Afraid of Pandas? Meet the Newest Beast in Search – Google Penguin.
Just when you thought you were safe from Google updates, along comes another beast in Google Penguin. A few months ago we did an article outlining how you can protect yourself from Google Panda. Google actually released another update, Panda 3.5, just before, but it was the Penguin update on April 24th that has really caused waves in the Internet community.
What Happened
This newest search engine optimization update is predicted to affect a smaller amount of queries than Panda, but has still caused problems for some sites. The forums are a-buzz with talk of job and income losses, giving a rather bleak outlook and making Google look like the bad guy. Otherwise known as the WebSpam update, Penguin focused on penalizing those using spam and black hat SEO tactics such as cloaking, link schemes and general keyword stuffing. As much as we can’t help hearing from those that were hit, there were some winners with this update as well. It’s important to follow the rules.
SEO Points to Remember:
- Quality. Focus on quality content that readers will want to share, rather than strictly writing for the search engines.
- Unique Content. Make sure your content is unique, not duplicated.
- Rankings Fluctuate. Don’t put all your marketing tactics in one basket. Relying strictly on Google search to make your site successful may not work. Always have a back-up strategy, so that if there is another update and you get hit (even accidentally), it won’t matter as much.
What You Can Do to Your Site
If your site has been hit with the Google Penguin update, there are a few steps you can take. First, look at your site honestly to see if there is something you could do better. If you believe you have been penalized incorrectly, you can submit a reconsideration request to Google.
If you’re worried about your rankings and how to get your site found,contact a WSI Consultant today to plan out a successful digital marketing strategy for your business.
