Google: No More Panda Updates This Year

Google formally announced via Twitter that there will be no more Panda updates for the remainder of the year. Granted, there’s not that much left of the year.

This might have been nice to know a little bit earlier, but it’s still good to know. The last known Panda update happened nearly a month ago.

Here’s Google’s “weather report” tweet (I’d embed it, but now Twitter’s giving me fail whales):

Search weather report: no major Panda updates until the new year. Context: http://t.co/nDkj74ou

There has been some discussion in WebmasterWorld about the possibility of Google taking a break on Panda for the holidays. Barry Schwartz over at SearchEngineRoundtable picked up on this disucssion as well, noting that Google probably doesn’t want a repeat of the whole Florida udpate fiasco, where online retailers kind of got the shaft due to an unexpected algorithm change years ago.

Of course, in more recent years, Google has been pretty open about not wanting to do that to sites, and has recently expressed its goal to be more transparent about algorithm updates in general.

Even if Google had thrown another Panda update at us, I’m not sure it would be comparable to the Florida situation, as that was much more unexpected. Google has semi-regularly been updating the Panda update all year, and savvy webmasters know that this will continue.

There are 9 Comments. Add Yours.

Puisi
December 14, 2011 at 5:34 pm

but we must be vigilant even if google does not update panda, panda update because google is not unexpected
- Naskah Drama
  December 14, 2011 at 5:36 pm
  
  I strongly agree with your opinion because Panda updates with unexpected time despite official reports already exist.
Lisa
December 15, 2011 at 12:51 am

Well i would expect a major change happening in January 2012. Expect the unexpected.

SEO’S wakeup call. Panda is just the beginning.
Nick Stamoulis
December 15, 2011 at 9:51 am

It’s great that Google is more forthcoming with information about updates. 2011 was an interesting year in the world of Google and I can only imagine what’s in store for 2012.
Steven
December 15, 2011 at 3:43 pm

It’s so funny how we think Google is actually being that transparent in what they are up to. Oh sure, give us a little more information than they used to, but not too much. They’ll tell us only what they feel they have to so that we can feel more trusting of them.
- Chris Crum
  December 15, 2011 at 4:00 pm
  
  Well, of course they’re not going to tell us everything, but you have to admit they have been a lot more open about discussing algorithm changes throughout the year, than in years past. It sounds like this will continue. At least it will give us more insight into what they’re doing.
Rajesh Namase
December 17, 2011 at 5:11 am

Thanks GOD, thanks for posting this good news.
Parvesh Sareen
December 18, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Wow Its a great news.
Well Panda too needs some relaxation and refreshen itself after making lots of efforts to purify the results. Its Christmas time for Panda Too.
But I am worried about the upcoming 2012, how calm and Aggressive, panda will be then.
Fingers Crossed , Hope for the best.
Do the things clean and keep the panda always smiling at your sites.
Jomer Gregorio
December 22, 2011 at 11:09 am

That is why in SEO, you need to be one step ahead of the game. Or else you will be sorry.

I think this break is a Christmas present from Big G.