When Penguin 2.1 was released, it had a serious impact on a lot of websites. That was over 2 months ago, so we’ve had some time now to analyze how different websites were affected by the update and how their strategy might need to change.
As we’ve watched the drama enfold, we’ve picked out three different types of common stories. Some were hit by Penguin 2.0, only to get knocked out by the 2.1 update. Still others were totally taken by surprise. Meanwhile, a lucky few actually benefitted from the update.
1. Penguin 2.0 and 2.1: The One-Two Combo
Some businesses got hit hard by Penguin 2.0, only to catch another hit with the recent update. The original Penguin update was released in late May 2013, and there were plenty of businesses who got pummeled by it. Still, some of them worked hard to remedy their bad link problems and thought they had done a good and thorough cleanup.
Then, along came 2.1. As they closely monitored their traffic, they were surprised to see yet another huge loss. What did they miss?
Here’s what happened for most of the websites in this camp: they did they work after Penguin 2.0 was first released, removing as many unnatural links as they could. But then they got comfortable, and they stopped watching their links to remove any new links that could stand against them. A quick review of a few of these sites revealed a bunch of bad links added to their profile during the summer and fall, after their original work was done. That’s why they suffered so badly after the 2.1 update.
What Can We Learn?
Penguin never stops, and neither does your SEO work. Make sure your search engine marketing firm is continually monitoring your link profile. Bad links have a knack for replicating themselves on low-quality websites, so keep a sharp eye and don’t get complacent in your SEO.
2. Blindsided by Penguin 2.1
A number of the businesses negatively affected by the 2.1 update were currently working with a search engine marketing firm, or had hired one in the past. When we reviewed a few of their link profiles, we found what looked like negative SEO. As it turned out, those links weren’t set up by the business owner, but were created by a trusted third party that was hired to build the company’s SEO.
Unfortunately, many businesses outsource their SEO activity to a search engine marketing firm without tracking, or even understanding, what that third party is doing for them. In many cases, the SEO work is done with the best intentions and bad execution. A linkbuilding campaign, done wrong, turned out to be nothing but food for Google’s penguin.
Now, instead of running their businesses, many business owners are left dealing with webmasters, figuring our link exports, learning the disavow tool, and basically cleaning up a bunch of penguin mess.
What Can We Learn?
It’s simple: know who you’re hiring, and what they’ll do for you. When you hire a search engine marketing firm, make sure you do your due diligence. Get in writing what your SEO firm will be doing for you, and how. Maintain regular communication with them, requesting updates, examples, and screenshots to keep you in the loop. And when your numbers start to go up, ask why.
3. Update and Recovery
We talk a lot about how you can brace for impact when Google makes a change, but it is possible to benefit from an update. Some actually recovered when Penguin 2.1 was released, after taking a hit with Penguin 2.0. They did work to correct their content problems and technical hurdles, and continually chipped away at their bad links.
Manually removing bad links is always they best way to go, but those that can’t be removed may have to be disavowed as a last resort. Still, some still struggled under Penguin 2.0, even as they put great content out there, actively engaged their customers on social media, and built a good link profile. They really just needed another algorithm update to weigh in and see if their work had paid off.
Penguin 2.1 turned out to be just what these websites needed. It was the recovery and reward they were waiting for.
What Can We Learn?
When you get knocked down, don’t stay down for the long count. Get up and keep punching. Even if you find yourself in one of the first two scenarios, it’s never over. Keep a strong focus on what needs to be done; thoroughly removing bad links can take time, but it’s worth it. In the meantime, work with a reputable search engine marketing firm to build good links. Push forward and the next update might just bring your recovery.
Did Penguin 2.1 impact your search engine optimization?
