3 Questions to ask your SEO service provider after the Google penguin update

by Geno Thampi - 5/3/2012 8321 Views

Ask and be safe!

“Oh the penguin update! I think it's going to hit my website very soon. But all the SEO was done using a service provider. What should I do now? Is my website safe?” This is one big question in the minds of millions of website owners for sure. It is just like the health anxiety that hits many people in this world. Everything would be safe with your website, but you are still anxious and think the penguin is about to peck your website very soon. Well, there is a good reason for the panic because, if your website is hit, there is no guarantee that Google would revert back your rankings after the mistakes are corrected. The answer for your question can be only provided by your SEO service provider and the panic can be avoided. So here are the top 3 questions you should ask your SEO guy:

#1 Does the SEO service that you offered in the past to us comply with the current Google penguin update?

Penguin safety

One very sad thing about the Google penguin update is that, they haven’t said “don’t do this from now on”. Instead, they said “if you wronged anytime in the past you are gonna pay for that”. Unfortunate web owners who may have employed bad SEO practices knowingly or unknowingly are already hit by the update. The fortunate ones have not been found by the penguin yet but they would be found soon. Before that, they should ask their service provider about the services done in the past and start removing the bad works before time runs out.

#2 Explain how the SEO services offered to us were safe:

SEO lie

There are no Harichandras (The mythical king of Ayodhya who speaks only the truth) in this century. So if you are asking your SEO service provider if all the services where penguin safe, they would certainly say “YES”. But a good SEO company wouldn’t just say YES, but they would say “YES BECAUSE……..” If they say the strategies applied to your website are safe, they have to substantiate that. I would mainly check of these (Mentioned in the order of priority):

The links are obtained from quality sites which does not belong to a same IP network

The reference to my site is not from any sites flagged as harmful by Google

There was no overuse of the same keyword as the anchor text all over.

The strategies where applied over a gradual period and not overnight

Most importantly there was zero use of automated tools during the process.

I would also check my Google webmaster tools to check for any bad link reports before talking to my SEO provider

Content spinning was not at all used. If you had used this, it is very high time to get them removed

#3 What changes have been made to the services for future promotion to comply with the penguin update?

Category :

SEO News

Tags :

Googled SEO, Webspam, penguin algorithm update

About Geno Thampi

Not a born Shakespeare! But I still write articles and blogs to share my ideas and thoughts on SEO and SMO. Being a part of SEO research team of SubmitINme, I keep my ears and eyes open, and the pen ready to grab, write and share trending topics in search engine .... more info about the author