People have been waiting for the PageRank update for so long already. Last update was in April 2006, this makes it the longest delay in PR update history. There are also talks on blogosphere and forums that Google might be thinking to abondon PageRank system altogether.
Why would Google abondon its PageRank?
The possible answers for this would be: One: To stop the manipulation of their PageRank algorithm. Currently people are manipulating their algorithm to get higher PR, mainly this is done through buying text-links, link exchanges, paid reviews..etc. To most websites, higher PR means higher advertisement prices.
Two: To improve the SER (Search Engine Results). Due to the manipulation of PageRank algorithm and extensive text-link buying and selling among websites on the net. Google claims that their SER are being indirectly manipulated too. Because when someone purchases a link from high ranking site, Googlebot spiders it and gives more importance to that link. And as a result of this, places this particular website higher in search engine results page.
To prevent this from happening, Google has been forcing people to use rel=”nofollow” on their paid text links. In simple words, Google said: “if we detect that you are selling text-links on your site or blog, we are going to punish you…” But majority of the people didn’t listen and resorted to hiding the paid text links under different headings. This made the usability of the websites and the search engine results even worse. Because now, when you see a site, you wouldn’t know if the text links were advertisements or just a recommended links. So Google somehow affected its own algorithm adversely, when it started to force them to declare their paid links.
Signs of PageRank update?
There are some signs of Google PR update though, but it might just be PageRank revoking only. Google sometimes does PR revoking independently of PR update. Latest victim of PR revoking is JonhChow dot com. He lost his PR6, and now has a PR5. But being the *evil* that he is, he already started counter strategy to combat this. And that is – to increase his RSS subscribers instead.
Number of RSS subscribers is already being included in the quoting of the advertisement prices. So the more the RSS subscribers, the more money you can charge for your ads. Mhhh… good thinking John!
AdesBlog’s future
So far future pagerank predictions for AdesBlog has been stable PR7. Inshallah it will stay the same. I got my PR7 on October 3, 2006. Tomorrow it will be exactly one year since I got my PageRank 7, first anniversary ;) It’s been great to have a PR7 blog. During which I tried to share its benefits with my readers.
I get so many questions about my PR7. How did you get it? What is the secret? Tell me and I won’t tell anybody…etc. Even JohnChow asked me to guest blog about it in his blog, but I humbly declined. Because there was nothing special about it. First of all there is no secret. Secondly if it stays the same – PR7, after the major PR update, then I will post about it as a separate post. I will reveal the so called “secrets” at that time ;) So stay tuned!
Conclusion
Did you notice any PR updates on your sites? If so, has it been positive or negative? When do you think PR update will occur? Do you think Google will abandon its PageRank system? What is your opinion on these pressing issues of blogoshpere? I am sure many readers would be interested to know your thoughts.
Also consider AdesBlog’s advertisement opportunities if you want to increase your chances of getting higher PR ;)
Source for the screenshot above: click here
I’ll be very dissappointed if my PR doesn’t go up on my Cowboy’s Wife blog. I worked really hard to get quality backlinks from you, as well as, other high PR sites. It will be such a let-down if it stays the same:(
my pathetic blog has been demoted to pathetic PR 1 somewhere around 1 month ago. there were few blogs which shared the same fate with my blog, some demoted from PR 5 to 1 and some even to 0. i think the PR update did not come at the same time anymore. google must had scrutinized their algorithm again
I got my PR3 last time, I’d like to get higher :)
I think Google will not abandon this Page Ranking System, may be they will close it to the public totally. Who knows, let’s wait and see…
it used to be easy to get higher pagerank in the older days
I believe that pagerank is here to stay….if they decided to scrap that, this will open doors to more alexa ranking / technorati ranking to rate the value of a website for advertisement marketplace. I think they are revamping heavily on the algorithm
I did not get pagerank update for quite long time. But, yes, i have seen few websites receiving their PR upgrade or downgrade for last 8-10 months. I strongly believe that Google is thinking about some alternative of PR system. But it won’t be easy for Google since all of their algorithm is based on PR and link calculation.
The topic has been discussed in webmasterworld and Google’s official blogs many times.
Related reading in my own blog:
http://blogsandbucks.com/google-and-paid-text-link-ads-tla/
I am still in PR N/A but according to the predicted ones, I will be having a big leap to 5. I hope this will be true though… :-)
no way! dont abandon PR.
whats the next big thing to PR? Technorati rank? Alexa?
my blog remains at a humble PR3, while my other sites dropped! GOSH!
I think that we should say goodbe to page rank. its definitely going to be vanished – i dont see Google using it any longer – especially after your post on manipulating the programs process! My blog has seen no update yet but it will soon hopefully. I have a link from my pagerank 3 website to my blog and of course a link from this place (thanks Ades ‘)) so i should be seeing a better pagerank IF they ever update it. Question is; if they dont update it, what will we use instead?
I noticed that I finally got ranked (PR3) on one of my blogs, yesterday I think it was. I was just happy to not see a “n/a” anymore :)
i’ve given up waiting for PR
its better to focus on building better blogs
I dont think google will abandon its PR its the preferred way to check the site popularity other than feedcount and alexa out of which alexa can easily manipulated.
I am guessing the PR update next week…i ve my fingers crossed :D
i have noticed changes in the PageRank updates and that i think its time guys, it has now been 6 months since the last updates and on http://googlebugs.com it shows stats/results of the updates that have accured
thanks aks
It is so long time between last update a now, wihich make make very frustrated. There is so many signs on the internet that it should be very very soon. hopefully
I’m happy with this update since my site stepped from pagerank 3 to pagerank 4!
A strange update anyway… we’ve waited for 6 months and now a lot of sites have lost 1-2 or eve 3 pr points!
well i think one of my site is still on the “sandbox” so no change.