Google Panda is the name of the new algorithm used by Google to index pages and also to ban and move pages down the search results. Dewaldt Huysamen of iLead Online recently compiled a report named “SEO Update On Google’s Top Secret Google Panda’s Algo Change” based on the findings of Michael Campbell who gave 19 pointers on how to ensure that your website remains in the top search results even with the new Google Panda lurking in the woods.

Search engine optimization is a fine and dynamic art. Just as human search and Internet usage behaviour changes over time as they adapt to new additions to the online environment, search engines, including the likes of Google, change their algorithms to ensure the most relevant search results for the user. Google attempts to give the user value for their search time through the implementation of the Google Panda Algorithm.

Why The Need For Google Panda?

It never takes long for SEOs to catch up with new algorithms and unfortunately the spammers and black hat SEOs are even faster. They are the opportunists of the online world, taking what is meant to be good for everyone and turning it into a tool that gives them an unfair advantage. Make no mistake – advantage is what you should strive for, but not when it involves unethical behaviour that can cause the search engine to change its algorithm into a rather angry Google Panda that becomes aggressive to keep the status quo. Since the spammers and the black hatters will always be around, the average website owner has to do some work to prevent being categorised in the same category as the unscrupulous black hatters.

What Is Important According To Google Panda?

The normal SEO stays in place. Keyword density must be checked, spelling and grammar should be up to standard and useful sticky content must be provided. The article directories and article farms were hit exceptionally hard because the feeling is that the content at these sites is not worth the search. Still good for building incoming links, these article directories unfortunately are also filled with user generated content with loads of ads, making it difficult to read the content. Problem is that users leave the sites and have to redo their searches.

Duplicate content and no meat are two more reasons for citing the above as below standard sources of information. With Google being the number one search engine and also an excellent income generator for AdSense entrepreneurs, article directories have become big business. Three blocks of ads can be placed with every article and since the user may find the content to be useless, the ads become all the more attractive, leading to clicks and of course, money in the bank for the AdSense generator.

In effect then, Google is also guilty in creating the culture of serving up junk and had to do something to level the playing field again and taking out the junk. Google Panda is their answer to this problem.

How To Stay On The Friendly Side Of Google Panda

The main focus should be to retain visitors at your site. This doesn’t mean getting the users to your site and then trapping them. Indeed, such behaviour will make Google Panda your enemy. The answer lies in good quality content. You have heard it all before, but now the content must be super relevant and of exceptional value. Google Panda basically works on the principle of checking how long a visitor stays at a site before returning to the search page to find a more relevant match for their query. Without getting bogged down in detail – Google checks user behaviour. It may come as a surprise, but your every move on the search engine is closely monitored. No need to switch off the computer as the tracking is done simply to enhance the search engine and to ensure that you will find relevant pages when typing in a search.

Practical Points

Google Panda considers the following in addition to the other 200 SEO factors to be important:

• Feedback from users – still considered in a way, but may change in future.
• Bounce rate – how long a visitor stays at a particular web page before hitting the back button and doing another search.
• The number of ads displayed on a page – if there are too many ads, and especially ads not meeting the standard such as blinking ones and ads loading slowly, the Google Panda algorithm kicks in.
• Auto generated content – if the website contains too many pages of auto or syndicated content it can lead to a lower rank.
• Spelling and grammar should be correct as incorrect usage of language can be an indication of article spinning and also of low quality content.
• Design of the page – loading time is the keyword here.
• Outgoing links – pages with too many links out will be penalized.
• Duplicate content – even on your own pages will lead to penalization.
• Getting a top ten result for a keyword phrase spread over several pages is considered scaly.

What You Can Do To Stay On The Best Side Of Google Panda

Apart from changing your website to ensure that you stay within the Google Panda boundaries as indicated above, you should ensure that the visitor stays longer than the average 57 seconds at your site. You want to ensure that the visitor’s attention will be grabbed for at least 60 seconds and as such will benefit from using the following techniques:

• Avoid the usage of clipart and unprofessional graphics. You want to build confidence which will not be the case when using outdated blinking clipart and animation.
• Use colours wisely. You want to improve readability and as such should stay clear of a light font colour on dark backgrounds. Keep in mind that people get tired easily when having to read blurry content which is exactly what happens when you have a light font on a dark background.
• Keep outgoing links to a minimum – you want the user to stay with you for just a bit longer.
• Use Verdana instead of Arial or Helvetica fonts which were meant for bus stop signs rather than for computer readability.
• Avoid heavy navigation which will confuse the user and tempt them to hit the back button. It can also lead to slow loading times – which can be detrimental if you want a low bounce rate.
• Use narrow column widths such as 60 characters and keep the font at 12 points to ensure maximum readability.
• Create super quality and attention grabbing content which will ensure positive feedback.
• Structure pages well to ensure that any auto content will be separated and not indexed.
• Check high bounce rate pages and change the content. Even one page with a high bounce rate can affect your site’s ranking.
• Don’t ignore the importance of the legal pages such as Privacy Statement, Terms & Conditions, and Disclaimers. Group them together under the About Us section.
• Ensure that your site only features high quality ads.
• Use photos instead of clipart and only include such when adding value to the story.
• Add sticky content. This means a video where relevant to keep visitors at your site for longer.

Review your website for the above factors. If you need help in getting into Google Panda’s good books or should we say, the best side of the Panda tree, get in contact with us at iLead Online to ensure that your website does more than meet the requirements – it should flourish in the Google Panda world.