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Has PANDA Eaten Up The Garbage?

by IM Ash
23 replies
  • SEO
    • |
Guys (and ladies)

I don't know about you but I feel that panda has really cleaned up the SERPs. There are certainly a few anomalies but on the larger scale MY user experience on Google has been a pleasure.

If you look at things (even on the forum): people are emphasizing the need for quality and unique content. It seems as SEO and quality have finally joined hands which for me is a victory.

  • What are your thoughts? Are you creating better sites?
  • Are you finally focused on the user and the overall user experience on your site?
  • Are you conscious about where Google is heading in terms of quality content?
  • What do you believe is the anecdote for the future of SEO?
(this is an open discussion, so I will not be responding to questions/comments)
#eaten #garbage #panda
  • Profile picture of the author dp40oz
    I personally think Panda was a huge failure and thats why they have quietly stopped running it. Panda updates were run every month until about November. Then they basically stopped with a few rumors of "minor refreshes" in January which Google even stated had no new updates or factors to the Panda algo.

    Now Google claims Panda is running "more in the pipeline" of the regular algo, but for a guy like me who was hit by a few Panda updates there definitely doesn't seem to be anything very Panda like running in their algo right now. Seems like the regular old algo and penalties to me. Just my 2 cents.
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    • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
      Originally Posted by dp40oz View Post

      I personally think Panda was a huge failure and thats why they have quietly stopped running it. Panda updates were run every month until about November. Then they basically stopped with a few rumors of "minor refreshes" in January which Google even stated had no new updates or factors to the Panda algo.

      Now Google claims Panda is running "more in the pipeline" of the regular algo, but for a guy like me who was hit by a few Panda updates there definitely doesn't seem to be anything very Panda like running in their algo right now. Seems like the regular old algo and penalties to me. Just my 2 cents.
      Maybe they applied all of the major Panda updates, left them in place, were happy with the results and didn't see a need to tune anything further, Panda-wise that is...
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      • Profile picture of the author dp40oz
        Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom View Post

        Maybe they applied all of the major Panda updates, left them in place, were happy with the results and didn't see a need to tune anything further, Panda-wise that is...
        Well then that would mean any new sites would be immune to Panda. Panda was run manually about once a month. So if they stopped running it that would mean no new sites would be pandalized.

        3 sites that were Panda penalized for me all started rebounding the last so called "Panda refresh" in January. They didn't regain old rankings but it seems as though all previous Panda penalties were lifted and now my sites were free to move up the SERP's again. As if Panda was shut off so to speak. Nobody has found it odd that Google hasn't mentioned Panda other then 1 time since November? All I will say is Panda is definitely not running along side the regular algo as we speak.
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        • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
          Originally Posted by dp40oz View Post

          Well then that would mean any new sites would be immune to Panda. Panda was run manually about once a month. So if they stopped running it that would mean no new sites would be pandalized.

          3 sites that were Panda penalized for me all started rebounding the last so called "Panda refresh" in January. They didn't regain old rankings but it seems as though all previous Panda penalties were lifted and now my sites were free to move up the SERP's again. As if Panda was shut off so to speak. Nobody has found it odd that Google hasn't mentioned Panda other then 1 time since November? All I will say is Panda is definitely not running along side the regular algo as we speak.
          I don't think that is quite how updates work. Google didn't "shut off" Panda. It is still in place.

          When SE engineers talk about updates, they are referring to dynamic updates, not static ones.

          This means that they update the "algorithm" that continually processes the raw data that is continually gathered by the bots.

          This entire process is formulaic in nature. If an update was applied in static fashion only once like you are implying, then search engines would be completely useless to humanity.

          Once an update is applied, the effects of the update are permanently in place if engineers decide to leave them in place and/or "turn them up or down" in terms of SERP influence.

          Just because your SERP positioning began to return slowly after the January "refresh" doesn't necessarily mean anything. The whole process is far too dynamic for that. It could have been many other things. Engineers could have tweaked something else, sites above your could have had links devalued, new links of your could have been indexed, the list goes on and on.
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          • Profile picture of the author dp40oz
            Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom View Post

            I don't think that is quite how updates work. Google didn't "shut off" Panda. It is still in place.

            When SE engineers talk about updates, they are referring to dynamic updates, not static ones.

            This means that they update the "algorithm" that continually processes the raw data that is continually gathered by the bots.

            This entire process is formulaic in nature. If an update was applied in static fashion only once like you are implying, then search engines would be completely useless to humanity.

            Once an update is applied, the effects of the update are permanently in place if engineers decide to leave them in place and/or "turn them up or down" in terms of SERP influence.

            Just because your SERP positioning began to return slowly after the January "refresh" doesn't necessarily mean anything. The whole process is far too dynamic for that. It could have been many other things. Engineers could have tweaked something else, sites above your could have had links devalued, new links of your could have been indexed, the list goes on and on.
            Yes everything you are saying is accurate about algo's except that panda was different. It was too intensive to run constantly so it was literally run once a month. So if you started a website the day after panda was run it wouldnt affect you 1 bit until it was run again. Take a look at Googles public statements. They have literally mentioned the word Panda 1 time in 4 months. Whatever is going on with it I don't know but as of right now I am fairly certain it is not much of a factor like it was.
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            • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
              Originally Posted by dp40oz View Post

              Yes everything you are saying is accurate about algo's except that panda was different. It was too intensive to run constantly so it was literally run once a month. So if you started a website the day after panda was run it wouldnt affect you 1 bit until it was run again. Take a look at Googles public statements. They have literally mentioned the word Panda 1 time in 4 months. Whatever is going on with it I don't know but as of right now I am fairly certain it is not much of a factor like it was.
              If what you're saying is true, then that totally flies in the face of what the term "algorithmic update" implies on a fundamental level.

              My entire understanding of the algorithm is that it is live and continually processing the data.

              Sure, it may seem static and detached being that there is so much data that it gives the illusion of being processed in massive waves of activity but either way, I still think that the Panda effect is permanent and will be applied to websites created thereafter.

              Google isn't THAT dumb.

              Now one interesting thought is that Panda may have effected too much "collateral damage" on the front end and in an effort to reverse some of that "collateral damage" Google engineers decided to tune the Panda effect down which would be revealed in the re-ascension of spammy websites previously nailed by Panda up a little bit in the SERP results following the next statistically observable wave of data processing.
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              • Profile picture of the author dp40oz
                Originally Posted by thebitbotdotcom View Post

                If what you're saying is true, then that totally flies in the face of what the term "algorithmic update" implies on a fundamental level.

                My entire understanding of the algorithm is that it is live and continually processing the data.

                Sure, it may seem static and detached being that there is so much data that it gives the illusion of being processed in massive waves of activity but either way, I still think that the Panda effect is permanent and will be applied to websites created thereafter.

                Google isn't THAT dumb.

                Now one interesting thought is that Panda may have effected too much "collateral damage" on the front end and in an effort to reverse some of that "collateral damage" Google engineers decided to tune the Panda effect down which would be revealed in the re-ascension of spammy websites previously nailed by Panda up a little bit in the SERP results following the next statistically observable wave of data processing.
                Matt Cutts talks about it.

                "In particular, Matt Cutts said that the Panda algorithm is run against Google’s entire index of pages on an infrequent basis, in order to tag certain sites that should be dinged by it, as opposed to some of its automatic spam detection tools.

                For example, Google’s constantly scanning for pages that might use hidden text. If it spots them, then it may assess a penalty.

                Google is not constantly scanning for pages that might get hit by its Panda penalty. Instead, Google manually runs that algorithm, which then determines web sites that should be hit by it.

                This also means that making changes to a site hit by Panda won’t produce any immediate change in Google. Instead, such changes — if they are beneficial — wouldn’t get registered by Google until the next Panda assessment."
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                • Profile picture of the author thebitbotdotcom
                  Originally Posted by dp40oz View Post

                  Matt Cutts talks about it.

                  "In particular, Matt Cutts said that the Panda algorithm is run against Google’s entire index of pages on an infrequent basis, in order to tag certain sites that should be dinged by it, as opposed to some of its automatic spam detection tools.

                  For example, Google’s constantly scanning for pages that might use hidden text. If it spots them, then it may assess a penalty.

                  Google is not constantly scanning for pages that might get hit by its Panda penalty. Instead, Google manually runs that algorithm, which then determines web sites that should be hit by it.

                  This also means that making changes to a site hit by Panda won’t produce any immediate change in Google. Instead, such changes — if they are beneficial — wouldn’t get registered by Google until the next Panda assessment."
                  Very interesting. I stand corrected indeed. Panda is definitely a static update, then. And what is more it must be a massive resource hog as you mentioned. My apologies.

                  Well then, that means that there may be more SERP terror to come for article marketers and potentially, for persons who syndicate, IF they ever decide to run it again.

                  Perhaps they did consider it a failure due to collateral damage after all, because I certainly haven't heard anything about it recently. Has anybody else?
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  • Profile picture of the author bigcat1967
    What are your thoughts? Are you creating better sites?
    Heck yes. I used to put 300 to 400 words per page (if that), but after Panda from last year - I started put between 700 to 1000 words per page. I've really seen a difference.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jasonsc
    I think initially the SERPs were very shaken up after the major panda updates. And perhaps some websites unjustly lost some of their ranking position. However, as with all things Google I feel it took some time for the SERPs to settle down again.

    Now that they have, I think overall there has been an improvement in the quality of the content at the top of the SERPs now.

    But I still feel there's more updates to come. Google strives to have the highest quality, most relevant content at the top of it's SERPs. Logically, updates will go on forever, and with each one more and more low quality websites will be shunned.

    Gradually, the required standards of content will increase. Let's not kid ourselves, Google control the internet and the time of low quality websites is running perilously short. In order to remain competitive within the SERPs we will have to increase the quality of the content on our websites as Google deems fit.

    The more time that passes, the more accurate and powerful their algorithm becomes. Truly, quality content is kind.
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    • Profile picture of the author InTheMaking
      My garbage sites still rank, soo.....nope.
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      • Profile picture of the author bobcarlsjr
        i still see a lot of garbage sites ranking in page 1.. the day that google perfect their alogorithm is the day you will see MFA sites from page 10000000000 onwards.. lol
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      • Profile picture of the author IM Ash
        Originally Posted by InTheMaking View Post

        My garbage sites still rank, soo.....nope.
        Awesome business plan!

        Originally Posted by dp40oz View Post

        I personally think Panda was a huge failure and thats why they have quietly stopped running it. Panda updates were run every month until about November. Then they basically stopped with a few rumors of "minor refreshes" in January which Google even stated had no new updates or factors to the Panda algo.

        Now Google claims Panda is running "more in the pipeline" of the regular algo, but for a guy like me who was hit by a few Panda updates there definitely doesn't seem to be anything very Panda like running in their algo right now. Seems like the regular old algo and penalties to me. Just my 2 cents.
        Interesting thoughts! For me, I have seen pages that were thin (and useless to the user) drop but the more quality pages held rank. BUT, it seems once the PANDA filter is run the normal algo takes precedence and backlinks become the main ranking factor. You can then restore a Panda affected site with good backlinks. However, when it comes to less competitive keywords it seems that nothing really matters, so the gold is really in finding those keywords.
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      • Profile picture of the author Adam Curry
        Originally Posted by InTheMaking View Post

        My garbage sites still rank, soo.....nope.
        Good luck, your sites wont be there for long
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  • Profile picture of the author Mantasmo
    I have always focused on building quality sites and never had any issues with Google "panda", meh... BUT I still get an occasional (temporary) penalty for over optimization (I think).

    I do notice a lot of people complaining about their sites dropping in rankings. That's good IMO. The harder it gets, the better.
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    • Profile picture of the author IM Ash
      Originally Posted by bnetwork View Post

      The harder it gets, the better.
      Amen brother!
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  • Profile picture of the author payment proof
    I think Panda has also eaten up a lot of legitmate sites too.
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  • Profile picture of the author martworld
    Creating unique content and then building contextual links are ths keys after post panda.
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  • Profile picture of the author xSEO247x
    if only everyone would make quality sites, no need for panda lol its like craiglist they make super difficult so its take some cash to post on a large scale google will weed out the MNS dingle berries
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  • Profile picture of the author jacksonlin
    The problem is that Panda eats everything, the good AND THE BAD!
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  • Profile picture of the author tech84
    The thing is, if you have been hit by panda, and if you have done a major rework on your website, you should expect results on the next major panda update.
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