When Search Engine Optimisers hear about penguins and pandas, it's unlikely they'll envisage recent trips to the zoo. In fact, the very idea of penguins and 
pandas may well result in a few sleepless nights. Confused? Naturally we're talking about the cuddly creatures in the Google context, amid recent news that there's another Penguin update scheduled for 2013.
What is the Google Penguin algorithm?
Google Penguin, aka Google's Webspam Algorithm, in a nutshell was rolled out to distinguish between aggressive SEO-ers and genuine, content-rich websites that both ranked well in the organic rankings. Google wanted to penalise sites that were cheating their way to the top of the rankings, opening the door to sites that have added pages to their website gradually and optimised them correctly. The update scheduled for this year will be the third update of its kind since Penguin's release back in April 2012.
What does the algorithm actually look for?
- Duplicate content - similar blocks of content across different pages and content linked via multiple URL's
- Link schemes - the relevance, quality and quantity of links affect your website's ranking
- Keywords - Aim to create content full with knowledge that's of benefit to your visitors
How can Google's Penguin Update be avoided?
Put most simply, Google Penguin can be avoided by not attempting to cheat your way to the top of the organic rankings. Yes, we realise that's not exactly the answer that you're looking for as it takes time, patience and investment, but it will most certainly pay off in the end, both in terms of rankings and the overall experience of your website visitors.