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What Is Google PageRank, How Is It Earned, & Does It Still Matter?

When a user enters a search query, the search engine’s number one goal is to return results that are high-quality, relevant, and able to best give them what they want. One of the 200+ SEO factors Google takes into consideration to determine which webpages best fit the bill is PageRank.

What Is PageRank?

PageRank (PR) is a calculation, famously invented by Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, which evaluates the quality and quantity of links to a webpage to determine a relative score of that page’s importance and authority on a 0 to 10 scale.

how can backlinks help or hurtThe handful of PageRank 10 domains, including USA.gov, Twitter.com and Adobe Reader Download, have the highest volume of inbound links of any sites on the web.

The top sites set the bar, so to speak, and the 10-point scale plummets exponentially down from there.

PageRank 5 websites have a good number of inbound links, PR 3 and PR 4 sites have a fair amount, and brand new websites without any inbound links pointing to them start at PageRank 0.

NOTE: You may be curious what your site’s or your competitor’s PR score is. But Google no longer reveals the PageRank score for websites. It used to display at the top of web browsers right in the Google Toolbar, but no more. And PR data is no longer available to developers through APIs, either. Even though it’s now hidden from public view, however, PageRank remains an important ingredient in Google’s secret ranking algorithms.

Since Google wants to return page one results that are high quality, relevant, and trustworthy, it may return webpages with better PageRank scores higher up in the SERPs, although PageRank is only one of many ranking factors taken into consideration.

Since PageRank is only one factor in the Google ranking algorithm, it’s important to remember that a high PageRank does not guarantee high rankings — but it can significantly help.

NOTE: With the growth of mobile internet use, it is especially important to also consider how Google’s Mobilegeddon Update will affect search rankings.

What Is “Link Juice” and What Are PageRank “Points”?

When Site A links to your web page, Google sees this as Site A endorsing, or casting a vote for, your page. Google takes into consideration all of these link votes (i.e., the website’s link profile) to draw conclusions about the relevance and significance of individual webpages and your website as a whole. This is the basic concept behind PageRank.

When a website links to your site, or when you link internally from one of your pages to another, the link passes PageRank points. This passing of PageRank points is also commonly called “link juice” or “link equity” transfer.

The amount of link juice passed depends on two things: the number of PageRank points of the webpage housing the link, and the total number of links on the webpage that are passing PageRank. It’s worth noting here that while Google will give every website a public-facing PageRank score that is between 1 and 10, the “points” each page accumulates from the link juice passed by high-value inbound links can — and do — significantly surpass ten. For instance, webpages on the most powerful and significant websites can pass link juice points in the hundreds or thousands. To keep the rating system concise, Google uses a lot of math to correlate very large (and very small) PageRank values with a neat and clean 0 to 10 rating scale.

How Link Juice Is Passed

Think of it this way: Every webpage has a limited amount of link juice it can pass, and the top of that limit is the total PageRank points that page has accrued. So, a webpage with 20 accrued PageRank points cannot pass more than 20 points of link juice per page.

If a page with 20 PageRank points links to one other page, that one link will transfer the full amount of link juice to that one other webpage. But if a page with 20 PageRank points links to five webpages (internal or external), each link will transfer only one-fifth of the link juice.

Google applies a decay value to every pass, so the actual numbers will be a little less than our diagram shows below. But to explain the PageRank concept simply, the formula is PR points divided by number of on-page links, or in this case, 20 divided by 5:

PageRank_flow
Visualize it: This diagram shows what it looks like when a webpage with 20 PageRank points links out to five other webpages that, accordingly, each receive approximately four PageRank points.

What if you want to link to several resources to aid user experience, but you have a strategic reason to withhold passing PageRank to those pages?

You can tell Google not to pass PageRank by amending some links with a rel=”nofollow” attribute. A nofollowed link is not crawled by the search engines, and no PageRank or anchor text signals are transferred.

However, Google still sees nofollowed links as part of the total number of links on the page. The PageRank value available to pass through the remaining, followed links is thus reduced.

So for example, if you have a web page with 100 PR points that has four links on it, and three of those links have rel=”nofollow” tags, the one link that doesn’t have rel=”nofollow” will probably still pass only one-fourth, or 25 points, of link juice. (Find out when nofollow is essential below.)

Transferring PageRank/Link Juice with Internal Linking

You can help Google see pages of your website as subject matter authorities by linking to your own important pages from related articles.

For instance, if you have an article called “How To Do Keyword Research,” you can help reinforce to Google the relevance of this page for the subject/phrase “keyword research” by linking from an article reviewing a keyword research tool to your How To Do Keyword Research article. This linking strategy is part of effective siloing, which helps clarify your main website themes.

When Nofollow Is Essential

Adding rel=”nofollow” to a link may not conserve PageRank in the way SEOs once used it — to sculpt the flow of PR value through a site (aka “link sculpting”). Still, nofollow is essential for certain types of links:

  • Paid links and ads
  • Links that would dilute your subject relevance
  • Links to untrustworthy pages

Paid-for links and ads on your site MUST have a nofollow attribute (see Google’s policy on nofollow). If you have paid links that are left followed, the search engines might suspect you are trying to manipulate search results and slap your site with a ranking penalty. Google’s Penguin algorithm eats manipulative paid links for lunch, so stay off the menu by adding nofollow attributes where applicable.

Secondly, nofollow is also essential on links to off-topic pages, whether they’re internal or external to your site. You want to prevent search engines from misunderstanding what your pages are about. Linking relevant pages together reinforces your topic relevance. So to keep your topic silos clear, strategic use of the nofollow attribute can be applied when linking off-topic pages together.

A third case Google gives for using nofollow is for untrustworthy sites. Of course, you wouldn’t want to pass PageRank to a sketchy site.

A word of caution: Now that you understand basically how PageRank works, we don’t want to give you the wrong idea.It’s not true that the more links you have, the better off you are. For more information on effective linking strategies, see our how to increase SEO link popularity discussion.

In today’s world, QUALITY is more important than quantity. Google penalties have caused many website owners to not only stop link building, but start link pruning instead. Poor quality links (i.e., links from spammy or off-topic sites) are like poison and can kill your search engine rankings. Only links from quality sites, and pages that are relevant to your website, will appear natural and not be subject to penalty. So never try to buy or solicit links — earn them naturally or not at all.

Want to know more? Learn more about link pruning, the action you take when links from low quality pages are giving Google the wrong idea about your website.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2013, but is updated to reflect the latest SEO understanding of Google PageRank.

Chelsea Adams Brooks is a long-distance cyclist, aspiring cob house builder, schema/analytics/algorithm obsessor, and a former senior content writer at Bruce Clay Inc.

See Chelsea's author page for links to connect on social media.

Posted by Chelsea Adams on June 3rd, 2016 at 10:00 am
Comments (222)
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222 Replies to “What Is Google PageRank, How Is It Earned, & Does It Still Matter?”

Webztechie

Great article! I found the breakdown of Google PageRank and link juice very helpful. The emphasis on quality over quantity in today’s SEO landscape is spot on. Thanks for updating the content to reflect the latest SEO insights.

Anurag Roy

great info, thanks for your great research and hard work

Nandeshwar

What about March, 2024 – Google Algorithm Update?

SEO Company in Gurgaon

Thank you such info about page rank and link juice, Now a days page content matters a lot in SEO

theallianceiq firm

Hi Bruce , thank you so much for sharing this blog with us. am also learning SEO.

Webztechie

Great article! I found the breakdown of Google PageRank and link juice very helpful. The emphasis on quality over quantity in today’s SEO landscape is spot on. Thanks for updating the content to reflect the latest SEO insights.

iBrandox

Thank you for generously sharing valuable SEO information with us. Page Rank is indeed a crucial topic in the field of SEO.

Shriank

Thank you, Bruce, for sharing this blog. Very helpful for me.

allianceiq

thank you so much for sharing useful seo information with us Page Rank Very important topic in seo.

Mia Jordan

Great Post…
Thank you for this informative post on Google PageRank. PageRank has always been a fascinating aspect of SEO, and it’s great to see a comprehensive explanation of how it works and how it influences search engine rankings.

ratna Steeltech

Thank you so much for sharing this blog with us. Very helpful for me. I am learning SEO the past few months.

IT Desk

Although PageRank used to play a crucial role in Google’s search algorithm, its importance has diminished over time, and it is no longer the dominant factor in determining website rankings. Nowadays, factors like relevance, content quality, and user experience have taken precedence in influencing a website’s position in search results.

vishnu

Thanks a lot, The blog is amazing and Useful information

Richard Haraldson

It is true that nowadays, other factors such as content quality, relevance, and user experience have taken precedence in determining a website’s position in search results. Therefore, PageRank depends on these factors in 2023

Olivia Corey

Great post; I accept it as true with you. Currently, Google maintains an exchange in algorithmic application techniques. As a consequence, in the present scenario, everybody must have an honest, fine internet site, with high-quality content. Content is exceptional and needs to, could, and can be current for your web site, and it also needs to be related to the concern. It’ll assist you with your ranking.

Sangbad World

Nice article.
With the recent change in Google’s PR, things done properly seem to get a good return.
One point I would like to mention here is that guest blogging on relevant and high-PR sites does help a lot. I personally have seen some amazing results courtesy of guest blogging, it can be a good link building strategy too.

Sahil Graphics - Paper Bag Making Machine Manufacturer

While PageRank was once an important factor in Google’s search algorithm, it has decreased in significance over time and is no longer the primary ranking factor. Other factors, such as relevance, content quality, and user experience, have become more important in determining a website’s position in search results.

First DigiAdd

Even though the bulk of SEOs no longer try to optimize for PageRank and pay much attention to it, understanding it is still crucial. If you put effort into building backlinks, increasing internal connections, and utilizing reputable external links, your PageRank will eventually thank you.

skovian ventures

I absolutely concur with you. Presently Google continues to refresh in algorithm strategies so in current circumstance everybody ought to have a decent quality site, quality substance. Content is quality and ought to be new on your site and furthermore it ought to be connected with the point. It will help you in your positioning.

EEngineer

Best educational website. Thanks

WDC

Excellent post with in-depth and complete information on PageRank. I also learned a lot about link juice and how it affects SERP. As google changes algorithm very fast day by day. Great content.

Ashish Malik

hi,

this blog is so good for google pageRank algorithm but all PageRank patents have expired as of September 24, 2019.

Woosper

Because Google officially removed support for Toolbar Pagerank in 2016, some SEA view PageRank as an outdated and irrelevant metric but in my opinion is still important these days.

fullhow

thanks for this best info.

PMR Digital Marketing Agency

Great info, this information helps me to improve my knowledge on PageRank. There are many other factors that Google is considering such as speed, and UI/UX design. As we all know that Google is always bringing new updates, so we have to wait and see what new updates will be there from Google.

Mena Ruda

there is a time when PageRank matters, but now it’s content who has great content that will lead the search engines

grace

We appreciate you sharing this useful PageRank information. Pagerank is a key component of SEO and is influenced by several factors, including the significance of do-follow backlinks.

Pratik Patil

Thank you for providing this great information about pagerank. Pagerank is a crucial factor in SEO and depends on a variety of variables, including the importance of do-follow backlinks.

James Anderson

Hey, Nice post! Thanks for sharing the best information about page rank.

Online Ludo

Interesting analysis that provides comprehensive and in-depth information on PageRank. Regarding link juice and how it impacts SERP, I also learnt a lot.

LinkedIn Marketing Agency

Excellent post that provides comprehensive and in-depth information on PageRank. Regarding link juice and how it impacts SERP, I also learnt a lot.

Google will shift focus to useful content

Growthsalad

Informative article on Page Rank. Value add.

Website Development Company

Excellent post with in-depth and complete information on PageRank. I also learned a lot about link juice and how it affects SERP.

Sat

That’s astonishing, Now I understand about PageRank far better.

Akash

Great article,
Very useful information on Pagerank.

Aero Business Solutions

Excellent post with in-depth and complete information on PageRank. I also learned a lot about link juice and how it affects SERP.

Zinavo

Excellent post about the importance of PageRank.

Pritishma Pradhanang

Page ranks are just a metrics to measure your webpages in terms of links it has got. But the ultimate winner in SEO is always Search Intent and Quality content. Anyway thanks for sharing this awesome piece of article.

The SEO Buck

Amazing information. Thank you so much..please keep it up guys!

SRV Media

Even if the majority of SEOs no longer focus much on PageRank and do not attempt to optimise for it, it is still important to comprehend. In the end, your PageRank will appreciate you if you work on constructing backlinks, enhancing your internal linking, and utilising authoritative external links.

Rajib Dey

PageRank is still used by Google.

Although website owners might not have access to it, it is still used in their algorithms.

Complete Call Centre Solutions

PageRank is still calculated and serves as part of Google’s algorithm, but what came to be known as “Toolbar PageRank” – the little green bar that showed an out of date, rounded off estimate of a page’s PR – is no longer available. Because TBPR is gone, some people have taken that to mean that PR itself is gone, but that’s not the case.

Amit Kumar

PageRank is one of many, many factors used to produce search rankings. Highlighting PageRank in search results doesn’t help the searcher. That’s because Google uses another system to show the most important pages for a particular search you do.

Diets Bazar

I think this line is better and useful! That, I think Google will always be working to discern and deliver “quality, trustworthy” content and I think analyzing inbound links as endorsements is a solid tool the SE won’t be sunsetting anytime soon.

Lisa Rose

Google Page Rank is effected in SEO. I think Google page rank factors is over last 10 years. I don’t think is Effected in SEO or website to help in rankings.

Just Conecc

Yeah internal linking is a good strategy to boost traffic of pages.

Digifinite Solutions

Hi Chelsea Adams,

I know, I am late on this blog, however, after so many years does the backlink-creating strategy has been improved? what do you suggest about the current situation?

Robert Stefanski

Hi Digifinite Solutions,

Thanks for your question! You’ll want to check out our free e-book “The New Link Building Manifesto: How to Earn Links That Count.” This guide will help you create a backlink strategy to boost your website ranking.

Joseph

Thank you very much for the post Chelsea! For a long time I have felt that the Page Rank is disappearing, however I will never stop making backlinks because without a doubt someone in a negative or positive way will always give the google editors something to talk about and you will be at the top in the searches of your market niche.

Karlos Moore

Thanks for sharing your knowledge and these amazing tips with us. I was so concerned about my site, but now I hope your thoughts will definitely help me out with my sites page ranking. Keep posting!

Rahul

How do people even rank on 1st page with very low content. Link juice or what?

Robert Stefanski

Hi Rahul,

Thanks for your question! Content is just one component of several factors to rank on Page 1. It must be meaningful and relevant to your audience, and it must establish your site as an authority in your niche. This can be accomplished with low content, but you must ensure the content you have performs better than your competition. Earning quality backlinks will help search engines see your site as an authoritative source and will boost your chances of achieving a better ranking.

You must also pay attention to the technical aspects of the website (making sure your pages load fast is very important) and focus on creating a good user experience.

Kadir

DA and PA of domain really matter?

Robert Stefanski

Hi Kadir,

Thanks for your question! The problem with DA and PA metrics is that they may or may not actually reflect the true quality of a website or its ability to rank. It’s far more important that you understand the numbers you’re looking at and then apply wisdom to take specific steps. Our post on site authority metrics will help explain further: https://www.bruceclay.com/blog/can-you-trust-the-site-authority-metric/

seorise

Thanks for sharing this amazing post with us. It’s really helpful for everyone! Keep writing.

Rahul Paul

That’s true I already realize this

EsaSon

What are the ways to earn natural links?? Please suggest some of them. But Nice Move keep it up.

Robert Stefanski

Hi EsaSon,

Thanks for your question. Our free 49-page guide “New Link Building Manifesto” will teach you 50 ways to earn links naturally and safely. Check out the e-book here: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/new-link-building-manifesto-complete-guide-to-earning-links/

stellagreen

I learnt many important ideas about Google page ranking in this post. Its very helpful for me. Continue to give us the latest updates about Google’s algorithm.

joan sena

The best blog about PageRank. I am really impressed with this content.

Nice article and very helpful information about Google PageRank. It’s very useful for me and my site.

Ankit

Thanks for sharing such great information with us. its very useful for me and my site also.

Mohit

its very useful but after the time google core update change page ranking, There is positive or negative effect on some website

Trank Technologies

Thanks for sharing this valuable information

Rozefs Marketing

Good work Chelsea! This blogs explained everything from a-z. Thanks!

muskaanmukherjee

well page rank is definitely important in considering the website status. it should be maintained with quality link building process . Well thanks for posting this informative write up . Looking forward to read more of your upcoming topics.

Tanu Kumbar

Hi,
I’m glad you shared this information with us. I learned many new things and will put these tips and tricks to use in my digital work. Do keep posting informative posts like this.

rahul paul

Thanks for giving me very good information about Google page rank.

Lana CC Finds

Why would they? If the president of the United States links to your page that is undoubtedly an endorsement that tells Google you’re a legitimate trusted source. I know that is an extreme example, but I think it illustrates the principals of a linking-as-endorsement model well.

Optinmark - Digital marketing Agency

Yes, PageRank is matters, I get good traffic and leads after work on PageRank
Thanks For the amazing article.

Meghana

Great Post, this information helps me to improve my knowledge on page ranking. thanks for sharing the information.

Brandstory

Great post. Info like this is very insightful with the continuous algorithm updates from Google. I totally agree with you. Brandstory also sheds some insights on these. There are many other factors which Google is considering such as speed, ux design. As we all know that Google is always bringing new updates, so we have to wait and see what new updates will be there from Google.

SEO Company in California

I think google is a very dynamic platform and you will need to update your knowledge!

Petrick P

Thanks for sharing about page rank, it’s great to learn from your blog which is really awesome.

WebservX Webservices

Most of the people trying to make fool Google’s algorithm by building high quantities of links this is the reason Google stop showing page rank in toolbar but still PR is working in back-end as I think.

alanwatson

A very informative post about Google PageRank. It’s very useful for me because I am digital marketer.

muskaan sharma

I think PageRank definitely matters a lot, especially niche-relevant websites.

Visione

Everyone knows about Google, so Google PageRank is very very important.

Firoz Tak

Page rank is assigned by search engines on the basis of their popularity or importance. Creating backlinks is not sufficient in this era good quality of content is also needed to rank a page.
Thanks

Being Achieve

Thanks for sharing this information very helpful blog for me. What are the ways to earn natural dofollow links??

Robert Stefanski

Hi Being Achieve,

Thanks for your question! Our link building guide will help you learn how to attract quality links to your site. Check it out here: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/link-building/

YASH

knowledgeable content

Umar Sami

I think PageRank definitely matters a lot, especially niche relevant websites.

Vishal

Great content and in-depth details about page rank and backlinks.

testing

great topic on pagerank

Dadagiri

I have seen many bloggers who forget to interlink pages. This not only decreases your bounce rate, it also passes the link juice. I keep around 5-6 internal links in a page. How much do you suggest?

Robert Stefanski

Hi Dadagiri, thanks for your question!

There’s no set maximum number of internal links per page. You’re right that not using internal links can be a missed opportunity, on several counts. First, you can offer useful additional resources to readers to meet their needs, and like you said, this can help reduce your bounce rate. Second, it’s by linking to other pages on the same theme within your website (and conversely, not linking to unrelated pages) that you establish silos, which can increase your perceived expertise on that subject and support higher search rankings.

We have a lot of articles on siloing, so search our site for more details!

Alena Mage

Nice blog about page rank it’s really helpful to point in SEO because it’s creating a major impact on keywords ranking. I really impressed with this content.

Shalin designs

Nice blog about Page rank.Thanks for the post. PageRank is literally what made Google so unique.The paper goes on to explain that, “The citation graph of the web is an important resource that has largely gone unused in existing web search engines.”

Lokesh C

Yes, Good One!
I agree, but still, Google is always working on that. at some time it may be website trust, awareness, or DA.
Thanks for sharing the above content, I like its information

Alena Mage

Thanks for sharing useful information about pagerank, In SEO pagerank play vital role it’s depend of fluctuation in lot’s of parameters and do-follow backlinks part is really much important.

seoindiahigherupwebmaster

This post has given me a lot of useful knowledge on Page rank.

Mark

Wszystko dobrze napisane, ale czasami da się zauważyć że “mityczny” gogiel daje sie nabrać. Widziałem treści dobre. coś mówiące i NIE napisane pod roboty które były niżej niż teksty stworzone tylko po to aby łatwe do wyłapania. Czyli nie zawsze jest tak, jak być powinno. Nie jest to zasada ale bywa.

Kashmira

I totally agree. PageRank is very useful in getting better DR. Quality Backlinks also helps to achieve Pagerank.

RUCHI

The actual PageRank score going away does not change anything. If you’re in the world of SEO

온라인카지노

I was able to find good advice from your content.

Rahul Singh

PageRank Always been a part of google ranking algorithm. Now Google rank more trusted website than websites with most backlinks or pagerank.

mukesh jain

Yes, do follow should be focused but it doesnt mean no follow link doesn’t have any value. It helps in awareness and traffic if implemented properly

Happy

I read your blog on page rank. PR does not exist now. Thanks for update.

Netking Technologies

” Most of the people trying to mislead Google’s algorithm by building high quantities of links this is the reason Google stop showing page rank in the toolbar still people practicing, PR is working in the back-end as far as I think. “

Business Pro Tech

Hi Chelsea, thanks for sharing a very interesting and informative article. But we wonder that does Google search still uses PageRank?

Hoping to get to know more from you!

Robert Stefanski

Hi Business Pro Tech, here is Bruce’s response regarding your question:

“PageRank is still alive and well, although AI enhanced, within the algorithm.

A few things to note about backlinks:

1. Google can tell if the link is organic, so not all links count.
2. Google can tell if it has positive or negative sentiment, so not all links help.
3. Google can tell the authority of the linking site to your theme, so not all links count.
4. Google has stated that the quality of the link matters and not quantity of links.

It is no longer the case that getting any link is of value… it must be the right link.”

Deepak

I think Google will always be working to discern and deliver “quality, trustworthy” content and I think analyzing inbound links as endorsements is a solid tool the SE won’t be sunsetting anytime soon. Why would they? If the president of the United States links to your page that is undoubtedly an endorsement that tells Google you’re a legitimate trusted source. I know that is an extreme example, but I think it illustrates the principals of a linking-as-endorsement model well.

Ekwik Classes

PR does not exist now, Its time to move ahead and look forward what other changes made by google so forget about these things.

24x7 Internet Technologies

The backlinks bot is useful and informative

Abhishek sinha

This post has given me a lot of useful knowledge on Page rank. However, page rank is no longer effective.

Farhan Ali

What are the ways to earn natural links??

Robert Stefanski

Hi Farhan,

There are natural ways to earn links. It starts with publishing link-worthy content (think quality, unique and useful). Once you have some great content, there are many creative ways to attract links naturally. Bruce lists about 50 ideas in our e-book “The New Link Building Manifesto: How To Earn Links That Count,” which you can download (free) here: https://www.bruceclay.com/seo/new-link-building-manifesto-complete-guide-to-earning-links/

florin hozoc

Currently it sounds like Movable Type is the best blogging platform available right now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you’re using on your blog?|

Robert Stefanski

Hi florin,

We use WordPress as our blogging platform. We find that it works well for our purposes.

yash

Thanks for sharing this information very helpful blog for me. What are the ways to earn natural dofollow links??

Robert Stefanski

Hello, thanks for your question.

We believe that links should be a byproduct of having expert content worth linking to. In order to improve your link popularity and earn better SEO rankings, you need to attract links to your website. Some proven link building strategies include making high-quality content, keeping your content fresh, and promoting your content via social media.

Check out our 49-page comprehensive guide “The New Link Building Manifesto: How To Earn Links That Count” for best practices in creating content that builds links naturally.

Guidehack

I think Google Has a Scoring System for Websites now, that not only depends on links but also depends on user interaction. Google gives authority to websites which is not only a term we used to describe it’s a number or a score that Google makes.

vishal

What are the ways to earn natural links?? Please suggest some of them.

Valuehits

PageRank is an algorithm used by Google Search to rank web pages in their search engine results. PageRank is a way of measuring the importance of website pages.

Marchus Shane

A very useful and informative article on the context of PageRank.

1into2 Digital

Thanks for sharing this valuable post!
Page rank is still an factor we can consider for how our website pages linked internally.as of the last update of Google it doesn’t consider the number of links you have created its not that you create more links and get a higher rank. Now Google consider user experience and Quality of content.

best seo company bangalore

While many of you believe page rank is dead, it isn’t actually the case. In 2017, Google’s Gary Illyes confirmed on Twitter that they were still using PageRank.

Google has never officially released a new version of the PageRank toolbar, but, of course, PageRank is still very much used by Google.
I totally agree with you. Now Google keeps updating in algorithm strategies so in present situation everyone should have a good quality site, quality content. Content is quality and should be fresh on your website and also it should be related to the topic. It will help you in your ranking.

1Solutions

While many of you believe page rank is dead, it isn’t actually the case. In 2017, Google’s Gary Illyes confirmed on Twitter that they were still using PageRank.

Google has never officially released a new version of the PageRank toolbar, but, of course, PageRank is still very much used by Google.

Manras

Thank you for the informative article about Pagerank. I totally agree with! Page rank is dead now! Now, it’s about content and it’s link juice!

John Loyatt

To help ensure Search algorithms meet high standards of relevance and quality, we have a rigorous process that involves both live tests and thousands of trained external Search Quality Raters from around the world. These Quality Raters follow strict guidelines that define our goals for Search algorithms and are publicly available for anyone to see.

hide ip address

Great article.
With the recent change of google re PR, things done properly seem to get a good return.
One point I would like to mention here is about Guest Blogging in relevant and high PR sites does help a lot. I personally have seen some amazing results courtesy guest blogging, it can be a good link-building strategy too.
Thanks for sharing such amazing content.

Tejarat Marketing

Thanks for giving me very good information about Google page rank.

Shivam

Hey, Nice post read all the details regarding google page rank , google ranking . Its better article form other. Now your website is in my Wishlist website.

Whiz Advert

It’s informative post about page rank. Thanks for sharing with us.

Rakhi Store India

Very good article for seo beginers.

Saravana

Everyone might have experienced Google Algorithm changes.

If we follow the basic on-page SEO with quality content then our page rank won’t affect.

Thanks

OrangeIQ

PageRank (PR) is an algorithm used by Google Search to rank web pages in their search engine results.
Thanks for sharing this information and giving such a informative post. very well explained about PageRank.

Saran

It’s true that apart from Google Algorithm, there are many other factors are doing great impact of Page Rank.

I have recently read an article and it elaborated by the Google executive that there are over 200 major factors involve in the page rank.

Again, thanks for this wonderful article.

SEO Services in Punjab

Thanks for sharing this information

Google stop showing page rank in toolbar but still page rank (PR) is working in backend and also available online tools for check PR for websites. Most of the users make fool for google’s algorithms by building high quantities of links that is the reason google stop showing PR.

Albert

I think in this era of mordern seo pr could not be the only factor for rankings and sometimes not even backlinking is enough for the ranking .But sometimes its works as old is gold techniques ,because you never no the alogrithms of google .

Indian SEO Agency

Great article.
With recent change of google re: PR, things done properly seems to get good return.
One point I would like to mention here is about Guest Blogging in relevant and high PR site does help a lot

Shubh

Great article. What is your opinion on internal linking through the footer menu? Doesn’t that make links in footer menu unnecessary, maybe even spammy?

Ashwini

very well explained about PageRank. content plays an very important role, but other small points are also noticeable in google algorithm.
Thanks for sharing the good info.

Web Development Company in Chennai

Thanks Chelsa for this informative post about page rank.
I work as a digital marketing trainee and I need some suggestions
to increase page rank without hurting my website with spammy links.

The Digital Soda

Very informative and insightful. Specially the part on link juice with internal links and nofollow penalties.
Thanks for the amazing read.

eastsons Tech

Thanks for the post Chelsea! I think Google is starting to move further away from PageRank but I do agree that a higher amoount of links doesn’t necessarily mean a higher rank. I’ve seen many try to shortcut the system and end up spending weeks undoing these “shortcuts.” I wonder how much weight PageRank still holds today, considering the algorithms Google continues to put out there to provide more relevant search results.

Mansi Goel

Fantastic, I really appreciate this post. Most of the people trying to make fool Google’s algorithm by building high quantities of links this is the reason Google stop showing page rank in toolbar but still PR is working in back-end as I think.

Valencio Caccaire

A very useful and informative article on Pagerank. But there are other several factors that Google is considering to give weightage to the sites. As Google keeps on updating, so we have to wait and see what new updates will be there from Google.

Sunny Dean

Thanks for sharing such great information.

If we talk about the latest update and changes in google. I agree with this NOW Page rank is dead. Wait and watch google update more very soon.

Awanpc

Are this is still working now ? Because some article i ve been read tell that google not using this method again.

Santhosh Muralidhar

Very insightful content. I always have this question coming to my mind. If I add a lot of relevant links (probably nofollow) to external pages in my content will it definitely not pass any page rank points for those sites.

Kevin

Focus on writing user intent content, exactly what customer need from Google will find you the best way. I don’t think pagerank idea is the best way to scale.

Vedavyasa Huli

There are various factors involved for a website to rank higher in SERP. Page Rank is still one of the element that we need to keep in mind. The quality of the content should be good for any website. I totally agree on this wonderful stuff on Pagerank and Linkjuice. These are explained beautifully. A great article and keep it up.

Mark

I totally agree with! Page rank is dead now! Now, it’s about content and it’s link juice!

Paula Allen

Mark: I think you misunderstood. “Link juice” as you called it is PageRank, and it still plays a role in ranking algorithms.

Cliff Horne

Quility backlinks and also good content seem to be the biggest factors determining search ranking , we have a pretty large webstore and have been improving the content constantly and it is moving in the right direction

Saravanakumar Athikesavan

Hey Chelsea Adams,

Google algorithm always takes major impact in the google SERPs.
All we might have gone through the latest google update MAY Core update 2020 changed many things in terms of google search results. We could see the different types of opening about this.

Still I would like to have a simple PR tool with single click to know Page Rank easily from the more authoritative sites.

Custom Mobile App Development Company Dubai

Does the Google still consider pagerank as a ranking factor in 2020

Hatim Patel

Yes you are right google keeps updating their algorithm my website was having duplicate content due to that reason my site ranking gets decreasing day by day after that issue i hired a content writer and change all my content now my has good ranking

Paula Allen

Hatim: You improved the content, replaced duplicate content, and saw an increase in rankings. That’s the way to do it!

Bis Kerala Matrimony

Google is also verifying the authors of content so i think they will focus more on the reputation and credibility of the author.

SEO learner Nipu

I learnt many important ideas about google page ranking and penalty. This is so helpful for me. keep it continue and give us latest update about google algorithm. Many many thanks again for important information.

Peter Bastian

Page rank is dead now, may I know which things can be dead in SEO in Future?

Paula Allen

Peter: PageRank is still alive and well in Google’s algorithms.

Priyanka Singh

Thank you for the informative article about Pagerank.

Now all my doubt about the Link Juice is clear. You have explained the topic so well. Great post. Keep doing.

Archit Chenoy

Very nice blog. It will clear many people concepts about page rank. Great job thanks a lot. In current situation google prefers about the quality not quantity.

Jack

I am an SEO executive and Yes, PageRank is still used in our algorithms, among a number of other signals, a Google Spokesperson confirmed. thanks for this amazing article.

Steven Bayley

PageRank used to be all the rage. Early days had me all caught up in it. I for one am glad that it is no longer published. Discourages abuse. Still understanding the basic concepts behind it are crucial to being able to effectively build and promote a website. Great article, carries me right back to my roots.

Brittany Wolfe

Yup that’s very true google rank matters most for the business. Thanks for sharing such competent blog.

Diamondexch

I’m a little bit confused about PageRank, how to google measure it. I mean Pagerank based on content, backlink, or organic traffic?
And my last question is, it’s 2020, google really value PageRank ?

Akash

Does it working in 2020?
I think its all about authority links.

WebDev

is it worth reading in 2020? I hope thinks are changed now. But it is still interesting to read.

Akash Agarwal

Thanks for giving such a informative post. Now I really understood the correct meaning of page rank and how to improve it.

White Hat Ranker

It looks like something unique. Thanks for sharing the out-standing information. I Follow your Site for a long time, and every time I found unique and new content. Thanks for updating us we modern tech. I have one request, please write one article on How Professional SEO Services Work?.

مباريات اليوم

Thanks for the post Chelsea! I think Google is starting to move further away from PageRank but I do agree that a higher amoount of links doesn’t necessarily mean a higher rank. I’ve seen many try to shortcut the system and end up spending weeks undoing these “shortcuts.” I wonder how much weight PageRank still holds today, considering the algorithms Google continues to put out there to provide more relevant search results.

Shashank Negi

Finally i relaxed after reading your article on pagerank and link juice. There are lot of article on same topic but no one can able to explain in simplest way like this one, now i just want to know link building can really help to increase pagerank?

Paula Allen

Shashank: I’m glad the article clarified things for you. As for link building, it can help increase your PageRank if it’s done right. You want natural links from relevant sites. Never buy links, as unnatural links are considered spam and could actually hurt your site. For ways to do link building safely, see Bruce’s “50 Ways to Get Quality ‘White Hat’ Backlinks” (https://www.bruceclay.com/blog/50-ways-get-quality-seo-links/).

Naveed

A decent article which encourages discussion and healthy debate. Reading some of the comments I see it also highlights some of the misunderstandings some people (including some SEOs) have of Google PageRank. Toolbar PageRank is not the same thing as PageRank. The little green bar (Toolbar PageRank) was never a very accurate metric and told you very little about the value of any particular web page.

Mak

What was that time, when we are depending on page rank, always consider page rank!

Sreejesh

Hello ,

Your article is very informative .

Sabbir Jafri

Thanks for Sharing Very Useful Information on Pagerank.

Jim Cullen

A decent article which encourages discussion and healthy debate. Reading some of the comments I see it also highlights some of the misunderstandings some people (including some SEOs) have of Google PageRank. Toolbar PageRank is not the same thing as PageRank. The little green bar (Toolbar PageRank) was never a very accurate metric and told you very little about the value of any particular web page. It may have been officially killed off earlier this year, but the truth is its been dead for many years. Real PageRank on the other hand, is at the core of Google’s algorithm and remains very important.

Virginia Nussey

Jim, you sum it up beautifully. Toolbar PageRank =/= PageRank. True PageRank is good to know about as a concept, but it’s my feeling that since SEOs and webmasters don’t have visibility into PageRank, it’s not a number to track.

David

So should we consider page rank concept for present digital world or not?

Virginia Nussey

To answer your question, David, take a look at Jim’s comment below. Yes, you can and SHOULD optimize PR by directing link equity at important pages and internally linking within a theme. PageRank is a core part of the Google ranking algo. We don’t get visibility into PageRank as a number or score, but you need to know about the concept in order to direct your internal, strategic linking and navigation.

Awan Aprilino

where is place to check the pagerank accurately ?
because I try checked a few web in pagerank checker but some they are different.

Virginia Nussey

Hi Awan. Google does not publicly publish PageRank scores any more. As we say in the post:

“NOTE: You may be curious what your site’s or your competitor’s PR score is. But Google no longer reveals the PageRank score for websites. It used to display at the top of web browsers right in the Google Toolbar, but no more. And PR data is no longer available to developers through APIs, either. Even though it’s now hidden from public view, however, PageRank remains an important ingredient in Google’s secret ranking algorithms.”

Google and its secrets!

SEO Consultant Melbourne

This post provides very helpful information to me about the Page rank. But page rank is not working nowadays.

Jarec Cheong

thanks for sharing.still hard for me to learn about it

Harpreet Kumar

impressive article on page rank sir. its an essential part of a blog. High page rank shows the quality of a blog

Ridhi

The backlinks are both useful and informative. Thank you…

Mark

Very cool and easy description of the topic here. This pagerank could sometimes seem very difficult to learn. Although I think the days for looking for high pagerank pages has long gone.

Thanks again

Desislava

Although Google killed PageRank, you can still see the last records with this PR checker – http://pr.eyedomain.com/

Virginia Nussey

Thanks for the tool tip, Des. :)

Andrew Broadbent

Hi Chelsea,

Great article and writing in general. My company just published a 5,000 word Keyword targeting best practices guide for PPC and SEO, and we linked to your article “10 Reasons You Should Use Google Trends for More Than Just Keyword Research”. http://vabulous.com/keyword-research-targeting-for-ppc-and-seo-guide/ I would love if you checked it out and possibly shared it if you like it.

Virginia Nussey

Thanks for reading, Andrew. Indeed, keyword research is a big project, ever evolving with new tools. Cheers.

Garima

Absolutely true ,Quality matters rather then quantity.So high quality backlinks are of good use.FOCUS ON QUALITY WHILE CREATING LINKS,THAT WHAT I ALWAYS KEEP IN MIND.

Matthew Haeck

I (for one) am glad that Google decided to scrap the “PageRank” concept. This is certainly useful info nonetheless – Thanks for your work!!

mustakin sarker

Nice information you have describe here,
we are amwebcreation doing web design development service in Bangladesh, for our own source we have search this information in google and find your post, it’s really helpful for us, thanks for sharing.
I have bookmarked you blog for future post.

Raaj Paatkar

Google has already got rid of PageRank in March 2016. As disclosing such metrics always lead to manipulation of SERPs by spammers, Google will never reveal such info in the future.

Marfani Group

Great Post, I am agree with you. currently Google keeps change in algorithmic program methods thus in gift state of affairs everybody ought to have an honest quality website, quality content. Content is quality {and ought to|and will|and may} be contemporary on your web site and conjointly it should be associated with the subject. it’ll assist you in your ranking.

Peter Pero

Pagerank is no more. Current era is for user intent, quality content and natural links..thats what Google is meant for.

Mike chrest

is this really something i need to focus on? Or just another metric?

nandu web

Nice article and informative!!Thank you for sharing this post..

Nathan

But do PR no more exist? Are you sure that it is one of the ranking factor still? How it could be ranking factor when Google remove it?

Paula Allen

Nathan: The comment by Mansi Rana helps answer your question. The fact is, the PageRank scores that were visible in the Google Toolbar hadn’t been updated in a long time (2+ YEARS), so they were probably getting more and more out-of-date anyway. The main reason Google would make them disappear, though, is that Google wants website owners to focus on the user and on quality content, not on trying to game the system with links.

Links still matter as part of the algorithmic secret sauce. The influence of a site’s link profile is plain to see in its search engine rankings, whether for better or worse, and changes in that link profile cause noticeable movement up or down the SERP. An SEO’s emphasis today should be on attracting links to quality content naturally, not building them en masse. (For more on proper link building today, see http://bit.ly/1XIm3vf )

Mansi Rana

Thanks for sharing this valuable post!

Most of the people trying to make fool Google’s algorithm by building high quantities of links this is the reason Google stop showing page rank in toolbar but still PR is working in back-end as I think.

Bharat

What are the ways to earn natural links?? Please suggest some of them.

Nidhi Shah

Very useful information on Pagerank. As well all know that PR is no longer into existence and it has no value now. But there are other factors which Google is considering to give weight age to the sites. As we all know that Google is always bringing new updates, so we have to wait and see what new updates will be there from Google.

Paula Allen

Nidhi Shah: You’ve drawn the wrong conclusion.

As Rich White also said in the comments, just because PR scores are no longer visible doesn’t mean PageRank is a thing of the past. It still matters a lot. PR remains one of Google’s 200+ ranking factors. You need to receive links from quality, on-topic web pages and then properly manage that PR through your website through siloing. These are powerful things you can do to boost your pages’ relevance in search.

Rich White

The actual PageRank score going away does not change anything. If you’re in the world of SEO and as long as you know Google still values internal and external links in the form of authority, industry relevance, local relevance for some, quality, quantity, do-follow, no-follow and overall trust, then you’ll continue to stay afloat.

Robin Thebs

Nice article.
With recent change of google re: PR, things done properly seems to get good return.
One point I would like to mention here is about Guest Blogging in relevant and high PR site does help a lot. I personally have seen some amazing result courtesy guest blogging, it can be a good link building strategy too.

Chelsea Adams

Agree, Robin. When done right, gust blogging can help increase your PR by increasing the number of high-quality inbound links that point to your website. That said — make sure you never get too wrapped up in guest blogging just to acquire links. Google frowns upon that.

Norman

I am still concerned about my site because, It doesn’t appear to have any change in rank. It is about 4 months old. Can you tell me how long before I would see any change in ranking? I know my niche is very high competition. It would help in being about to see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Chelsea Adams

Hi, Norman! PageRank is an indicator of authority and trust, and inbound links are a large factor in PageRank score. That said, it makes sense that you may not be seeing any significant increases in your PageRank after only four months; A four-month old website is still a wee lad! PageRank is a score you will see slowly increase over time as your website begins to make its mark on the industry and external websites begin to reference (or otherwise link to) your Web pages.

There’s no way to speed up the process. To encourage your PageRank to grow, keep making quality content that others will want to link to. You may also consider participating regularly in social media communities to get the word out about the new content you are creating. (Social media participation itself won’t help your PageRank but it will help other humans know your content exists, which can help inspire an increase in natural inbound linking.)

Make sense?

michi12

yes what would you suggest to .. how should we then build backlinks to?

Chelsea Adams

Michi,

As I was telling Norman above, these days what we’ve come to call content marketing is really a big part of “link building.” You can’t buy links, and “you link to me I’ll link to you” requests often land on deaf ears. Its really all about creating high quality content (videos, images, written blog posts) that appeals to the needs/wants of your target market, and then naturally earning inbound links from sources that truly find what you have to offer worth referencing.

Rahid

Dear Vishal, Google always in working. Some days ago, google act upon those sites Which have illegal data. So kept it in your mind, Google always in working.

Thank You..

Chelsea Adams

Just a related note in passing: On October 6, 2013 Matt Cutts (Google’s head of search spam) said Google PageRank Toolbar won’t see an update before 2014. He also published this helpful video that talks more in depth about how he (and Google) define PageRank, and how your site’s internal linking structure (IE: Your siloing structure) can directly affect PageRank transfer. Here’s a link to the video: http://youtu.be/M7glS_ehpGY.

ROEMIN

I totally agree with you. Now Google keeps updating in algorithm strategies so in present situation everyone should have a good quality site, quality content. Content is quality and should be fresh on your website and also it should be related to the topic. It will help you in your ranking.

Brett Welker

Thanks for the post Chelsea! I think Google is starting to move further away from PageRank but I do agree that a higher amoount of links doesn’t necessarily mean a higher rank. I’ve seen many try to shortcut the system and end up spending weeks undoing these “shortcuts.” I wonder how much weight PageRank still holds today, considering the algorithms Google continues to put out there to provide more relevant search results.

Chelsea Adams

Hi, Brett!

Totally agree — more does not always equal better. Google takes a sort of ‘Birds of a Feather’ approach when analyzing inbound links, so it’s really all about associating yourself (via inbound links) with websites Google deems high quality and trustworthy so that Google deems YOUR web page high quality and trustworthy. As you mentioned, trying to cut corners, buy links, do one-for-one trades, or otherwise game/manipulate the system never works. The algorithm is too smart.

Now, how much weight does PageRank carry? Like most every other part of the algorithm, it’s questionable. If we listed all the ranking factors, I don’t suspect it would be in the top 5, but it’s important to remember that the key to ranking well is to be the LESS IMPERFECT than your competition. IE: To have more of the right things that send the right signals in the right places so that Google sees you as a better, more relevant, candidate for the top three on page one. If you and your competitor both have optimized (on-page and technically) for the same keyword phrase perfectly, PR could be the deal breaker that pushes your blue link an inch up.

Vishal

The entire write up of page rank is worth reading but after February 2013, google has not updated the page rank. So I think , google is moving in another direction ie., social seo marketing and slowly eradicating the page rank concept.

Just my two cents,

Chelsea Adams

Vishal,

I think Google will always be working to discern and deliver “quality, trustworthy” content and I think analyzing inbound links as endorsements is a solid tool the SE won’t be sunsetting anytime soon. Why would they? If the president of the United States links to your page that is undoubtedly an endorsement that tells Google you’re a legitimate trusted source. I know that is an extreme example, but I think it illustrates the principals of a linking-as-endorsement model well.

That said, I do agree that the uprise of social signals as a more prominent ranking factor is on the horizon. I am not sure that social signals will replace a linking-as-endorsement model like PageRank; I think, rather, that social signals will accompany it. Reinforce it. Give Google alternative/additional linking-as-endorsement resources.

Thanks for the comment!

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