Short Course on Updates – What You Need To Know

Learn More About What Google Penguin Is

Google Penguin is the given codename for update in Google’s algorithm that was first announced on April 24, 2012. The update’s main focused is to decrease search engine rankings of those websites that violated Webmaster Guidelines set by Google by using what’s now declared as black hat SEO techniques, which involved in boosting the ranking of a website by manipulating links pointing to the page artificially. The way these tactics are described is called as link schemes.

According to estimates made by Google, Penguin is about to affect 3.1 percent of search queries in English, around 3 percent of queries in languages similar to Chinese, Arabic and German and a much bigger percentage of them in highly spammed languages. On 25th of May 2012, Google has unveiled another update on Penguin called as Penguin 1.1. This update was known to impact less than 1/10 of a percent of the English searches.

Guiding principle for the said update was made to penalize the websites that are using manipulative techniques in order to achieve a higher ranking on search results. Pre-Penguin websites are usually using negative link building techniques to get traffic as well as higher ranking. As soon as Penguin was introduced, it is meant that content was key and that those with excellent content will be recognized while those with spammy or little content will be penalized and receive no benefits or ranking.

Allegedly, there are several sites that lost their search rankings on Google for utilizing specific keywords during the rollouts of Penguin and Panda. Google has specifically mentioned that doorway pages which are created to only attract search engine traffic contradicts webmaster guidelines.

In January of the same year, the Top Heavy Update or also known as Page Layout Algorithm Update was released, which is targeting websites with either too little content or too many advertisements above the fold.

Penguin 3 was released on October 5, 2012 that affected .3 percent of queries. Penguin 4 or known as Penguin 2.0 was introduced to the public on 22nd of May, 2013 and affected 2.3 percent of queries while the Penguin 5 or Penguin 2.1 was presented on October 4, 2013 and affects approximately 1 percent of queries. According to rumors, Google is planning to release Penguin 3.0 on 18th of October 2014 which was then confirmed by Google’s Pierre Farr that the new update comes without signals added.

As of September 23, 2016, Google announced that Penguin is part of core algorithm. In this update, there’s going to be real-time update meaning, websites will be evaluated in real time.

So, if you are running a website, make sure that you follow Google’s guidelines to ensure high rankings.

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