In September Google launched the long-awaited Penguin 4.0 algorithm. The Google Penguin algorithm, originally surfaced in 2012 and was primarily concerned with external links, penalising websites that had a low quality and over-optimised backlink profile. This was a significant change in ranking factors as historically it was possible to rank a site through link volume and a focus on specific keywords. Penguin introduced the need for a balance backlink profile, based on a spread of anchor text located in relevant trusted locations with a focus on balance.
What’s new in Penguin 4.0?
Google has always evaluated individual URLs on your site and you may previously be aware of Google Penguin, however, Penguin 4.0 throws a huge spanner in the works as it works in near real time, working at a much more granular level, this more in-depth analysis means that it picks up metrics that would have previously gone unnoticed. Google have also announced that there will be more frequent updates to the algorithm too, so watch out for more turbulence. Because 4.0 updates almost instantly, changes will take a much quicker effect and so if you find your positions have changed as a result of some marketing activity, it is possible to undo or balance out your profile and recover your positions.
Has Penguin 4.0 affected you?
You will know this if your traffic levels have changed and if your search engine positions have changed since the start of September 2016. During September many websites noticed turbulence in their rankings but we have seen in October that things have settled down, indicating that the update has been fully rolled out.
If you have lost positons, then we recommend doing a full backlink audit and tidying up any unwanted links. This can be done through direct contact or using the Google Disavow file. The introduction of Penguin 4.0 means that in theory any negativity can be quickly reversed, but just leaving the website as it is will not improve your positions, and without understanding the issues with the backlink profile, there is a danger that the situation could have gotten worse.
The recent updates have been great for Ascensor and our clients, instead of waiting for the Penguin Algorithm to be refreshed each time we make significant changes, the impact has been almost instant.
If you need any help, advice or support in recovering your search engine positions and generating more organic traffic, please get in touch!