Penguin Apply To Internal Linking?

[AWCthreads]

Is Penguin focused primarily on backlinks or does it also assess internal linking/anchor text?

We've lost about 3,000 visitors a month since the rolling updates were implemented. I'm always careful not to over-react to algo updates but enough time has passed that I think the dust has settled.

I try to stay white in all I do but I think if I've over-done anything its the internal linking related products/categories with exact match.

My backlink profile also has an over-abundance of affiliate links but that's kind of out of my hands isn't it?

[EGOL]

Is Penguin focused primarily on backlinks or does it also assess internal linking/anchor text?

In my opinion it is focused on backlinks.   If internal anchor text links would kill a site then wikipedia and any informative site that was built on their hyperlinking model would be dead.   I got a lot of internal anchor text on my sites and nothing has happened.

If google wanted to dull the impact of internal anchor text they could do it much more easily by just turning a knob and would not need to put it in the Penguin algo and beat webmasters who have done good for their users by hyperlinking their content.  Google is after manipulation rather than trying to do a "gotcha" on innocent webmasters.

My backlink profile also has an over-abundance of affiliate links but that's kind of out of my hands isn't it?

You can require any anchor text or linking method that you want.  If they don't like it they can quit or you can turn off their bounty.  You can require nofollow if you want. My affiliate program tells me what I can't and can do.  They have not been telling me how to link but they have their hoops that I better jump through if I want to be paid.

You are in the driver's seat.  You just have to decide if you are going to steer or let other people do it for you.

[GPainter]

Well Matt says this so that may be a good start.

Although he says no I always think Google looks at your internal links for ranks as if you link out to relevant sites i find a page ranks better than one without. You can make your affiliate links no follow if your stuck, also if they are in the footer than can be a bit of a naughty sign from Google.

If you combine this with some rel=canonical for any duplicate content you feel you may have.

The other option is your back links could of been "re-asses" so to speak and you might of had a slightly drop from previously ok links

Hope some of that helps.