After an SMX West panel on Monday, Google’s head of web spam, Matt Cutts, announced some upcoming algorithm updates which are aimed to further the fight against web spam.
Could your site get banned?
Click here to find out
Cutts announced that they will be rolling out a Panda refresh as early as this Friday, possibly Monday. The last Panda update we experienced was in January, making this one of the longest gaps between refreshes. He warned that a ‘large’ Penguin update would also be coming sometime in 2013, and subsequently, will be one of the most talked about updates this year. While Penguin is mainly targeted towards spam and unnatural links, SEO’s are staying vigilant for any indication of other variables that may be involved. Google has also identified a couple of large link networks that they aim to take down within the next few weeks, sending the message that they are not tolerating spam from websites.
What Does This Mean For Your Website?
These algorithm updates, are aimed to combat spam and spammy tactics. That means websites that are engaging in link buying, keyword stuffing, and other malicious behavior. If you’re not sure what qualifies as spam, you can review Google’s webmaster guidelines, or contact your SEO agency. For those whose websites have original, quality web content, and do not participate in the activities listed above, then you shouldn’t be negatively impacted by these updates. It’s always a good idea to comb through your website just to be sure. You can do this by fetching as GoogleBOT in Webmaster Tools, looking for hidden links and content that may be considered spam by Google. In addition, you can contact Titan Growth, and we will run our proprietary search engine spider, TitanBOT, through your site and let you know of any red flags.
If you have any questions regarding these updates, how they could affect you, or are concerned that your site may result in a penalty, contact Titan Growth.
Submitted by Erica Machin, Titan Growth