Google Panda Actually Benefits Companies
When Google Panda was first released in 2011, businesses weren’t sure how they would be impacted by this new algorithm. What people have discovered, though, is Google Panda actually benefits businesses. It rewards quality content, and it provides customers with a better experience.
The New Type of Content
At one time, content farms like Demand Media Studios and Associated Content ran the internet. These content farms paid people small amounts of money to produce lots of content. The content was typically centered on topics and keywords that were popular online. Thus, the content was created in order to rank for the search engines. It wasn’t created to actually help or inform readers.
For instance, if one of the content farms noticed that a lot of people were searching for “how to change the oil in a 2012 Honda Civic,” they would have someone write that article. Then, people who searched for the key phrase would find the article and go to the website, where they would see ads.
These articles generated a lot of traffic, but they rarely provided a satisfactory experience for users. Unfortunately, it was difficult for sites with good content to get ranked, since content farms were flooding Google with keyword stuffed articles.
Now, content farms are no longer king. Google actually checks websites to make sure they provide quality content that isn’t littered with ads. If a site doesn’t provide quality content, it won’t be able to rank near the top of the list. Now, businesses can showcase their knowledge on specific topics and actually get rewarded for providing quality content.
Engagement is More Important than Ever
Engagement has always been important in online marketing. After all, the more engaged your audience is, the more likely they are to make purchase. However, now, Google actually rewards companies who have an engaged audience.
While Google won’t say how much clout it gives to social sharing, it does recommend that people ask themselves if their content is something that they would want to share or recommend to a friend. Insiders have interpreted that to mean that Google is putting some emphasis on social sharing.
That means it’s now the time to make your content engaging. Use infographics and create articles with great tips and information. Additionally, include calls-to-action in your content.
Also, set up a Google+ page as part of your social media marketing campaign. Generating some exposure on Google+ might give you a leg up against the competition, thanks to the new algorithm.
Safety is Important
The Google Panda update has put an emphasis on professionalism and safety. For example, if you sell products on your site and Google doesn’t believe that customers will feel safe giving you their credit card information, you will have trouble making it to the top of the search rankings.
Again, this is good news for businesses. You don’t want to have to compete head to head with anyone who has an internet connection and a Wordpress page. Instead you want to compete with professionals. As long as you have a professionally designed site with a privacy policy and safety features, this algorithm change will only help you.
Putting it All Together
If you use white hat SEO techniques and produce great content, you won’t have to worry about falling behind with Google Panda. In fact you will benefit from it. You will finally be able to go head to head with your competition and work on taking them down in a fair fight.
By Drew Himel