result was a site from Romania, no idea what that site is about, than i get a review site from germany,

ok so that much for quality signals, typing "review garmin t1350" i get first FOUR results from the same website, i gave up... holy moly, does google actually know what they are doing?

this was a phrase i never searched before so i was approaching it with curiousity and the innocence of a typical websurfer that wants info, shocking...

whatever Google tried to achieve with Panda it has failed for day to day things i surf for...

[aristotle]

I just did a Google search for gps and the first ten results were:

1. Global Positioning System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based global navigation satellite system (GNSS) that provides reliable location and time information in all ..."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Positioning_System

2. Garmin | What is GPS?
"The global positioning system is a satellite-based navigation system consisting of a network of 24 orbiting satellites, eleven thousand nautical miles in ..."
www.garmin.com/aboutGPS/

3. Garmin | Follow the leader
"Delivering innovative GPS technology across diverse markets, including ..."
www.garmin.com/

4. Welcome to GPS.gov
"11 Apr 2011 ... Public information about the U.S. Global Positioning System (GPS)"
www.gps.gov/

5. GPS.gov: GPS Overview
"15 Mar 2011 ... The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S.-owned utility ..."
www.gps.gov/systems/gps/

6. GPS: GPS Navigation Systems - Best Buy
"From portable and in-dash navigation systems to marine, handheld and fitness GPS navigation options, at BestBuy.com you can compare GPS systems side-by-side ..."
www.bestbuy.com/site/Car-Audio-GPS/GPS-Navigation/abcat0301000.c?id=abcat0301000

7. Magellan GPS - Car, Handheld, and Mobile Navigation & Accessories
"Manufacturer of GPS navigation systems. Product pictures, descriptions, specifications and FAQ. O.E.M. info and area coverage maps."
www.magellangps.com/

8. HowStuffWorks "How GPS Receivers Work"
"GPS can pinpoint your location anywhere on Earth. Find out how GPS works, learn about the amazing technology behind GPS and read reviews of GPS devices."
electronics.howstuffworks.com/gadgets/travel/gps.htm

9. Amazon.com: GPS & Navigation: Vehicle GPS, Handheld GPS, Marine ...
"Top brands at low prices in GPS--Garmin, TomTom, Magellan, Mio, and more."
www.amazon.com/GPS-Navigation/b?ie=UTF8&node=172526

10. TomTom, portable GPS car navigation systems
"GPS solutions for your Car, Motorcycle, PDA and mobile phone - The smart choice in personal navigation."
www.tomtom.com/

[Shaddows]

I did a similar search on "Garmin 1350t"

2 results from MFR site
>Goog Shop results
Gadget site review
Industry news site review
Shop
Industry Review
>Vidoes
4 Reviews

Which is fine to me.

[danijelzi]

querry: msi x370-001us
(it's a laptop released a week ago, query done with &gl=US)
On the first result page I have 8 scrapper/spam sites and 2 retailers.

[aristotle]

querry: msi x370-001us
(it's a laptop released a week ago, query done with &gl=US)
On the first result page I have 8 scrapper/spam sites and 2 retailers.

Here are the results I got from Google:

1. Amazon.com: MSI X370-001US 13.4-Inch X-Slim Laptop - Black ...
"MSI X370-001US 13.4-inch Black X-slim laptop, 1.6 GHz AMD E350 APU, Integrated Radeon HD 6310 graphics, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500 GB (7200rpm) HDD ..."
www.amazon.com/MSI-X370-001US-13-4-Inch-X-Slim-Laptop/dp/B004V3PLII

2. Are there any coupon codes for MSI X370-001US 13 4-Inch X-Slim Laptop
"1 answerWhere can I find a coupon code for MSI X370-001US 13 4-Inch X-Slim Laptop."
askville.amazon.com/coupon-codes-MSI-X370-001US-13-4-Inch-X-Slim-Laptop/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=79898789

3. Amazon.com: MSI X370-001US 13.4-Inch X-Slim Laptop - Black ...
"Amazon.com: MSI X370-001US 13.4-Inch X-Slim Laptop - Black: Computer ..."
www.amazon.com/MSI-X370-001US-13-4-Inch-X-Slim-Laptop/dp/tech-data/B004V3PLII

4. !#@ Big Save On MSI X370-001US 13.4-INCH X-SLIM LAPTOP - BLACK
"Best Price on MSI X370-001US 13.4-INCH X-SLIM LAPTOP - BLACK FREE & FAST Shipping Orders Now !"
x370-001us.com/

5. MSI X370-001US slim and stylish laptop review, features, specs and ...
"18 Apr 2011 ... MSI X370-001US slim and stylish laptop is packs with AMD Radeon HD 6310 Discrete-Class graphics, a 4GB DDR3 RAM, up to 500GB Hard Drive, ..."
newlaptopinfo.com/laptop-msi-x370-001us-slim-stylish-laptop

6. Newegg.com - MSI X370-001US Notebook AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350 ...
"Buy MSI X370-001US Notebook AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350(1.6GHz) 13.4" 4GB Memory 500GB HDD 7200rpm AMD Radeon HD 6310 with fast shipping and top-rated ..."
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16834152259

7. MSI X370-001US Fusion Laptop Powered by AMD Dual core | Review ...
"15 Apr 2011 ... MSI X370-001US comes standard with an 8-cell lithium-polymer battery, which provides exceptionally long-lasting power, rated up to 8 hours ..."
tips4tech.net/2011/04/msi-x370-001us-fusion-laptop-powered-by-amd-dual-core-review-specs-features-and-price/

8. MSI X370-001US Fusion Laptop | Tips for Technology
"15 Apr 2011 ... MSI X370-001US Fusion Laptop Powered by AMD Dual core MSI ..."
tips4tech.net/tag/msi-x370-001us-fusion-laptop/

9. MSI X370-001US Fusion Laptop Speciifcation | Tips for Technology
"15 Apr 2011 ... MSI X370-001US Fusion Laptop Powered by AMD Dual core MSI ..."
tips4tech.net/tag/msi-x370-001us-fusion-laptop-speciifcation/

10. ขน!# MSI X370-001US Buy Best Lowest Price & Shopping Online.
"17 Apr 2011 ... Great Price On MSI X370-001US Review and Compare Best Price You Will Get Great Selection for MSI X370-001US and Free Fast Shipping Order Now ..."
www.bestlaptopslowestpricessaletoday.com/MSI-X370-001US
/newegg-fusion-e-350

[darkyl]

If there's a sector Google should really take care of, that's reviews.
Serps are flooded with aggregators of all sorts and it's really hard to find a real, human review.

Anyway this very post now shows at #5 for the search "review garmin t1350"!

[viggen]

@darkyl

yeah wow, first four results are from the same url and than already webmasterworld which i posted like a few hours ago, so what does that tell us - trusted urls are all en vouge again...

[Shaddows]

No offense people, but results are substantially better when you use the correct product code:
"garmin 1350t"

NOT
"garmin t1350"

[viggen]

i get the same results....

[darkyl]

yeah wow, first four results are from the same url and than already webmasterworld which i posted like a few hours ago, so what does that tell us - trusted urls are all en vouge again...

It also tell us that google failed to understand that this thread doesn't contain a review (or any info) on that product and that is not useful to a user that searched for it.

[Shaddows]

THAT PRODUCT DOES NOT EXIST- and this thread is the most authorative place talking about that nonsense string. Also, it is using the language of reviews, as we are actually reviewing something- pointless results for a non-existant search term.

[LifeinAsia]

I searched "Garmin 1350t"
Results 1,2: garmin.com
Results 3,4: Amazon
5: reviews.cnet.com
6: PC World
7: Newegg
8: Target
9: Gizmodo
10: buy.com

A good mixture of the actual manufacturer, industry/user reviews, and places to buy it.

[crobb305]

One point that Bill Slawski makes is:

Assessing the credibility of content and people on the web and social media: Modeling author identity, trust, and reputation

This is something I mentioned a few weeks ago on a different thread. I suspect that author names could be profiled to determine their credibility (i.e., are they posting articles on a commercial site then posting in hubs, or vice versa?)

Some of my writers have historically published content on other places, including some of the hubs like Buzzle or Ezinearticles. I think by having their name on my site could be lowering the credibility. I might be better off without even having the author's name. I have always selected writers who do good research, but you know how freelance writers work...they write for many people and write everywhere. It's perfectly reasonable, but unfortunately it could be guilt by association.

[viggen]

THAT PRODUCT DOES NOT EXIST

I have it in my hands,


thats what i get served looking for it
[img823.imageshack.us...]

[Shaddows]

Yes, but you're still using the wrong frigging code. Its a
"garmin 1350t"
NOT
"garmin t1350"

The position of the T is crucial.

I get similar to LIA (see earlier post for my non-branded list), and agree with the conclusion

A good mixture of the actual manufacturer, industry/user reviews, and places to buy it.

[viggen]

..as i said i have the package in my hand and it says T1350 thats why i searched for it, in anycase dont want to derail this thread even further and leave it with that...

[engine]

I have spend the last few days running test searches for products, for services, and for information.

I can confirm that I struggled to find the information. Without doubt, if you know what you're looking for, Google finds it, but if you don't know what the exact search phrase is, or the exact product code, you have to search again. Even searching for unusual products and services I ended up having to keep searching.

It's clear to me that with the Panda update, it's not working efficiently as a search tool.

Oh, and the UK serps are a mess of international stuff. It's pretty much useless for me.

I know, that sounds harsh, but it's the result of searching for genuine product and services.

One thing i've yet to analyse is whether the state of the organic serps is driving more adwords clicks.

Oh, and in fairness, I did the same searches on bing and I found the information with fewer searches. :0

[aristotle]

as i said i have the package in my hand and it says T1350 thats why i searched for it, in anycase dont want to derail this thread even further and leave it with that...

I just searched the Garmin website for T1350, and it said "No results found. Please adjust your search term and try again."

[LifeinAsia]

as i said i have the package in my hand and it says T1350

One major issue- Viggen's profile says he's in Villach (Austria). So,
1) Google SERPs for that side of the world may be quite different from what people elsewhere are seeing.
2) Perhaps the product name in Europe is different from in the States (T1350 vs 1350T). Or, perhaps it's a fake GPS and the counterfeiter couldn't even bother to get the model name correct? :)

Actually, for fun, I checked out Garmin's site for Austria and the models DO have the T after the number [garmin.at], not before.

[aristotle]

Some people write reviews about products thay've never even used, and then complain on forums because Google didn't put their review at the top of the SERPs..

[outland88]

Some people write reviews about products thay've never even used

That's pretty much an industry now. Better sites separate the actual buyers. Basically another area of crapola content Google instigated for trashing the web.

[walkman]

Some people write reviews about products thay've never even used, and then complain on forums because Google didn't put their review at the top of the SERPs..

That's to avoid a dupe penalty :). Say you have a soccer blog and in yesterday's match Ronaldo scored on the 44th minute. If you write that you are guilty of dupes since others will write that too, so you say Kaka scored and on the 43rd minute.

Same with reviews: if you say that a tablet has a 10 inch screen the Google gods will give you a duplicate penalty so you change it.

/half joking. JohnMu from Google actually chastised someone on Google forums for having a sports blog based on the games he saw on TV. Didn't seem unique to him.

[tedster]

JohnMu from Google actually chastised someone on Google forums for having a sports blog based on the games he saw on TV. Didn't seem unique to him.

Do you have a link for that?

[walkman]

Tester, I'm searching 15 minutes for it. I might have to resorts to Bing for it :). Apparently even Matt Cutts was #3 for his own story.
[google.com...]
[i.imgur.com...]
------
Found it, using the forum's internal search. Google.com failed me totally.

"Best answer - ѕquibble (Top Contributor) Go to this answer
Hi vkr.bibin and welcome to the forum!

I think Squibble's point is worth looking at -- your site is titles "All about FC Barcelona" and you mention that your content is based on what you see in TV. While I can't judge the quality of your content, I would - personally - probably expect a bit more than just TV-based content. That said, perhaps that doesn't apply to the rest of your site, but anyway, I would definitely look into making sure that your content is of high-quality, unique and compelling.

Finally, this is just my personal opinion, looking through your site and the page that you mentioned above, I noticed that even with a large monitor, I am only seeing ads and banners when viewing your pages. Have you considered how users might react when they are confronted with "just ads" (with the content buried a click or two away)? That may not have a direct impact on your site's standing in search engines, but if users were to be confused by the ads, that will almost certainly have an indirect impact -- with new users not digging down to see your content, and accordingly not recommending it to their friends.

Cheers
John"

[google.com...]

[tedster]

Thanks for that link. Interesting that the blogger who lost rankings wrote "News aggregator sites which picks my content gets listed with my content." JohnMu didn't respond to that part of it.

It's interesting that the site-wide factor for Panda can hit the content's original author as poor quality content, but that same content when aggregated on another site doesn't cause the aggregator a problem. Probably because the aggregator has such a variety of content on their site.