Penguin 5, the algorithm meant to fight spam is active with the 2.1 version Spam filter of Penguin Algorithm. In fact the 2.1 version of Penguin release is known as Penguin 5. The improvement does not imply much on this version, hence Google calls it is as 2.1 versions. The 2.1 denotes only minor changes that are incorporated from the second generation of Penguin 2 release. The new release will have only 1% impact on searches as claimed by Google. It is quite interesting to note what was the ‘impacts’ Penguin had created on each releases.
Impacts on Various Releases
The Penguin 1 which was released on 24th April, 2012 had an impact of 3.1% of search engine queries. The subsequent release Penguin 2 which was released on 26th May, 2012 had a very minor impact of 0.1% on search engine queries. Penguin 3 had about 0.3% queries. Penguin 4 which is actually AKA Penguin 2.0 which was released on 22nd May, 2013 could generate an impact of 2.3% on Search queries. Now the latest Penguin 2.1 release is expected to generate an impact of about 1% search queries.
Penguin 2.1 is Penguin 5. Some people would like to call the 2.1 release as Penguin 5. The numbering story started back with the release of Panda algorithm. Panda is a tool to check the poor quality content. The first Panda algorithm tool was simply called as Panda. When the second version of Panda released it was known as Panda 2 and subsequent release was known as Panda 3 and so on. Actually the improvements in the Panda 3 were very minor and it should have been called as Panda 2.1, instead of Panda 3. Google realized the technicalities and they moved the number of release as Panda 3.0. The decimal point used to denote minor changes and decimal denotations are continued till Panda 3.92.
How Google Numbers their Latest Releases?
There were differences of opinion on the numbering pattern on improved version of algorithms. There were suggestions to continue the numbering in sequences of Penguin 2, Penguin 3, and Penguin 4 and so on unlimited till major changes happen in the content of the tool. So the numbering used the same pattern till Penguin 4, as Google didn’t bother to give a new serial number for their software updates. Google simply made announcements that there is a new update. As Google never numbered the algorithm changes till the release of Penguin 4, Google announced officially the release as Penguin 2. Even though there were so many releases and Penguin release 2 were already in use, the Penguin release 4 was officially termed as Penguin 2. So Penguin 5 released has been dubbed as Penguin 2.1. The decimal point clearly indicates that the changes/improvements in the logarithm are minor in character.
What is Penguin?
Penguin is a search algorithm which is designed to go after sites that are engaged in spamming search results of Google and still manage to maintain the search engine ranking. It especially looks for paid links that are purchased. If Penguin is marked in such sites, then the traffic to that site will get dropped immediately. Then the only remedy is to remove bad links or reject bad links. Automated programs could not be manipulated hence only rectification process can help to boost the site ranking.