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Google Algorithm Problems
ave you noticed anything Google algorithm changes started
different with Google in November 2003 with the Florida
lately? The Webmaster update, which now ranks as a
community certainly has, and if legendary event in the Webmaster
recent talk on several search community. Then came updates
engine optimization (SEO) forums named Austin, Brandy, Bourbon,
is an indicator, Webmasters are and Jagger. Now we are dealing
very frustrated. For with the BigDaddy!
approximately two years Google
has introduced a series of The algorithm problems seem to
algorithm and filter changes that fall into 4 categories. There are
have led to unpredictable search canonical issues, duplicate
engine results, and many clean content issues, the Sandbox, and
(non-spam) websites have been supplemental page issues.
dropped from the rankings. Google
updates used to be monthly, and 1. Canonical Issues: these occur
then quarterly. Now with so many when a search engine treats
servers, there seems to be http://www.yourdomain.com,
several different search engine http://yourdomain.com, and
results rolling through the http://yourdomain.com/index.html
servers at any time during a all as different websites. When
quarter. Part of this is the Google does this, it then flags
recent Big Daddy update, which is the different copies as duplicate
a Google infrastructure update as content and penalizes them. Also,
much as an algorithm update. We if the site not penalized is
believe Big Daddy is using a 64 http://yourdomain.com, but all of
bit architecture. Pages seem to the websites link to your website
go from a first page ranking to a using http://www.yourdomain.com,
spot on the 100th page, or worse then the version left in the
yet to the Supplemental index. index will have no ranking. These
are basic issues that other major of time penalty for new links and
search engines, such as Yahoo and sites before fully making the
MSN, have no problem dealing index.
with. Google is possibly the
greatest search engine in the 3. Duplicate Content Issues:
world (ranking themselves as a 10 these have become a major issue
on a scale of 1 to 10). They on the Internet. Because web
provide tremendous results for a pages drive search engine
wide range of topics, and yet rankings, black hat SEOs (search
they cannot get some basic engine optimizers) started
indexing issues resolved. duplicating entire sites' content
under their own domain name,
2. The Sandbox: this has become thereby instantly producing a ton
one of the legends of the search of web pages instantly (an
engine world. It appears that example of this would be to
websites, or links to them, are download an Encyclopedia onto
"sandboxed" for a period before your website). Due to this abuse,
they are given full rank in the Google aggressively attacked
index, kind of like a maturing duplicate content abusers with
time. Some even think it is only their algorithm updates. But in
applied to a set of competitive the process they knocked out many
keywords, because they were the legitimate sites as collateral
ones being manipulated the most. damage. One example occurs when
The Sandbox existence is debated, someone scraps your website.
and Google has never officially Google sees both sites and may
confirmed it. The hypothesis determine the legitimate one to
behind the Sandbox is that Google be the duplicate. About the only
knows that someone cannot create thing a Webmaster can do is track
a 100,000 page website overnight, down these sites as they are
so they have implemented a type scrapped, and submit a spam
report to Google. Another big Supplemental index is a type of
issue with duplicate content is graveyard where web pages go when
that there are a lot of they are no longer deemed active.
legitimate uses of duplicate No one disputes the need for a
content. News feeds are the most Supplemental index. The problem,
obvious example. A news story is though, is that active, recent,
covered by many websites because and clean pages have been showing
it is content the viewers want. up in the Supplemental index.
Any filter will inevitably catch Like a dungeon, once they go in
some legitimate uses. they rarely come out. This issue
has been reported with a low
4. Supplemental Page Issues: noise level for over a year, but
Webmasters fondly refer to this the recent February upset has led
as Supplemental Hell. This issue to a lot of discussion around it.
has been reported on places like There is not a lot we know about
Webmasterworld for over a year, this issue, and no one can seem
but a major shake up around to find a common cause leading to
February 23rd has led to a huge it.
outcry from the Webmaster
community. This recent shakeup Google updates were once fairly
was part of the ongoing BigDaddy predictable, with monthly updates
rollout that should finish this that Webmasters anticipated with
month. This issue is still both joy and angst. Google
unclear, but here is what we followed a well published
know. Google has 2 indexes: the algorithm that gives each website
Main index that you get when you a Page Rank, which is a number
search, and the Supplemental given to each webpage based on
index that contains pages that the number and rank of other web
are old, no longer active, have pages pointing to it. When
received errors, etc. The someone searches on a term, all
of the web pages deemed relevant But now that link to another
are then ordered by their Page website could reduce your search
Rank. Google uses a number of engine rankings, and if it is a
factors such as keyword density, link to a competitor, it might
page titles, meta tags, and boost his. In Google's algorithm,
header tags to determine which links coming into your website
pages are relevant. This original boost the site's Page Rank (PR),
algorithm favored incoming links while links from your web pages
and the anchor text of them. The to other sites reduce your PR.
more links you got with an anchor People started creating link
text, the better you ranked for farms, doing reciprocal link
that keyword. As Google gained partnerships, and buying/selling
the bulk of internet searches in links. Webmasters started linking
the early part of the decade, to each other for mutual ranking
ranking well in their engine help or money, instead of quality
became highly coveted. Add to content for their visitors. This
this the release of Google's also led to the wholesale
Adsense program, and it became Scraping of websites. Black hat
very lucrative. If a website SEO's will take the whole content
could rank high for a popular of a website, put Google's ad on
keyword, they could run Google it, get a few high powered
ads under Adsense and split the incoming links, and the next
revenue with Google! This thing you know they are ranking
combination led to an avalanche high in Google and generating
of SEO'ing like the Webmaster revenue from Google's adsense
world had never seen. The whole without providing any unique
nature of links between websites website content. Worse yet, as
changed. Websites used to link to Google tries to go after this
one another because it was good duplicate content, they sometimes
information for their visitors. get the real company instead of
the scraper. This is all part of most part the end user has not
the cat and mouse game that has noticed an issue with Google's
become the Google algorithm. Once listings. If they only drop
Google realized the manipulation thousands of listings out of
that was happening, they decided millions, then the results are
to aggressively alter their still very good. These problems
algorithms to prevent it. After may not be affecting Google's
all, their goal is to find the bottom line now, but having a
most relevant results for their search engine that cannot be
searchers. At the same time, they evolved without producing
also faced huge growth with the unintended results will hurt them
internet explosion. This has led over time in several ways. First,
to a period of unstable updates, as the competition from MSN and
causing many top ranking websites Yahoo grows, having the best
to disappear while many spam and results will no longer be a
scrapped websites remain. In given, and these drops in quality
spite of Google's efforts, every listings will hurt them. Next, to
change seems to catch more stay competitive Google will need
quality websites. Many spam sites to continue to change their
and websites that violate algorithms. This will be harder
Google's guidelines are caught, if they cannot make changes
but there is an endless tide of without producing unintended
more spam websites taking their results. Finally, having the
place. Webmaster community lose faith in
them will make them vulnerable to
Some people might believe that competition. Webmasters provide
this is not a problem. Google is Google with two things. They are
there to provide the best the word of mouth experts. Also,
relevant listings for what people they run the websites that use
are searching on, and for the Google's Adsense program. Unlike
other monopolies, it is easy to link on the website linking to
switch search engines. People you). If too many links use the
might also criticize Webmasters same anchor text, Google
for relying on a business model discounts these links. This was
that requires free search engine originally done by some people to
traffic. Fluctuations in ranking inflate their rankings. Other
are part of the internet people did it because one anchor
business, and most Webmasters text usually makes sense. This is
realize this. Webmasters are not really a black hat SEO trick,
simply asking Google to fix bugs and it is not called out in
that cause unintended issues with Google's guidelines, but it has
their sites. caused some websites to lose
rank.
Most Webmasters may blame ranking
losses on Google and their bugs. Webmasters realize that Google
But the truth is that many needs to fight spam and black hat
Webmasters do violate some of the SEO manipulation. And to their
guidelines that Google lays out. credit, there is a Google
Most consider it harmless to bend Engineer named Matt Cutts who has
the rules a little, and assume a Blog site and participates in
this is not the reason their SEO forums to assist Webmasters.
websites have issues. In some But given the revenue impact that
cases, though, Google is right Google rankings have on
and has just tweaked its companies, Webmasters would like
algorithm in the right direction. to see even more communication
Here is an example: Google seems around the known issues, and help
to be watching the incoming links with identifying future algorithm
to your site to make sure they issues. No one expects Google to
don't have the same anchor text reveal their algorithm or what
(this is the text used in the changes they are making. Rumor on
the forum boards speculates that potential bugs to Google, and get
Google is currently looking at a response. It is in Google's
items like the age of the domain best interest to have a bug free
name, websites on the same ip, algorithm. This will in turn will
and frequency of fresh content. provide the best search engine
It would be nice from a Webmaster results for everyone.
standpoint to be able to report
About the Author:
Rodney Ringler is President of Advantage1 Web Services, Inc., which owns a network of Web Hosting Informational Websites including http://www.Hostchart.com, http://www.Resellerconnection.com, http://www.Foundhost.com, http://www.Resellerforums.com, and http://www.Hostingknowledge.net. Rodney has over 15 years industry experience.
Read more articles by: Rodney Ringler
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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