Although a penguin’s image conjures up a cute and cuddly arctic animal that would not cause you much trouble, when it comes to a Google Penguin, this variety can be a bit more problematic.
Whether you are an SEO expert or a relative beginner to the world of rankings, you cannot help but dread the arrival of any Google algorithm update, with the possibility of your hard-earned site visitors simply disappearing overnight.
The Penguin algorithm update had a huge effect on search engine optimization, changing the way businesses and marketers alike use links to rise in the ranks of SERPs forever.
Keen to find out more about the Penguin algorithm and how it affects your website and its rankings?
Keep reading to find out:
- What is Penguin?
- The history of Penguin updates
- Why was Penguin needed?
- What is the latest Penguin update?
- How to recover from Google Penguin
What is Penguin?
If you do not know much about previous Penguin algorithm updates, then now is the time to find out. Google initially rolled out Penguin to target web spam and manipulative link-building techniques.
The first Penguin update was released in April 2012, and unlike the Panda update, which targeted low and thin content, Google Penguin was all about incoming links. Since then, there have been many updates to the Penguin algorithm, including Google Penguin 2.0, Google Penguin 2.1, Google Penguin 3.0, and Google Penguin 4.0, the latest update which was launched in September 2016.
Find out more about each of these updates below.
A history of Penguin updates
Penguin 1.0 – April 2012
The first Penguin algorithm launched by Google, Penguin 1.0, was created to stop websites from using black hat techniques to achieve higher rankings. By issuing penalties that would only be removed upon the release of a new update, this algorithm changed the world of SEO forever.
Penguin 1.1, March 2012
A mere month after Penguin was initially rolled out, Google released an update. Interestingly, there were no actual changes to the algorithm itself, and it was simply a data refresh. However, this meant that sites that had previously been penalized but had corrected the cause of their penalties were restored.
Penguin 1.2, October 2012
This update impacted another data refresh, only a very small number of queries.
Penguin 2.0, May 2013
A much more impactful update, Penguin 2.0, used advances in technology to crack down on spam. More specifically, this new version of Penguin inspected not just a site’s homepage but all their landing pages.
Penguin 2.1, October 2013
Google did not officially reveal what this update was for, although it appeared that Penguin 2.1 could crawl deeper into web pages to find spammy links that had previously been missed.
Penguin 3.0, October 2014
A whole year later, Penguin 3.0 was released, and it was not the big update that most expected. It was simply another data refresh.
Penguin 4.0, September 2016
The latest and arguably the greatest Penguin update, Penguin 4.0, saw Penguin become part of Google’s core algorithm (more of which you can learn about below).
Why was Penguin Needed?
Following swiftly on the heels of the Panda algorithm update, the Penguin update was announced by Google as a way to reward high-quality websites and clamp down on ones that were engaged in manipulative link schemes, keyword stuffing, and over-optimization.
Link schemes
This involved websites using unsavory techniques to acquire or purchase backlinks from poor-quality or unrelated websites in a bid to rise in the ranks of Google. For example, an SEO consultancy firm in Florida could fill internet forums with spam comments linking to itself as the “best SEO firm in Florida”. Or they could pay to have links reading “best SEO firm in Florida” in completely unrelated articles or blogs.
Keyword stuffing
Filling a webpage with a vast number of keywords or repetitions of keywords is known as keyword stuffing. This technique is used by websites that want to manipulate their rankings by making themselves appear more relevant to a searcher’s query.
An example of an unnatural use of keywords might look like this:
“Black Hat SEO Consultancy Florida is an SEO firm in Florida that Florida residents trust when they need a Florida SEO expert.”
As you can see, this offers very little value to the reader and is clearly used with the sole intention of receiving a higher ranking.
Over-optimization
Although having an SEO strategy is crucial if you want your business to thrive online, too much SEO can lead to over-optimization. For example, if you over-optimize your anchor text, you could penalize Penguin for doing so.
One of the signs that you may be over-optimizing your content is by having keyword-rich anchor texts for internal links.
An example of this is:
“Find out more about the best SEO practices that are customized especially for your business.”
What was Penguin 4.0?
Penguin 4.0., the latest and apparently the last, Penguin algorithm update, was launched in September 2016, nearly two years after the 3.0 refresh. The biggest change with this update was that Penguin became part of the core algorithm. Although this did not change the algorithm’s features, it meant that it now ran concurrently with the core so Penguin could evaluate websites and links in real-time.
In terms of your business and its SEO strategies, you were now able to see any immediate impacts of your link building or remediation work on your overall ranking.
Furthermore, rather than dish out penalties for unnatural links, with Penguin 4.0, these links were simply devalued.
Google Penguin Recovery
The disavow tool has been an invaluable asset to SEO practitioners since the launch of Penguin, allowing you to discount the value of an inbound link. That being said, Google has reiterated that this tool should only be used as a last resort rather than a go-to quick fix for websites that have had links devalued.
If you suspect that Penguin has hit your website, your best course of action is to carry out a full link audit, allowing you to identify and remove any low-quality or spammy links. You can use Google Search Console to access a list of backlinks for all site owners, although this will also include links that are already no-follows.
It is also a good idea to monitor your backlinks as you may fall victim to a negative SEO attack, where a competitor buys spammy links and then points them towards your site.
If you do not have the time or resources to carry out a full link audit on your site yourself, you may want to turn to a link building agency that will have access to the latest tools and be aware of the most up to date practices to ensure all your links are high quality and beneficial to your ranking.
How to practice good link building
Knowing good link-building techniques is crucial if you want to get on that highly coveted first page of Google, as high-quality links signal to Google that your site is a quality resource worthy of citation. Therefore, the more high-quality backlinks you have, the higher your potential ranking.
If you are struggling to earn backlinks from high authority websites, the below tips can help you:
- Create compelling and original content that other sites will naturally want to link to.
- Get brand mentions by putting your product or service in front of influencers within your industry.
- Ask people within your professional network or friends that work within the niche to link to your site.
Conclusion
The best way to avoid being hit by the Penguin algorithm is to focus on both good link-building practices and a strong overall SEO strategy that uses safe techniques that will not result in Google penalties.
If you need help recovering from a Google update or simply want advice on improving your link-building processes, speak to one of our Click Intelligence SEO experts who are ready and waiting to help you.
