What is Google Panda?

What it really is: Google Panda is a change to Google's search results ranking algorithm much like the new Google Penguin. The change aimed to lower the rank of "low-quality sites", and return higher-quality sites near the top of the search results.

The Panda update is the most significant algorithm change from Google. It brings out the true importance of quality content apart from other things. Search Engine Optimization strategies that produced astonishing results before may no longer provide you the successful outcome you were looking for. In order to win in the highly competitive online industry, staying in sync with the new Google algorithms is essentially important.

Google's Panda has received several updates since the original launch in February 2011.

• Update 1, Released on 02.24.2011 (11.8% of queries; announced; English in US only)

• Update 2, Released on 04.11.2011 (2% of queries; announced; rolled out in English internationally)

• Update 3, Released on 05.10.2011

• Update 4, Released on 06.16.2011

• Update 5, Released on 07.23.2011

• Update 6, Released on 08.12.2011 (6-9% of queries in many non-English languages; announced)

• Update 7, Released on 09.28.2011

• Update 8, Released on 10.19.2011 (about 2% of queries; belatedly confirmed)

• Update 9, Released on 11.18.2011: (less than 1% of queries; announced)

• Update 10, Released on 01.18.2012

• Update 11, Released on 02.27.2012

• Update 12, Released on 03.23.2012 (about 1.6% of queries impacted; announced)

• Update 13, Released on 04.19.2012

• Update 14, Released on 04.27.2012:

• Update 15, Released on 06.09.2012: (1% of queries; belatedly announced)

• Update 16, Released on 06.25.2012: (about 1% of queries; announced)

• Update 17, Released on 07.24.2012:(about 1% of queries; announced)

• Update 18, Released on 08.20.2012: (about 1% of queries; belatedly announced)

• Update 19, Released on 09.18.2012: (less than 0.7% of queries; announced)

• Update 20, Released on 09.27.2012 (2.4% English queries, impacted, belatedly announced

• Update 21, Released on 11.05.2012 (1.1% of English-language queries in US; 0.4% worldwide; confirmed, not announced)

• Update 22, Released on 11.212012 (0.8% of English queries were affected; confirmed, not announced)

• Update 23, Released on 11.21.2012 (1.3% of English queries were affected; confirmed, announced)

In just the past 4 months Panda has affected search queries by 5.6%, so how can you make sure your site does not get effected?