How the Google algorithm : Penguin 4.0 will affect you

Penguin is one of the numerous algorithms that helps Google choose the pertinent links that it will display on its search engine. First released in April 2012,  Penguin's purpose is to rid the Google search engine of websites that employ "dirty SEO tactics" to cheat using search engine optimization practices that are unnatural.

Not sure what you should be doing to optimize your website for search engines? Don't hesitate to look at the glossary to better understand the terms that you will see in the article.

Some SEO practices that are unnatural include using keywords that have nothing to do with website activities, be it on web pages or in the meta keywords. While this may allow you to appear in search engines for a time, it is punished by Penguin. In Penguin Version 1.0 this practice was punished for its lack of pertinence and negatively affected the position of your website in Google's search engines. Since then each update has been to fight against search engine optimization practices that are unnatural.

Penguin 4.0 was put in place September 23 and there two extremely important updates :

• Punishments apply to the offending page, opposed to the totality of your website as they were in the past.
• Penalized sites are now updated in real time, which means that a site once penalized who corrects it mistakes does not have to wait weeks or months to have the penalty waived but should be updated immediately.

Even if this is rumored to be the last version of Penguin, the importance of Penguin updates cannot be understated when trying to appear on search engines and up your position. It is reassuring to know that these abusive SEO tactics are still being combatted with fervor and the importance of correct natural SEO practices will be favored when creating backlinks.

And you, are you doing it right? Your backlinks, are they clean? The keywords you employ are pertinent? Don't hesitate to follow the guide to good SEO practices to ensure your website flourishes.