So we mentioned on Twitter, the scary implications of Penguin and Panda (the much maligned Google Algorithm updates) on our website brethren. Its not the end of the world (although for some SEO outfits its been close) and here's why.

If you have a website, Google doesn't want you to do Search Engine Optimisation. Its that simple, Google does not like you, as a site owner, to be able to enhance your positioning by any other means other than creating content, that other websites find useful, informative and relevant.

Ever since its incarnation Google has fought the SEO forces of good and evil to make its search results more relvant, honest and pure. This is actually a good thing, since its creation, SEO developed along side it, finding good and evil ways to enhance the positioning of websites within Google's search rankings. Now in the past, evil SEO practices involved hidden website text crammed with keywords, vast link farms creating unrealistic backlink quantites and other devious methods. Good methods involved backlinking from blogs posts, backlinks with keywords within, backlinks from any website, however irrelevant.

The Penguin and Panda updates have now shook this status quo to its core.

Heres a list of best practice post Penguin

• Build links from target niche only ( get links from relevant websites)
• No longer can you backlink with targetted keywords (this is not deemed natural)
• Dont let your SEO outfit build links too quickly (this is not deemed natural)
• Use manual link building, no software to enable your efforts.
• Create natural links i.e saying 'read more' rather than 'keyword'
• Quantity is no longer king, try quality links from sites of influence

If your SEO outfit is still building fast links with keywords embedded over a vast range of of non relevant sites, then its maybe time to have a quick word before your site sinks beneath the waves never to be seen again. Or get us to have a look, we would love to help you out.