Google’s Page Rank calculations are complex and take lots of small things in to consideration. Some of them you can’t control and some you can. Your websites Page Rank helps to determine where you appear on the search results page, it’s a measure of importance. This is something that you can have some control over and enhance by getting ‘backlinks’.
Links and page rank
Part of the calculation that Google uses involves working out how many sites link to a single site.
Sites A and B might already have their own Page Rank. If they have a greater value than C then C may inherit some A and B’s Page Rank thus enhancing it’s own. The numbers quoted below are examples…
In reality it takes may take hundreds or thousands of links to make site C Page Rank change. This linking is often called ‘backlinks’. This can be accomplished in many ways including,
- Asking a site to link to you
- Creating site content that is so good people link to it with out asking
- Leaving comments in forums and blog comments
It is still desirable to have ‘one way links’ as they are more valuable.
As both sites A and B link to each other, the value of the links is worth less and almost cancel each other out. However, the links are still demonstrating relevancy, as explained below.
Showing relevancy with incoming links
While linking is important, Google and many other search engines take another quality in to consideration, relevance.
In the example above, lets say each site is about fishing. Site C has invaluable information that site A and B links to. As all sites are related to the same theme, site C would increase PR and will do better in search results for fishing.
However, if sites A and B are about a different theme, say plumbing, then the links will not have the same value and site C will not of improved it’s standing in search results.
From a visitor point of view, they will have arrived at sites A and B for plumbing information and may not be interested in fishing. So it’ always worth ensuring your links are useful to the visitor and search engines.
When it comes to finding backlinks, always ensure that the sites you choose are related to your sites topic.
Showing relevancy with outgoing links
Another way to show ‘relevance’ is to link out to sites which have a common theme with your own site.
Taking the fishing example again, sites A and B link to site C. This enhances PR and shows relevancy. Site C improves it’s relevancy futher still by linking out to another fishing web site.
From a visitors point of view, site C has become a place of useful information and links.
Part science, part magic
This is only a brief introduction to links and page rank. The exact formulation Google and other search engines use is a closely guarded secret. It has taken many experts and much study to try and work out what they are looking for.
However, by keeping in mind the above, you can do much to enhance your own sites standing in search results
That’s very useful and clearly explained Bob, thanks x