Google Penguin is an algorithm update launched by Google in April 2012.
Its primary goal is to identify and penalise websites that build spammy and low-quality links to manipulate Google’s algorithm.
Penguin targeted two core things:
Google Penguin was a significant algorithm that devastated thousands of websites. For years, many website owners have built low-quality links to rank higher in the search results.
But when Penguin was released, it essentially penalised any website with an unnatural link profile.
The update affected hundreds of thousands of websites.
Did anyone benefit from Penguin?
Short Answer: Yes.
Website owners that had strong, natural backlink profiles and provided valuable content got a significant boost in the search results.
Google Penguin was integrated into Google’s core algorithm in 2016.
What Will I Learn?
Google Penguin was important because it improved the search results by removing spam link building.
It made it much harder to buy your way to the top of the search results using low-quality links.
The update levelled the playing field for all SEO website owners.
Penguin emphasised the importance of quality content and natural link building.
While the initial update devastated a huge number of websites, Penguin benefited Google users and website users in the long term.
Yes, Google still uses the Penguin algorithm as part of its Core algorithm.
That means that Google is continuously updating Penguin rather than manually updating it from time to time.
Here is the timeline of the Penguin algorithm updates:
Penguin was a huge change for Google’s algorithm.
It allowed them to rely on inbound links as a stable Google ranking factor while stopping sites from building tons of spammy links to achieve high SEO rankings.
It was also the first time link quality became more important than link quantity.
Google Penguin targets sites that engage in link spam or manipulative link-building practices. Google Panda targets sites with low-quality content that does not provide value to users.
Put Simply: Penguin is for backlinks, Panda is for content quality.
Use these 5 tips to avoid Google Penguin Penalties.
Link building is one of the three core SEO pillars.
Without backlinks, it’s almost impossible to rank!
Penguin targets websites that have low-quality and spammy backlink profiles. That means you need to use link building strategies that allow you to build only quality backlinks.
Each link should look natural and come from high-authority and relevant websites.
Remember:
When it comes to links – Quality over Quantity.
Don’t over-optimise your anchor text.
Most people think that the anchor text for backlinks should always be their target keyword. This is the fastest way to earn yourself a Penguin link spam penalty.
Use a range of anchor text that consists of:
The diversity in your anchor text will make your backlink profile look more natural to Google.
Check out this Anchor Text Strategy video to learn more.
Your link profile is a massive part of your website’s SEO.
Think about it like pruning a tree. You want to remove the spammy links to improve the quality of your entire backlink profile.
Use tools like Semrush, Ahrefs and Google Search Console to track and manage your backlinks efficiently.
Check out our how to find and remove bad backlinks guide to learn more.
The most passive way to build quality backlinks is by creating great content that people naturally want to link to.
This is about as “white hat SEO” as link building gets.
Create valuable, informative and engaging content that helps your audience. Use images, videos, tables, bullet points and more to break up text and increase engagement.
This will help you attract high-quality, natural links that boost your SEO.
Don’t use any black hat SEO strategies that can land you in hot water with Google.
While it might work initially, Google will eventually catch up. It’s just not worth the risk!
DON’T build links from:
Every link you build should be on a real website with real organic traffic.
If you are going to buy backlinks, make sure you order them from quality link-building services you can trust.
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