PDA

View Full Version : So PR doesn't matter as much...?


Mike
03-09-2004, 02:07 PM
...according to sitepoint's article on the "Brandy" update. Everything seems to evolve around this LocalRank.

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/brandy-google-update

In my opinion it's better for search results, but as the article says, a lot harder for the webmaster.

Views?
r2d2
03-09-2004, 02:35 PM
It might seem harder, but its not really. It can only be harder, if the rules have changed for you and not your competition.

To be number one you just need to be better than everyone else, just like before.
Chris
03-09-2004, 02:48 PM
A bunch of speculation, some parroting of forum spawned rumors.



Furthermore, Google seems to be using outbound links to determine how useful and authoritative a site is. For example, directories that are doing well are those that direct link to the sites, rather than use dynamic URLs.


That is easily disproven.



While we can only guess at what those changes were,


Exactly.

I've not written any articles about the Google changes because I don't like to guess.

That article has a couple problems though, in addition to the outgoing link things it makes it seem like anchor text is new -- anchor text has been the most important thing for a long time.

Anyways, I have been operating under the idea that LocalRank is in effect, though I don't know for sure that it is. It doesn't however mean PR is unimportant.

You can go back to the article on Google myths I wrote awhile ago. PageRank alone gets you nothing, context matters. How beneficial a link is is going to be a result of PR * (anchor text, context, take your pick). Its a simplification but it works.
Mike
03-09-2004, 02:51 PM
But now it doesn't seem like google ranks sites on PageRank? Like in a lot of searches the top listings don't have any PR...
Chris
03-09-2004, 02:58 PM
The toolbar is stale, it hasn't been updated in months.
Mike
03-09-2004, 03:00 PM
Do you think google are phasing it out?
Chris
03-09-2004, 03:30 PM
No. With their new method of updating they've just been irregular.
GCT13
03-09-2004, 03:50 PM
Why does Google show webmasters PageRank? Is there a benefit to Google?
r2d2
03-09-2004, 04:19 PM
I was wondering this, and figured Googles aim was to show regular users the PR of a page, so they could decide how good it was.

I think its just become obsessive to webmasters...
Nick
03-09-2004, 04:44 PM
Originally posted by GCT13
Why does Google show webmasters PageRank? Is there a benefit to Google?

It gives google authority. Most webmaster s judge a site by PR to a certain extent.
GCT13
03-09-2004, 08:52 PM
Originally posted by r2d2
I think its just become obsessive to webmasters... Yeah, I feel like I'm flying blind on the web if I'm on a machine that doesn't have the toolbar. Although as Chris said the toolbar is stale, don't think it's been updated since January (?).
incka
03-10-2004, 12:44 AM
As Chris said, I thought the article was full of rumors... I laughed out loud when I saw the link to big sites on the topic rumor on it... I do, however, feel that the minisites thing may be a good idea, and when I have set up the sites I've been working on I'll spend a month making minisites for them.
Percept
03-10-2004, 01:33 AM
Originally posted by Chris
A bunch of speculation, some parroting of forum spawned rumors.



That is easily disproven.



Exactly.

I've not written any articles about the Google changes because I don't like to guess.

That article has a couple problems though, in addition to the outgoing link things it makes it seem like anchor text is new -- anchor text has been the most important thing for a long time.

Anyways, I have been operating under the idea that LocalRank is in effect, though I don't know for sure that it is. It doesn't however mean PR is unimportant.

You can go back to the article on Google myths I wrote awhile ago. PageRank alone gets you nothing, context matters. How beneficial a link is is going to be a result of PR * (anchor text, context, take your pick). Its a simplification but it works.

Phew am I glad to read this ... I just saw that article at sitepoint and immediatly headed over here to see what is true about it. Isn't he actually promoting spamtechniques with his mini sites ?
r2d2
03-10-2004, 01:46 AM
Similar here, I was mildly surprised to see this kind of thing at SP, but when he got to linking to big sites, figured it was speculation and 'arm waving'...

One PR update since Ive had CRP up, and that was mid jan...