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Archives for September 2014

Panda 4.1 Analysis and Findings – Affiliate Marketing, Keyword Stuffing, Security Warnings, and Deception Prevalent

September 29, 2014 By Glenn Gabe 47 Comments

Panda 4.1 Analysis and Findings

On Tuesday, September 23, Google began rolling out a new Panda update. Pierre Far from Google announced the update on Google+ (on Thursday) and explained that some new signals have been added to Panda (based on user and webmaster feedback). The latter point is worth its own blog post, but that’s the not the focus of my post today. Pierre explained that the new Panda update will result in a “greater diversity of high-quality small- and medium-sized sites ranking higher”. He also explained that the new signals will “help Panda identify low-quality content more precisely”.

I first spotted the update late on 9/23 when some companies I have been helping with major Panda 4.0 hits absolutely popped. They had been working hard since May of 2014 on cleaning up their sites from a content quality standpoint, dealing with aggressive ad tactics, boosting credibility on their sites, etc. So it was amazing to see the surge in traffic due to the latest update.

Here are two examples of recovery during Panda 4.1. Both clients have been making significant changes over the past several months:

Panda 4.1 Recovery

Panda 4.1 Recovery Google Webmaster Tools

As a side note, two of my clients made the Searchmetrics winners list, which was released on Friday. :)

A Note About 4.1
If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know that I hate using the 4.1 tag for this update. I do a lot of Panda work and have access to a lot of Panda data. That enables me to see unconfirmed Panda updates (and tremors).  There have been many updates since Panda 4.0, so this is not the only Panda update since May 20, 2014. Not even close actually.

I’ve written heavily about what I called “Panda tremors”, which was confirmed by John Mueller of Google. Also, I’ve done my best to write about subsequent Panda updates I have seen since Panda 4.0 here on my blog and on my Search Engine Watch column. By the way, the latest big update was on 9/5/14, which impacted many sites across the web. I had several clients I’ve been helping with Panda hits recover during the 9/5 update.

My main point here is that 4.1 should be called something else, like 4.75. :) But since Danny Sullivan tagged it as Panda 4.1, and everybody is using that number, then I’ll go with it. The name isn’t that important anyway. The signature of the algo is, and that’s what I’m focused on.

 

Panda 4.1 Analysis Process
When major updates get rolled out, I tend to dig in full blast and analyze the situation. And that’s exactly what I did with Panda 4.1. There were several angles I took while analyzing P4.1, based on the recoveries and fresh hits I know of (and have been part of).

So, here is the process I used, which can help you understand how and why I came up with the findings detailed in this post.

1. First-Party Known Recoveries
These are recoveries I have been guiding and helping with. They are clients of mine and I know everything that was wrong with their websites, content, ad problems, etc. And I also know how well changes were implemented, if they stuck, how user engagement changed during the recovery work, etc. And of course, I know the exact level of recovery seen during Panda 4.1.

2. Third-Party Known Recoveries
These are sites I know recovered, but I’m not working with directly. Therefore, I use third party tools to help identify increases in rankings, which landing pages jumped in the rankings, etc. Then I would analyze those sites to better understand the current content surging, while also checking the previous drops due to Panda to understand their initial problems.

3. First-Party Known Fresh Hits
Based on the amount of Panda work I do, I often have a number of companies reach out to me with fresh Panda hits. Since these are confirmed Panda hits (large drops in traffic starting when P4.1  rolled out), I can feel confident that I’m reviewing a site that Panda 4.1 targeted. Since Tuesday 9/23, I have analyzed 21 websites (Update: now 42 websites) that have been freshly hit by Panda 4.1. And that number will increase by the end of this week. More companies are reaching out to me with fresh Panda hits… and I’ve been neck deep in bamboo all weekend.

4. Third-Party Unconfirmed Fresh Hits
During my analysis, I often come across other websites in a niche with trending that reveals a fresh Panda hit. Now, third party tools are not always accurate, so I don’t hold as much confidence in those fresh hits.  But digging into them, identifying the lost rankings, the landing pages that were once ranking, the overall quality of the site, etc., I can often identify serious Panda candidates (sites that should have been hit). I have analyzed a number of these third-party unconfirmed fresh hits during my analysis over the past several days.

 

Panda 4.1 Findings
OK, now that you have a better understanding of how I came up with my findings, let’s dig into actual P4.1 problems. I’ll start with a note about the sinister surge and then jump into the findings. Also, it’s important to understand that not all of the sites were targeted by new signals. There are several factors that can throw off identifying new signals, such as when the sites were started, how the sites have changed over time, how deep in the gray area of Panda they were, etc. But the factors listed below are important to understand, and avoid. Let’s jump in.

 

Sinister Surge Reared Its Ugly Head
Last year I wrote a post on Search Engine Watch detailing the sinister surge in traffic prior to an algorithm hit. I saw that phenomenon so many times since February of 2011 that I wanted to make sure webmasters understood this strange, but deadly situation. After I wrote that post, I had many people contact me explaining they have seen the exact same thing. So yes, the surge is real, it’s sinister, and it’s something I saw often during my latest analysis of Panda 4.1.

By the way, the surge is sinister since most webmasters think they are surging in Google for the right reasons, when in fact, Google is dishing out more traffic to problematic content and gaining a stronger feel for user engagement. And if you have user engagement problems, then you are essentially feeding the mighty Panda “Grade-A” bamboo. It’s not long after the surge begins that the wave crashes and traffic plummets.

Understanding the surge now isn’t something that can help Panda 4.1 victims (since they have already been hit). But this can help anyone out there that sees the surge and wonders why it is happening. If you question content quality on your website, your ad situation, user engagement, etc., and you see the surge, deal with it immediately. Have an audit completed, check your landing pages from Google organic, your adjusted bounce, rate, etc. Make sure users are happy. If they aren’t, then Panda will pay you a visit. And it won’t be a pleasant experience.

The Sinister Surge Before Panda Strikes

 

Affiliate Marketers Crushed
I analyzed a number of affiliate websites that got destroyed during Panda 4.1. Now, I’ve seen affiliate marketers get pummeled for a long time based on previous Panda updates, so it’s interesting that some affiliate sites that have been around for a while just got hit by Panda 4.1. Some sites I analyzed have been around since 2012 and just got hit now.

For example, there were sites with very thin content ranking for competitive keywords while their primary purpose was driving users to partner websites (like Amazon and other ecommerce sites). The landing pages only held a small paragraph up top and then listed affiliate links to Amazon (or other partner websites). Many of the pages did not contain useful information and it was clear that the sites were gateways to other sites where you could actually buy the products. I’ve seen Google cut out the middleman a thousand times since February of 2011 when Panda first rolled out, and it seems Panda 4.1 upped the aggressiveness on affiliates.

I also saw affiliate sites that had pages ranking for target keywords, but when you visited those pages the top affiliate links were listed first, pushing down the actual content that users were searching for. So when you are looking for A, but hit a page containing D, E, F, and G, with A being way down the page, you probably won’t be very happy. Clearly, the webmaster was trying to make as much money as possible by getting users to click through the affiliate links. Affiliate problems plus deception is a killer combination. More about deception later in the post.

Panda 4.1 and Affiliate Marketing

Affiliates with Blank and/or Broken Pages
I came across sites with top landing pages from Google organic that were broken or blank. Talk about a double whammy… the sites were at risk already with pure affiliate content. But driving users to an affiliate site with pages that don’t render or break is a risky proposition for sure. I can tell you with almost 100% certainty that users were quickly bouncing back to the search results after hitting these sites. And I’ve mentioned many times before how low dwell time is a giant invitation to the mighty Panda.

Blank Affiliate Pages and Panda 4.1

Doorway Pages + Affiliate Are Even Worse
I also analyzed several sites hit by Panda 4.1 that held many doorway pages (thin pages over-optimized for target keywords). And once you hit those pages, there were affiliate links weaved throughout the content. So there were two problems here. First, you had over-optimized pages, which can get you hit. Second, you had low-quality affiliate pages that jumped users to partner websites to take action. That recipe clearly caused the sites in question to get hammered.  More about over-optimization next.

 

Keyword Stuffing and Doorway Pages
There seemed to be a serious uptick in sites employing keyword stuffing hit by Panda 4.1. Some pages were completely overloaded in the title tag, metadata, and in the body of the page. In addition, I saw several examples of sites using local doorway pages completely over-optimized and keyword stuffed.

For example, using {city} + {target keyword} + {city} + {second target keyword} + {city} + {third target keyword} in the title. And then using those keywords heavily throughout the page.

And many of the pages did not contain high quality content. Instead, they were typically thin without useful information. Actually, some contained just an image with no copy. And then there were pages with the duplicate content, just targeted to a different geographic location.

The websites I analyzed were poorly-written, hard to read through, and most people would probably laugh off the page as being written for search engines. I know I did. The days of stuffing pages and metadata with target keywords are long gone. And it’s interesting to see Panda 4.1 target a number of sites employing this tactic.

Panda 4.1 and Keyword Stuffing

Panda 4.1 and Keyword Density

Side Note About Human Beings:
It’s worth reiterating something I often tell Panda victims I’m helping. Actually, I just mentioned this in my latest Search Engine Watch column (which coincidentally went live the day after P4.1 rolled out!) Have neutral third parties go through your website and provide feedback. Most business owners are too close to their own sites, content, ad setup, etc. Real people can provide real feedback, and that input could save your site from a future panda hit.

Deception
I analyzed several sites hit by Panda 4.1 with serious ad problems. For example floating ads throughout the content, not organized in any way, blending ads with content in a way where it was hard to decipher what was an ad and what was content, etc.

I mentioned deception in the past, especially when referring to Panda 4.0, but I saw this again during 4.1. If you are running ads heavily on your site, then you absolutely need to make sure there is clear distinction between content and ads. If you are blending them so closely that users mistakenly click ads thinking it was content, then you are playing Russian roulette with Panda.

Panda 4.1 and Deception

Users hate being deceived, and it can lead to them bouncing off the site, reporting your site to organizations focused on security, or to Google itself. They can also publicly complain to others via social networks, blogging, etc. And by the way, Google can often pick that up too (if those reviews and complaints are public.) And if that happens, then you can absolutely get destroyed by Panda. I’ve seen it many times over the years, while seeing it more and more since Panda 4.0.

Deception is bad. Do the right thing. Panda is always watching.

 

Content Farms Revisited
I can’t believe I came across this in 2014, but I did. I saw several sites that were essentially content farms that got hammered during Panda 4.1. They were packed with many (and sometimes ridiculous) how-to articles. I think many people in digital marketing understand that Panda was first created to target sites like this, so it’s hard to believe that people would go and create more… years after many of those sites had been destroyed. But that’s what I saw!

To add to the problems, the sites contained a barebones design, they were unorganized, weaved ads and affiliates links throughout the content, etc. Some even copied how-to articles (or just the steps) from other prominent websites.

Now, to be fair to Google, several of the sites were started in 2014, so Google needed some time to better understand user engagement, the content, ad situation, etc. But here’s the crazy thing. Two of those sites surged with Panda 4.0. My reaction: “Whhaatt??” Yes, the sites benefitted somehow during the massive May 20 update. That’s a little embarrassing for Google, since it’s clearly not what they are trying to rise in the rankings…

Incorrect Panda 4.0 Surge

But that was temporary, as Panda 4.1 took care of the sites (although late in my opinion). So, if you are thinking about creating a site packed with ridiculous how-to articles, think again. And it goes without saying that you shouldn’t copy content from other websites. The combination will surely get you hit by Panda. I just hope Google is quicker next time with the punishment.

Security Warnings, Popup Ads, and Forced Downloads
There were several sites I analyzed that had been flagged by various security and trust systems. For example, several sites were flagged as providing adware, spyware, or containing viruses. I also saw several of the sites using egregious popups when first hitting the site, forcing  downloads, etc.

And when Panda focuses on user engagement, launching aggressive popups and forcing downloads is like hanging fresh bamboo in the center of your websites and ringing the Panda dinner bell. Users hate popups, especially when it’s the first impression of your site. Second, they are fearful of any downloads, let alone ones you are forcing them to execute. And third, security messages in firefox, chrome, antivirus applications, WOT, etc. are not going to help matters.

Trust and credibility are important factors for avoiding Panda hits. Cross the line and you can send strong signals to Google that users are unhappy with your site. And bad things typically ensue.

Panda 4.1 Security Problems

Next Steps:
Needless to say, Panda 4.1 was a big update and many sites were impacted. Just like Panda 4.0, I’ve seen some incredible recoveries during 4.1, while also seeing some horrible fresh hits. Some of my clients saw near-full recoveries, while other sites pushing the limits of spamming got destroyed (dropping by 70%+).

I have included some final bullets below for those impacted by P4.1. My hope is that victims can begin the recovery process, while those seeing recovery can make sure the surge in traffic remains.

  • If you have been hit by Panda 4.1, then run a Panda report to identify top content that was negatively impacted. Analyzing that content can often reveal glaring problems.
  • Have an audit conducted. They are worth their weight in gold. Some webmasters are too close to their own content to objectively identify problems that need to be fixed.
  • Have real people go through your website and provide real feedback. Don’t accept sugarcoated feedback. It won’t help.
  • If you have recovered, make sure the surge in traffic remains. Follow the steps listed in my latest Search Engine Watch column to make sure you aren’t feeding Google the same (or similar) problems that got you hit in the first place.
  • Understand that Panda recovery takes time. You need to first make changes, then Google needs to recrawl those changes (over time), and then Google needs to be measure user engagement again. This can take months. Be patient.
  • Understand that there isn’t a silver Panda bullet. I usually find a number of problems contributing to Panda attacks during my audits. Think holistically about user engagement and then factor in the various problems surfaced during an audit.
  • Last, but most importantly, understand that Panda is about user happiness. Make sure user engagement is strong, users are happy with your content, and they don’t have a poor experience while traversing your website. Don’t deceive them, don’t trick them into clicking ads, and make a great first impression. If you don’t, those users can direct their feedback to Panda. And he can be a tough dude to deal with.

 

Summary – Panda 4.1 Reinforces That Users Rule
So there you have it. Findings based on analyzing a number of websites impacted by Panda 4.1. I will try and post more information as I get deeper into Panda 4.1 recovery work. Similar to other major algorithm updates, I’m confident we’ll see Panda tremors soon, which will bring recoveries, temporary recoveries, and more hits. Strap on your SEO helmets. It’s going to be an interesting ride.

GG

 

Filed Under: algorithm-updates, google, seo

How To Check If Google Analytics Is Firing On Android Devices Using Remote Debugging With Chrome [Tutorial]

September 17, 2014 By Glenn Gabe Leave a Comment

How To Debug Google Analytics on Mobile Devices

We all know that having a strong analytics setup is important. Marketing without measurement is a risky proposition for sure. But in a multi-device world, it’s not as easy to make sure your setup is accurately tracking what you need – or tracking at all. And if your analytics code isn’t firing properly across smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers, your data will be messy, incomplete, and inaccurate. And there’s nothing that drives a marketer crazier than flawed data.

A few weeks ago, Annie Cushing tweeted a quick question to her followers asking how everyone was testing their Google Analytics setup via mobile devices. This is something many digital marketers grapple with, especially when you are trying to track down problems. For example, I do a lot of algorithm update work and often dig into the analytics setup for a site to ensure we are seeing the full drop in traffic, conversion, revenue, etc.

My knee-jerk response was to check real-time reporting in Google Analytics while accessing specific pages to ensure those visits were being tracked, in addition to events. That could work, but it’s not as granular or isolated as you would want. I also mentioned to Annie that using a chrome extension like User Agent Switcher could help. That wouldn’t document the firing of analytics code, but would let you see the source code when accessing a webpage via a specific type of smartphone or tablet. But again, you couldn’t see the actual firing of the code or the events being tracked. And that’s obviously an important aspect to debugging analytics problems.

A Solution – Remote Debugging on Android with Chrome
So I did what I typically do when I run into a tricky situation. I find a solution! And for Android devices, I found a solid one. Many of you might be familiar with Chrome Developer Tools (on your desktop computer). It holds some outstanding functionality for debugging websites and web applications. But although it’s extremely helpful for debugging desktop webpages, it didn’t really address the problem at hand (out of the box), since we want to debug mobile devices.

So I started to research the issue and that’s when I came across a nifty technique which would allow you to connect your Android device to your desktop computer and then debug the Chrome tabs running on your mobile device from your desktop computer. And since I could use Chrome Developer Tools to debug the tabs on my desktop computer, I could check to see if Google Analytics was indeed firing when accessing webpages via my Android device. Awesome.

So, I spent some time testing this out and it does work. Sure, I had to jump through some hoops to get it to run properly, but it finally did work. Below I’ll cover what you’ll need to test this out for yourself and how to overcome some of the problems I encountered. Let’s get started.

 

What You’ll Need
In order to debug GA code running on your mobile device, you’ll need the proper setup both on your desktop computer and on your Android device. In its simplest form, you’ll need:

  • Chrome installed on your desktop (version 32 or later).
  • Android 4.0 or later.
  • A USB Cable to connect your device to your computer.
  • Android SDK {this will not be required for some of you, but others might need to install it. More on that situation below}.

If you run into the problems I ran into, you’ll need the Android SDK installed. I already had it installed since I’ve been testing various Android functionality and code, so it wasn’t a big deal. But you might need to install it on your own. I wouldn’t run to do that just yet, though. If the straight setup works for you, then run with it. If not, then you might need to install the Android SDK.

If you are confident you have the necessary setup listed above, then you can move to the tutorial listed below. I’ll walk you through how to debug Chrome tabs running on your mobile device via Chrome on your desktop computer. And yes, we’ll be isolating Google Analytics code firing on our Android devices to ensure you are tracking what you need.

How To Debug Google Analytics on Your Android Device – Step-By-Step Instructions

  1. Enable USB Debugging on Your Android Device
    Access your settings on your Android device and click Developer Options. On my device, that was located in the more “More” grouping of my settings and under System Manager. If you don’t see Developer Options, then you need to enable it.You can do that by accessing Settings, tapping About Phone or About Device and tapping Build Number seven times. Yes, that sounds extremely cryptic, but that’s what you need to do. Once you do, Developer Options will show up in under System Manager in your phone’s settings.

    Enable USB Debugging on Android Device

    Then you can check the box to enable USB Debugging on your device. You will need to do this in order to debug Google Analytics in Chrome on your device.

  2. Enable USB Discovery in Chrome (on your desktop)
    Next, type chrome:inspect in a new tab in Chrome on your desktop. Ensure “Discover USB devices” is checked on this screen.

    Enable USB Discovery in Chrome Desktop

  3. Connect Your Phone To Your Computer via USB
  4. Allow USB Debugging
    When you connect your phone to your computer, you should see a dialog box on your phone that asks you if you want to allow USB debugging. Click OK. Note, if you don’t see this dialog box, debugging your mobile device from Chrome on your desktop will not work. I provide instructions for getting around this problem later in the tutorial. If you are experiencing this problem, hop down to that section now.

    Allow USB Debugging on Android Device

  5. Fire up Chrome On Your Mobile Device
    Start Chrome on your Android device and access a webpage (any webpage you want to debug).
  6. Inspect With Chrome on your Desktop
    Once you open a webpage in Chrome on your mobile device, access Chrome on your desktop and visit chrome:inspect. Once you do, you should see your device listed and the various tabs that are open in Chrome on your Android device.

    Inspect Chrome Tabs on Desktop Computer

  7. Click Inspect To Debug The Mobile Tab
    When you click “inspect”, you can use Chrome Developer Tools on your desktop to debug the mobile web view. You can use all of the functionality in Chrome Developer Tools to debug the webpage open on your mobile device.
  8. Click the Network Tab in Chrome Developer Tools
    By accessing the Network Tab, you can view all network activity based on the webpage you have loaded in Chrome on your mobile device. That includes any resources that are requested by the webpage. Then reload the webpage on your mobile device to ensure you are seeing all resources.
  9. First Check for GA.js
    When you load a webpage on your mobile device, many resources will be listed in the network tab. But you should look for ga.js to see if the Google Analytics snippet is being loaded.Tip: You can use the search box and enter “ga.js” to filter all resources by that string. It’s an easy way to isolate what you are looking for.

    Check for ga.js in Network Tab in Developer Tools

  10. Next Check for utm.gif
    After checking for ga.js, you should look for the tracking pixel that’s sent to GA named utm.gif. If that is listed in the network panel, then your mobile webpage is tracking properly (at least basic tracking). Again, you can use the search box to filter by utm.gif.

    Check for utm.gif in Network Tab in Developer Tools

  11. Bonus: Advanced Tracking
    If you are firing events from mobile webpages, then you can see them listed here as well. For example, you can see an event being fired when a user stays on the page for more than 30 seconds below. So for this situation, we know that pageviews are accurately being tracked and the time on page event is being tracked via mobile. Nice.

    Check event tracking in Chrome for Android

 

A Note About Troubleshooting
I mentioned earlier that if you don’t see the “Allow USB Debugging” dialog on your mobile device when you connect your phone to your computer, then this setup won’t work for you. It didn’t initially work for me. After doing some digging around, I found the legacy workflow for remote debugging on Android.

By following the steps listed below, I finally got the prompt to show up on my mobile device. Then I was able to debug open Chrome tabs on my Android device.

 

  1. Install the Android SDK (if you don’t already have it installed)
    You can learn more about the SDK here and download the necessary files.
  2. Kill the ADB Server
    Use a command prompt to access the “platform-tools” folder in the SDK directory and then issue the following command: adb kill-server. Note, you should use the cd command to change directory to the folder containing adb. That’s the platform-tools folder in your Android SDK directory.

    Kill ADB Server

  3. Revoke USB Debugging on Your Android Device
    Disconnect your phone from your computer. Then go back to Developer Options on your Android phone and tap Revoke USB debugging authorization.

    Revoke USB Debugging

  4. Start the ADB Server
    Now you must restart the adb server. Use a command prompt, access the platform-tools folder again, and enter the following command: adb start-server.

    Start ADB Server

  5. Reconnect Your Device To Your Computer
    Once you reconnect your device, you should see the “Allow USB Debugging” dialog box. Click “OK” and you should be good to go. This will enable you to debug Chrome tabs running on your mobile device via Chrome running on your desktop.
  6. Open Chrome on Your Android Device
    Go ahead and open a webpage that you want to debug in Chrome on your Android phone. Once it’s loaded in Chrome in Android, you can follow the instructions listed earlier for using the network panel to debug the GA setup.

 

Summary – Know When Google Analytics is Firing on Mobile Devices
So there you have it. There is a way to debug the actual firing of GA code on your Android devices and it works well. Sure, you may need to go the extra mile, use the legacy workflow, and install the Android SDK, but you should be able to get it working. And once you do, you’ll never have to guess if GA is really working on Android devices. You’ll know if it is by debugging your Chrome tabs on Android via Chrome running on your desktop. Good luck.

GG

 

 

Filed Under: google-analytics, web-analytics

Panda Update on Friday September 5, 2014

September 9, 2014 By Glenn Gabe 8 Comments

Panda Update on 9/5/14

My last blog post explained that Panda is now running in near-real-time and what that means for webmasters and business owners. Well, that was perfect timing as Panda just made another trip around the web as kids head back to school and the NFL kicks in.

I’ve seen multiple Panda clients see recovery starting on Friday 9/5. And some of the clients had been seriously impacted by our cute, black and white friend in the past. Two sites, in particular, saw drops of 60%+ from previous Panda updates.

Here are a few screenshots from companies seeing impact from the 9/5/14 Panda update:

Panda Recovery on 9/5/14

 

Another Panda Recovery on 9/5/14

 

Panda is Starting The School Year Out Right
Teachers always say that hard work can lead to success. And it seems the schoolyard Panda feels the same way. The clients seeing the biggest spikes in traffic have done a lot of hard work Panda-wise.

Over the past few months, massive Panda problems were uncovered from a content quality standpoint. That included finding thin content, duplicate content, low-quality content, scraped content, while also identifying ad problems and technical  problems that were impacting content quality and user engagement.

The user experience across each site was poor to say the least and the changes they have made (and are actively implementing) are improving the overall quality of their websites. And that’s exactly what you need to do in order to see positive Panda movement.

A Note About Temporary Recoveries (or Tests)
I recently wrote a post about temporary Panda recoveries, which I have seen several of over the past month or so.  It’s interesting to note that two sites that just bounced back had seen temporary Panda recoveries in the past month. Now, we don’t know if they were truly temporary recoveries or simply tests of a future Panda update that ended up getting rolled back. But since Friday 9/5, both of those sites have spiked again. Let’s hope these recoveries stick.

Temporary Panda Recovery

 

Beyond temporary recoveries, other websites battling Panda saw serious spikes in Google organic traffic starting on Friday 9/5. And like I said earlier, they had gotten hammered by Panda in the past. It’s awesome to see them bounce back.

For example, one site is up 85% and another is up 71%. Nice increases to say the least.

Panda Recovery Percentage in GA

 

Summary – Everybody’s Working for the Weekend (Including Panda)
As I explained earlier, Panda is now near-real-time and the days of waiting for monthly Panda updates are gone. The fact of the matter is that you can see impact at any point during the month (or even multiple times per month). So, if you’ve been impacted by Panda in the past, then check your reporting now. Friday might have been a very good day for you. And on the flip side (for those facing the Panda music for the first time), you might see a frightening drop in Google organic traffic. One thing is for sure… with the mighty Panda roaming the web in near-real-time, it’s never been more important to keep a close eye on content quality. Panda sure is.

So get ready for the next update. I’m confident it’s not far away. Actually, it might be just around the corner.

GG

 

 

Filed Under: algorithm-updates, google, seo

Google Panda Running Regularly Since P4.0, Approaches Near-Real-Time

September 2, 2014 By Glenn Gabe 2 Comments

Google Panda Running Regularly

In June of 2013 I wrote about the maturing of Google’s Panda algorithm and how it started to roll out monthly over a ten day period. Google also explained at that time that they wouldn’t be confirming future Panda updates. In my post, I explained how the combination of monthly updates, over ten days, with no confirmation, could lead to serious webmaster confusion. Getting hit by Panda was already confusing enough for webmasters (when they knew it was Panda). Now sites could get hit during a ten day period, any month, without confirmation from Google about what hit them.

So the monthly updates went on, I picked up a number of them, and yes, it was confusing for many. I received plenty of emails from business owners wondering why they experienced drops during those unconfirmed updates. In case you’re wondering, I could pick up those unconfirmed updates since I help a lot of companies with Panda and I have access to a lot of Panda data. More about that soon. But the average webmaster could not easily pick up those updates, which led to serious confusion and frustration. And that’s the situation we were in until May of 2014.

And Along Came Panda 4.0
This went on until Panda 4.0, which was a huge update released on May 20, 2014. Google did announce the update for several reasons. First, it was a new Panda algorithm. Second, they knew it was HUGE and would impact many websites (and some aggressively).

Everything about the update was big. There were huge recoveries and massive new hits. You can read my previous posts about Panda 4.0 to learn more about the update. But that’s not the focus of this post. Something else has been going on since Panda 4.0, and it’s critically important to understand.

After Panda 4.0 rolled out on May 20, 2014, I noticed that sites impacted by the algorithm update were seeing continual “tremors”. Sites that were hit were seeing more drops every week or so and sites that experienced recovery also saw tremors during those dates (slight increases during those intervals). Moving forward, I also started to see sites reverse direction during some of the tremors. Some that saw recovery saw slight decreases and others that were hit saw slight increases. It was fascinating to analyze.

I reached out to Google’s John Mueller via G+ to see if he could shed some light on the situation. Well, he did, and I documented his response in my Search Engine Watch column soon after. John explained that Google doesn’t have a fixed schedule for algorithm updates like Panda. They could definitely tweak the algo to get the desired results and roll it out more frequently. That was big news, and confirmed the tremors I was seeing.

Google's John Mueller Clarifies Panda Tremors

John also explained more about Panda in a recent Google Webmaster Office Hours Hangout (from August 15, 2014).Here’s a quote from John:

“I believe Panda is a lot more regular now, so that’s probably happening fairly regularly.”

And based on what I’ve been seeing across websites impacted by Panda, he’s not kidding. You can see the video below (starting at 21:40).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdzlHxRJpak&t=21m40s
Since Panda 4.0, I’ve seen tremors almost weekly. And guess what? They really haven’t stopped. So it seems they aren’t temporary adjustments to Panda, but instead, this could be the new way that Panda roams the web. Yes, that would mean we are in the age of a near-real-time Panda. And that can be both amazing and horrifying for webmasters.

 

What I’ve Seen Since Panda 4.0
I mentioned that I have access to a lot of Panda data. That’s because I’ve helped a lot of companies with Panda since February of 2011, while also having new companies reach out to me about fresh Panda hits. This enables me to see recoveries with companies that are working hard to rectify content quality problems, while also seeing new Panda hits. This combination enables me to document serious Panda activity on certain dates.

Since Panda 4.0 rolled out, I have consistently seen tremors (almost weekly). I have seen companies continue to increase, continue to decrease, fluctuate up and down, and I have also documented temporary recoveries. Below, I’ll show you what some of the tremors look like and then I’ll explain what this all means.

Panda Tremors – Example
Example of Panda Tremors

 

Panda Tremors – Example
Second Example of Panda Tremors

 

Temporary Panda Recovery During Tremors
Temporary Panda Recovery During Tremors

 

Another Temporary Panda Recovery During Tremors
Example of Temporary Panda Recovery During Tremor

 

Fresh Bamboo and The Near-Real-Time Panda Algo
So, what does this all mean for webmasters and business owners? Well, it means that Panda is rolling out often, and sites can be impacted more frequently than before. That’s huge news for any webmaster dealing with a Panda problem. In the past, you would have to wait for a monthly Panda update to run before you could see recovery (or further decline). Now you can see impact much more frequently. Again, this is big.

That’s why I have seen sites fluctuate almost weekly since Panda 4.0. Some have stabilized, while others continue to dance with the mighty Panda. And the temporary recoveries emphasize an important point. If you haven’t completed enough Panda recovery work, you might see what looks to be recovery, only to get hammered again (and quickly). It’s one of the reasons I explain to Panda victims that they need to move quickly and implement serious changes based on a thorough Panda audit. If not, they are setting themselves up to continually see declines, or worse, see a misleading temporary recovery, only to get smoked again.

Summary – The Good and the Bad of The Near-Real-Time Panda
As I explained above, it looks like a new phase of Panda has begun. As someone neck deep in Panda work, it’s fascinating to analyze. With the mighty Panda roaming the web in near-real-time, websites can see ups and downs throughout the month. They can get hit, or recover, or even see both in one month. That’s why it’s never been more important to address content quality problems on your website. As always, my recommendation is to focus on user engagement, nuke thin and low quality content, remove deceptive tactics, and win the Panda game.

Let’s face it, Panda has upped its game. Have you?

GG

 

Filed Under: algorithm-updates, google, seo

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