Negative Google Panda Impact

[lbohen]

Since Google implemented their Panda algorithm change in March we have lost up to 60% of our traffic and orders have dramatically reduced. We are trying to figure out what Google doesn't like about our Web store, especially our home page.

I read that Google doesn't like content farms (sites with duplicate / non-original content). Being an audio book merchant we get the description of each title from publishers which means that our description will be the same as on the publisher's Website as well as other book / audio book online merchants. Other online competitors don't appear to have been negatively affected by Panda. I.E. www.audible.com, www.audiobooks.org, www.audiobooks.com

The practice of using a publisher's book / audio book title description and author bio is not new nor is it restricted to the book industry. I would expect that those of you who are selling manufactured products (sporting goods, clothes, toys, auto parts, ...) also use the manufacturers description.

I would like to hear from others who use common product descriptions about whether you have been impacted, post-Panda, and if you have been negatively impacted, what you are doing about it.

[davidroth]

Most people that I've seen don't have enough links into their site, but it looks like you're a PR6 so I doubt that's the problem.

If you want to make the pages different from other pages on the internet, I would start adding customer reviews. Use a simple system like Power Reviews Express or possibly something like Lexiconn's review module. It's the best way to make a standard product description page unique. That is, if you think that's your problem.

[lbohen]

Lexiconn is our host and we do use Lexiconn's Product Review feature however I doubt that more than 1% of the 15K products at our Web store have reviews.

[davidroth]

Have you been emailing them after the fact to leave reviews? Personally, the easiest thing to get reviews is to email them after the fact and then offer them a discount (or free) product. So 5 days after purchase, email them and tell them they need to leave a 250 word review and if they do, they'll be given a coupon for X amount. It might be harder with so many products, but it's a step in the right direction.

[lbohen]

David; You are correct that we need to take a more active role in getting product reviews. Thanks