SEO had been a focus for some because at the core of this latest update is your website’s link profile.
When we talk about link profile, we are referring to sites that link to you, and websites you link to. Penguin 2.0 follows up on what the initial Penguin started; it is continuing with the devaluation of link spam.
This makes Penguin 2.0 a major update. In “traditional link building,” online marketers worked to increase the backlinks to websites, even when these backlinks came from unrelated websites, link farms, inappropriate websites and such. Some even used black hat
SEO practices to get this done. With the latest algorithm update, Google is cleaning up.
So, are you afraid of the Penguin? Should you be?
The quick answer to this is: No, you shouldn’t be. If you have great content marketing and have worked to exchange links with authoritative websites that are related to yours, then you should just sit back and relax. Let Google do its update. If anything, this may even bring you further to the top.
But then again, this is easier said than done. Even the most experience and “hardened” SEO guru worries about updates like this.
There are steps you can take today to ensure that you are not negatively impacted by Penguin 2.0.
1. Check on your link profile: You can start doing this by logging into your Google Analytics account. There, consistently monitor your site traffic. Are there referrals from “bad” backlinks? Another way to go about checking on your backlinks is through tools such as Majestic SEO and Ahrefs. Analyze your backlinks. Be watchful of links from link farms, porn sites and unrelated websites. Use your Google Analytic account to disavow poor backlinks. This is also a good way to actively combat Negative SEO.
2. Mind your upstream links: Upstream links refer to sites you link to. Begin building a relationship with authoritative sites by linking to them. Make sure to not overdo it though – else, you come off as “spammy.”
3. Go White Hat when it comes to link building. Never use “unnatural” methods of backlinking.
4. Built a co-beneficial relationship with webmasters of related authoritative websites. Ask them to link to your content. As example, let’s say you have an online travel magazine, and know of a travel website currently promoting Egypt trips. Have them link to your Egypt guide, in exchange for a backlink to their site. Both sites will benefit from this relationship.
It's all about quality and relevance...
Lastly, and above everything else, build great content. In the end, it boils down to how helpful and relevant your site really is. If you’ve worked on your content and stayed on top of your industry, you shouldn’t have to worry about algorithm changes. You are building yourself up as an authoritative site. You won’t have any problems building a good link profile.
