The Google Penguin
First there was the Panda...
...then came the Penguin
The Google Penguin Update• Google launched a spam-fighting update.• The update changed search results.• It was designed to punish websites using spam
to rank high in search results.• Originally, the update was referred to as the
over-optimization penalty.• It is a filter that gets refreshed from time to time,
similar to the Panda Update.
Significance of the Google Penguin Update
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/penguins-pandas-and-panic-at-the-zoo
SEO Techniques That Could Be Punished:
• Keyword stuffing• Cloaking• Unnatural or artificial links• Repetitive anchor text• Hidden text or links• Link schemes
Black Hat SEO is Out There!
How Do You Know If You Were Hit By The Penguin Update?① Go to Google Analytics.② Review your search-related traffic prior to April
24th and after that date.③ If you notice a significant drop in traffic, you
may have been hit.
Google Analytics: Where to Find the Data
Google Analytics: Where to Find the Data
Step 1:
Google Analytics: Where to Find the Data
Step 2:
Google Analytics: Where to Find the Data
Step 3:
What Should You If You Were Hit By The Penguin Update?① Fix the problem:
• Review your links• Review your content• Consider the SEO techniques you have used
② And then wait...Google says you will recover naturally.
③ You can also fill out Google’s form if you feel you were hit by mistake:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEVxdmdRWFJRTjRoLWZVTHZkaTBQbkE6MQ
Your website might be over optimized if … • You just happen to really, really like white text
on a white background.• The declared language of your website is
“Spamglish.”• Your visitors see something way different than
GoogleBot “sees.”• Only bad sites link to your content.
http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2168809/Your-Website-Might-Be-Over-Optimized-If-
Link Building in a Post-Penguin Era• Avoid exact anchor links• Strive for what is natural• Don’t get caught up on PageRank• Live in a good link neighborhood• Focus on organizations you are already
involved with
Content in a Post-Penguin Era• Create informative, helpful content• Use infographics• Distribute press releases, when there is
something newsworthy to discuss• Update your website regularly with new content• Act like a magazine publisher• Contribute content to other, relevant websites
Other Web Marketing in a Post-Penguin Era• Create more videos• Get involved in the local community• Jump into social media (yes, that also means
Google+)• Focus on overall quality not quantity
– Applies to content and links!
Create More Videos• Make sure your videos are relevant and
interesting.• Your videos are not simply going to pop up in
search results without a little time and effort on your part.
• Just like optimizing written online content, you will also need to optimize your videos.
Get Involved in the Local Community• Establish a local presence by doing good in the
community.• Get involved by:
– Sponsoring events– Holding charity functions– Donating to local non-profits– Giving out scholarships– Presenting free workshops and seminars
Jump Into Social Media• Posting relevant and helpful information on a
regular basis.• Interacting with followers—don’t want a one-
sided conversation.• Sharing/re-posting other interesting articles and
posts.• Using social media in your advertising.
Questions?