PageRank Algorithm and Search Rankings

PageRank is a complex algorithm that helps Google rank web pages in search results. It's based on the idea that a page's ranking is influenced by the number and quality of links pointing to it.

The algorithm assigns a score to each page, which is then used to determine its ranking. This score is calculated by analyzing the links pointing to the page.

PageRank was developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in the late 1990s.

The idea behind PageRank is to rank web pages based on their importance, as determined by the number and quality of links to them. It treated the internet like a graph, with pages as nodes and hyperlinks as connections between them.

The name "PageRank" is a play on multiple levels: it refers to webpages, but also to Larry Page himself. This clever naming convention has stuck with the algorithm to this day.

PageRank's evolution history is a fascinating story that began in the late 1990s at Stanford University.

Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, were working on information retrieval methods and came up with the idea of using links to rank pages relative to each other.

This revolutionary approach was computationally difficult but not impossible, and it quickly turned into the Google search engine we know today.

Initially, Google launched its search engine with no ability to earn revenue, thanks to the institutional belief in its approach.

The algorithm used to rank pages in the search engine results pages (SERPs) was called PageRank, which was a score from 0 to 10 calculated based on the quantity and quality of incoming links.

Here's a brief overview of the original patents and papers related to PageRank:

As PageRank evolved, it became clear that links were essentially a voting system, where each link to a page was a vote for its importance, but not all votes were equal.

Links from more important pages were given more weight than those from less important pages, making PageRank a significant departure from existing search engines that ranked results based primarily on keyword frequency.

Google's approach to search rankings was revolutionary, using links to determine the importance of each page relative to another. This was a game-changer in the late 1990s.

At that time, using links was a computationally difficult but not impossible way to order pages. The idea quickly turned into Google, which initially launched its search engine with no ability to earn revenue due to institutional belief in its approach.

Bad actors soon found ways to take advantage of PageRank, building link farms and spam comment bots to generate artificial signals designed to boost a website's PageRank. Google responded by balancing PageRank with other ranking factors and manual reviews.

The PageRank algorithm showed relative authority of a page on the Internet, with a score from 0 to 10 calculated based on quantity and quality of incoming links. However, this transparency has since been lost, and Google's current ranking methodology is not publicly shared.

Despite its importance in the past, PageRank is no longer the most important factor in search rankings. In fact, searching for something and checking the PageRank scores of the top-ranked pages often reveals that lower-scoring pages can outrank higher-scoring ones.

PageRank is estimated for every page on the internet, and initially, these scores can be any number. Historically, PageRank was presented as a score between 0 and 10, but in practice, the estimates don't have to start in this range.

To calculate the next iteration of PageRank, the score is divided by the number of links out of the page, resulting in a smaller fraction. This fraction is then distributed to the linked pages.

The PageRank formula contains a "damping factor", which is the chance that a person surfing the web might stop surfing altogether. The damping factor reduces the proposed new PageRank before each subsequent iteration of the algorithm starts.

The formula for PageRank can be represented mathematically as:

This process is repeated until the PageRank scores reach a settled equilibrium, and the resulting numbers are generally transposed into a more recognizable range of 0 to 10 for convenience.

The Google Dance was a challenge that arose from the iterative processing of PageRank. It took several days to process the math, which ran multiple times over every page and every link on the Internet.

The Google SERPs moved erratically during this time, changing frequently as new PageRanks were being calculated for every page. This erratic behavior caused problems for SEO pros.

The Reasonable Surfer model is a modernization of the PageRank algorithm, introduced in 2012. It assumes that users don't behave chaotically on a page, but rather click on links they're interested in at the moment.

This model suggests that the PageRank of a page might not be shared evenly with the pages it links out to. It weighs the relative value of each link based on how likely a user might be to click on it.

A blog article is a great example of this. You're more likely to click on a link in the article's content than a Terms of Use link in the footer. This is because the Reasonable Surfer model considers the user's behavior and interests.

The Reasonable Surfer model can also use other factors when evaluating a link's attractiveness. Two of the factors SEOs discuss more often are link position and page traffic.

Google takes into account the location of links on a page, with links placed within the main content weighing more than others. Links in the footer and navigation menu pass less weight.

John Mueller confirmed that links in the main content are given more value by Google, making them a more effective way to pass link value. This is because the main content is where you have your primary content, the content that the page is actually about.

Google's algorithm favors links in the main content, so it's best to place links in this area to maximize their effectiveness. This is a key takeaway from John Mueller's statement.

A real-life case study by Martin Hayman at BrightonSEO showed that adding a link from the navigation menu to the main content resulted in a 25% traffic uplift. This demonstrates the importance of placing links in the main content.

SEO experts assume that links in the author's bio weigh something, but are less valuable than links in the main content. However, there's limited proof to support this assumption.

Improving PageRank is a complex task, but it's not impossible. Google's algorithm has evolved over time, and while PageRank's role has diminished, there are still many things you can do to help your site rank higher.

To improve your site's user experience, focus on usability, including Core Web Vitals, as this is an increasingly important part of search rankings. Users want a site that is fast, easy to navigate, and error-free.

Keyword optimization is also crucial, use relevant, high-volume, low-difficulty keywords that your target audience is searching for. Integrate these keywords naturally into your website's content, titles, meta descriptions, and URLs.

Technical SEO and site structure are also essential, ensure that structured data is properly displayed, a secure (HTTPS) connection is used, XML sitemaps are updated, and that you're using internal links effectively.

Here are some key factors to consider when improving PageRank:

By focusing on these areas, you can improve your site's PageRank and increase your chances of ranking higher in search engine results.

User Experience is crucial, as it's an increasingly important part of search rankings. Users want a site that is fast, easy to navigate, and error-free.

Keyword Optimization is key, use relevant, high-volume, low-difficulty keywords that your target audience is searching for. Integrate these keywords naturally into your website's content, titles, meta descriptions, and URLs.

Content Quality, Freshness, and Multimedia are vital, prioritize high-quality, original, and informative content that addresses your audience's needs. Regularly update content to keep it fresh and incorporate diverse media formats like video, images, and diagrams when relevant.

Mobile Responsiveness and Accessibility are essential, ensure your website is optimized for mobile users and those using screen readers or assistive devices.

Technical SEO and Site Structure are important, ensure that structured data is properly displayed, a secure (HTTPS) connection is used, XML sitemaps are updated, and that you're using internal links effectively.

Local SEO is crucial for businesses targeting a particular local market, optimize for local SEO by using local keywords, maintaining listings on your Google Business Profile, encouraging customer reviews, and creating location-specific content.

Here are some key factors to focus on:

Internal linking is a powerful tool for improving PageRank. It helps search engines like Google understand the structure of your website and the importance of each page.

A well-placed internal link can pass link equity to a target page, increasing its visibility in search engine results. This is especially true if the linked page is relevant and high-quality.

Internal links can also help reduce bounce rates by guiding users to other valuable pages on your site. For instance, if a user lands on a blog post, an internal link to a related product page can encourage them to explore further.

A study showed that websites with a higher internal linking density tend to have better PageRank. This is likely because internal links help search engines crawl and index more pages on the site.

PageRank was revolutionary because it allowed Google to identify influential pages and distinguish them from those with manipulative text. This was in contrast to other search engines that relied heavily on analyzing content individually.

SEO pros used to manipulate other search engines' retrieval methods with ease, but Google's PageRank algorithm made it more difficult for them to do so. PageRank was a game-changer in the search engine landscape.

Google's PageRank algorithm combined with nGrams helped establish relevancy and soon overtook main incumbents like AltaVista and Inktomi.

Outgoing links can indeed influence your page's position on a SERP, according to a study by Reboot Online in 2015 and 2020. They found that websites with authoritative outgoing links ranked higher than those without any links.

John Mueller has said that you don't have to be afraid to link to outer sources from your content, as outgoing links are good for your users. This is especially true for ordinary queries, not YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content.

Google AI may take outgoing links into account when filtering the web from spam, as spammy pages tend to have few or no outgoing links. By linking to credible resources, you show Google that your page is not a spammy one.

There's a common misconception that Google could give you a manual penalty for having too many outgoing links, but this is only possible if the links are part of a link exchange scheme and the website is of poor quality.

Google's search rankings are a complex system that involves many factors, including PageRank. PageRank is just one of many factors used to produce search rankings, and it's not the most important one.

Google has stopped being as transparent in its approach to search rankings, so while they offer advice and best practices, it's impossible to tell exactly how they'll rank any particular web page. Google's current ranking methodology has not been filed in a patent or shared publicly.

PageRank was initially used to determine the importance of a web page, but it was later balanced with other ranking factors and manual reviews to prevent spam. Google continues to change its ranking factors every few weeks or months as new limitations and exploits are discovered.

You can see PageRank scores in search results using tools like the PageRank Search tool at SEO Chat, but Google doesn't make this an option for searchers. This is because Google uses another system to show the most important pages for a particular search, and highlighting PageRank would just confuse people.

Outgoing links, or links that point to other pages from yours, can impact rankings. A study by Reboot Online found that websites with authoritative outgoing links started ranking higher than those with no links at all.

Google's algorithm takes into account the quality of outgoing links, and linking to credible resources can show Google that your page is not spammy. However, it's essential to use common sense and high-quality content when linking to other pages.

The formula has some challenges. If a page doesn't link out to any other page, the formula won't reach an equilibrium, and the PageRank would be distributed amongst every page on the Internet.

This means even a page with no incoming links could get some PageRank – but it wouldn't accumulate enough to be significant.

The PageRank formula has some challenges that can affect its accuracy.

A page with no incoming links can't reach an equilibrium, causing the PageRank to be distributed amongst every page on the Internet.

Newer pages, which might be more important than older pages, will have a lower PageRank.

The time a page has been live is not factored into the algorithm, which means old content can have a disproportionately high PageRank over time.

Google's algorithms can now ignore certain spammy links when calculating PageRank, rather than downranking the whole website.

This is a significant shift from 2012, when Google was more likely to release manual actions for link manipulation and spam.

John Mueller said that Google can ignore "random links collected over the years" and "weird pieces of web-graffiti from long ago".

However, if your website's backlinks get ignored too much and too often, you still have a high chance of getting a manual action.

Manual actions are reserved for cases where an otherwise decent site has unnatural links pointing to it on a scale that is so large that Google's algorithms are not comfortable ignoring them.

You can use a backlink checker like SEO SpyGlass to check backlink quality and identify high- and medium-risk links.

To investigate why a link is reported as harmful, click the "i" sign in the Penalty Risk column and see why the tool considered the link bad.

If you decide to disavow a link, right-click it and choose Disavow backlink(s) option.

A massive data leak occurred on May 28, 2024, revealing internal Google documentation.

The leaked files provided an extraordinary glimpse into Google's Search algorithm, including the types of data they collect and utilize.

Google employs several variations of PageRank, each tailored to serve distinct purposes within its ranking framework.

PageRank_NS is a specialized version of PageRank, engineered to enhance document understanding and clustering.

This variant aids Google in evaluating the relevance of pages within specific content clusters, making it particularly effective for categorizing low-quality pages or niche topics.

Success hinges on strategically linking related content and maintaining high standards across all pages.

The legacy of the old Toolbar PageRank still subtly influences page rankings, despite Google's public discontinuation in 2016.

Variations such as "rawPagerank" and "pagerank2" continue to play roles in Google's internal ranking algorithms.

Google is exploring machine learning and fact extraction to better understand key value pairs for business entities.

This movement towards semantic search will likely involve better use of structured data and data quality.

Google still uses the PageRank algorithm, but it's not the same as it was in the early 2000s.

A former Google employee, Andrey Lipattsev, confirmed in 2016 that link authority is still a key ranking signal, alongside content.

Google employees keep reminding us that there are many other ranking factors at play, but PageRank is still considered a strong signal.

In 2020, John Mueller confirmed that Google uses PageRank internally, along with many other signals.

The PageRank algorithm is still used by Google, even though public access to it was removed in 2016.

A leak of the factors used by Yandex showed that PageRank remained a factor that it could use, suggesting it's still relevant today.

Google engineers have suggested that the original form of PageRank was replaced with a new approximation that requires less processing power to calculate.

Regardless of what other algorithms Google might choose to call upon, PageRank likely remains embedded in many of the search giant's systems to this day.

SEO professionals still consider PageRank a strong ranking signal and continue to grow backlinks, despite Google's efforts to fight link spam.