Are You Sick of PageRank?

PageRank. PageRank. PageRank.

If you are even remotely familiar with optimizing for
Google, you are bound to have heard someone harp
repeatedly on the benefits of PageRank.

PageRank is Google's system for determining the
importance and popularity of a website based on the
number and quality of links pointing to it.

The theory being, if you are able to get a bunch of
websites with high PageRank linking to you, your
site's PageRank will improve along with your listing
in Google's search results.

There is no doubt that good PageRank can help boost
your position in Google, especially for highly
competitive keywords, but just how much of a boost is
not clear.

Since PageRank is the only part of Google's algorithm
that has been made public, a growing number of website
owners are becoming overly obsessed with PageRank and
putting way too much importance on it.

Google openly states on their website that their
search results are "automatically determined by more
than 100 factors, including our PageRank algorithm."
(http://www.google.com/webmasters/4.html)

Why spend the majority of your time on something that
plays only 1/100th of a part in your site's ranking?

I am by no means saying finding quality sites to link
to you is a waste of time. Far from it.

But time is better spent getting your site completely
optimized with good page titles, proper use of
headings, keyword rich content, easy to follow site
navigation and a couple good directory listings before
focusing on PageRank.

The whole point of your site should be to satisfy your
visitors.

If you make your visitors happy, they will keep coming
back. Word will get out that you have a great site
and people will happily link to you without you even
having to ask!

As a result, your PageRank will improve and your site
will get a boost in Google without having to do
much work!

So don't be afraid to get a link partner from a low PageRank site. What if that site has a low PageRank because it is new?

Imagine if you choose not to link to them and in a few
months their PageRank surpasses yours and now they
won't link to you because your PageRank is too low?!

See how silly all of this seems?

Build a great site and continuously add more content.
The PageRank will soon follow.

 

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