With Google’s constantly transforming algorithms many Webmaster’s are unsure of how to effectively optimise websites in a sustainable way. The latest Google algorithm to try to confuse us is a new release of Google Penguin, which Google’s own head of search spam, Matt Cutts, predicted would be one of the most talked about Google algorithm updates this year.
Google Penguin is essentially a heavy hitting Google algorithm update, first announced on April 24 2012, that aims to lower SERP ranking of sites that violate Google’s rules of good practice. The sites penalised by Google are typically guilty of using inorganic ‘black-hat’ SEO strategies such as participating in link schemes, duplicating content and ‘keyword stuffing’. Speaking at the SMX conference Matt Cutts spoke of the imminent Penguin update saying ‘we don’t want low quality experience merchants to be ranking in the search results’.
The last time Google updated the Penguin 3 algorithm was October 2012, following on from Penguin 2 in May 2012, and another extensive update is expected later this year. Search Engine Watch heralded the upcoming update as “a ‘next generation’ coming that will have a major impact on SERPs,” and Matt Cutts, called the update ‘very significant’, sending waves of nervous anticipation through the SEO world.
While impending updates from Google Penguin loom many can’t help but speculate what we’ll be dealing with later in the year. Some predictions hint that Google Penguin will give more recognition to social site links that add to online authorship and tracked ownership of online content. Search Engine Watch explained how “many SEO pros believe that social signals will play a more significant role in the next iteration of Penguin.”
But no matter where these forecasts come from there is one consistent prediction; it’s all about quality, not quantity. Google has always maintained that their algorithms will never punish sites that include quality, organic links.
It’s seems inevitable that the Google Penguin update will be a significant shake-up of the current system, in an attempt to take unethical SEO’s by surprise. With Google sources and SEO experts endorsing this update as ‘jarring and jolting’ we’re sure to see major modifications to the SEO industry later this year.
