“Softer” Panda 4.0 Tries To Help Small Sites Do Better, Google Says

On Tuesday, I wrote about Google´s new search algorithm update, Panda 4.0. Well, it has now been around for a week and most of its effects are visible to webmasters. The overall impact doesn´t seem to be as dramatic as many SEO experts predicted, as the update appears to have been more gentle than previous ones. Still, there are some clear winners and losers from the change, according to an article I read on Searchmetrics.

Overall, figures reveal that the websites suffering the most are ones that often publish syndicated or even duplicate content. Among the high-profile sites that appear to have suffered from Panda 4.0 are eBay and RetailMeNot, with approximately 33% of their rankings lost each. Ask.com has also taken a blow, losing around half of its rankings. However, this is not the first time the website is on the list of losers after a Panda update, Searchmetrics pointed out.

Interestingly, there are sites that should have been on that list but seem to have got away with a penalty this time, suggesting that they have upped their game in producing their own content. Another possible reason for the seemingly less swiping effect of the update than predicted was hinted by Google´s head of spam Matt Cutts in March. Back then, he suggested that the next Panda update would be the first of a new generation of updates and would be “softer” than earlier ones. It would also be used as “groundwork” for future developments and readjustments, Web Pro News website reported. The idea to roll out a gentle update of Panda was to support small websites and businesses, Google said a few months ago.

Has the Panda update affected your site? We all know how seriously Google takes content. It´s absolutely vital that your website has fresh, regularly-updated and unique (i.e. never duplicated) content. If you are finding producing this sort of content is a struggle, consider outsourcing to a specialist. M2 Bespoke are experts in our field and can help you with all things content-related. Call one of our friendly team today to learn more about our services!