Leveraging Google Panda for Search Engine Optimization

Google Panda’s Update is Changing the Rules for Internet Search

Companies looking to make a first page presence in Google search results have generally followed the same set of guidelines since the advent of search engines. The formula was simple: increase content and create as many links as possible to your site. This formula has worked for many years until the most recent Google algorithm update (Panda), which is the most significant change to Google’s online search engine in recent years.

Companies who were not prepared for the update may have found their rankings drop significantly since the release date of February 24th, 2011. Many who have enjoyed the prestige of being found on the top of the first page are now left scrambling. The norm has changed, and in order to continue to compete against the competition, an in-depth analysis is necessary to find out exactly what is causing that drop in rank. This has left several business owners asking themselves: “What now?”

Companies who have traditionally relied on low-rank link building strategies and automated content generation have been hit hard with significant drops in Google page ranks. Now, they will need to make a major change to how they conduct business online if they ever plan on recovering from Google’s newest update. Additionally, many Search Engine Optimization (SEO) agencies cloaked as white hat experts have now been exposed; their clients are starting to feel the burden of their black hat practices.

In the past, before the Google Panda Update, it was possible for companies to get away with the bare minimum of original content creation and low-level link building. All the time ignoring Google and various other reputable search engineers who have warned against this practice for several years. Now, the tactics that “content farms” have capitalized which often outranked the sites of original content publishers, will no longer work.

Priority will now be given to higher ranking links and to the most original and in-depth content. Google is enforcing this concept more thoroughly. Now, companies who were not aware of these best practices in internet marketing are hurting as a result, while those who stayed ahead of the curve are benefiting. Several top ranking spots have literally opened up overnight.

5 Fantastic Tips for Optimizing Your Website for Google Panda

If you are among the thousands who are now suffering due to the Google Panda update, there are several things you can do to improve your rankings:

1. Look at your analytics and find out whether your site was impacted. Look at the time period before February 24th and after. Do you have a downward spike in traffic? If yes, then you may have been impacted directly by the update. The next step is to find out whether your entire site traffic is down, or if only traffic on specific pages has dropped. Look through each of your affected pages and see what you can do to remedy the situation. Perhaps the given page is heavy in ads and low in content? You may benefit from reducing your ads and adding valuable information to the page.
2. Scan your site for repeat information. Check to make sure you are not repeating pages or content on multiple pages or websites. Make each page uniquely targeted for a specific audience with original content. Don’t resort to copying others’ work and loosely editing it to fit your site. This can be especially detrimental to your results if you do not know where the content originated. If the content is already in existence in a “content farm” type website, you will be doing yourself more harm than good if you repurpose it.
3. Find out where your links are coming from. With modern search tools, it is possible to find out the origin of your website’s links. Additionally, it is possible to organize your inbound link list by rank. Once you find out which links rank low, you can begin working to disassociate yourself from them. Go to each in-bound linking website and find out what you can do to remove your website’s link from their database.
4. Work on better link building. Focus on gaining links from only relevant directories and websites that rank high on your list. Don’t waste your time creating links from a list that you have not researched and organized by rank. Don’t waste your time posting to websites you have not researched for relevancy and rank; these can lead to poor links.
5. If you work with a company who handles your online marketing, be sure they provide you with honest and transparent results. Ask to see the numbers and don’t be passive in your pursuit of answers. Several disreputable companies exist and thrive on clients who are not informed or proactive regarding their website and search results. An honest internet marketing company will provide you with a clear strategy for where your site is and will set realistic expectations, not give you bloated numbers and misleading jargon. Only with clear reports can you develop a strong working strategy for online growth.

The complexity of internet marketing requires a professional touch in order to ensure you are well represented in the online world. Be sure that the company you hire is reputable and up-to-date on the latest strategies. Hire a company that is poised to help you succeed and take your company to the next level.

Incitrio Branding & Marketing Agency is an award-winning branding, design and online marketing agency based in San Diego, CA. Call us directly at 858.202.1822 and ask for Blake or Marco, or Email us at startfresh@incitrio.com. We help companies like yours develop integrated solutions through: website development, email marketing, internet marketing, social media, video marketing, lead generation, and much more. Click here to view a case study and testimonial video about one of the many integrated online marketing campaigns we offer our clients.