Google recently launched two new algorithms that have pulled a lot of websites out of their usual rankings in search engine results. Many people are wondering why their sites have gone from being at the top of search results to practically disappearing from sight. They are using the same tactics they always have, but something has changed, and as a result, their traffic has plummeted.
The reason is that Google’s new algorithms focus on penalizing websites that do not follow their guidelines. Google Panda, the first of the new algorithms, was released earlier this year and was recently followed by the second, known as Google Penguin. Though many site owners have come to recognize these changes, a lot of people are still trying to figure out what the difference is between the two. Both have brought down numerous flawed websites in a limited time, but the primary focus of each is also their primary difference.
Essentially, the first and more popular Google Panda focuses on reducing low-quality websites in search engine results, while the recent Google Penguin concentrates on penalizing sites that implement black hat SEO tactics and spamming.
The Google Panda update was first launched in April with the goal of lowering the ranks of websites that include duplicate content, low-quality and keyword stuffed articles, and copied content from other websites. That’s why content farms were hit the hardest when Panda was first launched because they produced articles were submitted or rewritten multiple times just to obtain links. On the other side of the coin, Panda gives higher rankings to high-quality websites. Google defines high quality websites as those that provide original content, offer more in-depth research, and provide deep analysis reports.
The more recent update, Google Penguin, targets websites that are belied to be violating Google’s existing quality guidelines. Penguin reduces the ranks of sites that use spamming to obtain higher ranks on search results. Black hat tactics, including keyword stuffing, unnatural inbound links, and comment spamming in blogs with the exact anchor test for targeted keywords, are all penalized by Google. Even websites that have low-quality directory listings and marketing are also flagged by Google, and their rankings are demoted in search results.
Due to the release of these two new algorithms, many websites have seen their rankings and traffic suffer. If your website experiences the same change, it is important to make changes directly to your website, so it will be more suitable to Google’s guidelines. By choosing to work with an SEO company, its social media experts can help you evaluate each page, identify the red flags, and begin implementing trouble shooting tactics immediately.
