One of the oldest Google algorithms, PageSpeed was developed as a college research project in 1996. It measures and ranks the web pages according to the quality, importance, and quantity of incoming links.
What Is PageRank?
PageRank is a Google algorithm (though there are many others) that measures webpage importance based on the quality that has well-structured relevant content. Moreover, google rewards those with a high number of incoming links. These incoming links act like votes and the more you receive high-quality links, the better your chances of ranking.
Moreover, it discourages link manipulation or mass link building. It basically builds a hierarchy of web pages and gives them a ranking. However earlier, Google used to offer a PageRank score between 1 to 10 to each webpage. This score was visible on the Google Toolbar or PageRank Toolbar.
How Does PageRank Work?
In simple terms, PageRank is a measurement of the importance of web pages based on the content quality, authority link, etc. This ranking flow of pages is also called Link Juice. Moreover, this algorithm looks at the way one website is linked to another website in terms of level of trust and authority.
Moreover, the developers concentrated on the quality of the link more than the quantity of the link. In short, a page have a high authority will be preferred more than that with a lot of links from different sites.
History of Google PageRank
The idea of Google PageRank germinated from a college research paper but in 1998, it was adopted by the founder of Google. Let’s look at the chronology of the PageRank algorithm in detail:
- April 1, 1998: The college research paper on “The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine” was published by Larry Page and Sergey Brin.
- September 1, 1998: They file the first PageRank patent
- September 4, 1998: Google adopted PageRank Algorithm
- December 11, 2000: Google Toolbar Added on Google
- June 17, 2004: Google files the reasonable surfer patent
- October 12, 2006: Google files “seed sets” patent
- March 8, 2016: Google Toolbar discontinued
Recently in March 2024, the leak of Google API clearly suggested how important PageSpeed is.
Factors That Influenced PageRank
PageRank is a key part of SEO. It helps determine how high your website ranks on Google. But, what exactly affects your Google PageRank? Let’s break down the factors that play a big role in your website’s ranking.
1. Anchor Text
Anchor text refers to the word or phrase on which the link is placed. This text becomes clickable once the link is inserted. Google gives great importance to anchor text to rank pages. SEO would use exact-match anchor texts to rank higher. For example, if they wanted to rank for “best coffee shop,” they would use that exact phrase as their anchor text.
However, things have changed. Google now considers this practice to be spammy. If you overuse exact-match anchor texts, your site may get penalized. Instead, use varied and natural anchor texts. Tools like Semrush’s Backlink Analytics can help you check the anchor texts used by third-party sites linking to you.
Quick Tip:
To check anchor text data, go to Semrush, enter your domain, and click “Analyze.” In the “Anchors” tab, you’ll find a list of anchor texts sorted by popularity.
2. The Click Through Rate Probability of Link
Not all links are equal. Some links carry more weight because there is more probability of getting clicks. According to Google’s reasonable surfer patent, links in certain places are more valuable.
High-value link locations include:
- Main content area
- Navigation menus
Low-value link locations include:
- Footer sections
- Banner ads
- Terms of service pages
To get the most out of your links, place them in spots where users are more likely to click.
3. Internal Links
Internal links connect pages within your website. They are different from backlinks, which come from other sites.
Internal linking is a powerful SEO strategy. It helps spread PageRank across your site, especially to orphaned pages (pages with no other links pointing to them). This improves their chances of ranking higher on Google.
Quick Tip:
Use tools like Semrush’s Site Audit to check for broken links, orphaned pages, and weak anchor texts. Fixing these can boost your Google PageRank.
4. Nofollow Links
Nofollow links have a special attribute that looks like this:
“`html
<a href=”https://website.com/” rel=”nofollow”>Click this link</a>
“`
Originally, nofollow links didn’t pass PageRank. SEOs tried to control PageRank flow by adding the “nofollow” tag to some links, a tactic known as PageRank sculpting. But Google eventually put an end to this practice.
In 2009, Google’s Matt Cutts announced that PageRank sculpting wouldn’t work. The presence of multiple links would still dilute PageRank, even if they are no follow links. Today, Google treats nofollow links as “hints.” This means Google may or may not pass PageRank through nofollow links, depending on its algorithm.
The Bottom Line:
Understanding Google PageRank factors is crucial for SEO success. Focus on using varied anchor texts, strategically placing links, optimizing internal links, and knowing how to handle nofollow links. By following these best practices, you can improve your PageRank and boost your website’s visibility on Google.
Also Read: SEO vs SMM: Which Digital Marketing Strategy is Best?
