Google's New Page Layout Algorithm Sucks

I'm going to be honest with you: I really think Google's new page layout algorithm sucks. I understand Google's position on this matter and how having several ads above the fold can lead to a bad user experience, but even Google places a ton of ads above the fold. If you do a search for credit cards or even laptops, everything above the fold appears to be sponsored links and advertisements rather than organic search results (particularly for smaller screens and mobile devices).

Matt Cutts said on the Official Google Webmaster Central Blog, "So sites that don’t have much content “above-the-fold” can be affected by this change. If you click on a website and the part of the website you see first either doesn’t have a lot of visible content above-the-fold or dedicates a large fraction of the site’s initial screen real estate to ads, that’s not a very good user experience."

Sure, I agree with Matt and I too like Google's approach to call for a better user experience -- but Google's not bothering to update their search results, so why we? In addition, rather large sites were not affected by the new page layout algorithm and some sites (with ads loaded above the fold) also managed to rank higher.

I have several websites and was hit by the recent algorithm -- one loosing a third place ranking for "poptropica cheats" and first page ranking for "poptropica". I have been pushed back to the 9th position for poptropica cheats, while disappearing completely for the poptropica search term. Of course, a quick Google search reveals some sites that I consider to be "spammy" and "low-quality" compared to mine (they rank higher than me). Take a look for yourself:

- poptropicacheats.org (Query: poptropica cheats, third result)
- gamewinners.com/Cheats/index.php/Poptropica (Query: poptropica cheats, seventh result)
- poptropicasecrets.com (Query: poptropica cheats, second result)
- poptropica101.com, poptropica360.com, and poptropica247.com (query: poptropica, page 1)

I am by no means trying to advertise these sites -- I am trying to set a picture on how Panda and the recent algorithm update has affected the search results in terms of quality and better user experience. I own poptropicaislands.com and unlike the sites above, I have lost 50% of my traffic and faced a rather large drop in SERPs.

If I'm to suffer for having to many ads above the fold, why haven't the sites above (particularly poptropicasecrets and poptropicacheats.org). I had the same exact ad placement as poptropicasecrets, but they haven't suffered a bit. I'm sure other webmasters on the Digital Point Forums have been affected as well, and I guess my main point suggests that instead of enhancing the results appearing in Google with quality websites, lower quality and spam-like websites are starting to rank higher. In addition, some webmasters and adsense publishers are being affected, while others are facing little setbacks. I wish Google could be fair with this -- we don't even understand how the new algorithm works and what classifies an ad or the "normal" amount of ads above the fold. I consider normal being two or three ads above the fold, but that's because many websites do just that...

 

lol?

They websites that are in top because they were from the business from the very beginning.. If you update your website continuously and make lots of backlinks, you will surely grow.

 

I used to rank third... my point is the new page layout algorithm pushed me back but not those guys... particularly poptropicacheats.org because that website is loaded with ads above the fold.

 

It is very usual for things in the world that cannot please everyone. Surely, Google has no other intention but to give better search experience.

 

I can also see the point that there sponsored ads take up most of the area 'above the fold' though.

 

Yes, we all should keep this thing in our mind...

 

yes I will

 

yah really nice post...

 

You are right, the placement of the ads are not good for your site, they take the main business off your site. Google is just in business.

 

Nothing can be perfect, does anyone know how googles algo even determines whats above the fold or below? It could just be a case of how their code is layed out makes it seem like it has more content above the fold, due to dumb luck?

 

This algorithmic change does not affect sites who place ads above-the-fold to a normal degree, but affects sites that go much further to load the top of the page with ads to an excessive degree or that make it hard to find the actual original content on the page.

 

Ranking in Google is a never ending game.
In this game there are winners and loosers.
I am a looser for now. One of my site lost nearly 50% of its organic google traffic!

I know, from Googles algorithm view the site had too many "ads" above fold.
The site is a online games site, most visitors seem to "like" ads related to games/gaming.
Gaming ads convert well on game sites like mine.
The site has a lot of returning visitors, low bounce rate and high pageviews/per visitor.
All content is unique, unique game descriptions and unique images.
The site got nearly 9k facebook likes in a couple of months.

Nothing of it helped, G's new algo says "you have too many ads, so I punish you".
Algorithms aren't perfect.

We are currently working on the layout trying to regain rankings.
We remove some ads, revenue is down in the cellar.
Not only that revenue is lost because of lower ranking, revenue is also lost because of removing ads.
This way we are punished twice.

According to Matt Cutts post rankings can be recovered in a couple of weeks.
To be honest, I'm not sure about it.

Thank you so much Google.

PS:
organic search traffic from Bing and Yahoo is constantly increasing.

 

You may be right, but I think its really a great update. On your example of Google I just want to say that in SERP Google displays more ads above the first fold. SERPs are not a normal website, update affects a normal webpage only not your search page.

 

Agreed. Google will change again and again and again. Unfortunately, they are changing for all the wrong reasons IMO. I also think about all the SEO companies that will loose their shirts. I have been approached by a handful for various reasons. Unfortunately, they offer little to no value at this point.


There are no such things as white hat techniques anymore. It is worthless to SEO a site and have it wiped off the map during the next update. Site owners are far better off to do nothing.