Panda 3.5: Google’s Quality Search Results In Pictures
Google just recently rolled about Panda 3.5 on April 19 and also its webspam algorithm just a couple of days ago in the best interests of its users in order to improve organic search results. Let’s take a look at the results of this change and see if it improved our user experience:
Search Term: python hosting
Every niche marketer needs a good Python hosting solution for their automated web scripts.
Let's look a the #1 result
Resulting page:
OK!
OK!
Search term: make money online (Google UK)
The US results were screwed up yesterday, but they look “sort of okay” today. This one comes from our friends in the UK.
Hmm, #2 result?
Resulting page:
Informative. Succinct. To the point. Quality indeed.
Actually, the time to sell is RIGHT FREAKIN’ NOW.
Search term: viagra
Ooh, a niche backed by a lot of money I bet! There’s gotta be some quality results here.
Wait... something doesn't look right
Ooh, a niche backed hacked by a lot of money I bet!
Search term: cialis
Let’s look at a close friend of the previous niche.
Cialis wins for most hacked sites in the top 10
I knew that Starcraft 2 players were into “enhancing” their play through products, but that was just the tip of the iceberg apparently!
Search term: snuggie dog beds
A lot of pet lovers out there would love to read a review or two to see which is the best one to buy. Where should they go?
Er, wait... what?
I had no idea SEOmoz sold snuggie dog beds too! Cool! Leave it to them to rank #2 for that term!
(backstory here, for those interested in how this was made possible: http://grindstoneseo.com/yeah-i-am-that-guy.html)
Search term: e cigarettes
I bet after all these changes everyone could go for a (non-cancerous) smoke right now.
Hey this looks promising!
Resulting page:
Hmm, interesting...
So informative, I learned a lot. I really like it when he said “GPYDZ”.
(EDIT: Looks like they fixed it now. But I assure you this was what it looked like when I took a peek. 
)
Search term: hgh
Okay guys, enough clowning around. The top 10 in this niche must have worthy results.
The complete resource for HGH? Count me in!
Resulting page:
Compelling content on page 1
What I Really Think of Panda 3.5 and Google’s Webspam Algorithm
See you folks tomorrow when the SERPs turn upside-down again.
Category: Case Studies
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Really makes you wonder how websites with no content can rank so high!
Hopefully Google cleans up their algorithm over the next few days or maybe everyone should shift to Bing!?
Sadly I think that the answer is pretty clear: content doesn’t matter right now.
If Google is trying hard to fail miserably, then they’re doing a great job so far.
That’s crazy. I didn’t know how wacky this latest update was until now. My authority sites seem unaffected, but some of my other niche sites dropped a little. Earnings are down about 20%. We’ll see how it all rolls out in the next week or so.
SERPs aren’t changing hourly for me anymore, but they’re still changing. Have to wait until next week to see, but I’m up across the board for the most part, although some sites went down.
Because of the wide spread panic that seems to be hitting, I’m actually feeling somewhat better. Though it sucks that my site #4 for 8100 exact searches is now on page 4. I’ve been averaging 2.5 pages per visit and average time on site of about 2:30 so i know the quality is there.
Are you waiting a while before doing anything or continuing business as usual? I had a site that I was about to launch the day the update come out (Monday? Tuesday? It’s all so foggy). Seeing my rankings and reading the message boards paralyzed me.
I’m conducting business as usual. No reason to wait really. Scheduled out 6 link building campaigns in UAW/LA, Web 2.0′s, etc. I put up new content amongst a myriad of sites, did some KW research, Fiverr, and some research for a possible SEO client. Also had an organization reach out to me today, plus another guy who wanted to buy a site from me.
So yeah, even with all the damage assessment I’ve been a bit busy.
I hear you on the paralysis, but I quickly realized that everyone else will feel the same way. So it’s a good time to capitalize while everyone else is frozen in time. If there’s one thing that I learned from other go-getters it’s that you really gotta respect their hustle.
Thanks Andre. I’m proceeding with launching my new site and my UAW campaigns. What drip schedule are you using? I’ve been going with 5 per day (mostly directly to my money site, but mixed anchor text – keyword, keyword variations, click heres, and URL).
Between 20-100 to Tier 1, with varying anchors.
I’ve been doing biz as normal as well, except for keyword research. I’m going to let the SERPs calm down before I start trying to analyze top 10…seem to be changing every day.
Really? I find that interesting. Google just made it easier to rank so I’m making new sites that I’ve been interested in for awhile. Haven’t been checking competition at all.
Andre, python hosting one definitely is a joke. Maybe it rates extra domain name higher these days?
One of my EMD ranks at #21 instead of #9 before. I’m trying to figure out how to rank it back. Definitely Social Signal is way to go.
I hesitant to build too many article backlinks with UAW these days. Will try more in May when things slow down.
Python hosting has a lot of backlinks, and at one point had content on it. Google hit the reset button and put us all back a couple years.
I’ve lost significant rankings too. Although I would disagree with you on the social signals. Look at the people who have not lost in your niche and adapt to what they’re doing.
With UAW you get about 50 links per article. Out of 100+ submissions some of them never get indexed, or are complete duds (because the sites are dead). Still pretty safe in the grand scheme of things.
It’s been an interesting week that’s for sure.
The more keyword research I do lately the more crap results I find. I can’t imagine things are going to stay this way, but then again ranking new sites just got a whole lot easier.
Yeah, might as well capitalize while the going is good. We’ll probably get another shuffle next month.