Yes, Google Admits Torching Your PageRank

By WebProNews Staff - Mon, 10/29/2007 - 13:11

Paid links proved the PageRank undoing for search professionals as well as for prominent sites like The Washington Post, but only recently did Google confess to doing this.

The flaming wreckage of Google's update took down several sites a couple of PageRank notches. Though it looked like an intentional change, that hadn't been confirmed. Yes, Google Admits Torching Your Pagerank

Until now, that is. Search Engine Journal heard from Matt Cutts about the update, which has had numerous online industry pros in a tizzy. Said Matt:

The partial update to visible PageRank that went out a few days ago was primarily regarding PageRank selling and the forward links of sites. So paid links that pass PageRank would affect our opinion of a site.
Going forward, I expect that Google will be looking at additional sites that appear to be buying or selling PageRank.

The PageRank plunge has been painfully obvious to people like Andy Beard and Darren Rowse. It puts an image of an old joke about morale in our minds: "the beatings will continue until morale improves."

As for PageRank improving, there aren't any instructions about that. But paid links won't be in the equation, it seems.

News Tags: Search, Google, Engine, Matt Cutts, PageRank, Update

3 Comments

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By SEO Expert (WPN reader) - Wed, 10/31/2007 - 10:07

Page Rank Torch?

As with any attempt to add accuracy to search ranking algorithm and PageRank calculation in the past, it should be acknowledged that will be sites that lose out on valuable traffic, that were clearly not doing anything devious.

While it's true that quantity and quality of inbound links can be used as a sneaky tactic, the assumption that it's all cheap spam - with no value to consumers is dangerous. For example, contribution to blogs, forums, industry organizations and even paid links on popular sites that are related to your business, and will drive people AND search engines to your website all are highly legitimate activities - and I am confident that Google is very cautious not to damage the rank or reputation of companies and site owners for taking part in these types of activities.

It is a pretty amazing phenomenon in our society though, that one company has to be the one to decide what flies as "honesty", "deception", "spam".. when there are billions of dollars at stake.

They also must become the social editors, helping make sense of free speech, while protecting us (and our children) from inappropriate and offensive materials.

It's a big responsibility indeed. When it comes to being an SEO professional, we try to follow a code of ethics (most of us) that should be seen as above board. It's why many "black hat" tactics hold little weight for the long term and why most of us support the "Torching" as you phrase it.

As in the world of email marketing, the same applies to search. If a little "fire" will affect those with bad reputations, the quality of our profession improves - as the rest of the world sees it.

I've gotta think Google is on our side.

Best,
Joe