New Improved Spam-Fighting Power – Penguin 2.1 is Now Live
October 8, 2013
Sarvesh Bagla
ICYMI, Google released the Penguin 2.1 update on Saturday, October 5th.
We know. Shocking.
But don’t fret. If you’re still getting used to the pendulum swing that Google is, Techmagnate’s here to walk you through exactly what this new update to their algorithm entails. And while we’re at it, let’s not get bogged down in semantic details (we’ve heard some people call it Penguin 5).
At the gist of it, Google’s crusade against spammers is getting stronger with every tweaking of their algorithm. This time, all spammers showing up with high rankings on Google’s results are the target, and if your site is amongst them, then you’ll have seen a sudden drop in your rankings today.
Is there a Quick Fix?
Decidedly not. The Penguin Recovery process is one that should have begun with the algorithm’s update back in May.
To recover your website from a Penguin penalty, you must know that the process is painstaking and needs to be carried out thoroughly to be effective. The entire cycle comprises:
- Building a database of all your external links,
- Conducting a manual check for each domain to gauge link retention,
- Contacting Webmasters and requesting a removal of all unwanted links, and
- Disavowing unwanted links through Google’s Webmaster Tools.
Been there, done that. What else can we do?
Understand that recovery takes time, and don’t shift your site/business/content strategy’s focus from your clients. Once you put yourself in your readers’ shoes, you’ll begin to formulate a plan that is helpful for them and the direct result is higher rankings, higher footfalls and stronger ROI for you.
On the flip side, if you’ve carried out the Penguin Recovery process before, it’s entirely possible that it wasn’t executed the right way, which is why you haven’t been able to see the results you’ve wanted.
If that’s been the case, let us know and we’ll be happy to do a free audit for your website.
How does a Google Reconsideration Request Help?
A Google reconsideration request can be submitted to Google, but only if your website has received a manual penalty. While Techmagnate does offer reconsideration services, in this instance a reconsideration won’t help because Penguin 2.1 is an algorithmic update affecting your website, i.e. the recovery process is automated.
What’s the moral of the story?
Very simply, all you have to do is take a deep breath, step back and reevaluate your content strategy and link building strategy. Remember, SEO is not dead and your audience comes first.
However, if you’re still wondering how to create an effective content strategy that keeps you under the Penguin radar, contact us to get started right away.