Google extended Panda Search Algorithm update to English queries

Google has extended its Panda Update in search algorithm to English queries. Google had announced search algorithm change (known as "Farmer" or "Panda") in February 2011 for the US. Google Panda update has now been implemented on all English language queries. This includes both English speaking countries (such as searches on google.co.uk or google.com.au) and English queries in non-English countries (for instance, for a searcher using google.fr or google.de who's chosen English-language results).

The launch impacted nearly 12% of queries in the United States. The impact may be similar for English-speaking searchers across the world. Google claimed that they've gotten a lot of positive responses about the change: searchers are finding better results, and many great publishers are getting more traffic. Google said that based on testing, they've found the algorithm is very accurate at detecting site quality. Google has launched two ways for searchers to block particular sites from their search results recently. The first of these was a Chrome extension.

Google has now launched a block link directly in the search results that appears once a searcher has clicked from the results to a site and then return to the search results. Google said after the initial Panda launch, that they didn't use data about what sites searchers were blocking as a signal in the algorithm, but they did use the data as validation that the algorithm change was on target. Google found an 84% overlap in sites that were negatively impacted by Panda and sites that users had blocked with the Chrome extension.

Google are now using data about what searchers have blocked in "high confidence situations" as a secondary factor. With the initial launch of Panda Update, large sites were primarily affected, as the larger sites; with more pages, traffic, and links, have more signals available. By the latest update, smaller sites will see an impact. Amit Singhal, in charge of search quality at Google said: "this change also goes deeper into the "long tail" of low-quality websites to return higher-quality results where the algorithm might not have been able to make an assessment before".

References:
High-quality sites algorithm goes global, incorporates user feedback - Google Webmaster Central Blog
Panda 2.0: Google Rolls Out Panda Update Internationally & Incorporates Searcher Blocking Data - Search Engine Land

Google Panda Search Algorithm - Incorporated for Finding High-quality Sites in Search

Google has just modified its search algorithm and announced war on Content Farms. Amit Singhal (Google Fellow) and Matt Cutts (Principal Engineer) wrote in a blog post; the search upgrade, which will impact 11.8% of all Google search, "is developed to decrease positions for low-quality sites — sites which are low-value add for customers, duplicate content from other sites or sites that are just not very useful. Simultaneously, it will provide better positions for high-quality sites — sites with unique content and information such as research, in-depth reviews, careful research and so on."

Google can't launch a significant enhancement without impacting positions for many sites. Google is determined by the high-quality content developed by amazing sites around the world. Google has a liability to motivate a healthy web environment. Therefore, it is important for high-quality sites to be paid, and that's exactly what this algorithm modification is all about. This means that some sites will move up and some will drop after this modification.

Google Panda update does not depend on the reviews that Google obtained from the Personal Blocklist Firefox expansion, which was released earlier last week. But it definitely features the Blocklist information for the evaluation with the sites determined by the algorithm modification. Google has released this modification in the U.S. only right now; and plans to throw it out elsewhere eventually.

For more information about algorithm change refer to the post on Google Blog by Amit Singhal, Google Fellow, and Matt Cutts, Principal Engineer:
Finding more high-quality sites in search - Official Google Blog