Google News: Penguin Algo Updated

One more news from Google about an algorithm update. On 5th Oct, 2013, Matt Cutts, web spam head of Google announced that new version of Google penguin algo is released and it has affected 1% of search queries. Though 1% is as per Matt Cutts. Actual effect we will get to know in few days by reviews of experts & reactions of those who caught by this update. This announcement was made on social media website Twitter. Matt given it a name Penguin 2. Though many SEO experts has given it different numbers because after the first penguin update there were 4 major and few major penguin updates. Google used to announced it as penguin updated and the SEO experts given it various names by attaching different numeric digits. I think after the first penguin algorithm update this can be considered as some major change in the original penguin algo so they given it name Penguin 2. All previous updates must be the minor one so Google didn't bothered to give them numbers. So moral of the story can be rather than getting in to the confusion of numbers just focus on fact that PENGUIN IS OUT now.

Penguin 2.0 Algo Update Announcement by Matt Cutts

What is Penguin Algo Update? [Overview & History of Penguin Algo]

For those who are not from SEO field or those who never heard name of penguin algo before, I would like to say this penguin is not that black & white bird. But this penguin is that hunter who used to hunt those sites who are involved in spamming and witness of low quality SEO practice. First Penguin was announced on 24th April, 2012 and many big brands was caught by this update all over the world. It was the update which affected 3.1% of queries as per Google but I witnessed that change when so many SEO people were just clueless what is happening and what can be done next. Because at that time traffic of websites just gone 50 to 80% down who get caught by it. Of course it was quite difficult for them to figure out which links were of low quality & how to get rid from them. Even after removing those links they were just have to wait for next algo refresh to check weather the actions they took were right or not. One of the big Google penalty that was which made many SEOs reckless. After the 1st update 26th May, 2012 2nd penguin update announced which was followed by 3rd Penguin algo update announcement on 5th Oct, 2012; 4th Penguin algo update announcement on 22nd May, 2013.

Who will affected by Penguin 2 Aka 5th Penguin Update?

Those sites which has low quality backlinks or over optimized [over optimization means blind link building without checking for relevancy or quality with almost same anchor text] will get negatively affected by this update. And trust me it will hurt very badly. daily traffic goes 200 to 20 :o and it is fact.

Those who were already hurt by previous penguin updates and took necessary action to get rid of their penalty can hope for positivity and might get out of their penalty.

How to check weather your site is affected by Penguin or not?

Simple just keep watch on your traffic for 2-3 days. If you see major changes in your traffic then you are affected by Penguin. Sometime few algo update affects get visible later in other part of the world than US. So in that case keep eyes on traffic for a week. After 7 days, if you don't see any major changes then you can take deep breadth & get relaxed and focus your energy on regular progress. :) In counter-case, hope not you get caught but if you get caught then you have to pull up your shoes and need to find out all your backlinks then either you have to disavow it or have to remove it permanently and then wait for next algo refresh to check results weather your effort worked or not. When I am writing this I felt like I'm talking about some life taking disease which has no hope of survival :D and praying for God grace :) but precaution is always better so to get rid of there DO SMART SEO RATHER THAN HARD/WORTHLESS  SPAMMY SEO. 

Is Hummingbird flew away?

If you are thinking penguin will rule the Google & hummingbird just flew away than wake up time. Hummingbird is overall ranking & indexing algorithm of Google. While Penguin is just a part of main algo which will fight with low quality spammy sites. So both hummingbird & Penguin & panda & all animals of Google zoo will work together for getting best result for better user experience.

Prediction time

Though no other SEO expert stated this but my gut feeling is saying that after this 2 major updates we can expect new version of Panda or similar update in nearer future.

As any other webmaster I have checked my sites and no bad news for me or my clients. What is your status? You can give your feedback in comment and PM.

Posted in: Effect of Penguin,Google algo update,google news,Google Penguin update,Humminbird,Penguin 2 announcement,Penguin History