First strings of a PageRank update? *update*

Posted by multippt

Seems like Google is silently dishing out small PageRank updates to multiple sites. But, since the scale of the update is so minor, we can’t really say that it is an update right?

Some sites are affected, notably DigPageRank [2 to 0 to 3], Statcounter [9 to 10 to 9, again], The WWW Observer [3 to 4],  and Andy Beard [4 to 3] (plus a couple others). A good enough list to prove that a PageRank update is on the way? Of course, it can be confused with a penalty or restoration (which can happen at any time outside of a major PageRank update), but it is news to hear that multiple sites had their PageRank changed in the past 2 days.

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UPDATE: Okay, maybe the update may be really taking place after all.

Tevine now has several internal pages with a PageRank more than 0. The front page has no changes in PageRank. The update is probably ongoing as there are irregularities in PageRank being allocated.

Why watching the PageRank meter is addictive

Posted by multippt

Google PageRank is a big hit amongst webmasters. Despite its importance having downgraded over the years, it is still tempting to look at the PageRank meter in the Google toolbar (especially when the meter is just right in front of you).

Addictive PageRank

It’s a rating

Ratings always invoke competition. It’s a known rule. Google PageRank is a rating. While visible PageRank at times is found to not influence rankings much, people can’t get over watching the PageRank of their site. Why? It’s competition. A PageRank unit that is 1 up higher than competitors gives indefinate bragging rights (until competitors reach the same or better PageRanks) and a sense of “authority”, even if it makes little difference in search rankings.

In addition, it’s all about first impressions. Most people get the idea that a high enough rating exposed to almost all users using the Google toolbar is a nice way of enticing some users to stay. Well, the sad fact is that not many would look at PageRank when determining a stay in a site.

It’s because it’s Google

Having a site better than you in any possible ways imaginable rate you is certainly a major reason why PageRank is a much sort after rating. Google is authority. Authority controls what you think, and PageRank makes any site look as important or unimportant as Google wants.

A “side-effect” is that Google gets to make webmasters follow its guidelines. (Remember the last PageRank update in October that nuked the PageRank of numberous established sites?)

It is affected by what you do

PageRank seemingly increases with more stuff that you do (provided Google approves of it). So, PageRank is seen as an indicator to how much work you have put into your site. A higher PageRank is a sense of achievement to some, because it seems as though as you have done a ton of work just to get a increase in 1 or 2 units.

PageRank is difficult to score at

Some webmasters will do anything to get a higher than average PageRank (differs across opinion, but is approximately at above 4). Well, some. Getting a high PageRank is an incredible task, thanks to the exponential properties of PageRank which makes scoring lower PageRanks several times easier than higher ones.  Though, scoring on PageRank is not neccessary for a site to be “successful”.

It updates “once in every while”

Long updates make waiting for it to happen worthwhile. PageRank updates are getting more irratic, going from 1 month updates to 3 month updates to well, 4-6 month ones. During the moment of silence between updates, most webmasters see this as an opportunity to build up on their site for the next PageRank update to come (sort of like preparing a ritual to satisfy a god).

Stop looking at the PR meter

PageRank affects search rankings. But, PageRank is not the only one affecting rankings; there are tons of other factors that affect search rankings more than PageRank. The value of PageRank has downgraded compared to years ago, so most people will say PageRank is “overrated” anyway. Yes, PageRank is nice, but what’s the original idea of PageRank? Search rankings. What’s the original idea of search rankings? Traffic. So, focus more on traffic of your site than PageRank.

How to: Make your site look as though it was penalized

Posted by multippt

This is your how-to guide to make a site look like it is penalized by Google. Getting “penalized” have its so-called benefits, because you get to assault on Google (then praise them once they assign the real PageRank) and won’t get much comment spam with links in them if they came from wary commentors.

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How accurate is RealRank?

Posted by multippt

In response to the ongoing Google PageRank carnage (now more than a reduction of pagerank - a pagerank straight to zero), Izea decided to come up with a new ranking system - RealRank.

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Statcounter now PR10 again

Posted by multippt

Statcounter has regained its status as a PR10 site (i.e. max Pagerank), which they lost it in April 2007.

Here is a brief history of its pagerank:
January 2007: 10
April 2007: 9
July 2007: 9
September 2007: 6
Today (November 2007): 10

I guess they managed to lift their Pagerank penalty (involving selling links).

Of course, StatCounter is not the only site whose Pagerank has changed after the last update.

Is Google juice finite?

Posted by multippt

There is an observed trend that the overall Google PageRank decreases over time. Looking at some older models of Google PageRank, this trend could be explained by the growing number of sites, and the spreading of PageRank.

Take the case of most sites for example. As PageRank is spread through links (excluding nofollow links), one can guess that the amount of value each link subsequently decreases with more and more links. So, more isn’t always merrier, if you plan to keep (or increase) PageRank.

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The Google alogarithm cycle

Posted by multippt

For about a few days, most pagerank checking tools were unable to display PageRank results (although the Google toolbar does so without problems).

Apparently, it appears some folks does not seem affected by the problem (notably DigPagerank, which now works again through some miracle, as well as the tool Andy Beard has). This came in light when it was discovered Google changed the algorithm for its PageRank checker (by testing the new and old versions of the toolbars). Of course, there are rumors that it might have already been found.

It is not sure whether the change is Google’s plans, or probably just another rumor. However, the change in alogarithm would mean that we would get a nice PageRank update a little earlier than expected.