Google rolls out algorithm updates from time to time as their method of cleaning up the Web. They do it to weed out spam, malicious links and low-quality content from the Internet. Google webmasters say it’s important for them to regularly do these updates and refreshes to ensure repeat offenders are penalised and to watch out for newer forms of manipulative SEO tactics.
The most recent Google algorithm update was Penguin 3.0. It was the sixth Google Penguin update, and one thing to know about Penguin updates is that they act similar to an accounting and audit process: Every update and refresh aims to discount spammy links while making sure to count high-quality links, and factor all these in your search rankings.
Penguin 3.0 is technically a refresh rather than an update because it used the same system of measurement as the last update. Whether you were affected by the roll out or not, the following are some lessons to learn from this latest Penguin arrival.
Always keep an eye out for industry developments. An update or a refresh is usually a chance for you to recover from a previous penalty or notice. That’s why it’s necessary to always be in the know about updates so you can plan your next moves that will help you recover or improve your search engine results.
Never use manipulative tactics. The action steps you need to take when recovering from Google’s Penguin Update 3.0 is basically the same as the ones recommended for recovering from earlier Penguin penalties. You need to take a hard, long look under your website’s hood and check and eliminate all bad link profiles that might look suspicious to Google. You need to stop using optimisation tactics that Google frowns upon, including flooding the Internet with forum and comment spam and keyword stuffing and over-optimisation.
Work only with trusted experts. Sometimes, even the most well-intentioned companies wanting to use only good, ethical SEO may be committing optimisation mistakes without knowing it. It takes an experienced, highly skilled technical team to review and assess your website and apply the right strategies for you to win Google’s good side.
Consistently churn out high-quality content. It can be confusing to be always looking out for every move that Google makes. While it pays to be vigilant and in the know about algorithm changes and other technicalities, in the end there’s one action step that you can always count on, and that is to keep your website rich with high-quality, valuable and fresh content that your audience will appreciate and keep quality traffic coming to your website for the long term.
The primary goal of Google updates is to offer a more relevant, meaningful and pleasant search experience for all. If you got hit by the recent and the previous Penguins updates, maybe it’s about time to change how you optimise your website.
