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What is Google Page Rank?

Chances are that you are already familiar with the process of searching for a valuable, information rich website by typing in a search term or phrase into the Google search box. Google will dutifully return pages of results based on that search term or phrase ordered by their "ranked" popularity. The most popular web sites will naturally occur on the first page, and all the others on subsequent pages.

In a nutshell, "Page Rank" is Google's methodology of giving a specific value to the popularity of an indexed website. It is based on, among other things, the number and types of links and the relative importance of websites pointing to and from a particular website. All this pointing around can be a bit confusing, but it could be summed up by saying that it's a popularity contest among web sites.

Why does Page Rank (PR) matter?

Page Rank matters because knowledgeable webmasters use this information to direct PR throughout their website in order to give different pages on the site a higher PR. The higher the overall PR is, the higher the webpage will rank in Google and the higher the placement will be on the search reply page. Astute Webmasters recognize the value of having their sites displayed on page one, rather than on page 100.

There are at least four important factors in obtaining a high PR: Links, Page Impressions, On-Page Optimization, and Off-Page Optimization. Let's take a look at the importance and types of links first.

Follow the Signs.

Generally, the more directing signs, or links pointing to a website, either directly or indirectly, the higher the Page Rank (PR) will be. Therefore, if a great number, of say third party, web pages include links to a particular website's webpage (the second party) that in turn, includes links to you (meaning they are a popular website) then the weight of their website will be of greater importance and, in turn, increases your Page Rank more. It's a popularity contest after all, much like King of the Hill.

You could also look at it like this. The greater number of web sites that like (link to) other websites sites that like (and therefore also link to) another website will make that site more popular among the masses. Furthermore, if a linking website has a high PR and links to that website, the greater the chance of increasing its PR more than a lower PR website that links to it. So, not only is the weight of the links cumulative, they also are given additional consideration based upon their popularity

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