"Unconfirmed" Google Algorithm Update Likely Targeting PBN Users

[Ryuzaki]

I can't deny or confirm the allegations since I'm so far removed from spam these days, but word on the street is the SERP fluctuations we've been seeing the past few days are because of... wait for it... PBN's being targeted (again).

Some Confirmations From Other Sources:

• Search Engine Land
• Search Engine Roundtable

Everyone is talking about "the first of February" but the reality is, I noticed the movement and SERPWoo confirms big happenings on the 24th with it settling out to a lesser disruption soon after:

The fastest way to get the gist of what happened is to take a meta-review of everyone's bitching, usually in black hat forums. And the consensus is:

"But muh PBN's are deindexed and muh sites are tanking! And muh newly bought expired domains won't index!"
​

Here's the reality. PBN's rock on spam projects. Don't let them near your real money makers if you want them to keep making that organic traffic money.

I know every PBN builder on the planet has this claim or that. I've been one of them. I found and destroyed handfuls of footprints nobody has ever mentioned publicly, either because they don't know about them or want their competitive edge, but at the end of the day it didn't save my giant PBN and it won't save anyone else's either.

The reason is, if you're using your PBN's, then there's an OBL footprint and a handful of other metrics that build a confidence percentage that let's Google know beyond a shadow of a doubt, based on massive amounts of data, that you have a PBN. There's footprints you can't control. And those are the ones that screw you over.

Build and use PBN's if you please but don't delude yourself or lie to buyers. It will come crashing down. There is no such thing as a "White Hat PBN."

Other tools are showing the same activity:

Non-PBN users.... congrats on your increased income!

PBN users, I hope you made mad cash during that window. The next one is upon you. Reiterate and keep making cheddar, but consider at least one non-spam project in the mean time.

 

[CCarter]

One thing I did notice was this was more of a "Mobile" hit versus Desktop, as well as a "Global" target algorithm versus traditional algorithm that start in the USA and then spread, so it definitely seems significant. Screenshots:

More Mobile vs Desktop

More Global reaching

 

[Prentzz]

err @Ryuzaki did you just include a weather chart? I'll take whatever you're smoking bro

 

[CCarter]

err @Ryuzaki did you just include a weather chart?

... are you not familiar with moz's mozcast?

 

[knownerror]

lolwut, I've been seeing green since then.

 

[Prentzz]

... are you not familiar with moz's mozcast?

Well....
Let's just let that slide. I've never seen that before but then again I haven't used Moz products in years. @CCarter have you compared how sensitive the Mozcast is to other similar metrics?

 

[CCarter]

have you compared how sensitive the Mozcast is to other similar metrics?

Mozcast is good, it's the basis for most other metrics that monitor the SERPs. SERPWoo's global stats is based off the mozcast's theory minus the part where they only monitor 1000 random keywords. We monitor and report on everything within SW's database. SW tends to find more minute things that others miss.

For example, no one is monitoring the desktop versus mobile aspect of updates, nor local versus non-local, or even by individual countries like we do. It's all one big soup with everyone else - it doesn't make sense now-a-days since Google has gotten more advanced over the last 5 years - yet they are still using a 5 year old reporting method. There are updates we see that only target English speaking countries first, or they test it out on a 10 or 14 day cycle, then eventually roll it out worldwide. You can see that within the Global stats (it's free) and watch what your country is doing in terms of overall volatility versus other countries.

 

[ari]

Mozcast is good, it's the basis for most other metrics that monitor the SERPs. SERPWoo's global stats is based off the mozcast's theory minus the part where they only monitor 1000 random keywords. We monitor and report on everything within SW's database. SW tends to find more minute things that others miss.

For example, no one is monitoring the desktop versus mobile aspect of updates, nor local versus non-local, or even by individual countries like we do. It's all one big soup with everyone else - it doesn't make sense now-a-days since Google has gotten more advanced over the last 5 years - yet they are still using a 5 year old reporting method. There are updates we see that only target English speaking countries first, or they test it out on a 10 or 14 day cycle, then eventually roll it out worldwide. You can see that within the Global stats (it's free) and watch what your country is doing in terms of overall volatility versus other countries.

I don't use SerpWoo but just seeing that you have this nuanced (and IMO correct) view of serps in 2017 makes me want to switch. How do you deal with hitting different tests when checking results?

 

[knownerror]

On another note, a competitor in my niche sky rocketed (Using a ton of PBN links) during this time as well.

 

[Kakarot]

PBNs are dead, feel free to send me all of yours PBNs now

 

[turbin3]

I don't use SerpWoo

Definitely do.

Never before have I been able to predict the tidal wave of "SEO IS DEAD!" panic, of the unwashed masses, with such precision. Thanks SERPWoo!

Now if only that panic was a stock one could short = BANK I guess in some ways it is...

 

[ryandiscord]

Google's new patent may affect PBNs that aren't generating their own search traffic. If I'm understanding it correctly, they're looking at the dwell time of the traffic from the linking site as a factor.