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Google Page Rank Criteria And Link Value.
PageRank is a secret algorithm which
Google defines as: "...PageRank
continues to provide the basis for all of our web search
tools."
Google also states: "Important, high-quality sites receive
a higher PageRank, which Google remembers each time it conducts a search. Of
course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don't match your query. So,
Google combines PageRank with sophisticated text-matching techniques to find
pages that are both important and relevant to your search. Google goes far
beyond the number of times a term appears on a page and examines all aspects of
the page's content (and the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if
it's a good match for your query."
The
purpose of this article is to document the pervasive myths, correct and clarify
the definition by Google, correct the inaccurate PageRank information visible on
many Forums, and the unwarranted obsessive nature that many folks have about
PageRank. In essence, PageRank does not work the way you might think after
reading the Google page.
Linking to other sites using PR (PageRank) as
the determining factor and or any factor in your decision
This is a
false assumption. Don't waste your time using the Google Toolbar. PR has nothing
to do with where your site is listed in a given search. Want some proof?
Drill down to some of this sites Webmaster
Directory pages which opens in a new window, extract a few keywords and
search. In some cases this site is in the top 5 listings and my page is PR2.
Still not convinced? Fasten your hard disk. Run a search for "free webmaster
tools" and you will see that this site is currently listed in the top 6 and the
PR for my home page is only 6.
Reciprocal linking and linking
guidelines
You should link to another site because it provides
quality content complementary to your own, enhances and helps your visitors,
propagates your "brand", and has the potential to provide both you and your link
partner with targeted traffic. I've been using this criteria for a number of
months on this site with absolutely no regard to PR. The net result is my Google
traffic is up over 100% and so are my PageViews and unique visitors. Our own Barter/Trade
Links Forum has provided thousands of Webmasters with link partners, which
enhances both parties targeted traffic.
Their are no shortcuts or tricks
to this procedure. You need to examine the other site, reject "Link Farms",
"Off-Site Link Services", "TopSites", and any site who has a "links" page which
does not branch from the sites home page. What about "bad neighborhood" sites
which have a gray PR bar? If you take my advice and spend the time to visit the
other site, you will spot some of these "Spam" kings and reject them without the
use of the Toolbar. If a few slip through, don't worry. I have no evidence and
neither do you that Google will ban your site for linking to an unrelated "Spam"
site nor am I concerned because I spend the time to examine the site using the
criteria I mentioned.
What is the value of PageRank?
Google
uses PR in it's Directory listings. The default listings in a given Category is initially sorted by PR. This Directory uses data
from ODP (Open Directory Project)
which is also known as DMOZ. You can't determine the actual PR number but you
can view the PR bar and ballpark the number. I consider this PR sort of limited
value. Given the fact that most surfers don't drill through the Directory to
reach your site. On this site, only about 15% of the Google referrals originate
from the Directory. Does Google update these sorted PR listing? The evidence is
inconclusive.
Want some proof to support the claim that PR may in fact
never change in the Directory? My longtime friend, Ryan Adams, of ClickQuick fame used to have
a fantastic site but because of time constraints, the site has not been updated
or any page changed in over 1.5 years. ClickQuick is still listed as number 3 in the Google Directory with a PR6
and as one of his link partners, I can tell you that traffic from my old link on
his home page has experienced a 400% reduction. Perhaps this is an isolated
incidence as I have other examples where new sites move up in PR and eventually
reach the sorted list as not all sites are sorted by PR. My point is that a
higher listing in the Google Directory because of your sites PR is still of
little concern/value and you can and should improve your site for Google with
new content, rather than obsessing over PR.
Have you ever wondered why
the PR number is not available in the Directory (even though the data is
fetched) and why you must use the Google "Advanced Features" Toolbar,
which tracks your surfing habits to obtain the PR number? I don't read minds but
this procedure is a mystery to me. Is this a marketing ploy to collect your
surfing habits to enhance the advertising sales of Google? I don't think so,
since so few surfers actually use the Advanced Features Toolbar. Frankly, the
small percent of folks who use this version of the Toolbar are SEO geeks and
very teckie Webmasters. My own surveys of regular surfers indicate 90% of them
never use the Advanced Features Toolbar and never use a PR value as a criteria
on bookmarking the site and making it one of their favorite stops.
PageRank conclusions
It's
important to remember that everything Google does is secret and in constant
flux. No Webmaster (including me) or any SEO geek can tell you with 100%
certainty exactly the way PR or a SERP (Search Engine Results Page) work. I say
this after spending over 100 hours in research to create this article. PageRank
is but one of perhaps 100 different factors which Google may use to determine
exactly where your listing will appear in a given search. That's all that
matters, top 10-20 placement in a search. It's best to view PR as a "very raw"
metrix and most importantly, an automatic result of proper site construction,
maintenance, and SE optimization.
What I can tell you with absolute
certainty is to use common sense from a "user experience" perspective and that
sites should be built using three factors in the exact order stated:
1. Appropriate Design including usability and advertising
placement
2. Compelling content updated on a regular
basis
3. Optimized for Search Engines and Directories
Forget
PR, build your sites in this order and Google will reward you with targeted
traffic.
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