It’s no secret, the release of Google’s Penguin 4.0 algorithm update is slowly approaching. No comments have been made in over a year concerning the latest refresh for the algorithm. Many people believe the new version of the program will sound the death knell for many companies who use old or unnatural links within their content. Penguin was originally released in 2012 and was used to combat web-spam that often glutted search engines and having a direct impact on page rankings.

Penguin’s Progress

When Penguin was first released, it’s primary goal was to cut down on spam within the search engines. Playing systems by paying for specific links and over-stuffing with keywords were just two of the ways Penguin was used to stop spammers and re-establish accurate page rankings. With the release of Penguin 4.0, it is believed that any SEO company that relies on these tactics and techniques are going to be driven out of business and directly into bankruptcy. In the past, manual penalties were assessed for websites that used unnatural or bad back links. The bad links were devalued and new, more relevant ones replaced them, allowing a page’s ranking to be gradually restored. Many people believe that the release of Penguin 4.0 will restore link value and help to re-establish working links that are effective in establishing a positive page ranking.

Understanding How Searches Work

Keywords and links are used by experts in an SEO firm to help rank pages within search engines. Over-stuffing with keywords can, not only affect quality, but also manipulate how a search is performed. The same is true for certain types of links. A semantic search applies the connections that link certain things together. It doesn’t rely on links, meta tags or long strings of data. Keywords that are used effectively are just one way of boosting page rankings without relying on spam related links.

No More Private Blog Networks

Private blog networks or PBN’s have been used by many websites to boost their rankings. Before Penguin was ever released, manual penalties were extremely common. Websites that had an excess amount of unnatural or bad links were given penalties on a regular basis. During the last few months, another round of penalties have been issued. Many people believe this is the first sign of the impending release of the new Penguin 4.0 algorithm. The majority of entities that claim they have been receiving the penalties are those that extensively use private blog networks.

Eliminating Bad Links

Purchasing links on sites like Fiverr or through one of those “cheap SEO” inbox spammers is an ideal way to get hit with penalties for the use of spam links. Another way is to hire the services of a company or individual who works by spamming inboxes or creating spam links. If you don’t want to be bitten by Penguin 4.0, the key is to get rid of any bad links as soon as possible. This will prevent your website from being shut down or targeted in any way. Bad or unnatural links are easily spotted by the Penguin algorithm and will be removed without notice. Reducing the number of spam links helps improve your page rankings naturally and also makes a page much more appealing.

As an SEO expert, Surfaced Media can help any company eliminate unnatural links and replace them solid keywords and valuable links. If you need help ranking in the search engines (the right way), contact us today!