Google released the much awaited Penguin 4.0 after about two years of waiting since 2014 when the previous Penguin 3.0 was released. The new algorithm will now run on core search algorithm and is the last release because others will be more regular. Signals started being detected immediately after Google announced the release of Penguin 4.0 for some pages.
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Penguin 4.0 runs on real-time
In the past, Penguin algorithm used to update periodically at the same time. If webmaster improved a site, many algorithms were prompt to factor the changes. However, Penguin took more time because it required refreshing. With the latest Penguin 4.0, changes in a website will be faster; immediately after recrawling and reindexing a page.
In the previous Penguin 3.0, a site that was considered spammy had to wait for approximately two years before it could be cleared. With the new update, sites classified as spammy will have a chance to rebounce back immediately after making the necessary changes and improvements. It will be a regular process and pages will be caught and others freed after every recrawl.
Penguin 4.0 is more granular and brings more page specificity
Penguin 4.0 is now more granular and will devalue spam through rank adjustment following identified signals as opposed to the entire site. The previous Penguin 3.0 used to initiate sitewide penalties which were very punitive even if only a single page was spammy. However, Google indicates that the new Penguin 4.0 will be more specific on the spammy page or posts. This means that Penguin could impact on a single page, a section of a site, or specific posts while other sections remain fine.
However, the notion of ‘granularity’ remains unclear because Google emphasizes its extra focus on penalizing spammy pages. Even with the indication that a spammy page will bounce back soon, it will be interesting to see how the new Penguin will handle them.
Is Penguin 4.0 fully live and what should you expect?
Well, Penguin update is not yet fully live, but it is rolling out. This means that it will take some time may be a couple of weeks. For pages that get regular crawls, the changes will be more prompt while others might take a little longer. Besides, Google indicated that this is the last time it is confirming the updates because later releases will be regular. Therefore, you can anticipate seeing regular changes on your page performance depending on future updates.
Getting the best with the latest Penguin 4.0
With the latest release, what keeps running through online marketers is how to achieve more without getting on the wrong side. Notably, Penguin 4.0 is just one of more than 200 signals that Google uses to rank pages and sites. Here are several things you can do to get the best from the latest Penguin 4.0.
- Do comprehensive keyword research before using them on marketing campaigns
- Use the right method for link building
- Make sure your website loads faster and is mobile optimized
- Always assess the metrics carefully and diagnose penalties
- Generate top quality content as regularly as possible
