It is the content and its presentation that matters most and this holds well especially on the Internet. Websites and web pages teeming with free information literally vie with each other for the user’s attention on the search engine result pages (SERP) and directory listings. Until recently, a steady stream of visitors was all that was required to rank high on the SERP as it was a measure of popularity as well as credibility of a website.
There was however no specific guidelines that governed content presentation except to stay clear of SEO spamming techniques that did not find favor with Google. However, with the advent of the Google Panda indexing algorithm, the leash just got tighter, requiring web content to be more relevant and user-friendly rather than simply serve to monetize web presence.
The recent Panda updates not only effectively demoted all spam sites and link farms, it also affected the rankings of credible sites due to stringent content regulations that simply downgraded optimized content too if it did not add value to the user-experience. With ever evolving Panda algorithm with over 500 refinements due this year, let’s see what it takes to succeed online and please the Panda:
Unique and Relevant Content
It is always better to aim for unique and relevant content that meets the requirement of the user who lands up on your site, looking for answers to specific queries. The language, key word density, site structure, and internal links should draw and retain the attention of the user, while providing subject-specific content, of course optimized for keywords. The site on the whole can be dedicated to a single subject, or at least the content on each page should address one single topic to get the message across.
Content Wordiness and Updates
It is necessary that you update content regularly in order to force the Google ranking algorithm to refresh your ranking occasionally. Content can either be elaborate, containing in-depth information on a single subject, naturally interspersed with subject specific keywords, without needing to stuff keywords for SEO purposes. Short, crisp, keyword-rich posts also serve to rank high and convey relevant information to users who are hard pressed for time.
Socialization
User generated comments now form an important metric for SERP rankings. Positive feedback and recommendations for your website that sweep the social networks are of great value. They not only serve to improve your site’s ranking but will also generate quality traffic once the good word gets around the niche groups. Alternatively you can also build a great rapport with your visitors by accepting feedback and suggestions right on your website and promptly replying or acting on them as required. Participating in relevant forums and discussions will also serve to build a brand name.
Optimized Advertising
Advertisements are a natural progression of website creation and blogging as a means to monetize your efforts, but do not over-do the concept by simply filling the entire page with irrelevant ads that interfere with flow of content. You must avoid advertisements above the ‘fold’ of your page to effectively duck Panda’s reach. Ad-stuffed sites were the ones most affected by Panda.
Low Bounce Rate
Regularly check user preference and accordingly fine tune content by effectively using Google Analytics free tool to make note of how many visitors simply exit your site without even moving beyond landing page. Higher bounce rates generate a negative score with Panda as they simply indicate that the site is not worthy of a visit.
Be original and natural in your content and presentation. Concentrate on offering the best user-experience and you’re sure to be in the good books of Google Panda.
About The Author:
Kate is a blogger by profession. She is fond of reading, writing and travelling. Recently she read an article on best mobile phone on the net. These days she is busy writing an article on Android Web Browser for her blog.
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