As a professional practice with an online presence, you have probably heard about Google algorithm updates and how they can affect your organic search rankings.

One of the more permanent algorithm filters has been named “Panda”. We first saw this named update roll out in February 2011. The update focused on quality content; discounting the rankings of sites with duplicated or low quality content.

Since February 2011, the Panda update has been refined and rolled out nearly 30 more times. Before the last week, Panda had not refreshed in approximately 10 months. Now that a new iteration of this Google algorithm update has begun to roll out, we have noticed various sites being affected by the change.

The latest update will take months to roll out completely according to Google. And because of the wait, some changes made more recently to improve content on websites may not be rewarded as quickly as we would like. You can read more about the update and previous Panda updates here.

So what do we do?

Our SEO team has been in the industry since some of the very first Google updates. They are not in panic mode, and our team is prepared to make adjustments to any sites affected.

Remember that your organic search rankings are going to fluctuate regularly based on new sites or blog posts entering your keyword space, content freshness on your site, social sharing of your content, and several other factors which we monitor and manage for our clients.

Each site is different and will require different adjustments. Before this update, we had already begun refreshing some of the older content on long-time client websites to help with conversion and quality. These changes will continue, and perhaps become more aggressive. You may hear from our service team if we need to make changes that require your approval.

As is normal with Google algorithm updates, you may see a shift that is temporary as results settle. This is why we don’t usually make any sudden changes. Data will drive all our decisions.

Rest assured, you are in good hands as always! We are your digital marketing experts for your professional practice – helping you focus on what you do best, while we take care of the rest.

If you have any questions at all, please contact our Client Services team at (909) 395-3615.


By Nohemi Arias
As an SEO Strategist, Nohemi implements result oriented web strategies to produce growing site traffic, leads and visibility for Firm Media's clients. With a Master's Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications and currently working towards an MBA in Business Intelligence and Information Technology, she brings passion and attention to detail to every project.

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