ReputationChanger.com Warns of Sweeping Changes with Google Penguin 2.0

WEST CHESTER, PA, May 24, 2013

Those who work with search engines on a regular basis know that search engine algorithms are constantly changing--but according to ReputationChanger.com, some of those changes are more significant than others. While Google's mechanisms are altered hundreds of times each year, most of these modifications are so slight that they are barely discernible, even to search engine professionals. Occasionally, however, Google unveils an algorithmic update that shakes up both the search engine optimization and online reputation management industries--and one such update, Penguin 2.0, arrived earlier this week. ReputationChanger.com reviews the key search technology trends and rumors regularly and has released a new statement to the press, offering insights into what search professionals should expect now that the newest incarnation of Penguin has arrived.

The second iteration of Penguin comes more than a year after the first Penguin update, which was, at the time, the most sweeping algorithmic change in Google's history. Designed to combat link spam and other dishonest SEO practices--to punish webmasters who were gaming the system while rewarding those emphasizing quality content--the first Penguin affected roughly 3.1 percent of all Google searches, and led to widespread site penalizations.

In recent weeks, Google has made repeated mentions of the new Penguin 2.0--and now that it is here, it is obvious that the second iteration of Penguin continues Google's quest against link farms and other forms of link spam. Google has noted that the new Penguin is even more pervasive, impacting more sites and searches, than the last one.

"This is something that will potentially have a huge impact on search professionals and online reputation management firms--at least, those who still use link farms and other duplicitous forms of optimization," comments ReputationChanger.com president Michael Zammuto, in the company's new statement to the press. "The full extent of Penguin's changes is still being surmised, but its impact is not hard to guess. Google continues to be very serious about giving search engine users quality, valuable content--and SEOs who do not comply may already have found their sites being penalized or removed from Google's index."

Zammuto notes that companies with a content-centric approach to search optimization are sailing through the second round of Penguin updates without any bumps or glitches. "Google is not attempting to be draconian or to impose unfair guidelines, but rather, the search engine simply wants to ensure that webmasters are focusing on delivering solid information, rather than tricking the system through link manipulation," Zammuto explains. "For those who have long prioritized content over link gimmicks, Penguin 2.0 should pose no real problem."

And for those webmasters and online reputation management firms that do implement link farms and other dishonest practices, Zammuto says there may still be time for course correction. "Our recommendation would be to act quickly, as the new Penguin is here and sites are being penalized," he says. "Evaluate your link profile, and seek to remove or disavow any links that are giving you very little backlink power. In particular, remove links that are from 'spammy' sites, or from sites that are irrelevant to your own."

Additionally, Zammuto says the new Penguin update is a reminder of how important it is for online reputation management firms like Reputation Changer to remain adaptable. "Some companies in this industry essentially use the same cookie-cutter approach for controlling reputations on all of their campaigns," he remarks. "It is vital for those who work in search to be aware of shifts at Google--especially shifts as large as this seems to be."

ABOUT:

Founded in 2009 by a group of online marketing pioneers, ReputationChanger.com has come to be heralded as the foremost company of its kind, even selected by TopSEOs as the #1 online reputation management company in the world. Peerless in the online reputation management field, ReputationChanger.com combines a marketing-oriented approach with proprietary technologies and best-in-class SEO strategies. The company is led by a Board of Advisors, made up of luminaries from the fields of PR and online marketing, and it employs more than 100 full-time team members, including content developers, social media strategists, and SEO pros. ReputationChanger.com's client base encompasses Fortune 500 brands, major international businesses, small business start-ups, politicians, celebrities, private citizens, and more.