October 2009 PageRank Update

Google has just updated PageRank – one of over two hundred factors taken into account when deciding how a website should be ranked. Typically Google rolls out about four updates per year but this information is more of a historic snapshot of a site’s PageRank than a real-time value.

Why is this?

PageRank is typically passed from one site to another via a text or image link and as soon as Google recognises a link it will adjust the PageRank value of the site at a receiving end. Google does not show this information at once though and those using the toolbar to check their PageRank will only see it after the public (or toolbar) PageRank update. So if you get lots of good links your PageRank may grow, but you will not see this until the next update. Keep in mind though that the update does not affect your rankings in any way, but simply shows what’s happened to your website’s PageRank in the past three or four months.

Until recently, webmasters were able to see a more immediate changes in PageRank via Google Webmasters Tools, under the Craw Stats section, however this option was removed. Some speculate that Google will eventually get rid of PageRank as this little green bar represents a virtual commodity that webmasters trade for money these days. If you are curious about PageRank and how it works feel free to drop us a line.