Major 2013 Penguin Update coming - Matt Cutts

[Whitey]

Matt said that there will be a large Penguin update in 2013 that he thinks will be one of the more talked about Google algorithm updates this year. Google’s search quality team is working on a major update to the Penguin algorithm, which Cutts called very significant. [searchengineland.com...]

[sid786]

My main site was losing traffic since 2011. I never card, and the traffic dropped so much that I have nothing to lose now. I am confident this update should bring positive changes.

It'd be funny if Google switched back to the old algorithm. :)

Good luck to all the webmasters.

[aristotle]

Matt said that there will be a large Penguin update in 2013

"in 2013" could mean any time between now and December 31.

Anyway, maybe all the disvowed backlinks will be factored out this time..

Or what would be even better, maybe they will fix the basic flaws in Penguin itself.

[HuskyPup]

he thinks will be one of the more talked about Google algorithm updates this year.

So, if they want su to talk about it this year then they'll have to introduce it sooner rather than later!

Matt also announced there will be a Panda algorithm update this coming Friday (March 16th) or Monday (March 18th).

One month or so after this?

[petehall]

One month or so after this?

Last time the updates all came together if I remember correctly... just to confuse!

[Propools]

sid786

I agree with ya.

aristotle

Or they should have the disavow links working better and/or correctly.

HuskyPup

Sooner than later works for me too.

As noted by so many others who've lost so much position.
I agree, I don't know if it can get any worse for us.
We're white hat all the way and don't have anything to do with things that might be considered spam or low quality.

[chrisv1963]

Matt also announced there will be a Panda algorithm update this coming Friday (March 16th) or Monday (March 18th).

A Panda algorithm update or a Panda data refresh?

[Sand]

He says update, and I'm sure he chose his words carefully.

[g1smd]

Why would they announce it so long before it happens?

I assume they'll be looking to see what people expect from it (then do the opposite?) and they'll also be looking for sites undergoing radical changes in linking, as owners scramble to avoid whatever they think might be coming.

[Whitey]

(Q) What is the next big update everyone will be talking about in 2013?

(A) It is weird because we never know what people will complain about... But there is a new Penguin update, big one, coming...

(Q) Duane, do you plan on any penguin/panda updates?

(A) We take a different approach to this. It is less noticeable when we release them because we test them. A diss at Google?
[seroundtable.com...]
Precise live blog extract from Q & A with Matt Cutts and Duane Forrester of Bing

Maybe the dissavow data will play into this as the viral footprint widens. FUD and panic amongst some webmasters may also play it's part.

I wonder, are Google's developments that obvious to Bing for them to follow suit if they want. And if so, why isn't the webmaster community better able to interpret and anticipate Google's actions for healthier management.

[FredJones]

Let's wait and watch - it will be interesting to understand how the new Penguin turns out to be.

[martinibuster]

I was in the audience of the SMX West Q&A last week. It seemed to me that Matt didn't want to commit to any particular date, it seemed to me he indicated a significant update was in the works for later this year, and that it was not imminent. I wasn't taking notes or anything, relying on memory, but it seemed that the big update was something new and that from here on out to just expect incremental tweaks.

[Andem]

Cutts has had over 10 years to "deal with the spam problem".

<snip>

He can't screw up the Google search results more than he already has.

"He" isn't responsible for the actions of Google. Again, he is a PR person.

I *will*, however agree that many of the updates have not necessarily been for better search results. I would call it more of a dumbing down combined with a concentration more on the bottom line of company books than organizing the world's information.

[edited by: Andy_Langton at 5:44 pm (utc) on Mar 19, 2013]

[klark0]

Where do people get this dribble that Matt is a PR person ? He's a 'Distinguished' Engineer. Go find out what that means. He's the head of a department and his name is on a couple of patents.

He is not a PR person.

[Leosghost]

If it walks like a duck...

[Sand]

He is not a PR person.

He is a distinguished engineer. And yes, I'm sure he actually does a ton of work as an engineer. But he also fills the role of a PR person, at least on the webmaster side, in that he controls the messaging that we receive.

[martinibuster]

Having met and known Matt for like nine or so years, it's my personal feeling that he doesn't do this for the purpose of controlling or communicating a message. He does it from a genuine desire to be helpful to web publishers. His outreach began as posting on WebmasterWorld to help webmasters and the way he communicated grew from there but the focus, in my opinion, has always been on helping web publishers understand what are Google friendly activities publishers should be pursuing and to clarify for others what is not Google friendly and likely to hurt those publishers. Aside from his duties at Google, helping web publishers is what his volunteer role on WebmasterWorld originally was and from what I can see what his "volunteer" role continues to be. That's not speculation, that's my personal observations of him in person on dozens of occasions.

Too much emphasis on Matt
There is a blogging culture that for attention-getting purposes focus on sowing dread based on whatever Matt happens to say. They treat his words as if he is privy to all parts of the planning and execution of all the different parts of what you see after you hit the submit button. He's not. Personally I think many in the industry, being new to the industry and not knowing Matt's history, assume his role in the algo is larger than it really is. At least their behavior indicates that they assign too much importance to what he says.

The bottom line is that Matt is a person of good character who helps web publishers because deep down he is a good and decent person. That is pretty much what Matt Cutts is about.

[Leosghost]

There is also another part of the SEO culture that name drops..personal relationships and impartiality ..do not mix..no more than reporters commenting upon their personal friend the politician..especially if it gets them more readers / subscribers..

The SEO business and the search engines in the USA have a very unhealthy , and in my opinion as I have said before here, "incestuous" relationship..
too many people's SEO client lists and "credibility" ,are influenced by whom they appear to know, and at what level..within search engine personnel..especially Google..

There is also the matter of those who hold shares in Google and other search engines..and whose pronunciations, will be affected by such conflicts of interest..

[edited by: Leosghost at 7:49 pm (utc) on Mar 19, 2013]

[martinibuster]

I'm not client focused, I'm not an agency or competing against agencies nor do I hold shares in Google. So if you are accusing me of that, you can go to hell because I don't appreciate your underhandedness. ;)

I don't really know of any instances of where people trade on their associations. Not even on SEOMoz. So I really don't know what the hell you're prattling on about.

[Leosghost]

I'm pointing out ( as you did ;) that there are many whose livelihoods depend on translating or bringing to the mass of webmasters who do not have "personal access", the pronunciations of Matt and others..and whose vision can be but coloured by that dependence..

Plus Matt would not be able to say anything that was not cleared by Google's legal teams or higher pay grades than his..so PR is what it is ..and "access to the ear of the king, and to his words " has always been a valuable commodity..or so it is supposed..

Whereas seeing what the king does from an unbiased viewpoint is far more indicative of what is actually the kings intent and the consequences of his actions..

[Robert Charlton]

Mod's note: Let's keep the "dialogue" about Matt as a personality where we are now, and get back to the discussion of the upcoming update, such as it was.

[Leosghost]

So if you are accusing me of that, you can go to hell because I don't appreciate your underhandedness. ;)

Btw..I wasn't accusing you :)..Merely making a general observation..during the last 7 days ( for reasons not at all to do with this thread ) I have had occasion to visit the website photo galleries of many USA SEO companies, and many of the Search Engine "events" photo galleries..

I quickly noticed that it was always the same faces, always photographed with their "ertswhile competitors" ( other bloggers , other SEO site owners etc )..and always if possible photographed with Matt or another Search Engine luminary ( but Matt is in more of those galleries than any other SE person )..all very very "cosy"..and all showing prospective clients or other webmasters "look who we know" ..Most guest on each others blogs, most are linked to from each others sites or blogs..

Most apparently know Matt..based upon the photos..

Objectivity can hardly be easily when one is used to socialising and sharing drinks and polenta with the person whom one is quoting, interpreting, translating..

Which is why in the political field..reporters do not normally mix socially to that degree with those whose words they are reporting.."conflicts of interests" ..the exception to this unwritten rule of the press being "court reporters"..who depend on their proximity for their readership..and who can be counted upon to be "kind"..

re "the update"..I think it is in the interests of many of the above group of "privileged ears" ;) to blow up the importance of Matt's words on this ..and to reinterpret it and dissect it for as much "clickbait" ( and possible client acquisition..or "courtiers" cred" ) as can be milked from it..

The actual truth and import, will be seen in the serps ..over the next quarter at least..or later quarters, if the time line attributed to Matt is to be believed..

[incrediBILL]

Admins Note: dropping a name as attribution to a quote isn't the same as name dropping or allowing open season on discussing the people instead of the topic. Attribution of a quote to the person that made it helps put it in context so others can determine whether of not the source of the information is trustworthy.

Sheesh.

[seoskunk]

Do people think that disavow will be a major part of this new penguin update?

[Propools]

martinibuster

"The bottom line is that Matt is a person of good character who helps web publishers because deep down he is a good and decent person. That is pretty much what Matt Cutts is about."
I couldn't agree more. ;)

incrediBILL

Sheesh. I know, right?
Let us not foget what brought us to this thread and discuss, review, contimplate, etc. ;)

[Propools]

I'm not sure if the disavow will or not. I tried it for a while and got what I feel to be negative results from it, which I'm still trying to recover from.

[aristotle]

Hopefully the reason for the delay is that they're trying to fix Penguin's flaws before they roll it out again.

[Whitey]

I think folks have got to shift their mindset to meet the challenges. Linking is/was both a nightmare for Google to manage and site owners to play in.

On and off page manipulation of link text / linking is gone/going.

What doesn't get talked about enough is how to manage the transition from old to new. Exceptional content, UI leading to reputation and brand signals. If you play that game in your niche, you probably have a bit of a foreseeable future.

If you are hanging on to old style techniques, the future is very limited at the high end of the food chain for small players. Grow your specialization in neglected areas of influence. Then just organize it and enable it from an SEO perspective No need to go hog wild with old techniques then.

I think a lot of SEO practitioners need to amend their approach andperspective a little to prepare for the future, not just this update. But that's not always easy as habitual thinking and tempting deviations also have an influence to distract that clarit.

Sadly, for some site owners , bad advice is going to get some into trouble.

[martinibuster]

Excellent post Whitey, well said! :)

[Simsi]

Seconded. Absolutely 100% spot on in my opinion Whitey.