Google`s Algorithm update and it`s consequences.
There have been strange goings on with some of my rankings recently and it had the potential to give me sleepless nights, however, as with everything, there is a reason for it. Google has updated and continues to update it`s algorithm.
As we leave January behind we hope that fluctuations on Google begin to calm down but currently there are no signs of that happening as Google continues to update it`s algorithms. Over the last couple of weeks there have been very noticeable changes with listings and you may have panicked to have seen a site that is usually a regular performer drop down out of sight. There`s nothing worse than coming into work and finding that your best performing site has plummeted down the rankings or worse, just disappeared. Well, in most cases, don`t panic. Eventually results get straightened out again but in the meantime it may be worth considering new tactics for 2011 or even just to revert back to basics as Google begins clamping down once more.
The newest update is believed to reduce the scoring for websites that are of low quality or that contain copied content. As we all know copied content is one of the biggest faux pas you can make on a site wishing to be scored highly by Google. The update will look at being even stricter and those that have a high level of unoriginal content on their site should make the change now. There is no substitute for original content and this should be a priority on any website looking to perform in SEO. With successful SEO relying heavily on following the rules laid down by the search engines, it can seem restrictive sometimes but it makes sense to ensure we are playing the game and abiding by their parameters if it means we get quality results for our clients.
With regards to the update many are hoping that it will be just copied or spammed content that a site is penalised for as article marketing backlinks could also cause a possible duplicate issue if making reference to something is investigated by Google. It`s unlikely Google`s algorithm wouldn`t drill down into the details before penalising anyway but the main thing to remember is original content is king. There could be potentially an issue with keyword densities in the future also, as it may be considered spammy but this in theory should hopefully prevent keyword stuffing which can be negative towards a campaign anyway. According to Matt Cutts, the Google Associate who has spoken most about the update, the new classifier they have designed means it should be harder for “spammy” sites to rank highly which is a relief as it means those quality sites that belong to our clients which are of a high standard should only benefit from a better quality of search.
With this new and improved update comes a hint that rules will be tightened even further in 2011 in the quest for a better quality search system and this is encouraging as the majority of SEO work is tailored around Google and this can only mean a positive step forward in improving the SEO experience as a whole.
February 3rd, 2011
I almost had a heart attack when I saw all the rankings of my clients drop! Google needs to create some kind of system that stops rankings being effected.