Google Panda patent granted
In 2014, a patent (Ranking search results) written by Google’s Navneet Panda and Vladimir Ofitserov – possibly describing the Google Panda algorithm update, or parts of it – was granted.
However, the fact that Google was granted this patent didn’t necessarily mean it was being used by Google at the time, or that it hadn’t been modified since the application was filed.
Read all about it in Google Granted Patent For Panda Algorithm and dive deeper into Bill Slawski’s Google’s Panda Granted a Patent on Ranking Search Results and Is Ranking Search Results the Panda Patent? on SEO by the Sea. And here’s the patent.
In short, it was about looking at inbound links and how many search queries were made about a particular page/resource, and it modified the “initial scores” for the pages/resources being ranked.
Slawski explained the patent had many parts that worked together:
- Determining, for many groups of resources, a count of independent incoming links to help in the group
- Deciding, for each of the plurality of groups of resources, a count of reference queries
- Choosing, for each of the plurality of groups of resources, a respective group-specific modification factor, wherein the group-specific modification factor for each group get based on the count of independent links and the count of reference queries for the group
- Associating, with each of the plurality of groups of resources, the respective group-specific modification factor for the group, wherein the respective group-specific modification for the group modifies initial scores generated for help in the group in response to received search queries
Also on this day
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Google turns on ‘mark a business temporarily closed’ for business owners on GMB
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2020: What veteran SEOs were doing to help clients adapt to business during and after the pandemic.
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2020: A large majority of consumers expected a recession next year but were spending up to 30% more online, according to a survey.
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Google webspam report: Hacked sites, user-generated spam, bad linking topped 2018 priorities
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Google AMP, mobile-friendly testing tools support code editing
2019: Google announced that its AMP and mobile-friendly test tools supported the ability to edit code and rerun the test, live.
Bing Ads bad account takedowns doubled in 2018
2019: Third-party tech support scams, cryptocurrency and weapons ad content topped the areas of attention.
TravelTime maps API lets users search by time rather than distance
2019: Users could search by time and make travel or transportation decisions accordingly.
AdWords now applies recommended bids to new DSA categories automatically
2016: The feature was designed to help managers set up a lot of dynamic search ad categories quickly.
Contradicting other data, Compete says search traffic growing on the desktop
2016: Firm argued number of searchers and searches per user have grown significantly on the PC since last year.
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2016: The latest images showing what people eat at the search engine companies, how they play, who they meet, where they speak, what toys they have and more.
Google Adds Subdomain Support To Change Of Address Tool In Google Webmaster Tools
2015: You could now communicate subdomain moves in Google Webmaster Tools Change of Address tool.
Google Clarifies “Mobile Friendly Update” Will Roll Out Over A Week, Be Yes/No Response & More
2015: There were no degrees of mobile-friendliness in this algorithm.
Google Launches Major Push To Get Local Businesses Online, Improve Data
2015: New site offered tools, content and solicited business owners to update information.
Google Misattributing Content From Major News Publishers
2014: It was unclear if the issue was with Google or with the publishers.
Five Days Later, It Looks Like Google Has Penalized Web Design Library For Selling Links
2014: A website that was using Twitter to renew paid links appeared to have earned a Google penalty.
BrandVerity Offers Feedback From Google, Bing On Paid Search Trademark Complaints
2014: BrandVerity added a process to its paid search ad monitoring system to give clients direct feedback from Google and the Yahoo Bing Network on trademark violation complaints.
Apple Broadening App-Store Search With Related Keywords
2014: While this wasn’t entirely helpful it did offer some discovery potential.
Google Finally Discontinues The Blocked Sites Feature
2013: After over a year of the blocked sites feature not working (and two months after Google promised it would return) Google officially declared they were discontinuing the feature.
Google Streamlines AdWords Rules On Using Trademark Keywords
2013: Google announced an update to its AdWords trademark policy that streamlined the rules on using third-party trademark keywords in campaigns.
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Facebook Graph Search Now Passing Keyword Data To Webmasters
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2013: LinkedIn launched a new unified search feature and a smarter query intent algorithm that continuously served up more relevant results.
Apple Buys Indoor Location Company, What’s It Up To?
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Google Bug & Slow PR Leads To Chinese Hack Rumors
2010: Google executives page was showing up in Chinese language.
Google Now Offering “Remarketing” To All AdWords Advertisers
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Google China: Congressional Praise; Microsoft Supports Tyranny & Google Eats Poo Cartoon
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Microsoft Announces Raft Of New Bing Features: Improved UI, More “Answers” And Of Course Foursquare
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SES New York 2010 Day 3 Live Coverage Google Voice Search & My Location Now On Blackberry
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Yahoo Closes The Cabin Door On FareChase
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Google’s Search Box Grows As Needed: Yahoo & Live Search Don’t
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White Spaces: Google’s Second Bite At The Wireless Apple
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Is Yahoo Hoping For Justice Department Intervention To Stop MicroHoo Merger?
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OpenSocial Becomes More Open, Facebook Says No; AOL Flamed By Mag; Court Rules Against Clicking Minors
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From Search Marketing Expo (
SMX)
Past contributions from Search Engine Land’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
These columns are a snapshot in time and have not been updated since publishing, unless noted. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.
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