This day in search marketing history: March 25

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

From Search Marketing Expo (SMX)

Unicorn Accounts Don’t Use DKI & 9 Other PPC Lessons (SMX West 2014)

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.

2022: Enterprise SEO: Lessons from 20 years in the trenches by Trond Lyngbø

2020: How B2B companies can be proactive about managing paid media during COVID-19 by Ashley Mo

2020: Pro Tip: 3 important XML sitemap checks to improve your SEO by Michelle Race

2019: The majority of listings for car accident attorneys on Google are fake by Joy Hawkins

2016: Leveraging social media for local SEO by Lydia Jorden

2016: 3 practical local link-building ideas that will cure your Penguinitis by Will Scott

2015: Ready To Go Multilingual Or Multinational With Your Online Business? Ask Yourself These 10 Questions First by John Lincoln

2014: Content & SEO Alignment: 3 Steps To Create The Perfect Win-Win by Jim Yu

2013: Google Shopping Ads: What We’ve Learned So Far by Mona Elesseily

2013: 7 Reasons Why Local Businesses Should Still Buy PPC Ads by Chris Silver Smith

2013: SEO Opportunities Begin Well Before New Website Development by Eric Enge

2011: Five Visionaries Sum Up The Future Of Search by Gord Hotchkiss