What is PageRank? Why is it important? How can I improve my PageRank?
Before any website can be optimized, you must have an understanding of what PageRank is and how it can be improved so that you can effectively increase your web presence.
PageRank refers to an algorithm created by Google co-founder Larry Page (hence the name, PageRank). This algorithm is used by Google to assign a numerical value, or weight, to each piece of a set of linked documents, i.e. each page of a website, with the purpose of comparing its relative importance within the larger set. PageRank values range from 0-10, 10 being the best and most “important” websites. The PageRank of a given webpage is largely based on the number and quality of inbound links to the particular page. The higher the PageRank of the linking page, the higher the quality of the inbound link will be. There are other minor factors that affect PageRank however inbound links are the largest factor.
A higher PageRank will lead to better searchablilty and high ranking in Google search results. Therefore, it is crucial to maximize inbound links on reputable sites. However, there are a few things that you do not want to do when trying to increase inbound links. Google frowns upon sites that pay for links for the sole reason of improving their PageRank. This type of manipulation can lead to a decrease in PageRank.
Even though the term “PageRank” is trademarked by Google, Stanford University holds the patent for the PageRank algorithm and has licensed it to Google (and nobody else).
