I didn't have blog networks in 2011 like I do now when Google first rolled out its Google panda update, a major catastrophe for so many site owners. Between the year 2000-2009 ranking at the top of search engine result pages, SERPs was almost very easy with webmasters adopting and implementing many different schemes just to rank high on SERPs. Then, Google for instance had less frequent updates on its algorithms. What this meant was that, if your site was ranking first on Google SERPs, its likely to stay there say for about 2-3 months. As access to the internet increased and the need for delivering the best result to search queries, Google taught it needful to develop a algorithm that will get the best result from the best sites and deliver to the user. I guess it was all about making the internet better for all of us. This events led to the famous Google panda and penguin updates that wrecked some sites and threw the ranking of some sites to the trash bin. The Google Panda and Penguin updates where very famous because, "Google remains the biggest search engine in the world and as such maintained a large influence on internet users.


What Is Google Algorithm?

An algorithm is best defined as a specified set of rules on how to get a problem solved. The Google algorithm is the set of specified rules on how the Google search should work to deliver the best user experience to the user. I believe this is the primary principle behind algorithm updates carried out by Google on a more frequent bases this days. There is no public knowledge as to how the Google algorithm really works, but then SEO experts have specified various factors likely considered which determine how the algorithm works.


Google Panda;What you should Know

Following the need to improve internet users search experiences on Google, Google released a major update on its algorithm, the Google panda update which was first released in February 23, 2011. At the time of release, there was no name for the Google Panda update, it was subsequently named Panda after Navneet Panda the Google engineer who developed the technology that made the implementation of the algorithm possible.

After the Google Panda release, there were lots of complaints from sites owners who complained that there sites where illegally affected by the algorithm update. There were also complains of scrappers and copyright infringers getting better ranking on Google SERPs despite the algorithm update.

The goal of the Google panda update was to depreciate the ranking of sites with low quality contents. This includes site contents filled with keyword stuffing, content scrapers, copyright infringers, made for AdSense contents and the likes. The Google panda targeted onsite SEO practices that violated Google's webmaster guidelines. Sites with such content lost their rankings on Google, it had a site wide effect. Once such contents was detected on a site ,the whole sites lots its ranking on Google. Revenue were lost as well. It became almost impossible for such sites to rank high on Google over a long period of time.

Google have so far released subsequent Panda updates which aims to return high quality sites on Google SERPs upon search queries.


Google Penguin;What you should Know

Google uses the number of backlinks pointing to a webpage to determine how relevant the webpage was and increased the chances of the webpage being returned on the Google SERPs. Before the Google penguin was released , webmasters used all sorts of means to increase backlinks pointing to their sites.
The Goole penguin update was released on April 12, 2012 and it was targeted at demoting to the trash bin sites which used black hat SEO practices to build high number of backlinks in other to rank high on Google.

The Google penguin update was a major Google algorithm update that was aimed at offsite SEO practices that violated Google's webmaster guidelines such as unnatural link building, using softwares to generate high number of backlinks, comment spam aimed at increasing backlinks, doorway pages aimed at attracting search traffic and other forms of link building schemes.

Google have released subsequent algorithm updates aimed at punishing violators of their webmaster guidelines. Earlier on in January, Google's John Mueller had said that sites under the penguin penalty can unturn the penalty by building quality backlinks.


Next Google Panda and Penguin Update;Five Tips To Staying On The Safe Side

For sure , no one wants to see their ranking on Google taken down to the trash bin. Its the most unpleasant experience you can have seeing your revenue and maybe possibly your source of income reduced to trash overnight. The truth is that there will be algorithm updates maybe another name, who knows something like "Google Lion" lol! So its better to keep your house in other to avoid any unforseen catastrophe that may arise from future algorithm updates.

Below are some tips to implement good onsite and offsite SEO practices that comply with Google's webmaster guidelines.

#1 - Make pages primarily for your site visitors and not for search engines ; Your main aim while making contents for your site should be to give good user experience to your visitors.When contents are specially made for search engines and not to pass value to your site visitors ,it can attract Google penalty.

#2 - Avoid link schemes: You should not get yourself involved with link schemes link spamming blog comment box, using software to automate tons of backlinks generation schemes like this can attract Google penalty.

#3 - Create quality contents: Avoid using software to create articles that don't pass any form of value to your visitors.This can attract Google penalty.

#4 - Avoid keyword stuffing: When you write new post, its good to target a keyword, but don't over do it as it will be considered keyword stuffing and can attract Google penalty.

#5 - Don't use hidden texts: Another thing that can attract Google penalty is to use hidden text in your website codes to hide keywords or other negative practices.

In conclusion, its said "prevention is better than cure" its better to comply with the Google webmaster guidelines than being penalized and watch your ranking reduced to trash.

Source:http://herokeys.com/article/google-panda-and-penguin-updates-5-tips-to-saving-your-ass/