We explain

The real story

In 2012, Google’s search results pages experienced a significant upheaval with the introduction of the Penguin algorithmic filter. The crackdown on abusive external links began, and many websites found themselves suddenly demoted in the SERPs or even completely removed from Google’s index. It was a shock for website owners and SEOs, who had to face a new wave of penalties just months after the introduction of Google Panda…

What were Google’s objectives with the implementation of Penguin ?

Backlinks are an integral part of Google’s algorithm for ranking websites on its search engine pages. The problem ? Abusive link-building strategies emerged, which distorted the ranking of sites at the top of the results.

To address this, Google sent its army of penguins to clean up the SERPs.

What is Google Penguin ?

Google Penguin is an algorithmic filter primarily designed to identify fake external links meant to manipulate search results. Google’s goal has always been clear: to provide the best possible experience for its users while making high-quality information easily accessible. This new aspect of the algorithm aligns with that goal by penalizing sites using spammy or Black Hat techniques.

The algorithm’s deployment in 7 Phases :

• April 2012: Matt Cutts, former head of Google’s anti-spam team, confirms the deployment of the first version of the Google Penguin algorithmic filter. Between 3% and 5% of queries are affected;
• May 2012: Google announces an update to Penguin with version 1.1;
• October 2012: Penguin 1.2 is rolled out, affecting nearly 0.3% of queries. Google introduces a new disavow tool in Google Webmaster Tools (the former name of Google Search Console);
• May 2013: The Penguin 2.0 update is announced. Over 2% of global queries are affected;
• October 2013: Penguin further refines its algorithm with version 2.1. Matt Cutts announces that about 1% of queries are impacted;
• October 2014: The algorithmic filter improves its detection system with Penguin 3.0, impacting less than 1% of queries;
• September 2016: It’s official, Penguin is permanently integrated into Google’s algorithm. The filter is now capable of analyzing sites in near real-time and more precisely targeting individual pages.

The penguin attack: consequences for organic search rankings

During this period, SEO underwent unparalleled changes. Many link-building techniques are now severely punished, and affected sites face a long road to recovery from the penalty. SEOs must urgently rethink their strategies to avoid getting caught in the algorithm’s net.

Linkbuilding practices penalized by the new Penguin filter

1. Abusive and low-quality backlinks

Google Penguin targets poor-quality external links that exist solely to boost a site’s SEO. Three main link-building methods are particularly targeted :

• Backlinks from private blog networks: These are networks of websites that mutually link to each other with the aim of manipulating SERP results. This technique is considered Black Hat by Google;
• Links from directories or press release sites: Widely used methods, these allowed the mass generation of external links to boost a site’s ranking. The use of these low-quality platforms, which often contain shallow and irrelevant content, has been heavily punished;
• Spam links in blog comments: Also known as Spamco, this method involves creating as many backlinks as possible through blog or forum comments. In addition to being penalized by Penguin, Spamco is detrimental to the user experience on sites affected by the spam.

2. Over-optimized anchor texts

While the external link itself is important for Penguin, the anchor text is also taken into account. Google can identify the anchor text and determine whether a link is natural or artificial. A site receiving only external links with the same anchor text will be flagged as spammy by the algorithm.

Varying link sources and anchor texts are essential if one wants to build a natural-looking link profile.

3. Thematic inconsistency between the external link’s source and target

External links coming from a source unrelated to the targeted site’s theme have less relevance, which limits their impact on the popularity of the page they point to. Many backlinks that are thematically inconsistent with a site’s content or products trigger the algorithm’s alerts, as they are considered fake and irrelevant.

Severe consequences for sites affected by Google Penguin

The arrival of this Penguin did not go unnoticed; many sites suffered heavy penalties. The penalty can be either automatic or manual. In the first case, the algorithm detects questionable link profiles. In the second, Google’s own teams identify suspicious sites and impose sanctions visible in Google Search Console.

Sites impacted by Google Penguin saw their visibility and traffic plummet, with some even experiencing a complete removal from Google’s index. While this phenomenon was temporary for some, other websites were permanently blacklisted from the SERPs.

A difficult path to penalty recovery

There are several ways to try to recover from a penalty. First, it is essential to restore as neutral a link profile as possible by removing unnatural links or disavowing them through Google Search Console. A long process is then required to regain search ranking positions. In the case of a manual penalty, following Google’s instructions is mandatory if one wishes to submit a reconsideration request in an attempt to lift the sanctions.