Know How of Google Penguin Update for Non-SEOs (Owners, Directors, C-Level Executives)
Facebook Fact 1: Why Facebook Is Blue?
February 22, 2017
Why To Hire Experienced And Expert Resource for Your Business?
March 11, 2017
Google Penguin is not a new term for SEO experts and professionals. However, there are people who don’t belong to the SEO or digital marketing world, still they must be knowing about this as they are overseeing the marketing activities of the company. I’m talking about the business owners, entrepreneurs, CEOs, CTOs, etc. They need to know about this important Google search engine ranking factors. Why? This will help them to understand that their SEO investment is not hurting instead of benefiting them.
In this article, I will share direct facts related to this algorithm which must be known to anyone overseeing the Digital Marketing or SEO activities. It won’t have any technical details.
What is Penguin Update?
It is a Google search engine algorithm, which penalize the sites with too many bad or irrelevant links pointing to it. Please take a note that too many bad and irrelevant links to you invites Penguin penalty.
What does it mean by irrelevant or bad links?
If your website is getting an inbound (a link pointed/linked to your website is called inbound link) link from a website which is absolutely irrelevant with your serving industry domain, then it is called an irrelevant link. For example: if you’re owning a hair salon and getting links from a fruit seller. Then, that link is irrelevant to you.
If you’re getting links from the website which has duplicate content, or too many hyperlinks, or hidden text, or sneaky redirects, etc., then that is called a bad link.
What is Penguin penalty?
It depends on the number and types of bad inbound links pointing towards your website. The penalty can be a drop in the Google rankings in the best case; and throwing your website completely out of the search rankings in the worst case.
Please note that people have noticed more than 70% of the drop in their website traffic by losing their rankings due to Penguin hit.
How many bad or irrelevant links can cause Penguin Penalty?
There is no clear “number” given to compare your current stage and measure how safe you are. J If there is any SEO ninja telling you this number, he is just fooling you 😉 Of course, one can make an assumption and give a random number if you insist a lot, but there is no clear hint of it available. And this makes sense, too. A bad link is a bad link and you shouldn’t have it at all. You shouldn’t expect to have a number so you can keep yours below that. 😀
How will you get this irrelevant links?
Simple answer: Due to stupid SEO
Yes, you read it right. The stupid SEO.
People spend years in the SEO industry, but, in their so called busy schedule, neither they update their knowledge nor do they learn new things. They still follow those old school link building activities which were working phenomenally before 10 years. However, today, those are inviting penalties. It is sad to see and say only 10-25% of people in this whole world actually know what SEO actually is and how it works! I have worked with so many SEO people and even have interacted with many as I used to participate in the communities, and, this is not only in India. The SEO agencies in other countries such as USA, Australia, etc. are still following blind link building activities which hurt clients damn badly.
How to recognize when you get hit by the Penguin?
You will see a major drop in your traffic from Google.
Steps to check Google Penguin penalty
Open Google Analytics -> Click on your website -> Acquisition -> Channels -> Organic
What is the good news?
You can recover from this penalty.
What is the bad news?
You have to wait for the next Google Penguin algorithm, update, which can be updated within a month or after 3 months or even later. This is in the hands of Google only.
Why this is so? Google penguin is a separate algorithm than the default ranking algo of Google. Thus, it doesn’t get refreshed frequently.
How to recover from the Google Penguin Penalty?
- The best thing is to take the help of an experienced SEO.
- She will run an audit on your website and links coming towards it.
- Then, filter each link to segregate the bad links.
- Run a whole lot of activities to either remove those links or devalue those.
- This is called cleaning your site.
Will this get you the rankings back?
Nope. This will only clear your site. It is similar to cure you from a ferocious sickness. However, you will feel weak. Likewise, your site is cured, but, will not start getting the rankings.
Then how will you get your rankings back?
You need to wait till the next Penguin algorithm update from Google. If the link cleaning is done perfectly, you will see the result by getting a little or more hike in your rankings. However, if it still has issues, then you have to do the whole process of link cleaning again and wait for the next Google update.
But, how to get the higher rankings for search queries?
You have to run effective SEO campaigns and wait to see the results.
Point to be noted.
Are you having an idea of the seriousness of this? You had paid to build those bad links to your site, then you paid for cleaning those, and now, you need to pay again for SEO so you can get the rankings back.
So what is the best approach?
Simple, make sure to hire an SEO or an SEO agency which has in-depth knowledge of SEO and not have just spent years in this industry building links.
How to find the best SEO or SEO agency?
It is pretty simple. Try to check their industry knowledge by asking a few questions. A good and experienced SEO will answer those all with confidence. She will also tell you clearly if there is something unachievable instead of making fake promises. And anyways, the knowledge is easy to recognize. Isn’t it?
If you have any questions related to Google Penguin update or have any queries related to SEO. Please feel free to drop us a line by filling this simplest contact us form.
About Author: Ash Vyas
Ash Vyas has 10+ years of practical experience in digital marketing and international business development. She has written 100s of articles on various topics to live her passion of helping people with her knowledge and expertise. In addition to directing Digital Marketers India, Ash also delivers keynote sessions and holds key positions in some international companies as a consultant, director of operations and mentor.
