Like many affiliates, you probably felt the effects of a rough economy mixed with the ongoing not-so-cuddly Google Panda updates that have occurred last year, you might have noticed your sales slipping from where they previously were during the end of Q3/beginning of Q4 of 2010.

From research I've been doing, it appears that Google will be continuing to roll out new updates, so don't be surprised if you continue to see the ranking of your website in flux as Google changes their search algorithms over time.

I wish I had a cure all answer for you if your website(s) is/are one of them that has see rankings drop this past year, but since I don't - here are a few tips, that with any luck, will get you back into Google's good graces or keep you there if your site is performing well.

• Keep your content relevant, new, and not spammy

• DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT use duplicate content. Don't copy content from someone else's site - it won't help you. If you're not sure what content on your site is duplicated, check out www.copyscape.com. You may also find that people are duplicating your unique content, in which case, you may want to take action to get the matter resolved.
  
  
• Check your analytics and look into which pages and keywords have been most affected.
  
  
• When checking though your analytics, consider pages that are getting high bounce rates. If you find them, work on making them more relevant to what your readers are searching for. Otherwise, your site will be given less importance in Google's eyes, since people just keep leaving it.
  
  
• Pay close attention to Google's webmaster guidelines, which you can find here.
  
  
• Make sure your site offers value for your readers. If the site is intended to only generate you a few extra bucks, you're probably not going to rank very high.
  
  
• Continue updating. If you have a website that you populated several years ago and have just been letting it run without changing a whole lot on it, now is a perfect time to do some massive updating. It might be a lot of work, but it should pay off...literally.
  
  
• Do keyword searches in Google for your niche and see which sites are ranking high. There is a good chance when doing this you're going to find large corporations like Disney, Martha Stewart, etc. But take note and see what you need to do to stay competitive and make your content just as relevant as these heavy weights.
  
  
• Be very selective with banners and ads. Google is penalizing sites with large quantities of banners. Although banners can create sales for affiliates, in general, links within your content will work better. So make sure if you use banners, to keep them relevant and use them wisely.
  
  
• Think about your target audience, your customer, and what they are searching for. Be sure to take the time to tailor your content around that.