Google Updates and SERP Changes - June 2012

[garyr_h]

< continued from [webmasterworld.com...] >

Traffic from G is down by 30% over this month. 20% from Knowledge Graph day and 10% from Panda.

I changed the site from being static width to fluid width (CSS changes only). I did that around Mid-May. Also moved the members section to a subdomain last week.

Other than that, I've just been adding content to pages which needed it.

Is it even possible that the fluid width change (was originally 990 width) would cause a Panda smack?

My main terms are still the same (although, none are #1 since they lost that ranking in January). It's the terms which usually get 1 or 2 hits which completely disappeared. That made up a big chunk of traffic.

[edited by: tedster at 1:48 pm (utc) on Jun 1, 2012]

[mslina2002]

It seems like it was more than just the Panda update, like there was some sort of a link update too.

I was expecting a Penguin refresh since they seem to be happening about once a month and about due about now, didn't expected a Panda update so soon.

One of my site has seen increase in conversion today so I knew something was up. Site has been untouched for at least 6 months and all of the sudden today conversions are way up.

[viral]

My conversions have been much better the last few days. Traffic the same as always!

[Sand]

This afternoon.

Same here. I don't know what 'normal' looks like anymore because I straight up deleted about half the content on my pandalized site, but I've been seeing gains in the 20% range since this afternoon at about 2:00 PM EST (give or take a couple hours -- it's hard to tell given regular traffic fluctuations).

Let's hope it sticks...

[SnowMan68]

I was expecting a Penguin refresh since they seem to be happening about once a month and about due about now

If penguins short history holds true it should be here tomorrow. Hold on tight!

[petehall]

This is a good update! Still some host crowding, but a step in the right direction. Well done G - UK SERPS are looking much better.

[Martin Ice Web]

@petehall, I canīt confirm that. Located in germany, it is getting much worse.

[petehall]

@Martin yesterday was probably the worst SERPs I've ever seen - the update is rolling out to you right now. Have faith... host crowding remains, however.

[Martin Ice Web]

@pete,

I cross my fingers, cause itīs getting worse since thursday. But from the last updates ( or whatevery you want to call it ) , I know that it getīs much more wose before it is getting better.

[Martin Ice Web]

@pete,

I cross my fingers, cause itīs getting worse since thursday. But from the last updates ( or whatevery you want to call it ) , I know that it getīs much more wose before it is getting better.

[Ove]

In Sweden we have tons of results from the same domain, the serp now maybe is the worst i have ever seen from Google.

/Ove

[ibeau]

My Aussie site is starting to get more and more overseas hits since the refresh started. I'll wait to see what tomorrow brings

[SnowMan68]

@petehall

Did you see an increase with short tail or long tail serps?

[tedster]

Still some host crowding

Let's not get the vocabulary tangled. In the Host Crowding vs Brand Authority [webmasterworld.com], Brett gave a basic definition:

Over the last year, Google has switched from the "host crowding" method of displaying multiple results to the same site, to a system of displaying all those results on SERPs.

eg: Host Crowding was the old method of:

Site Result
--- indented 2nd site result

The new system displays all the results inline. In many cases, up to ten results can be for the same site.

The old "host crowding" system is gone - but we don't have a short name for the new way Google has started to display multiple URLs in one search result."Brand dominance" or something like that?

[edited by: tedster at 11:46 am (utc) on Jun 26, 2012]

[jkdt0077]

Host crowding is the worst I've ever seen it today - in the UK. 20+ pages in the top 30 for the same sites.. surely that can't be here to stay?

[viral]

Host crowding is the worst I've ever seen it today - in the UK. 20+ pages in the top 30 for the same sites.. surely that can't be here to stay?

Lol Tedster just said "Host Crowding" is the old way. The new way hasn't got a name yet.

[petehall]

Lol Tedster just said "Host Crowding" is the old way. The new way hasn't got a name yet.

To me a crowd of results from the same host would make sense to be described as a host crowd. Host grouping (?lol) would be the fix for this, in my mind anyway.

I would like to think that anyone reading would have understood what I meant, and if not, I apologise for 'reversing' the terminology in the context used.

[gouri]

Are page title and title tag the same thing?

I see both terms used, and I think that they are the same but I would appreciate if you guys can clarify.

[jkdt0077]

Lol Tedster just said "Host Crowding" is the old way. The new way hasn't got a name yet.

He posted at the same time :-/ anyway, you knew what I meant

[jkdt0077]

To me a crowd of results from the same host would make sense to be described as a host crowd. Host grouping (?lol) would be the fix for this, in my mind anyway.

Would it be wrong to call it "host spamming" ?

[SnowMan68]

That was pretty funny though :)

Pete you catch my comment?

[petehall]

I like host spamming =)

Host crowding for a non crowd of results from the same host (grouped) and host spamming for a crowd of results from the same host. I can live with this, I think.

@SnowMan68 sorry I missed your comment. I was hit hard on March the 23rd and I think I *might* have my 30% back. I see an increase in both long tails and two word searches. I'll know more after I have today's stats.

[tedster]

Google called the old way (indented results) "host crowding" for years. If we get the definition switched around here, then Google's older videos and blog posts will be impossible to comprehend!

The new way (with more than two results from the same domain) started out as something like "brand jamming". Now it's backing off a bit - and I expect to see more of that. The SERPs were looking really stupid for some queries.

We may not need a new phrase if the whole experiment calms down, as I expect it will. Otherwise I sort of like "brand jamming".

[petehall]

Otherwise I sort of like "brand jamming".

I can roll with this... note to self "brand jamming" is still rife on G, not host crowding.

I agree I do think there is a bit less of this, however it is still quite bad on certain searches.

I'm suspicious of it personally and am closely monitoring sites (not mine) which invite this phenomenon to take place. To me there seems to be little separation between pages in terms of content which I know (all too well) will spell future disaster.

[viral]

Would it be wrong to call it "host spamming" ?

I think this is the perfect description actually!

[PaulJa]

No drop in rankings today on one site, but a noticeable drop in traffic.

I love my job.

[zeus]

as said the record is 14 of the same domain in a row, any have more :) I think max 2 in a row is ok not more, else it looks bad.

[PaulJa]

search '[Brandname] Server' - 19 in a row, and 90 of the first 100 SERPs

[edited by: tedster at 3:14 pm (utc) on Jun 27, 2012]
[edit reason] no specific search terms, please [/edit]

[Thaparian]

Searched for a 4 word phrase (no "brand" keyword), 11 results from one domain. (Page 2 + Page 3)

Are other sites that bad to rank?

[PaulJa]

Depends, I think. There are 'normal' SERP results out there.

If you search for something generic, there's no gathering of domains anywhere in the first 10 pages. The results look, to me, as I'd expect them to be.

[edited by: tedster at 3:15 pm (utc) on Jun 27, 2012]
[edit reason] no specific search terms, please [/edit]

[SnowMan68]

Not sure why so many people are wasting their time complaining about the 2nd and 3rd page results. Barely anyone goes to the second page, most don't even scroll past #5.