PAGE RANK EXPLAINED
Page rank explained - What exactly is page rank (PR)? Why is it necessary? How is it calculated? Everyone uses the term page rank but do we really understand its use and its derivation. Let's see if we can unravel its secrets and in the process gain a better understanding.
What is page rank, why is it necessary? ( Page rank explained )
The main reason that most people use the internet…information. Pick any topic; there are probably hundreds if not thousands of related websites. As a search engine, you want to provide your users with the most relevant data. The problem though, how do you determine which results are the most relevant?
Page rank is an algorithm named after Goggle Co founder Larry Page. It is one of several hundred factors used in determining a web page’s relevance.
At the heart of any web page’s page rank you will find either a great link structure or lack thereof.
Links from one page to another are considered votes. Your page receives a vote for every page linking to it. A link from your page to another is considered a vote for that page. The more votes that a page receives; the higher its perceived relevance and page rank.
Now keep in mind that not all links are valued the same in terms of the page rank calculation. An incoming or outgoing link from a page with high page rank counts more than one from a site with low page rank.
The Page rank calculation ( Page rank explained )
If we were to actually calculate Page rank, we would need to examine every inbound and outbound link related to your site.
The equation most often associated with Page Rank is:
(PR)(A) = (1-d) + d(PR(t1)/C(t1) + ... + PR(tn)/C(tn))
d in the equation represents a damping factor (.85). (1-d) is obviously .15. t1 represents the page that is linking to page A. C represents the outbound links from Page A.
What this formula tells us is that a page’s rank is a constant (.15) plus (a fraction of every page’s rank that links to it (approx .85 PR)/the number of outbound links).
This formula also tells us that if a page of PR 8 shares its link juice with 20 websites (links), this juice is shared equally. In essence, it is obviously better to have a link from a page with a PR 5 and only 10 links than it is from a page with a PR 5 and 20 links.
Why is page rank so important? ( Page rank explained )
In order to assess the importance of page rank let’s envision it within a pyramid structure. Remember, in our keyword research/niche building phase we also used a pyramid structure to help with the overall view.
When it comes to your website, the goal is to generate traffic and eventually income.
At the top of your pyramid is income since this is the ultimate goal. Now just as before, we want begin with a strong foundation. Page rank is one of several necessary ingredients.
Again, page rank is simply a measure of your site’s relevance/importance/popularity - from a search engine’s perspective. When a customer queries a search engine for information, the goal is to provide the most relevant results. Page rank is but one factor used in determining the most relevant results.
As your site begins to develop a higher rank (relevance/importance), it also begins to gain authority. Your site begins to develop an “authoritative status”. The more authoritative your site becomes, the higher the position in which it is listed for related queries. The higher your search engine listing, the more traffic that is directed to your site.
More traffic means more customers.
More customers means more income.
Now obviously this example was simplified however, you should now understand the basics and the importance of page rank and your listing within the search engine result page (SERP).
Why are the different levels of page rank important? ( Page rank explained )
Small changes in page rank can lead to large changes in the SERP listings and as a result, the amount of traffic that your site receives. A change in your site’s SERP listing (4 to 5) could lead to a 10 – 20% increase in traffic.
Improving your rankings/listings, everything else consistent, increases your traffic. Increased traffic leads to more customers, more sales and more income.
One final note: Many people mistaken page rank as the position in which a web site is listed in Google’s SERP. Page rank is just an indication of a page’s relevance. It is possible for a website with lower page rank to be listed above one with higher page rank in the search engine’s results. Page rank is but one of several factors used in determining the order of the search engine’s results.
Page rank should not be thought of as a measure applicable to your website as a whole. It should be thought of as a measure applicable to each page individually.
Hopefully this article - Page rank explained - has helped you to
understand the importance in website planning and design. Each
page in a website should be able to stand be able to stand on its
own. Don't just make a website, build a business!
