Google updated its Penguin Algorithm on 22 May 2013 by the name Penguin 2.0. Though the previous update was named Penguin 3, Matt Cutts head of Google webspam team said that this 2.0 update is a major one that will go deeper.
Penguin is a Google algorithm that filters websites and brings the best possible results in search results. The aim is to provide genuine websites that can actually help user above and downgrade websites that spam.
Many websites have been cashing on Black-Hat SEO techniques and SEO tricks but Google is day-by-day becoming stern and blocking them off. They are saying we will show you up in the search engine only if you are user-friendly and have actually something that can help user.
For example, there have been cases with everyone when you type something and results are shown. But when you click on a link, you are taken to a page of a website with nothing remotely close to what you were looking for. Such pages are being downgraded by this update sternly.
It is better to create genuine content targeted for a particular audience, it can be easily be shared on social networking websites and third party website. If the content is strong and remarkable it gets visibility overtime.
Untrustworthy and unauthorized link are being penalized. Natural links and mixed Anchor text are being preferred rather than unrelated links. If the anchor text is very rich in keywords, Google is getting suspicious and lowering the ranking of such websites. Anchor text should be diversified.
This update of Google is strictly acting on selling links. Google is against the idea of selling links. So all those advertorials of yours need a nofollow link in order to save the ranking of your website. Sponsored posts or blog posts also need a nofollow link.
Google is penalizing the websites that are violating its Webmaster guidelines or are following Black-Hat SEO techniques. 2.3% of English searches have been affected by this update but the major affect is being seen on other languages. More the spam in the languages more is the Penguin 2.0 affect.
After the release of Google Penguin 2.0 , Google wants to strictly convey that create websites for people and not for search engines. Over optimization, keyword stuffing and duplicate content will bring the ranking of your website down. If a website does not have anything genuine to share with people it is no point of bringing it above in the search results.