How Important is PageRank, Really? > NetSparsh - Viral Content you Love & Share

Home
>
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
>
How Important is PageRank, Really?

How Important is PageRank, Really?

Webmasters can spend most of their waking hours doing everything they can to raise their Google PageRank. It is common knowledge that PageRank, which is largely based upon the number and quality of backlinks a webpage has, is an important factor in how well a particular webpage ranks within the Google search results. Since webmasters spend so much of their time worrying about PageRank, an important question is: how important is PageRank, really?

Many webmasters will tell you from experience that other factors besides PageRank, such as keyword density and placement, have recently taken a larger role in website ranking. No one will argue that PageRank has become irrelevant, but there is significant evidence to suggest that PageRank is not quite as important of a factor in website ranking as it once was.

To illustrate this point, I utilized a very useful tool you can find at prlookup.com. The tool returns regular Google query results with one interesting addition ? they also give the pagerank for every webpage. Thus, you can type in any word or phrase and see the pagerank of those webpages that rank well (or not so well) for that keyword. Looking at the results, you probably notice something almost immediately. Some sites with low PRs do surprisingly well in the results, while some higher PR sites do quite poorly. Some of this difference can be contributed to sheer content ? that is, how many times, and in what manner, the keywords you entered actually show up on the webpage. Google takes a close look at keyword usage and density in determining ranking. However, some pages clearly have very close keyword densities, yet in some cases the page with the lower pagerank will somehow still receive a better ranking.

Let us take a more quantitative look at this. Taking 20 of the most popular keywords from rankpulse.com (for this particular day), and entering them in prlookup.com, it is possible to get a better feel for the importance of pagerank. Looking at the first five results only, I wanted to see how many followed in order of highest PR to lowest PR. Surely, out of the results for 20 keywords, a good portion of them will display such an order, right? I have listed the number of webpage results that appeared in correct PageRank order for each keyword (i.e. 5 would indicate that 5 out of 5 results were in order of highest to lowest pagerank). You can see the table with results at G oogle Advisor.

Although limited by sample size, the results indicated that PageRank is not an overwhelmingly dominant component of website ranking on Google. If it were, the average of correct PageRank order for these keywords really should be somewhere around 4 to 5 (the real average was about 2.15). Thus, other factors including keyword density in webpage content, title, and even the URL, play a significant role in webpage ranking. I want to mention that, while looking over these results, I noticed that about 4-5 of these keywords came up with at least one webpage within the first 10 results (first page on Google) that had absolutely no PageRank at all (PR 0). In addition, a couple keywords came up with results with exactly reverse-order PageRanks ? that is, the first result at the lowest PR and the fifth result had the highest (for example, PR8, 7, 6, 6, 5 or something similar).

So what does this all mean for the average webmaster concerned with SEO? The first lesson is that keywords and other non-PageRank factors can be absolutely crucial. They can put a PR6 site above a PR8 site (if you don't believe me just use the tool I mentioned above). Does this mean that website owners should not worry about links? Not at all. It's just that all the time people spend on exchanging and acquiring links for the sole purpose of increasing PageRank may be better spent developing website content and keyword strategies instead.

As far as keywords are concerned, we discovered that having keywords in the website title and URL can help a site rank much more competitively. Good content tends to have the fortunate effect of both increasing your one-way in-bound links (people like to link to sites they find interesting, thoughtful, informative, or helpful), thereby improving your PageRank, while at the same time producing keyword rich webpages good for both human viewers and search engine spiders.

The take home message here is that PageRank is important, but it certainly is not worth obsessing over; there are many other factors involved in website ranking that should be given nearly equal consideration. In addition, simply building a good website is the best thing you can do to attract visitors, even without a great PageRank. PageRank, however, will likely follow ? consider it a welcomed byproduct of your hard work.

Bradley James is Webmaster of GoogleAdvisor.org, an informational site providing free information to casual searchers and Webmasters about the Google search engine.

In The News:

Boost your site’s SEO ranking with this $24 tool The Next WebIf your website rankings are showing up on the second page of Google searches, then we can probably guarantee you of at least one other place your rankings ...

Top 36 SEO Insights of the Year from Google’s John Mueller Search Engine JournalGoogle's John Mueller shared some important SEO insights this year on mobile-first, *content*, crawling, indexing, JavaScript, linking, and more!

Is it too late to do SEO for the holidays? EconsultancyThanksgiving, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday are behind us, and it might seem like any holiday related campaigns that weren't put in motion by now would be ...

5 Overused SEO Phrases to Nix & 5 Hot Phrases That Are In Search Engine JournalLet's leave tired SEO phrases in the dust and adopt a vocabulary that matches the present state of online marketing and works better with our audiences.

How 3 SEO strategies built today's eCommerce giants Search Engine LandThe winners in the e-commerce industry account for a dramatic portion of the sales. Amazon alone accounts for 43 percent of online holiday spending. How did ...

Hang Seo: I am disappointed New Straits TimesKUALA LUMPUR: Vietnam coach Park Hang Seo is a disappointed man although his team gained two away goals against Malaysia in Tuesday's AFF Cup final ...

47 Experts on the 2019 SEO Trends That Really Matter [Ebook] Search Engine JournalIn 47 Experts on the 2019 SEO Trends That Really Matter, learn how the following SEO outlooks will influence the way we do SEO in 2019: Understand Your ...

How Much Does SEO Cost & Why Should I Pay for SEO? Business 2 CommunityAs a business owner or marketing manager, you may already know about the positive impact search engine optimization can have on your results. With the right ...

12 Completely Outdated SEO Practices You Should Avoid Search Engine JournalHere are 12 SEO practices that used to work (to some extent), but now could do more harm than good for your brand or website.

Stop Neglecting Your SEO and Get Yourself to the Front Page of Google FstoppersDoes the thought of SEO produce in you a mixture of fear and confusion? It's time to stop putting it on the back burner and get your photography website noticed ...

SERPstash is a $20 app that will help you win at SEO The Next WebWant another sign of Google's power over the web? According to a State of Local SEO report by Moz Inc., almost two out of three local business owners say their ...

Boost Your Site's Google Ranking With This $20 SEO Software EntrepreneurThere's a running joke among marketing professionals that the best place to hide a dead body is on page two of Google search results. That's because research ...

7 Reasons Why Accessibility is Good for SEO and Sales Search Engine JournalAccessibility is a factor that has traditionally been on the margins of SEO and web development. There are solid business reasons for why accessibility should ...

SEO vs. SEM: What's the difference? | Articles | telegraphherald.com telegraphherald.comIf you are new to digital marketing, understanding the complex jargon of this industry can be a challenge.

Don’t skip these critical recurring SEO tasks Search Engine LandNo matter how perfectly you've optimized a website, it will always require constant maintenance. This is because figuratively speaking, much like a vehicle, there ...

How to Build an SEO Business Case That Your Boss Can’t Say No To Search Engine JournalDo SEO in-house? Need to secure budget or resources for an SEO initiative? Here are 10 tips that will make building SEO business cases a lot easier.

10 Types of Client Behavior That Drive Every SEO Professional Insane Search Engine JournalYou've probably encountered all of them, but here are 10 client behaviors that are guaranteed to make any SEO professional a little crazy.

Why Sports Teams Websites Need SEO and How to Get it On-Point KreedOnSports is no longer a niche industry. The way in which the leagues are enjoying enormous success in the country, things are only going to get better.

5 Reasons why eCommerce businesses should consider SEO as part of their marketing budget TechGenYZFollowing the rules of SEO is quite significant in eCommerce, It helps generating traffic to one's website and getting adequate ROI.

How Reliable is Google’s Web.dev SEO Score? Search Engine JournalGoogle's Web.dev tool offers an SEO score. The score offers a score from 0 to 100. What does the tool measure for the SEO metric and how useful is it?

The importance of understanding intent for SEO Search Engine LandSearch is an exciting, ever-changing channel. Algorithm updates from Google, innovations in the way we search (mobile, voice search, etc.), and evolving user ...

SearchCap: Google Lens for iOS, Facebook search ads & eCommerce SEO Search Engine LandFacebook starts testing ads in search results. Dec 11, 2018 by Amy Gesenhues. The test inventory will be available in Facebook and Marketplace search results.

SEO Best Practices for Internal Linking in B2B Websites Customer ThinkAt KoMarketing we strongly believe SEO is most effective when educating client marketing teams in addition to providing impactful recommendations and tactics.

9 Important SEO Habits You Should Adopt Now Search Engine JournalWant to improve your strategies and skills to move the needle even more for your organizations and clients? Then build these nine SEO habits.

SEO: 6 Ways to Optimize Category Pages Practical EcommerceCategory pages are important to optimize because they target the keywords that consumers search for. But it can be difficult since the pages tend to have little ...

Here’s how to monitor for negative SEO Search Engine LandSoccer great Mia Hamm said, “It is more difficult to stay on top than to get there.” True in sports, that sentiment also can be true in SEO. Any website in the ...

SEO: Topic Clusters Improve Rankings, Traffic Practical EcommerceTopic clusters are a search engine optimization strategy meant to improve site architecture, help search engines discover important pages, and improve ...

Most Reliable SEO Tips For New Generation NewsPatrollingCorporations are growing a lot more knowledgeable of your really need to understand and implement not less than the basic principles of internet search ...

How SEO & PPC Keyword Research Can Work Together Search Engine JournalSearch marketers can learn a lot by analyzing each other's data. Here's how you can inform your SEO and PPC strategies with keyword research.

Empathy & Communication: Keys to a Successful SEO Career Search Engine JournalEmpathy and communication are critical SEO skills, whether you're dealing with clients, your team, or your community. Here's why.

AFF Suzuki Cup 2018: Youth our greatest strength, says Vietnam coach Park Hang-seo ahead of final FOX Sports AsiaVietnam head coach Park Hang-seo believes it is the Golden Dragons' young stars who will be their greatest strength as they prepare to face Malaysia in the first ...

Technical SEO in the wild: Real-world issues and fixes Search Engine LandA lot of what is written about technical search engine optimization is pure theory; ideal-world scenarios of how websites should interact with search engine ...

When Does User-First SEO Not Apply? Search Engine JournalMost SEO advice, even technical, falls under a user-first approach. But in which cases does the user-first mentality for SEO not apply?

5 SEO trends that will matter most in 2019 Search Engine LandTo be atop the waves, think about your SEO strategy in advance. A shortcut to success: get to know the upcoming trends and work out an action plan for each.

Bhavin Patel-Founder & CEO of Thanks Creation9 Explains How SEO & Digital Marketing Can Change The Face Of Your Business InventivaToday we are presenting the exclusive interview of Bhavin Patel- Founder & CEO, Thanks Creation9 from Gujarat. He explains how SEO has changed the digital ...

3 Social Media Strategies You Can Use to Boost Your SEO Search Engine JournalSocial media can be beneficial to your SEO performance. Use these three on social media to complement your organic search efforts.

Recovering SEO traffic and rankings after a website redesign Search Engine LandWhen building a new website, retaining and improving your SEO and organic traffic should be a key design goal. This requires a clear understanding of how ...

6 Old School SEO Habits That Never Grow Old Search Engine JournalThere are many practices from the dawn of SEO that are still useful. These are old school tactics and habits that successful affiliates used to help their sites rank ...

What Are Entities & Why They Matter for SEO Search Engine JournalEntities just might be the single most important concept to understand in SEO right now. Read on to understand what entities are and why they matter.

9 Ways to Deal with Unresponsive SEO Clients Search Engine JournalHas one of your SEO clients fallen off the map? This can be extremely frustrating. Use these nine ideas to reopen channels of communication.

With so many choices, which SEO tool is right for you? Search Engine LandCompiled from the latest research, this 55-page report is your source for the latest trends, opportunities and challenges facing the market for SEO software tools ...

3 essential SEO tactics for business Business MattersBusiness MattersWhen small businesses expand their online marketing, it becomes imperative to gain the trust of local prospective customers to stay ahead of the competition.

Google Tool Scores Your SEO: Should Google Be Scoring Your SEO? Search Engine RoundtableThe other day, Google launched a new portal named web.dev that pretty much has lighthouse, another Google tool, results for your audit. One of the lighthouse ...

SEO Contest Exposes Weakness in Google’s Algorithm Search Engine JournalAn SEO ranked a site written almost entirely in Latin. Does Google have a spam problem?

How AI Is Changing SEO Business.comAI is a rapidly evolving technology that will make SEO tools and techniques even more informative and useful for businesses in the near future.

HempLife Today Gives Shareholder Update on Positive Progress of Search Engine Optimization, Expects SEO to Dramatically Boost 2019 Sales Volume GlobeNewswireDenver, CO, Nov. 14, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- Ubiquitech Software Corp. (OTC: UBQU), through its operating subsidiary HempLife ...

Scott Services is Helmed by an Expert SEO Who Can Help Companies around the World Increase Their Web Presence - Press Release Digital JournalIn order for an online business to stand out against the background noise of the internet, they need the help of an expert SEO. They help companies by ...

The state of local SEO — get industry insights for 2019 Search Engine LandLocal search is a broad field that's constantly growing and changing, challenging marketers to keep up. No matter what kind of company they work for, today's ...

Common Mistakes People Make When Backlinking for SEO SEO SharkBacklinking is one of the most powerful tactics you can peform in the world of SEO. However, there are plenty of common mistakes people make while doing it.

3 Tools to Analyze Content for Marketing, SEO Practical EcommerceA successful *content* marketing program often begins with creating and maintaining an inventory of every page on your site. There are several ways to conduct a ...

3 Advanced Google SEO Strategies For Financial Marketers The Financial BrandIt takes more than just good *content* to rank high in Google's search results. These tips will help you master the art and science of SEO.

Off-Page SEO: Your Most Burning Questions Answered Business 2 CommunityOff-page SEO is NOT just about backlinks as most people think. It involves your overall website trust, authority, social signals and many other things. Don't just ...

Conquer Google With The Ultimate SEO Tool InverseDid you know that the top three spots on Google receive nearly 60% of all search engine traffic for any given keyword? That's the magic of SEO, baby, and you're ...

4 Steps of Competitor Analysis for SEO Business.comWant to rank higher in search results? Your rivals could actually be your secret weapon.

17 Common Mistakes You Need to Avoid When Blogging For SEO Business 2 CommunityHow do potential customers find your business? Chances are they search online. Whether your target audience is across the country or in your own backyard, ...

Vulnerability Reported in All in One SEO Pack Search Engine JournalThe WPScan Vulnerability Database reports that the All in One SEO Pack plugin has a cross-site scripting vulnerability.

How Google Discover Affects Search And SEO For Your Personal Brand Business 2 CommunityThe latest Google Discover search update may be a game changer for brands who need to improve their SEO strategy. With more intuitive features your *content* ...

SEO Software Market boosting the growth through 2025 CMFE NewsSEO software has been created in order to eliminate such complexities. The software is a comprehensive suite that lets the organization identify, analyze, and ...

How User-Generated Content Can Enhance Your SEO Strategy Small Business TrendsThe SEO benefits of user generated *content* will help your small business get more eyes, and the right eyes, on your site.

How to Align Digital PR & SEO for a leading-edge marketing strategy Pressroom Today IndiaAs the world move towards digitization, everything is undergoing a digital makeover. Being a part of the wider marketing approach, using PR tactics can create a ...

Yoast SEO 9.1 Vulnerability Could Allow Command Execution Cyber Security NewsA researcher discovered Yoast SEO 9.1 vulnerability that could let an attacker execute commands on target system. Users must upgrade to Yoast SEO 9.2 asap.

10 Types of Content That Work Best for SEO Business 2 CommunityWhen we think of *content*, we automatically equate it with writing. However, it is more than just that. In fact, it is way more than just writing and posting them on ...

Who Should Win as the U.S. Search Personality of Personalities? [POLL] Search Engine JournalThere is so much to like about the SEO community. As our Executive Editor Danny Goodwin puts it: “SEO is such a giving community. We share strategies, tactics ...

Telephone Number SEO? Business 2 CommunityTruth told, it's pretty difficult to get this so wrong that it messes up with your online visibility, but there are some best practices with respect to formatting that may ...

Yoast SEO 9.1 Vulnerability Explained Search Engine JournalYoast SEO 9.1 SEO Manager Role Vulnerability Explained.

3 Reasons an SEO Strategy Alone Won’t Fix Your Traffic Problem Business 2 CommunityAs a marketing strategist, I can't count the number of times I've received inquiries from potential clients looking for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) services ...

How to Find Every Orphan Page on Your Website Search Engine JournalIn order for Google and other search engines to index your pages, they need to know they exist and where. This is usually accomplished in one of two ways:.

Jin Goo And Seo Eun Soo To Lead JTBC's Remake Of Japanese Drama “Legal High” soompiJTBC's remake of the Japanese series “Legal High” has found its leading actors! On December 10, it was announced that Jin Goo and Seo Eun Soo have been ...

Voice Search SEO: How To Optimize Your Website (Step-by-Step Guide) Business 2 CommunityThe voice search revolution is well and truly upon us, with predictions suggesting that 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020. That's just two years ...

Google Introduces WordPress Plugin With Integrated Analytics, Search Console, More Search Engine JournalGoogle has introduced a new WordPress plugin which brings insights from Google tools to users' dashboards.

Fairfax SEO Agency Reveal Hidden Benefits of Email Marketing IT News OnlineFairfax, VA, December 12, 2018 --(PR.com)-- 321 Web Marketing, a Fairfax SEO agency, released a blog discussing the hidden benefits of using email ...

How to Use Machine Translation to Localize UGC for Global Websites Search Engine JournalIs the use of machine translation evil for SEO? In terms of global website *content* translation or localization, the best practice is to have *content* localized ...

Content Stratgies for Better SEO Results and Marketing ROI Chief MarketerSEO results can be improved by up to 10 times with a strong *content* marketing strategy. Here's 2 key strategies to improve your SEO ROI.

Startup funding: 2018 was the year of Fintech startups, ecommerce investments slipped to second place YourStory2018 saw Fintech lead the funding charts as investments in Lending surged and Payments held its own. The early-stage continues to see great momentum and ...

3 Secrets That Will Help You Grow Your Agency & Revenue Faster Search Engine JournalIs your agency struggling to get ahead, stagnant, or sinking? Implementing these three key tips can help you start growing faster now.

Yoast SEO bug Archives Cyber Security NewsDecember 9, 2018 December 9, 2018 Abeerah Hashim 149 Views 0 Comments arbitrary code execution, arbitrary commands, code execution, vulnerability, ...

Park Seo Joon Chosen As Recipient Of 2018 Star Of Korean Tourism Award soompiPark Seo Joon is a winner of the 2018 Star of Korean Tourism. On December 11, Park Seo Joon attended the 2018 Korea Tourism Awards ceremony that was ...

The 12 Areas of SEO Knowledge You Must Master to be Successful Search Engine JournalWhile SEO and search might not be the shiny object that it was a decade ago, it still has a critical role in the digital marketing mix. That, plus a soaring demand ...

6 Local SEO Predictions for 2019 and Beyond Business 2 CommunityWhat is local SEO? It is nothing but a very effective way to promote local business within a particular location. Whether you are trying to encourage your café or ...

Japanese drama 'Legal High' set for remake in Korea; Jin Goo and Seo Eun Soo play lead roles International Business Times, IndiaThe hit Japanese legal drama will be made into a Korean series by JTBC. Veteran actors Jin Goo and Seo Eun Soo have been confirmed for the lead roles of ...

Seo Ye Ji Appointed Honorary Police Officer For Role In “Lawless Lawyer” soompiSeo Ye Ji is now an honorary police officer! Her agency King Entertainment stated, “On December 7, Seo Ye Ji was appointed as an honorary police officer at ...

Google’s New Website Analysis Tool, Web.dev, Has Several Reported Bugs Search Engine JournalBugs have been reported in Google's new website and SEO analysis tool, Web.dev, which are confirmed as known issues.

12 Reasons Why Your Business Absolutely Needs SEO Search Engine JournalSEO is important for greater searchability and visibility, but offers more real value than that. Here are 12 reasons why businesses need SEO to take their brand to ...

7 Things to Know Before Updating to WordPress 5 Search Engine JournalHow to successfully update to WordPress 5 Gutenberg.

Samsung C&T President Lee Seo-hyun likely to resign The InvestorLee Seo-hyun, president of Samsung C&T's fashion division, is likely to step down from her post in an annual year-end reshuffle scheduled for this week, ...

Is There Any New Innovation In SEO? Forbes NowSearch engine optimization (SEO) has been a field of its own in the marketing community for the past two decades. But in a world where most industries are ...

Why Content Is Important for SEO Search Engine Journal*Content* and SEO. At their best, they form a bond that can catapult any website to the top of search engine rankings. But that's only when they're at their best.

Google to Let Users Leave Comments on Search Results Search Engine JournalGoogle is preparing to roll out a new feature that will allow users to leave comments on search results.

'Lawless Lawyer' star Seo Ye Ji felicitated as honorary police officer International Business Times, IndiaAs an appreciation to her role in "Lawless Lawyer", Seo Ye Ji has been honored with a place in the police department.

11 Big SEO Challenges You’ll Face in Your Career Search Engine JournalFrom managing client expectations to balancing task load, learn 11 SEO challenges that you might face in your career and how to overcome them.

Montreal Online Lead Generation SEO Marketing Business Growth Services Launched NewswireReleasing a local organic online lead generation *service* to help boost internet traffic for businesses in Montreal, OODA Rocket seeks to encourage more ...

15 Common SEO Mistakes To Avoid ForbesUnderstanding SEO is the ultimate marketing discipline, especially in today's highly digital world. If you want to drive traffic to your site and increase sales, you ...

SEO Beginner's Guide: Know the importance of Search Engine Optimization Business MattersBusiness MattersSEO stands for Search engine optimization, and it's one of the most recognizable abbreviatures of the 21st century.

Seohyun, Ailee, Lee Kwang Soo, and more awarded at the '2018 Korea Best Star Awards' allkpopThe '2018 Korea Best Star Awards' announced the winners on the day before the award ceremony.'Korea Best Star Awards' hosted by The Korea …

Digital Vidya Announces an SEO Executive Training Program on the Eve of its 9th Anniversary India Education DiaryNew Delhi: Digital Vidya celebrated its 9th anniversary on 28th November 2019. The event was celebrated with a lot of valor and zeal. During the celebrations ...

3 Reasons Why the New John Lewis Christmas Ad Is a Flop Search Engine JournalHere's why the John Lewis' 2018 Christmas ad failed to score with audiences. Plus, three *content* marketing lessons you can learn from the ad.

Best Ways To Improve Your SEO And Why You Need To Do It Forbes NowThe more quality *content* you produce, the better results you will see.

This $10 SEO master course will help you grow your site’s traffic The Next WebYou probably know landing high in search engine results can make a big difference between scoring just a handful of clicks or managing a viral sensation.

The Vicious Circle Of SEO (And How To Beat It) ForbesWhat's the secret to overtaking older *content* that already has a deep reservoir of backlinks? How can we break out of the vicious circle of SEO?

SEO Is A Must For Small Businesses: Here's How To Get Started ForbesYou are starting a business and have a checklist of the things you need to get your business going. You have the idea for a product or *service* -- check.

How Important is PageRank, Really?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Search Engine Optimization (SEO)