A summary of articles from Search Engine Watch and resources from elsewhere that pertain to major changes to Google's search algorithm that happened in November and December 2003. 'Florida' is the nickname that's been given to this particular wave of changes known as the Google Dance.
This page summarizes articles from Search Engine Watch and resources from elsewhere that pertain to major changes to Google’s search algorithm that happened in November and December 2003. “Florida” is the nickname that’s been given to this particular wave of changes known as the Google Dance.
What Happened To My Site On Google?
Dec. 7, 2003 – The outcry from webmasters about Google’s recent ranking algorithm change has been unprecedented. In this article, Search Engine Watch editor Danny Sullivan takes a Q&A-style approach to examine many of the issues and questions that have arisen from the change.
Google Dance Case Studies
Dec. 7, 2003 – Real life stories of how sites were impacted by the recent Google ranking changes, with an analysis of factors that may be in play.
Speculation On Google Changes
Dec. 7, 2003 – So what’s Google done that’s caused so many sites to drop? The company may be making use of Teoma-like local ranking to filter out irrelevant links that can throw its link analysis system off. Stemming is also a factor, and other techniques may be involved. Article available to Search Engine Watch members.
What Happened To My Searches On Google?
Dec. 7, 2003 – Many webmasters have found that recent changes at Google have hurt them. But does all the hue and cry over Google’s recent algorithm change have any impact on searchers? There are some developments worth noting, and this article takes a Q&A approach to examine them.
Google Dance Syndrome Strikes Again
Dec. 1, 2003 – There’s been a new outbreak of Google Dance Syndrome, causing some web sites last month to lose top positions for some search terms. However, unlike previous outbreaks, a cure exists that makes it easy to compare results from old to new Google. These comparisons have some marketers convinced that recent changes at Google are designed to boost ad sales, a charge Google flatly denies.
Coping With GDS, The Google Dance Syndrome
June 3, 2003 – Google’s monthly update is known as the Google Dance to those really into search engine optimization. And during the dance, some SEOs suffer from GDS — Google Dance Syndrome, when they see their web sites face lower rankings. But does an epidemic of reported GDS mean a problem with Google’s relevancy?
In Search Of The Relevancy Figure
Dec. 5, 2002 – While relevancy is the most important feature a search engine can offer, there sadly remains no widely-accepted measure of how relevant the different search engines are. It’s a situation the search engine industry need to change, to help itself and consumers.
The Great Google Algorithm Shift
Oct. 14, 2002 – Google rolled out its latest index at the very end of last month, and changes to its search algorithm have caused a huge outcry on some of the search engine forums. Interestingly, however, is that during the same time this happened, I received only one complaint from a reader about the change, this being a web site owner concerned that the ranking swap had hurt him. No searchers wrote to complain that Google had suddenly become useless. Article available to Search Engine Watch members.
Coping With Listing Problems At Google
July 15, 2002 – Site owners fret about problems being listed at Google, and the lack of a guaranteed channel to address their concerns could lead to a PR problem similar to that which Yahoo once endured. A look at some common problems, remedies and what might come from Google for site owners. Article available to Search Engine Watch members.
WebmasterWorld.com: This popular forum site has numerous threads with hundreds of posts discussing the changes. A mixture of opinions can be found, ranging from those who take a “black hat” approach to aggressive search engine promotion to “white hat” individuals.
High Rankings Forum: Another popular forum with lots of discussion and generally populated by those who are more “white hat” in promotion.
JimWorld Discussion Forums: Yet more discussion from this community of search engine marketers.
Best Practices Search Engine Forums: Long-standing forum where search engine marketing issues are discussed.
How To Prosper With The New Google
SEO Research Labs, Jan. 5, 2004
http://www.seoresearchlabs.com/googlereport.php
Google: New Algos or “SEO Filter”?
Search Engine Guide, Dec. 5, 2003
http://www.searchengineguide.com/terry/2003/1205_tv1.html
The Great Google Filter Fiasco
Scroogle/Google Watch, Dec. 3, 2003
http://www.scroogle.org/fiasco.html
“We’re Always Trying to Improve the Index for the User”: Google
Traffick, Dec. 2, 2003
http://www.traffick.com/blog/archive/2003_11_30_archive.asp#107041902731754297
Google “Florida” Update
Phil Craven, Dec. 3, 2003
http://www.webworkshop.net/florida-update.html
My Google Filter Theory: Stemming
SearchGuild.com, Nov. 28, 2003
http://www.searchguild.com/tpage4713-0.html
Florida Fever: The Google Update Uproar
Gord Hotchkiss, Nov. 27, 2003
http://www.searchengineposition.com/info/netprofit/floridaupdate.asp
Google Bayesian Spam Filtering Problem?
Seth Finkelstein, Nov. 26, 2003
http://sethf.com/anticensorware/google/bayesian-spam.php
Been Gazumped by Google?
SearchEngineGuide.com, Nov. 25, 2003
http://www.searchengineguide.com/lloyd/2003/1125_bl1.html
Google Florida Update – Penalty Filter Flow Chart
Vaughn’s 1-Pagers, Nov. 15, 2003 (and further revisions since)
http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/google-florida-chart.htm
Google Changes Natural Search Ranker, Change Rankles Web Publishers
MediaPost, Dec. 4, 2003
http://www.mediapost.com/dtls_dsp_news.cfm?newsId=228378
Google’s search under the microscope
CBS MarketWatch, Dec. 4, 2003
http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid={BD10C382-9AC6-4F5D-AE9E-89AA39E06C6A}
Change to Google ranking system irks merchants
Reuters, Dec. 2, 2003
http://www.forbes.com/business/newswire/2003/12/02/rtr1167223.html
Webmasters Wary of Latest Google Tweaks
eWeek, Dec. 1, 2003
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,1401311,00.asp