Google Algorithm Change 2011 - Winners and Losers

You could be forgiven for thinking that this is just another blog post extoling the virtues of quality content given the furore attached to the latest Google algorithm change. However, the introduction of Google Panda in the UK – likely to be this week – will make this mandatory; well if you want to continue to rank well.

The latest Google algorithm, which was launched late in February, has an eye on reducing the amount of spam content that pollutes the web. Some directories and mainly content farms were affected by this change, recording a marked drop in visits.

Now, with the algorithmic change expected in the UK, many sites are bracing themselves.

What Do You Need to Know About Panda/Farmer?

The Panda update, or according to some, the ‘Farmer update’, is targeting content farms that use well-optimised but poor quality content. The idea is to provide users with more appropriate results, offering a better quality.

In the US, it is thought that 12% of search results have been affected by the algorithm change. Some sites that rely on content farms have seen a 40% drop in traffic.

Whilst the roll out is expected to hit the UK this week, it wouldn’t be surprising to see some tweaks to the algorithm, after some sites were seemingly unfairly punished for their content.

The main thing to take away from this is to take a closer look at your content – is it the kind of material you want to read about online, would you read it? This is where Google is trying to herd content, keeping the best and shunning the rest.