Due to intense interest with the Panda Update, I wanted to bring my post about Google's "quality" guidelines into focus on it's own merit. Official Google Webmaster Central Blog For those of you that need a refresher, Google's Panda as described by Search Engine Land:
Late February, Google launched a substantial algorithm change (known as “Farmer” or “Panda”) aimed at identifying low-quality pages and sites. These are pages (often seen on so-called “content farms”) with text that is relevant for a query, but may not provide the best user experience. (Google calls it a “high quality sites algorithm”.) Today, Google has rolled this change out to all English language queries and made a few minor updates (with an estimated impact to 12% of U.S. queries). {EDIT from 2% - estimates go as high as 20%}
If we were to judge from the screams by website owners, Google missed the barn door and might have even missed the barn.
It is the users that should be determining quality, not Google.
Let the bounce rate determine "quality".
Reg said... One would think that Google, with it's infinite understanding of database mechanics could make copied pages deliver a "vote" for the original article's page.
After all, isn't this what a link does and what PR is all about?
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the site that gets copied should be rewarded.
What would happen to scraper sites if they knew that their pages were improving the stature (and traffic) of the site from which they stole their content?
Google should not be judging "quality" as this is entirely subjective.
What is 'quality' to a college thesis writer would not be such to an 8th grade dropout, and vice versa.
Take Ana's comment that her search for "electronic circuits"produced only worthless results.
ana said... Can you tell me why for this query google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=electronic+circuits&aq=f&aqi=g5&aql=f&oq=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=226172e42eeb41c7 google is ranking:
1 - uoguelph.ca/~antoon/ = moved from such a long time... useless page
2 - solorb.com/elect/ = 90% of the page is with external links, useless page
3 - discovercircuits.com/list.htm = almost 90% of the page filled with external links, useless page
4 - ee.oulu.fi/~arik/schematics.html = 100% external links, USELESS CONTENT
5 - coolcircuit.com = images next to adsense => against adsense TOS
6 - utwired.engr.utexas.edu/rgd1/ = I want to see "electronic circuits" not the theory!
7 - andythelwell.com/blobz/ = same as 6
8 - free-electronic-circuits.com = ZERO usability, where is the menu?
Almost all the 8 websites rank on the first page for "electronic circuits" query and almost all of them have low, low, low quality content, ZERO usability, adsense above the fold or agains the TOS, they do not deserve to be on the first page!
Can you tell us why those sites deserve to be in top 10? I bet you cannot! | Given that the term is positioned at the top of the short tail, what does she expect in the way of content? Every kind of circuit in the world on one page?
The sites that deal with this well are composed of lists of different kinds of circuits and links to see them.
Sounds kind of natural to me.
She even complains about #6 6 - utwired.engr.utexas.edu/rgd1/ = I want to see "electronic circuits" not the theory!
What would you expect from a university webpage?
And #8 has their menu at the bottom of the page as well as offering a main list of Categories, Tools, Theory, and their own circuits.
Ana thinks this is 8 - free-electronic-circuits.com = ZERO usability, where is the menu?
Quality is truly in the eye of the beholder.
Google should only judge how the search term relates to the landing page's content.
Let the bounce rate determine 'quality".
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