Panda 3.2: Reversing Panda-Related Penalties?

Google confirmed the roll out of Panda 3.2 on January 2012, but there was no apparent evidence that it took place because of little changes in the rankings. This came on the heels of 2011’s November and December pack of updates and two months after version 3.1 ran on November 18, 2011.

What’s It For

The Panda 3.2 update was reportedly launched around January 18, 2012. The exact time when it rolled out wasn’t specified, but webmasters noticed slight changes in their rankings on the results pages about a week or so after the date mentioned above. Google announced that the update was more of a data refresh. Moreover, no additional signals or algorithm changes were done for the filter.

It’s similar to version 3.1 where Google developers conducted minor tweaks to the filter with the overarching goal of providing users with relevant links in the SERPs by devaluing duplicate content, promoting usability, and encouraging audience engagement. 3.1 was also a data refresh that indexed new pages while evaluating their content.

What Were Its Effects

Webmasters commented on their rankings after Panda 3.2 rolled out with a majority complaining that they lost their places in the SERPs. For others, it was a fortunate update since they regained their traffic levels before the filter was initially launched.

One website experienced an 80 percent increase for their organic visitors on a “pandalized” subdomain. Another also got a 40 percent boost but was unsure if this figure came from the update or the small changes done on the site. The data refresh may have played a significant impact on the rank improvements and losses for the websites that should and shouldn’t have been impacted by Panda.

What It Means for You

Google’s Panda filter places a substantial weight in unique and valuable content that provides users with the information that will make their lives a little bit better. You should also focus on creating blog posts that are informative and entertaining to your readers.

If your website has been operating for quite some time now, you may be running out of ideas on what to write according to your website’s central theme. Here are a few factors that can help you discover new perspectives on the same topic:

• Strive for Originality – Uniqueness should be your top priority because Google only wants to display websites in the SERPs that give users something valuable, not copied from other sites. Plus, producing original content helps to distinguish your brand from your competitors.
  Offer new perspectives on a subject matter by incorporating your opinion and knowledge gained by your experiences. Read up on what other bloggers are writing about, understand what they’re trying to say, and use that as a jumping board for your ideas.
• Keep it Compelling – On top of originality, your content should also be compelling or persuasive enough to allow your message to make an impression on your readers. It doesn’t necessarily have to make them take your side, but it should be influential enough to cultivate discussions among their friends.
  Your content should also be something that they refer back to when they come across a problem that you’ve already written about. Tutorials, how-to guides, and comprehensive reports are some popular formats for a compelling article.
• Find Your Niche – It’s best to find a specific target audience to create content for, especially for new blogs, rather than trying to cater to all demographics. With this, you can easily rank up for your primary keywords because you know what to focus on instead of having to look through a vast pool of potential search terms. It also makes sense to provide your readers with a single website where they can find all things related to a particular topic rather than having to keep on searching for it on Google.
• Make Your Personality Shine – Infuse your personality in your writing to make it sound more natural to readers. Remember, you’re primarily creating content for humans, so your blog posts should have the nuances of the language you’re using. If your website caters to a younger demographic, you can even incorporate everyday slang to facilitate more in-depth communication with them.

Make your posts relatable as well by addressing common problems related to your chosen niche. This way, you can establish a connection with your audience through shared experiences. If you’re writing about career development, you can include tips on how to ace their job interviews or a guide on proper interview etiquette.