There is currently a debate going on right now about Google removing the PageRank score from the Google Toolbar.
Why?
- Toolbar PageRank numbers can be 3 months out of date or more.
- Some “PR Updates” have been buggy enough to seriously misrepresent a page’s real PR.
- Matt Cutts has blogged that PR Updates are considered pretty much a non-event around Google.
- PageRank has started a flawed econonmy of link building and trading in an effort to raise or distribute these scores.
Unlike a lot of the rants which go on in forum threads, it seems that Google is keeping an eye on this one and taking it seriously.
Search Engine Roundtable notes that Adam Lasnk of Google has joined the discussion and is looking for feedback and alternative information which Google could serve.
PageRank is an important signal and remains one of many effective measures of quality, but admittedly it’s often viewed and used/abused in ways that run contrary to the interests of searchers and webmasters. Still, a lot of folks find the PR information useful; it provides a great incentive to try out our toolbar and explore its other features as well.
Given that many of you aren’t so fond of PR info in the toolbar, I’d love to know what feature you woudl like to see.
Mandatory criteria:
- Would have to provide actionable info for webmasters
- Would need to be useful and interesting for the ~99.9% of users who aren’t webmasters
Yep, a lot of search marketers & webmasters tend to forget that unlike Alexa, Google Toolbar was not made specifically for them.
Perhaps Google should release a toolbar only for Google Webmaster Tools users, or should the company leave such tweaking up to Greasemonkey? You be the judge!
This is a good news. Because everybody taking link with money so good pages google line is bad.
I agree with Chris, SERPs are what count. I have had a PR2 on my personal domain for over 5 years but still rank page 1 for many competitive keywords worldwide.
Absolutely Kim,
your domain age will be helping you there as well. In fact, domain age is one of the many quantifiers which means so much more than PR.
I do understand what you mean, Resim
I think Page Rang will more important when Google update their alghoritm.
Warning guys – PageRank will updating for several days !!! :)
SERPS are what pays the bills not so much page rank. I have an old PR2 site that enjoys top rankings over PR4 and 5 sites.. Go figure, I would not trade them.
I think we are drawing close to the end of the page rank era. Average users don’t use it, it’s a spam magnet and at the end of the day results in the rankings are what will make or reak any site. Not page rank
Pagerank, as a visual metric, tells us very little about anything save for link quantity, or indirect quantity, so this is likely a good move.
I vote for keeping it. Pr helps in many ways, one is more like a pat on the back after working your ass off on a new domain for 6 months. Seeing that PR3 come through means a lot to some people! + bragging rights to others in your feild!
You know what guys? I think that it is good idea, but I am affraid its not for me :(
As a merchant this would be good but as a customer this would be bad. Its probably the only feature I use in google toolbar. I hope they just improve this, rather than remove it.
Concentrate on content rather than PR
Yes, even Chrome from Google doesn’t have a PR indicator
Vijay Kumar
Manager – Advocatekhoj
http://www.advocatekhoj.com
Does it portend anything that Chrome does not have a built-in PR indicator?
Page ranking is a bitch. It is helpful to have an idea where you stan.
Great post, thank !
PR is only ego boosting to techies. Relevant rankings are what the public want so reward those sites that deliver this. Get rid of link sites!!!