Recently, Google rolled out the final update of its Penguin algorithm. They have dubbed it Penguin 4.0 and there are some serious changes that all businesses need to know about with regard to their SEO marketing programs and efforts.
- Many websites were removed from Google SERP’s after the first Penguin launch because they were using fake or misleading links to drive traffic and rank higher. This search ranking for profit tactic was, for the most part, shut down but Penguin 4.0 takes it much further.
- Penguin has been moved into Google’s realm of “core” algorithms that are used to determine a site’s viability. Links are the key to Penguin. If you have been using bad or questionable links you will, however, be able to swap them out and recover as Penguin will begin refreshing in real time rather than just a couple of times a year.
- Some good news is that your entire site won’t suffer a penalty. Just those landing pages that are offending Penguin 4.0. One of the major challenges remains that while you won’t be able to control the domains from which you received your links, you can take care of your own house and business and not suffer by association.
- The key now to your SEO marketing success is, of course, your content. With the final Penguin update, Google has asserted that content will remain king for driving traffic and building referral links. Consistent, original and engaging content will now be rewarded in the search rankings more than it has ever been before.
- So, now is the time to concentrate on the finer points of your SEO marketing. This means getting your content in order as well as evaluating all of the present links you have at your site. Take the time now to get your new house in order so that you can gain traffic and rank without suffering significant penalties under the new Penguin 4.0 regime.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
