Advice regarding Panda

[sprynewmedia]

I'd like some feedback on what would be a Panda factor(s) on http://www.duhaime.org

The site got hit fairly hard by Panda (60% drop in traffic). Since then we have:

• redesigned the site (responsive and progressive),
• reduce the average links/page to ~35 from over 100,
• Use AJAX to delay the loading of boiler plate and nav elements,
• Improved the search functionality,
• Added more content images (still in progress),
• Removed the citations section to new sub-domain, and
• 1000's of little code fixes and enhancements

The site, by nature of being a legal reference, contains many small, single topic pages.  The authority and professionalism of the site demands it doesn't allow much UGC. (The law is not Social Media)

Unfortunately, this means the bulk of the page (1000+) are fairly formulaic - to format otherwise would diminish the value to the user.  This doesn't hurt many individual pages as shown by the dominance the "Without Prejudice" page enjoys.

In particular, the citations section was very limited as there is not very much one can say about the 10,000+ law reports in the world.  Recognizing this as valuable to lawyers but a likely "low value" target of Panda, we moved it to a sub domain and requested the old directory was removed from the index.  This was done on July 28th.

Now...

I'd like some opinions on anything else that might be holding the site back.

Thank you for you time.

[AnthonyMangia]

• All of your glossary "Letter" pages are indexed (26 pages with content that is repeated on the individual "Word" pages).  Although this is obviously not some intentional or deliberate means at spamdexing, it might appear as low quality to Google.
• Most of your legal definitions on these pages are found elsewhere on the Internet, whether they started out as your original content or not.  Example: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22A+barbaric+form+of+corporal+punishment+meted+out+in+the+middle+ages+where+persons+would+be+permanently+blinded+by+the+pressing+of+hot+irons+to+the+open+eyes.%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
• When you combine the above two bullet points, you have 26 pages that contain content that is duplicated on other pages throughout your domain, and then hundreds of pages that contain content that is located elsewhere on the Internet.  Classic two way Panda action - duplicating your own content, and having your content duplicated by others.
• The Citations pages are really weak.  I know you mentioned there's very little you can do, but really - if there is any way whatsoever to beef these pages up, they need to be.  Even if these are on a subdomain, it still isn't a great thing to be associated with.  It wouldn't shock me if there were negative consequences, even on a subdomain.  (Although given your situation, I think it was a natural first step.  It's a tricky situation.  See how the move to the subdomain pans out in the next month or two - if things don't start to make a comeback, you really need to figure out a way to beef up the content.)
• A lot of your other content is copied or taken from somewhere.  You need to re-write your content or get these websites to re-write theirs.
  Example: http://www.duhaime.org/CrimeandSafety/LawArticle-59/Personal-Safety.aspx
  Copies: http://www.google.com/search?q=%22In+most+cases+you+are+in+control+of+the+circumstances+in+which+you+place+yourself.+Just+by+being+aware+that+you+are+a+potential+victim+of+a+personal+crime+is+the+first+step+toward+prevention.%22&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

[sprynewmedia]

Wow, you have really highlighted how far the coping of the site has gone.  This site was created in '96 and many of the definitions are over 10 years old now. I can guarantee the author didn't copy the content unless cited. But, I can see how the definitions of the same thing would come out very similar.

Take http://www.poole.it/cassino/ARCHIVE/TEXTS_legal/duhaime%20online%20legal%20dictionary.htmshows

even with the single (wrong) back link, this would be competing for original content title, right?

Looks like we have to get busy with DCMA requests.

The next step for the citations is a separate domain which is a shame - Google really needs to catch up to reference sites and stop treating all pages on the web the same.  Sure, the citations pages don't have to rank at the top but they shouldn't be hurting the rest of the content either.

[AnthonyMangia]

Time to put that legal knowledge to work!  Glad I could help - let me know if you have any more questions.