Since the introduction of Google Penguin algorithm on Apr 24, 2012, all the webmasters and SEOs are on high alert.
Google rolled out it’s first Penguin update (Penguin 1.1) on May 25, 2012, exactly 1 month after the initial launch.
We expect a total of 5 updates (at least) in year 2012 (including the 1st one), in coming months. Lots of websites suffered huge traffic loss after the introduction of Google Penguin. Although, few have recovered partially after the subsequent updates, many more sites are loosing ranks on SERPs and traffic with each updates. Before proceeding to recovery tips, let’s know the basic of Penguin algorithm -
Basic of Google Penguin Algorithm
Penguin is an algorithm (just like Google Panda) introduced by Google to fight spammy websites for better SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) and user experience. This algorithm basically fight against spammy activities like Keyword stuffing, Cloaking and link SPAM. And, encourages webmasters to follow the Google’s quality guidelines.
Google will continue to update the Penguin algorithm version, every few months, to continue the fight against SPAM.
How to Know – You are Hit by Penguin
The simplest yet proven method is – Open your Google Analytics and “ monitor your organic visitors from Google ”.
If the number of visitors dropped at least 33% just after an update, then you are most probably hit by the Penguin. You should also consider about Google Dance, before the final decision.
Latest Penguin Recovery Tips
1. Keyword stuffing: Make a site-wide audit for keyword stuffing. Check for high ranking pages, who have suffered more on SERPs.
How to do: Check for the total number of words on a particular post or page from your Admin Panel. Then, check the number of times a particular keyword repeated on that page by using the simple ‘ find ’ feature in your browser (Edit –> Find or Ctl + F). If the keyword density is more than 2%, simply restructure the article or page with the gist intact. You may consider to update the article with latest info also.
2. Cloaking: If you are practicing any Cloaking or Doorway pages, then stop it immediately.
3. Paid links: If you have purchased any type of backlinks, either from a link farm or from an individual, contact by an Email or telephone and make a request to remove the links as soon as possible.
4. Spammy outbound links: Also known as ‘ Bad Neighborhood ’. If you have given links to any spammy websites, withdraw it immediately.
Check the overall health of the site, to whom you have given the backlinks using 2 simple methods.
(a) Is the site hit by Penguin? (Compete Traffic Stats) Not so reliable, as Compete updates site status very infrequently and show stats of only US traffic. Still you can use it for assessment.
(b) Search the site for any penalty by Google. Simply type site: Domain name in the Google search. If no links found or only HOME page is found, then the site is definitely penalized by Google for not following the Google Webmaster Guidelines.
If you think, the site is authoritative and not hit by Penguin, you shouldn’t remove the backlink.
5. Spammy inbound links (-Ve SEO): Check your site-wide backlinks status. Sometimes spammy sites deliberately links good sites with ill intention or with a request from competitor site (paid). This is called -Ve SEO.
But, sometimes your good backlinks turn bad/spammy, because the sites giving links practice black or grey hat seo in the course of time.
Both types of links are unpaid. And, due to the unpaid nature, you have either limited or no control over it/webmasters. You can send Email requests with legal consequences to the concerned webmasters. But don’t expect a quick response or quick result.
Google never penalizes sites for Unpaid-Backlinks with -Ve SEO. In fact, Google excludes the link juice, if any, from spammy unpaid-links during Penguin updates.
So, you shouldn’t worry much about your spammy unpaid-links.
6. Avoid exact anchor text backlinks: Although you have acquired few good exact anchor text backlinks by guest blogging or paid editorials, Google thinks this is grey hat seo under Penguin updates. Instead of exact anchor text, you should go for long tail or descriptive anchor texts.
7. Avoid directory submission with sole purpose of SEO gain: Google likes paid directory submission, like Yahoo Blog Directory. Because this is paid listing without any guarantee of inclusion of you site, Google thinks it’s transparent and not for the sole purpose of SEO gain/link juice gain.
You may consider listing your blog on few select blog directories like Technorati for wider exposure only.
8. Unlearn SEO: It’s high time to unlearn SEO a bit to be immuned from Penguin algorithm updates. This is appropriate to newbie bloggers and SEO practitioners who are a bit aggressive while practicing SEO.
Good contents make a great blog, and great blogs make a beautiful web. So, lets make our world-wide-web more beautiful by creating great contents for web-surfers/visitors.
Now the article is open for questions about Google Penguin Updates and various Recovery Tips.
About Nandita B.
My name is Nandita B, and I’m a SEO practitioner and part-time blogger. My sheer passion for sharing knowledge a webmaster needs drove me to create “A Webmaster’s Magazine” called SEOHour.com
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Wow! This is really new to me, I never thought about this before, thanks for your help.
I too have written a post on Google Penguin and How to Optimize a Blog Post to Google Penguin 1.1. It will be up any moment. And yeah thanks for that ‘how to check if my website got hit or not’.
Aditya recently posted…6 Amazing Ways to Look Younger Naturally
Hi Aditya,
Google Penguin is giving sleepless nights to webmasters from all over the world. Instead of getting caught by the Penguin, better to know the tricks of the trade.
Happy Blogging
In fact, I was so scared of unpaid spammy links that I was almost on the verge of removing them, thanks for that piece of info, I put them in the footer now! Only on the homepage though!
Aditya recently posted…9 Low Carb Foods for Weight Loss
Its pretty important to learn the tips and tricks to avoid penalty else you will see your website at the end pages of google search result where not even a blind looks..
samy jain recently posted…Do Not Delete Spam Comments, But Why?
Hi Samy,
Very well said. There is no place for SEO illiterate webmasters, in Goo-Peng era
Nandita please tell me that if a link in our comments is also non related to our blog than what should i do. Delete the comment or remove the link.
Waqas Ahmed recently posted…Data Entry Jobs in Pakistan
Hi Waqas,
Getting comments (links) on your blog from unrelated blogs/niche is very common, and natural also. There is no SEO problem or Penalty by Google for this.
You shouldn’t delete the comment or remove the link.
Hi,
How often penguin and panda data gets refreshed ? Let us say I remove all spammy links, when do I get my traffic back ?
Nithin recently posted…[HowTo] Always Show the Bookmark Bar in Chrome
Hi Nithin,
As such, there is no fixed interval for Panda or Penguin updates by Google. You can keep a track by following the – blog of Matt Cutts, the Head of Google Web-Spam Team.
But, if you have taken some steps (removed spammy links), then expect at least 45 days to 2 months for the next Panda or Penguin updates, and hope to get your traffic back
Some good tips. A few of my sites have been hit and am trying to recover their ranking. I will be trying of some of these tips out.
Shalu Sharma recently posted…RSS Submission Directories List
Hi Shalu,
Wish you all the BEST, and hope you recover all your sites from the deadly Penguin
Holy smokes, is the preferred keyword density rates now really just 2%? Yeesh, they use to be 6-8%. Penguin really pushed them down that much?
Charles Daniels recently posted…A chalkboard theme website
My site has been hit by Penguin updates recently. I have made the relevant changes to my website but nothing helps as my ranking is dropping everyday. Would you mind helping me to take a look at my website to see if I violate any Google webmaster rules? Thanks.
Hi Candice,
1# Your site NewCondo.sg has 12 links with suspicious anchor text. These need to be removed.
2# Moreover, there are no content on few posts/pages except the images, e.g. http://www.newcondo.sg/the-laurels. Now these pages are ranking very low on SERPs. Better to add some HTML content ( at least 250 words/post or pages) with images for better ranking.
Make these simple changes to get rid from Penguin
I am not sure if recovering from penguin is as straight forward as above. Sure, you can “clean up” your act but the recent algo has managed to hit many sites that you would think had good “clean” seo too. For example, there are examples of wiki pages getting hit and being replaced by totally poor sites.
Hi Sarah,
Right now Penguin is in its “Infant Stage”. Let the baby crawl a bit with its better algorithm.
Moreover, Google has a very bad reputation of accidental hitting of totally innocent sites practicing the best possible SEO.
Hope for the best in the next updates.
Still need a bit more information too. Some of my sites had been hit, I guess we have to invest more in social and also choose the websites very carefully?
Any other ideas??
yeah that’s too good..you written it as detailed as possible about penguin recovery nowadays it’s tough to find articles like those..thanks for the nice share..
Sinbad Konick recently posted…Hello world!
Thanks Nandita for sharing such an informative article post about Google Penguin algorithm updates.
Nandita-
Nice write up, and helpful, thanks. 2 questions. I understood everything perfectly, except #7 above. Could you please expand on this a little more? I wasn’t completely understanding what you meant by saying that “Google likes paid directory submission, like Yahoo Blog Directory.” I did not think Yahoo’s blog directory was paid, nor can I find a way to pay for a Yahoo Blog Directory. Am I missing anything?
Question 2: Any follow-up updates to this post? Thanks!
One thing wonna confirm with you about “keyword stuffing” you wrote “Check for the total number of words on a particular post or page from your Admin Panel. Then, check the number of times a particular keyword repeated on that page by using the simple ‘ find ’ feature in your browser (Edit –> Find or Ctl + F). If the keyword density is more than 2%, simply restructure the article or page with the gist intact. You may consider to update the article with latest info also.” i think you have to double check this item as I know websites with keyword density over 6%-7% and still have high rankings in google. Please advise?
telbadri recently posted…Fishing Trip in El Gouna by Private Boat
Thanks for the info, all very valuable and I believe balanced.
I was wondering how long it takes for a keyword stuffing report or penguin attack takes to recover.
I had been lazy and not kept up with the latest changes. Back on it again now