According to unconfirmed reports, Google is rolling out a new algorithm update for its search results. Dubbed as "phantom" - named after its ghost-like appearance - this new update is primarily impacting tutorial and "how-to" content. A significant number of large and important websites have seen a significant drop in traffic over the past couple of weeks. Since Bloggers are first to write HowTO tutorials, this penalty is the worst of its form and will massively effect traffic of blogs which are involved in tutorial writing. So what is this update and is it significant?
HubPages is a large collection of almost a million mini-blogs containing informational content about a wide variety of topics. Since May 3, it has seen its Google search traffic drop by 22 percent within a week. Websites like eHow, WikiHow, and Answers.com are other sites that have seen significant drops in traffic over the past couple of weeks.
Although Google has not yet acknowledged this update, experts believe that this update is not related to Panda or Penguin. However, similar types of “thin” content targeted by Panda are also being targeted by this update. Sites with an abundance supplementary information, pages of stacked videos, and pages difficult to navigate have all lost visibility in recent weeks.
This update is said to be “ruthless” in its approach - apparently having no problem punishing entire domains for a few instances of thin content.
“When you have a domain-level algorithm update or ranking change, it can impact the whole site… Pages that should be drawing well could also be pulled down in the results.”
Google has not formally commented on this update, although at SMX Sydney this week Gary Illyes, from Google’s Webmaster Trends team, alluded to there being a recent change that’s part of a core algorithm update.
With Google’s Knowledge Graph being notorious for detracting traffic from sites for “how to” searches, coupled with this “Phantom” update, being a content publisher is more challenging than ever. Experts admits to not being able to predict what business will look like tomorrow, next week, next month, etc.
Have you noticed a significant change in your traffic since the beginning of May? If so, what types of content do you believe was targeted? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Hello Qasim,
ReplyDeleteWow, that's just absurd if all of the domains are being penalized for the thin content.. I do vote for killing the non-quality content from any site whether they are Big Bs (big brands) or any website at any level.
"HowTo" type posts are famous, people tend to search more for "how tos" but if there's no quality in there, the links/pages should be penalized greatly. No sense of penalizing the whole domain being said human being tends to search for "how tos" and such low-quality sites are okay to be wiped off of Google's searches.
Let's see how it goes for the renowned websites! Gladly, I have just 1-2 topics of how-tos and they look okay for me via Analytic's standpoint.
Thank you for putting up the details!
~ Adeel Sami
I so agree on this Adeel. I really makes no sense to punish all subdomains and even quality posts, what good is in it anyway?
DeleteThis is a complete ruthless penalty and it makes no sense at all. It is no less than a massacre of sites which contributed so much to the web for years.
How strange is this ???? Google don't like Games sites, videos sites, and even only images sites too . They only remaining things is content and now going to kill it ? I think we should validate this news or wait for next plan because my mostly sites are on tutorials content.
ReplyDeleteThat is true and I am hopefull they will look back on this decision. People and forums are now talking on this and I hope matt cutts may give a quick response on it to either validate or disown the rumour.
DeleteUnbelievable Google can't do this.
ReplyDeletePersonally: I didn't saw any type of drop in traffic on my blogs. Hope for best :)
:D i was planning to create a new niche site using my site's subdomain.....
ReplyDeleteI think its not going to happen. Every blog write about "How To".
ReplyDeleteDid your site penalize for this? Have you noticed?
ReplyDeleteThey must be only going after thin content how-to articles. My site's been steadily gaining in search traffic again since the beginning of april and I write mostly how-to prepper and survival articles with a few product reviews. My articles are several thousand words long though, not 400 like most sites. http://graywolfsurvival.com
ReplyDeleteI found no verification of this update either except on twitter and some SEO based blogs. I guess it could be a rumour and it must be so. I hope matt cutts will reconfirm this shortly
Deletei have tutorial video site :( last month daily i get 3000 traffic now just 800 or 1000 i think this is not good for beginner or teachers because they teach from videos
ReplyDeleteI have recently created a new site and I am writing on many categorises including "how to" so according to you If Google is penalizing these type of sites then what should I do now?
ReplyDelete