Google Rolls Out Panda 4.2

Google rolls out Panda 4.2

On the 18th of July, Google began to roll out its ‘Panda’ algorithm refresh. Google Panda was first introduced in February 2011, as a change to their ranking algorithm that distinguishes between high and low-quality websites. The Panda filter lowers the ranking of “thin sites” with poor quality or duplicated content. It’s a fairly strict filter that penalises sites for one or two pages of poor quality content, even if the rest of the website is solid.

The introduction of Panda 4.2 is around the 30th update to the algorithm since its release in 2011, but unlike previous updates it is set to roll out very slowly over the coming months. Any website penalised in the previous Panda update should emerge, if the right changes have been made, and webmasters should slowly see their organic rankings rising. However, changes to your website’s rankings may not become apparent for many weeks as Google are taking a slow and measured approach to the rollout.

When Panda was first implemented in 2011, Google provided a list of questions to consider, and to enable webmasters to understand what the algorithm was looking for and filtering out. If you think your website might be affected by Panda 4.2, or if you need guidance on creating a high-quality site, take a look at some of the questions Google posed:

• Would you trust the information presented in this article?
• Is this article written by an expert or enthusiast who knows the topic well, or is it more shallow in nature?
• Would you be comfortable giving your credit card information to this site?
• Does the article provide original content or information, original reporting, original research, or original analysis?
• Was the article edited well, or does it appear sloppy or hastily produced?
• Is this the sort of page you’d want to bookmark, share with a friend or recommend?

These questions clearly illustrate the differentiations the Panda algorithm makes – you can find more of these questions from Google’s Webmaster Central. If you have any questions about Panda 4.2, or how to create a high-quality website that ranks well, The Click Hub’s team of SEO experts is here to help.

You can get in touch with us via email at support@theclickhub.com, or phone us on 01392 243007.