Panda Update

Google Panda (Feb. 2011) is an update against thin and duplicate content. It downgrades keyword stuffing, many weak subpages, and too much advertising, and rewards unique, user-oriented content. Today, it is part of the core algorithm.

With the Panda Update (also known as Google Panda), the search engine Google launched an attempt in February 2011 to penalize websites with little added value and inferior content quality as part of the algorithm update. Although Google updates are regularly named after animals, Google engineer Navneet Panda is the namesake of this update. Today, the Panda Update is part of the Google Core Algorithm.

The changes initially only affected the US search market and later all search queries in the English language. It wasn't until August 2011 that the update was rolled out to the German search market. The goal of the Panda Update was (and is) to improve search results, with a focus on content quality. The background is the proliferation of so-called content farms, which produce content with relatively long-term relevant information aimed at generating as many page views as possible. The issue from the perspective of content farm critics: The researched and written texts are often too superficial and poorly written to provide real value to readers.

As part of the first update of the Panda Update, around 12 percent of search queries were said to be affected. The algorithm change was continuously updated, resulting in several Panda Updates. Updates to the Panda Update followed in September 2012, January 2013, as well as in May and September 2014. During the last update in September 2014, small and medium-sized websites that provided particularly high-quality content benefited in particular. Websites that had been downgraded by the previous update and rectified the issues could also improve (or recover) in the rankings.

The changes after the Panda Update

Certainly, Google's algorithm adjustment was primarily aimed at eliminating low-quality content and downgrading the rankings of the respective websites in this regard. Google measured the quality or poor quality of the content based on various criteria, including the following: lack of unique content, high bounce rate and low dwell time, many subpages with little unique content, inconsistent meta descriptions regarding page content, keyword spamming. An unequal ratio between advertising and content was also penalized.

Pages were also affected that had numerous subpages created for a keyword or similar variations, without any significant content differences. Google classified this as duplicate content, which is known to be negatively evaluated in rankings.

With the Panda Update, Google made it clear what importance will be attached to content in the future. Webmasters need to focus more on creating unique content and adjusting the ratio between content and ads within a page.

Meaning for search engine optimization

Even today, the Panda Update still impacts the SEO work of many website managers. Since it is part of the Google Core Algorithm, search engine optimization work must incorporate this update. This simply means delivering high-quality, unique content, paying attention to good linking, creating appropriate meta-data, and preventing keyword spamming. As is often the case, it means: We create content for the user and not for the search engine. Instead of optimizing the site for Google, one should always keep in mind the needs of searchers. Pages that only engage in content farming thus become increasingly irrelevant to search engines.