It used to be like this: when Google conducted an update of their search-related services (PageRank, backlinks, or SERPs), everyone who followed the search industry would rush to the first forum they could find to post how the update affected them. There was normally a great deal of excitement mixed with stark disappointment (for those who lost ground).
Are PageRank Updates As Important?
How did the latest PageRank update treat you? Do you still pay attention to movement in Google’s little green bar? Discuss your thoughts at WebProWorld.
Make no mistake, there are still people rushing to post about their incremental increases, and there are people who still share their dissatisfaction about any PR reduction. However, has the overall reaction to a PageRank update changed? The answer is slightly. People still react, but the numbers in which they do so seem somewhat diminished.
There is also a perception, at least among some in search industry, that PageRank isn’t worth as much as it used to be. However, there is one area where this does not hold true: those who are launching linking campaigns in an attempt to attract IBLs. The axiom of low PR sites having a difficult time getting other sites to link to them still hold true.
However, since sites with low PRs can achieve respectable SERP rankings for their targeted keywords, some of PR’s luster has worn off, however slightly.
Whatever the reaction may be, it is still fun to peruse the forums to gauge the reactions of the newbies as well as the experienced pros. In the WebProWorld forums, there are a number of threads discussing the update and how it affected them. The following is an example of these reactions:
Sapphire – Three of mine went from 0 to 3. 🙂
Catalyst – WHOOHOO, WHOOHOO, WHOOHOO!
Thanks guys for this thread. I had been wondering when my new blog network would get ranked but had not checked for a couple days.
Just got a PR 4 and the blog is only 1 month old.
SafariMan – A couple of 0 to 3s and one 4 to 5.
Previously my sites (same IP) have only updated a day or so after the first mention of PR update on the forums. It’s always been frustrating to wait after others mention their increases.
e-friggin-ventually!!
As usual, WebmasterWorld features a 14-page discussion (I never claimed interest was dead and buried) replete with posters sharing much of the same information found on the other forums: “My PR went from _ to _. Does anyone know why?” as well as the “PR is useless” “No it’s not” discussions.
However, the subject matter of the various PR update discussions was succinctly summed up by ablereach, who posts on the Cre8asite forums and offers this: “It’s kind of fun to see the little green bar change…”
Revealing how the update affected your PR and the anger that comes with PageRank reductions (“I went from a PR 6 to a PR 4” *frowns*) is what drives these discussions, and it usually makes for entertaining reading. However, these confessions can also be disheartening, especially when you experience the abject horror some posters relay when, despite considerable SEO efforts, their PageRank dropped anyway. There’s nothing like seeing hard work be unrewarded Of course, those who received PR boosts counteract these negative reactions with their excitement, which probably makes things worse for those who went without.
All in all, while many continue to debate the usefulness of a PageRank update (including PR itself), people do still flock to their favorite search-related forum to disclose how the update affected them. Meaning, while its perceived value may be somewhat lessened or called into question by some; PR does still generate a broad ripple effect amongst those whose businesses depend on search engines and the exposure associated with it.
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest search news.
