Google PageRank (PR) Update

Google PageRank (PR) Update

In the last couple of weeks I’m sure most web site owners have seen their little green bars changing. Indicating that a PageRank update is underway. Oh the joys. As Google updates the tools bars in web browsers everywhere there will be once more much gnashing of teeth, shouting at SEO companies and god knows what as a result.

PageRank is Googles measure of the ‘importance’ of web page. In simple terms the higher your PageRank the more important your site is. For those who want a bit more info PageRank is a likelihood factor indicating the chances that a random surfer would arrive at your page by randomly clicking links. The higher the PageRank the more likely a random surfer would arrive at your website.

PageRank is calculated by the using the PageRank value for all the links that point to a particular web page. If you have links form high PageRank pages your PageRank increases. (God the overuse of the word PageRank is reading like some textual spam by an SEO agency so will change to now refer to PageRank as PR.)

PR is only one factor in the Google algorithm, that said it is important and does count but so do hundreds of other factors and you should pay attention to them all.

The toolbar update happens every so often, used to be monthly now is about every three months. Remember this is only an update. The values upon which your sites ranking is being calculated will be the same as yesterday. The displayed PR is also only a snapshot. It places websites into bandings so not all PR4’s are equal no matter what your link building company tells you.
The toolbar update rolls out by DataCentre – so the USA is likely to find that their PageRank has updated before that in the UK at times and so on.

During this period I always point clients, friends etc to the future PageRank tool 

Its worth a look if you want to see your PR across various DataCentres. It is also online and working every time I’ve tried it unlike similar services promoted online.

So if you see your PR go down, or go up, don’t get suicidal or over joyed. Look at your positions and your backlinks and work out why it has moved the way it has. Use it as an indicator of your importance not the sole KPI for your Search Engine Optimisation campaign.