When Google changes the algorithm, they give it cool animal names like “penguin” or “panda”, and the SEO and Web hosting world shifts. But what does it really mean to you and your business.
Well it all depends on who you hired to handle your Search Engine Optimization or SEO and Website management. Penguin originated in 2012 as a way to start reducing the effect of “Black Hat SEO” techniques on web site rankings on Google (and therefore Yahoo).
Black hat techniques blast out websites and were used extensively by domineers. Penguin, Panda and Hummingbird all sought to do one thing. Give you the website you were looking for when you entered your search terms. Spam sites, domaineer sites and spoof sites were all using black hat techniques to get listed first. Sadly, many business owners fell prey to the lure of getting to be number one quickly and cheaply.
If you are one of those businesses and your website has fallen from page one to page 400, maybe it is time to start some cleanup. Even if you used an SEO vendor who engaged in these “Black Hat” techniques and violated Googles Webmaster policies, you can make amends and get back in Googles’ good graces.
We are still waiting to see exactly what Penguin 2.1 changed, but given that it is a .1 change and not a full version change we don’t expect much.
If you have a real business that offers a real service and want to make it easier for more people to find you, give us a call or email your website to sales@bourquingroup.com. We’ll review your site, highlight any problems and let you know what it will take to get it in front of real people who are looking for a business like yours.
