While it’s nothing new, a lot of webmasters are frustrated with Google for penalties their sites have received. The recent attack on guest blog posts has sparked a whole new round of outcries. Google says, however, that it tries to focus more on proactive and positive features, and less on penalties. You wouldn’t know that to read conversations that are happening every day on search blogs and forums, but that’s the stance Google is taking. Meanwhile, Google thinks we’re too bored to want to see lists of algorithm changes (which would presumably include some of these “positive” and “proactive” things). It used to release these regularly.
We also keep seeing tweets from Matt Cutts about how Google is taking action on various networks. It doesn’t exactly convey a lack of focus on penalties.
Do you think Google really is more focused on proactive features than it is on penalizing other sites? Let us know what you think.
So you know how Google penalized a site and cited one link from a guest post that was on a topic that Google didn’t think belonged on the site (even though the site owner felt it did, and most other people can see the natural fit in topic)?
Danny Sullivan wrote an article about that, which this guy shared on Twitter, saying that Google penalties have “jumped the shark”. Matt Cutts responded:
@dtunkelang @dannysullivan headline is "How a single guest post…" but Danny points out multiple guest posts on that site.
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
@dtunkelang @dannysullivan But based on my experience looking at a lot of links and sites over the years, I'm pretty happy w/where we are.
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
@dtunkelang @dannysullivan then I view that as progress; site owner might not be happy, but they had actionable steps to fix issue.
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
Danny also jumped in, and Matt again:
@mattcutts @dtunkelang if "multiple" means two, that's correct. and the point was the blog clearly wasn't some abuser of guest posts, IMO
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) March 27, 2014
@dtunkelang @mattcutts all for that, too. said so in my article, even. just think less focus on penalties, more on reward might be better
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) March 27, 2014
@mattcutts @dtunkelang penalty notice didn't have examples. blogger had to guess at pro in open letter. specifics didn't come until after
— Danny Sullivan (@dannysullivan) March 27, 2014
@dannysullivan Doc himself said "To also be fair, you're right. I probably shouldn't have accepted it." on http://t.co/wKpPy515JU?
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
@dannysullivan the type of message he received was for outbound links. We just took action on a large guest blog network. He has guest blog
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
@dannysullivan I think Google overall is trying to focus less on penalties and more on proactive, positive stuff like natural language,
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
@dannysullivan conversational search, context, etc. It's just you and me and the SEOs sitting around talking penalties these days. 🙂
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
One that note about Google focusing less on penalties and more on proactive, positive stuff like natural language, Aaron Wall threw up a survey.
@mattcutts @dannysullivan survey says? 🙂 http://t.co/fH77WtQd24
— aaron wall (@aaronwall) March 27, 2014
Here’s what it’s showing as of Thursday:
Maybe perception would be different if Google hadn’t stopped putting out those monthly lists of algorithm updates, which might have illustrated some of that natural language-type stuff more. Maybe.
Cutts also had to defend Google from comparisons to the Emprie in Star Wars.
@DavidZeledon85 but can you make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs?
— Matt Cutts (@mattcutts) March 27, 2014
Do you think Google really is more focused on adding positive features to its search engine as opposed to penalizing sites? Let us know in the comments.
Note: This article has been updated to include more context and tweets.
Image via PollDaddy