Google ‘Kung Fu’ Panda Penalized My Aggregator Website

Google unleashed its latest updates on search ranking algorithm code named “Panda” in 2011, then followed by Penguin in 2012.  I had no idea what these two animals back then.  All I had been thinking was how to convert this website, Moments Journal, into a news aggregator.  So finally, on February 2013, I mustered some nerve to infringe copyrights in the name of “Fair Use” through “News Aggregation” scheme.  Unfortunately after 3 weeks, my website was blasted into oblivion by Panda’s pinky.

 

 

 

 

Well, before I ventured into aggregation monkey-business, of course, I did  some research on “fair use” and “news aggregation”.  In fact, I was thrilled what I found out.  There were a lot of websites in the business of aggregating contents, hoarding tons of dollars with little effort.  And to my amazement, they haven’t gone to Judge Judy’s hot seat.  Yes, so far only Google, TheFlyOnTheWall and Meltwater had been slapped with legal gibberish.

So what I was waiting for.  After a long thought (months), I converted this website to news aggregator focusing on celebrities and few hot current events.   Then viola!  My stat counter got into frenzy mode and my revenue started to trickle in.  And I knew Judge Judy won’t bother me.  I was so happy.

One week past, then second week — So far I had been enjoying the free ride.  Since the website has PR 3, a lot of posts were sitting right on the first page of Google.  My stat counter was so elegantly rising, piercing the thick top edge of my monitor.  I said to myself, “Yeah, reach the sky, baby.”  :)

On the third week, I got a little greedy.  From 5 news source, I jumped to 10.  I needed to feed my stat counter.  It’s hungry for more.

Then one night, after dreaming of reaching the sky, I noticed my stat counter seemed to lose its vitality.  Instead of pointing upward, it started to crawl downward.

Hey, what happpppennned?!!!

As if Google heard my scream, the next day March 5, 2013, Google Webmaster Tools (WMT) sent me an email.

It says:

We’ve detected that some of your site’s pages may be using techniques that are outside Google’s Webmaster Guidelines.

Specifically, we detected low-quality pages on your site which do not provide substantially unique content or added value. Examples could include thin affiliate pages, doorway pages, automatically generated content, or copied content. For more information about unique and compelling content, visit http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=66361.

We encourage you to make changes to your site so that it meets our quality guidelines. Once you’ve made these changes, please submit your site for reconsideration in Google’s search results.

 

What the F_ _ _? Why I missed this Google thingy? I thought what’s gonna hit me was copyright infringement, or email complaint from my news source.

Right away, I googled my website name:  Moments Journal

Result:  NOTHING!!!!

then googled:  site:https://momentsjournal.com/

Still:  NOTHING!!!!  NADA!!!!

Whewww!  Am I dead???!!!  (I mean… my website?!)

Google buried my website so deep in the cyberspace that even Google itself could not find it.

Well, actually, Google removed my website from the index.  I was penalized, banned, shamed, disallowed, kicked out, buried alive, etc., etc., etc.

I tried Bing and Yahoo.   Fantastic!  Moments Journal was on top.  But there’s a problem:  Who search on Bing and Yahoo?

I want Google!!!!

My only option was to prostrate to Google and beg to restrain Panda’s pinky.  And I did.  First up I stopped the monkey-business and deleted all the aggregated contents, then I replied to WMT email to reconsider my website.   So far to this writing, “Moments Journal” is showing up already… but on the 5th page of Google results.  Nope, not 5th line.  It’s 5th page!!!!

Well, that’s better than nothing at all.

So from now on, I’ll try to behave and follow Google Guidelines.  And maybe someday, I would learn the Way of the Dragon… I mean DrudgeReport.

I’ll be back!

(Oops, I’m just kidding Panda.  Sorry!)