Named for Google founder Larry Page, Page Rank is a system of measurement that rates a page according to the “quality” of its links within a related set of other pages. This highly complex algorithm can assign a high page rank to a site with only one or two links and a lower raking to a site with multiple links if the system deems the multiple links to be of an overall lower quality. Each page rank is therefore relative to the topic on which the pages are being evaluated. The system was initially created in 1998, and was later patented by Stanford University. However, despite its popularity with numerous link building companies, Google itself has gradually been trying to phase out the ranking system as a measurement tool.
• The Meaning of “Last Update”
Each “last update” to the system means that the rankings of all pages on the Internet have been re-evaluated. Much as record executives once awaited the publication of the “Top Ten Bestselling Albums of the Week,” last update has a similar hype for webmasters and link building companies. Naturally, link building companies hope to earn their clients a higher ranking with each last update. Of course, many pages also experience a fall in their ratings. The updates are issued only a few times a year, which makes their unveiling noteworthy. The updates do not take place on a regular schedule. In some cases, Google has let almost 6 months elapse before issuing an update; in other cases, the updates have been spaced only a month apart.
• Why Page Rank is Not Important to Commercial Interests
Despite all of the excitement surrounding the rank, the actual figure is not as important as many companies would like their clients to believe. According to several technology experts, the rank is not “an actionable metric,” meaning that while it appears to describe the absolute relevance of a page, it is simply too broad of a measurement for webmasters to implement effective changes. A webmaster can proudly trumpet his page ranking, but there is virtually nothing he can do directly to either increase or decrease the ranking. More importantly, the rank does not necessarily correspond to higher conversion rates. A page may earn an exceptionally high rank due to its association with other pages, but in of itself may have a very low conversion rate. For commercial purposes, the rank is therefore not a guarantee of success.
While the rank did have more relevance in the early years of the Internet for commercial ventures, this has since faded as metrics have grown more sophisticated. Google has worked on creating ever more specific metrics that help webmasters generate more traffic and higher conversion rates. For this reason, Google has been quietly dismantling the importance of the rank in favor of other metric tools, such as the bounce rate or click-through rate.
Additionally, link building based purely on the rank tool has led to some unsavory practices among link builders, including buying and selling links in order to artificially boost a page’s rating. Google has taken measures to punish this practice by demoting offending pages, but the sheer number of sites on the Internet makes this action almost impossible to police.
• Evaluating Link Building Companies
Google’s phase out of the rank is a challenge to many link building companies who have built their business solely on the tool. While link building is still important for the overall success of a site, it requires a slightly more sophisticated approach.
For those webmasters who are attempting to evaluate the quality of a link building company, they should ask for a presentation of the goals and basic techniques the company plans to use. If a link building company has a strategy that involves honestly building relationships with successful sites that have high conversion rates for a particular product or service, the company has a solid foundation for its business. Commercial sites often benefit from trading traffic that is close but not entirely related to their product. As an example, an antiques dealer specializing in 19th century German grandfather clocks may decide to link to a modern grandfather clock manufacturer, as the two sites may often receive online traffic that is better suited to the other company. This type of link building is beneficial to all parties, and is not artificially generated.
• Is Link Building Necessary?
With that said, it’s important to realize that many sites do not need to hire a separate link building company to generate excellent conversion rates. The “PageRank” toolbar icon is increasingly being overlooked in favor of actual revenue results. While companies should attempt to reach out to one another and create solid business partnerships, they should not judge their success only on the number of their rank.
In many cases, spending time crafting exact keywords and syncing this to a properly configured Google Analytics account will generate more relevant visits than a full link building campaign ever could. For the highest conversion rates, a webmaster should split his time between creating links with other online businesses, honing keyword use, and interacting with customers and visitors via forums and social media.
While page rank may have once been a simple, unilateral measurement of success, it is now just another tool in the ever-growing collection of metrics. Each site must now judge its success by its own specific standards.
About Shane