The WebSpecialist Blog

Baltimore SEO gurus and Internet marketers have been waiting for the latest algorithm update from Google Panda. After all, the company clearly stated that Panda would be taking a holiday nap but would be back in action at the beginning of the year. And it appears that the wait is over: Panda 3.2 came roaring back last week and the updates are causing some marketers to cheer.

This 10th refresh apparently addresses issues with Panda's last update. Marketers, according to Brafton.com, are reporting that traffic levels have been restored to near pre-Panda levels. And because there have been no changes in terms of ranking signals, it seems this latest Google update, while important, is fairly minor. This round of adjustments is one in a series of 500 changes Google plans to make to its various search algorithms this year.

Baltimore SEO experts as well as SEO gurus across the country have been closely watching the numerous Google Panda updates. The changes have been steady and constant since the beginning of the year, with the most recent round of updates coming down just last month. It's become something of a sport to see how Google updates Panda next. Sadly, we've learned via Twitter that our Panda Watch 2011 has come to a close.

As reported by Web Pro News, Google officially tweeted on December 14th, "no major Panda updates until next year." Insiders are speculating that Google is taking a holiday break in order to avoid another Florida update that could derail the season's heaviest period of online shopping. The Florida debacle from November 2003, as you may or not recall, was an update that knocked SEO and Google on its behind, leaving web users and retailers very angry. Panda updates are expected to resume in January — this also is when Google is expected to roll out a variety of new products.

Maryland SEO and search engine optimizers everywhere like to play the doom and gloom card whenever something new from Google is released — and no product from the company was met with more boos and eye rolls than Google Panda. The tough algorithm update was released last winter to extreme pessimism. Now marketers and SEOers alike have unlocked a way to make Panda work for them: fresh content.

A new infographic from Brafton reports that original content on a website can translate to sales. Katherine Griwert, who created and compiled the infographic for Brafton, says that 57 percent of marketers report that new customers have come in via company blogs. But spammers beware: Google Panda does not respond well to churned-out paid content and instead gives higher rankings to fresh content like blogs and social media interaction. In short, original content is a tasty recipe anybody can cook up to keep Google Panda fat and happy.

Every once in a while I think it's important to spread the word about some of the good businesses I work with. I also know that in-bound linking is a critical part of our monthly SEO services, and our efforts to drive traffic to them. So I hope you won't mind if, on occasion, I post about the virtues of some of my best clients and the work they do!

For instance, if you live in NJ and are looking for a good NJ solar contractor or are investigating residential solar incentives in NJ, please contact our good friends at Eclipse Solar Specialists. They are a residential solar installer in DE, but do a lot of work in NJ as well - including offering assistance in qualifying for NJ REIP credits. Here are a few other of our great clients, in no particular order:

• Welch Mechanical Designs in Belcamp, MD offers expert precision optics and precision lens design for scientific use in the aerospace industry, with a concentration on government contracts.
• Anyone looking for quality used industrial shelving in MD or a Maryland pallet racking supplier for their warehouse is encouraged to contact Everything Warehouse in Baltimore.
• For epoxy floors in Maryland, look no further than our own Baltimore commercial construction contractor, O.T. Neighoff and Sons.
• Northern VA kitchen and bath contractor Thomas Custom Builders is your best bet for professional and reliable custom kitchen remodeling and Virginia design/build home additions.
• Looking for custom business signs? Call Maryland sign company Blue Water Signs, located in Forest Hill.

These companies all offer terrific products and service! If you are in need of services and are looking for a good referral to a reliable business, please contact us. We don't refer our clients because they're our clients, we refer them because they are good at what they do!