How frequently does Google update the Panda algorithm, and how can I stay updated on changes?

Google is quite opaque when it comes to detailing specifics around that core ranking algorithm and how frequently it gets updated.

The key thing to understand is that Panda isn't a periodic filter or manual update. It's constantly running in the background as part of Google's core systems to assess content quality and reward or penalize sites accordingly.

Google does make regular adjustments and tweaks to the Panda algorithm on an ongoing basis behind the scenes. However, they generally don't pre-announce these little updates or provide much transparency into exactly what changed afterwards.

What we do see from time to time are larger, more impactful "Panda refreshes" that seem to significantly shake up the search results for many sites. When one of these bigger updates occurs, Google may confirm a Panda refresh happened via Twitter or comments from the search team. But even then, they rarely disclose specifics around what particular quality signals or factors were adjusted that time around.

So to stay up-to-date, it's important to monitor the SEO industry blogs and publications closely. They'll usually be analyzing any major fluctuations correlating with confirmed Panda updates to find potential new trends or changes, even if Google itself doesn't explain it.

And of course, keep a close eye on your own site's visibility, rankings, and traffic metrics - any unexplained drops or increases could potentially be attributed to a Panda refresh.

At the end of the day though, the best policy is to simply focus on consistently creating high-quality, user-focused content optimized for search intent. While the inner workings of Panda remain unclear, aligning with Google's guidelines around valuable content is really the best way to stay on the right side of it.