Relevance and Revenue Generation are the two top goals of any search engine (SE).

As the Internet and associated technologies mature, search engine algorithms have become much more complex. This was demonstrated in Google’s 3-4 week-long 3-phase “Jagger” update.

The initial response was very negative, and Google received more bad press from every conceivable corner than anyone could have imagined. Many sites suddenly disappeared entirely from Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs) overnight, seemingly inexplicably. Some have recovered, but many haven’t; others have seen an improvement in traffic.

Compounding prognostication, Yahoo initiated a much milder Index Update during the latter phase of the Jagger update.

Google had several issues to deal with:

1) Scraper Sites
2) Faux AdSense Directory Sites
3) CSS Spamming Techniques
4) Growing “Generic” SERP Irrelevancy
5) Reciprocal Linking Abuse
6) Ballooning BlogSpam

Google had no choice but to act decisively and convincingly.

The following list is how we believe Google has handled these issues in the Jagger update:

1) Increased importance placed on IBL (Inbound Links) Relevancy?
2) Increased importance placed on OBL (Outbound Links) Relevancy?
3) Promotion of relevant Niche Directories (related to #1 & #2)?
4) More weight thrown back to PR @ top domain?
5) Increased importance on AdSense placement relevancy?
6) Possible introduction of CSS Spam filtering?
7) Overall Blog demotions?
8) New and unresolved “canonical” issues?

Let’s look at each action separately:

1) Increased importance placed on IBL Relevancy

Reciprocal linking abuse was growing out of control; even organic SERPs were losing relevance because the majority of active site administrators were link-mongering with anyone they could, regardless of relevance value. Google created that monster, prioritizing quantity over quality for a long time. It appears that they started applying several published relevancy measurement factors (See US Patent Application #2005007174), which seem to have become more noticeable during the “Bourbon” update.

2) Increased importance placed on OBL Relevancy?

The patent application mentioned above is ripe for OBL relevancy algorithm application. The “Bourbon” update had a marked impact on irrelevantly linked and broader-based directories, while promoting niche, focused, and more relevant topic-based directories. It makes perfect sense to cut Spam at its source. This move was subtle, but at the same time was an engineering masterpiece because it addressed every form of link spam to some degree, including CSS-spammed links.

Theoretically, if a link is not visible, it will not be selected by visitors, and no measurable time will be spent there. Therefore, its “Relevancy Rating” starts to diminish immediately. Some even hypothesize that this kind of link can affect the overall “Relevance RankSite” for the entire Site and have the potential to impact the page and Site PR (PageRank). We definitely saw a promotion of “Relevant” Directories almost across the board with Jagger.

3) Promotion of relevant Niche Directories (related to #s 1, 2 & 5)?

We began to see a shift in the Directory SERP with the “Bourbon” update, and we definitely saw a promotion of relevant directories across the board with Jagger. Based on those facts, no one can deny that there has been a significant emphasis on “linking” issues.

4) More weight thrown back to PR @ top domain?

Google had seemed to stray from earlier values ascribed to PageRank for some time in the quest for content, content freshness, and other goals. After Jagger3, I was surprised to find PR0 pages highly placed in important topic SERPs with a great deal of code and only two sentences of content. One example is prominent, just below Matt Cutts’ blog, when you search for “Jagger Update” on Google.

This particular example is mostly JavaScript, AdSense, and intra-site links. On further inspection, the Site is well done, contains a good deal of relevant information, and has a top domain ranking of PR6. Based on these observations, one might concur that more emphasis has been placed on top domain PR. This “observed” return focus to “Authoritative” or sites holding Trusted” status should hold no real surprise in the quest for “relevancy” improvement.

5) Increased importance on AdSense placement relevancy?

Google has declared war on all kinds of Spam AdSense sites. Many of these are or were fake directories and scrapers, or other mega-sites that utilize auto-content and auto-link generation technologies and services. Matt Cutts, in his blog, openly asked for and provided specific instructions on how to report these sites to help augment the overall effect of the algorithm changes targeting those egregious atrocities.

The war rages on against Spam, but you can always bet that relevancy, revenue protection, and growth will be at the top of the list.

6) Possible introduction of CSS Spam filtering?

Matt Cutts issued an unusually stern warning about using CSS spam techniques, coinciding with the Jagger update on October 19, 2005. Here is a link to the article in Threadwatch entitled, “Google Engineer Hammered over CSS Spam Comments“. There is a great deal of controversy over this issue, but it has been a growing cancer for a long time.

Some almost seem to be speculating that Google can’t figure out the algorithms to combat these issues yet, outside of OBL relevancy implementation, nearly dismissing Matt’s warning as “huff and puff” to scare CSS Spam abusers into compliance. Google always addresses serious Spam issues eventually, and this one has been on the table for around a year, that I know of! It just doesn’t make sense to ignore a warning from a top Google engineer.

7) Overall Blog demotions?

Blog spam became a growing problem after Blogging gained prominence in 2004. Google had to backtrack on Blog SERP prominence because many of them were not managed well, or at all, losing topical relevancy. Jagger seems to have ushered in a SERP sweep of Blogs that were not topically focused, managed with purpose, and contained AdSense and link spam. It got to the point that it seemed half of the top SERPs for almost any topic were Blog listings; many have fallen in Jagger.

8) New and unresolved “canonical” issues?

Many are complaining of incorrect indexing issues, especially for sites that were indexed for the first time during the Jagger update. The problem seems to stem from Google treating the abbreviated site URL (without www) and the complete URL.

What to expect next?

There are a large number of Sites that saw crippling SERP demotions, including clean coded, relevant, W3C validated, completely “White Hat” sites that haven’t ever even engaged in link exchange programs. I know, I had one that got hit – my first time in a Google update.

Continue to fight Spam at any level that protects the footsteps in their intended path: relevance, market share, revenue generation (both maintenance and growth), and fiscal and Community Responsibility.

Article by Ken Webster