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Google Penguin update – its relevance and setbacks

The largest search engine on earth, Google would like to provide the best in class search results. In order to keep its commitment to offer quality search results to the vast user segment spread across the globe, Google will update the algorithm applied to check the website rankings on a periodic basis.

In recent times, two updates launched by Google namely Panda and Penguin were successful in arresting spam sites and improving the rankings of genuine websites. While Panda update’s focus is to catch spun content posted on various sites, Penguin update’s focus is to track spam links. Google-Penguin-Update

 

How to recover from Penguin’s setbacks

As a matter of fact, it is very difficult to recover a website from Penguin setback. However, by understanding the way how Penguin algorithm treats various links posted on a website, you will improve your site ranking. If your website was already hit with Penguin update, there is every reason to explore remedial measures to straighten your site’s record.

  • If your site has number of inward and outward links ‘coming from’ and ‘going to’ low quality sites, chances are more that your website will be treated as a spam site. You are required to go for guest posting on blogs and sites which offer high quality content. If you resort to purchase backlinks you are inviting trouble from Penguin. If links are flowing to your site from spam sites, you should request respective sites to remove links to your site.
  • It is also important to ensure that links flow to and from your site to related websites. If you are featuring technology related posts on your website and links are flowing to sites that focus on personality, finance, etc. your website will come under the Penguin scanner. It is time to cross check links posted on your site and irrelevant links should be removed. You should ensure that at least 20% of the links flowing from your site should belong to related sites.
  • If you are using the same keywords as anchor texts on a number of websites, Penguin will treat the process as spam. Hence, you are required to use different keywords at different locations.
  • You should focus more on the audience rather than on SEO aspects. It has become a passion to plan everything in search engine point of view. Although search engine optimization is required to attract relevant users, it should not overtake the convenience of users.
  • The content provided on your site should be user friendly. Unnecessary distractions by offering advertisements beyond reasonable limit will attract penalization from Penguin.
  • You should focus navigational aspects in user point of view. Navigation from one page to another page and navigation within the page should be smooth and distraction free. You can take suggestions and feedback from your readers to improve the layout and navigation on your site.
  • It is customary to include sponsored links on a certain set of articles. As Penguin cares for links present in content rather than posting in the header and footer area, you should ensure that most of the links are present in the body.

Reconciliation

You should try all the means mentioned above to fare well with Penguin or to recover from Penguin setback. One important fact is that there is a difference between Penguin and Panda recovery. There are reports that even genuine sites offering high quality content were affected by Penguin update. After taking all the necessary precautions, if you notice that your site still suffers, you can file report to Google.

As Google is committed to provide quality search results, you should not resort to black hat SEO tricks. As Penguin eye is more on sites whose life is less than one year, less than one year sites should be very careful in the way they procure new links to the site. If links are being piled up on these sites at rocket speed, those sites will come under the Penguin’s microscope.

About the author

Vikram

Vikram is a Digital Media Strategy Consultant who helps small business owners grow their
business. He is passionate about blogging, digital marketing, and emerging technologies.

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