Matt Cutts announces Feb 6 update of its "Page Layout Algorithm"

[Robert Charlton]

Matt Cutts tweeted an announcement today regarding a refresh of its "Page Layout Algorithm", also called the "above the fold" algorithm.

https://twitter.com/mattcutts/statuses/432940645200588800 [twitter.com]

SEO folks: we recently launched a
refresh of this algorithm:
[goo.gl...] Visible to outside
world on ~Feb. 6th.

Several members here reported seeing changes on Feb 6 in our Updates and SERP Changes Thread [webmasterworld.com...]

Thanks to Danny Sullivan for the alert [searchengineland.com...]

[Martin Ice Web]

ohno, i would like to see Googles page layout algo has to measure Google own serps sites! It probably would stuck because it couldnīt find any Information but ads.
But like allways they measure in two different ways...

[aristotle]

So some people are faced with a choice between what they think is best for their visitors and what they think is best for their google rankings.

As for the content above the fold, this could depend on the width of the screen, the size of the text, etc. I style my sites to have larger-than-normal text and shorter-than-normal lines (easier to read), and large bold easy-to-click links. This larger than normal text etc reduces the amount of content above the fold, but I think it is best for visitors. None of my sites have been affected by this algorithm, but if they were, then I would have to consider making changes that in my opinion would be for the worse. It's too bad that Google has created an algorithm that could put people into this position.

[deadsea]

Google has said that their search results pages would NOT get dinged by this algorithm. Their justification is that most searches don't result in pages with prominent ads. There are just so many long tail searches that only show ads on the right.

If all of their search pages were like the popular ones with three ads before the content, then I don't think Google would stand a chance of having their results pass this algorithm.

This is the main reason that I am experimenting with removing ads from my infrequently used pages. Right now, only about 20% of my pages have any ads on them at all.

[EditorialGuy]

i would like to see Googles page layout algo has to measure Google own serps sites! It probably would stuck because it couldnīt find any Information but ads.

Google's SERPs aren't landing pages from other Google SERPs, so why would you expect them to be subject to the Page Layout Algorithm?

[aristotle]

Google's SERPs aren't landing pages from other Google SERPs

when you do a google search, normally the next thing you see is a Google search results page.

[ohno]

SERP-Search Engine Result Page. If I do a search from google.co.uk the results are a landing page as far as Google is concerned. They are full of ads but that is OK. Google's users have told them they don't care about ads on that page, its when they click on one of the blue links & go FROM Google they don't like ads. I find it odd that users aren't bothered about ads above the fold, to the right & below when searching for results yet get upset when one of those links may have an ad or two. For the record I HATE ads full stop. I tend to fast forward them when I watch TV and & don't even tend to notice them on the Internet any more as I'm so used to scrolling past them. The only time I do get pissed off is when the SERP's are loaded with them (as they are) or Gmail is loaded with them (as it is) or when I watch a Youtube video but can't because of the ads! See a pattern here? Every Google owned entity is saturated with ads.

Hmmm, OK.

[EditorialGuy]

when you do a google search, normally the next thing you see is a Google search results page.

The SERP is what you see after you do the search. And in my experience, Google doesn't include other Google SERPs in its organic results.

In any case, complaining that Google's SERPs aren't subject to the Page Layout Algorithm isn't going to improve your rankings. It would be far more productive to keep your pages from getting caught by the Page Layout Algorithm. Don't be your own worst enemy.

[CaptainSalad2]

For the record I HATE ads full stop. I tend to fast forward them when I watch TV and & don't even tend to notice them on the Internet any more as I'm so used to scrolling past them.

I agree, but popup ads that are "all up in your face about it", the ones you have to click off... (example "search engine land") are by far the most annoying, much worse than static/PPC ads I can mentally screen out......will G ever tackle these EG?!

The only time I click an ad is when my fingers slips on the IPHONE while the page loads and it jumps around a little, which seems to be a lot, at least its going to a good cause I guess :)

[EditorialGuy]

I don't like pop-up ads or interstitials myself, but (to borrow a phrase from Google's Page Layout Algorithm announcement) they don't "make it hard to find the actual original content on the page."

Still, it might be nice if Google went beyond the "Page Layout Algorithm" to an "Annoying Ads Algorithm," or even to an "Annoying Ads (including 'Subscribe before you can read this page' pop-ups) Algorithm." (Wouldn't it be great if there were a Google Search user setting for "Filter out pages that make me close a box or wait to see the content"?)

[Ralph_Slate]

This is Google meddling to the nth degree.

If I have the only page on a topic, and I happen to have advertising on that page to support it, why does Google think it knows better than a generic group of users who don't like advertising?

No one likes advertising. If I had to choose between two equal sites, one with advertising, one without, I'd pick the one without the ads. But I would pick the one with better content even if that one had advertising.

The presence of advertising should not be a negative signal to Google.

[netmeg]

The presence of advertising should not be a negative signal to Google.

It isn't. But the manner in which it's implemented (presumably) can be.

[goodroi]

Thank you everyone for your comments about the Page Layout and how it impacts Google SEO.

We are going to lock this thread since there have been many off-topic comments that the moderators have had to handle and no new information from Google about this SEO issue.

If there is a new development or a fresh SEO idea about the Page Layout algorithm please start a new thread here in Google SEO. If you want to discuss Google business practices including profit margins, anti-trust, etc please start a thread in the Google Business forum.