Google is company that likes its privacy, so when they make a move, it’s usually a surprise. Here are their top 10 surprises of all time.
#10 – Over Optimization Slip Up: March 2012
The SEO world dissects practically every word Webspam Team Leader Matt Cutts’ speaks, so its surprising that he isn’t more careful with his words. Last March, while giving a talk at Austin’s South By Southwest Conference, he let slip that Google may be introducing a penalty for, too much optimization.
Not surprisingly, SEO forums collectively flipped out over the next few days trying to figure out what it was and when it would be implemented.
To date, there’s not been an official over optimization penalty, but there’s clear traces of it in Penguin.