Google’s Newest Pet: Penguin
Date: August 8, 2012Category: Author: Michael Brinson
Google has a thing for exotic pets that start with the letter P. The last 2 animals they’ve added to their algorithm were Panda and Penguin, in that order. I’ve heard rumors that the next major update they roll out is going to be named Piranha. Does an algorithm update that is named after a flesh-eating fish sound scary? While you definitely wouldn’t want to go swimming in a pool full of piranha’s, if you keep one or two in a controlled aquarium then they could actually be entertaining to watch.
In a similar way, while Google’s endless algorithm and filter updates can be scary, if they are properly viewed from a distance then they don’t look quite as intimidating. But how do you handle a Google update? We know that piranhas are not an animal that you’d want to feed out of your hands, but what do we know about the latest Penguin update?
Fortunately there are a few things we do know about the Penguin update that can help us to know how best to handle it.
Link Sources
Since Google wants to have the best results for their searchers, it makes sense that they have tweaked their algorithm so that much more importance is placed on the quality of the links pointing to your site as opposed to the quantity. If you have used link building services in the past, those links that you have built up may now become a liability instead of a credit to your site, depending on the sources for those links.
On Page Content
The content within the pages of your site is even more important in the wake of Penguin. The title of each page and the associated content should be completely free of keyword stuffing. Penguins don’t like to eat stuffing.
Natural Links
A major part of the Penguin update is focused on what’s called a “natural link profile.” That is to say, the anchor text that is associated with the links you have coming to your site aligns with what is considered natural and normal in the aggregate. The best way to get a natural link profile is by creating great content and then finding creative ways to promote that content and make other webmasters aware of that content. Admittedly this is one of the most challenging aspects of great SEO.
If you’d like to read more, you may be interested in this article on dental search engine optimization.