Google recently announced that their Penguin algorithm has updated, this launched around 22nd May 2013, if you have seen a traffic drop around that time, it may be due to this change.
Here are the analytics from a new customer who came to us for help following Penguin.
Notice how traffic has dropped markedly since the Update.
The new algorithm is about spotting low quality links, the sort you get offered all the time by email, 1000’s of backlinks for $99 etc. It is part of their spam crack down, and targets forum links, directory links and other similar approaches to promotion.
Penguin 2 is a follow up from Penguin 1 which went live in April 2012. The big difference is that Penguin 1 only targeted home pages, now with Penguin 2 all pages are considered, the algorithm has also been refined to better stop spammy link building techniques.
This new change will further shake up the SEO world and we foresee a lot of the lower quality firms will be dropping out of the market. Content is always king, but in the new Google world, its Quality that is Queen.
If you need assistance to recover reach out to our Search Marketing team who will be delighted to quote for a bespoke recovery package.