We all hate having to adapt, but it is a necessary evil in the world of SEO. Especially when it comes to Google, we should now be used to seeing substantial changes occurring in the algorithms and dynamics of search once every few months at minimum. With the latest changes brought on by Panda and Penguin, we have no doubt wondered how to alter our link and content strategies to keep up with the rest of the pack. Even though the latest updates were not as all-encompassing as some updates in the past have been, it is never a bad idea to consider what has changed and what might change in the future. As a result, we’re here to provide you with several strategies on how to keep at bay most threats that these two updates might be causing to your success in the present and future.

Improve User Experience

Panda is predominantly focused upon three things: ridding the web of duplicate/poorly-written content, eliminating keyword stuffing and improving user experience. While the latter two elements have been a part of Google’s overall strategy for years, the user experience element has become more significant in recent months (thanks to algorithms’ ability to now sort through metrics that would have been considered impossible or abstract in the past). In order to improve user experience, you’ll need to focus on several things. Overall website design and functionality is crucial; you’ll want to make sure that your site can handle mobile and desktop traffic with ease, for instance. In addition, the ease of navigating and absorbing your content is another prime consideration that must be made.

Monitor Keyword Usage

While pinging URLs and specific keywords to search engines still remains a smart approach in the current era, the over-usage of keywords is something that Google is now focusing on intently. Panda’s latest update may have affected this particular element of SEO more so than any other element, so it’s important to understand where you could go wrong. A safe range for keywords included in an article is in between 2 and 4 percent; any higher and you could be penalized, and any lower may result in no tangible benefit. You’ll also want to avoid using too many keywords, regardless of density. Not only can this diminish the overall quality of your content, but Google will be able to tell when you’re doing it.

Extend Your Content

Long gone is the age in which you could produce a piece of content consisting of a couple hundred words and expect it to save the fate of your website. Google is now analyzing in depth the average length of your pages and posts, and shorter posts can significantly impact your rankings within Panda and Penguin. Instead of opting for tons of 300 word posts every day, try creating 500 and 1000-word posts every few days. As long as your content is thorough, isn’t duplicated and provides users with genuine benefit, you’ll continue to enjoy all of the old advantages and then some. It’s not just about pinging URLs to Google as quickly as possible – it’s about being detailed and substantive with what you ping.