PageRank Is Now Done, Let’s Evaluate & Move On

This past Friday (October 26th) Google’s datacenters began the process of changing the PageRank for sites across the internet. This followed the two-prong paid link penalty phase pre-update which occurred earlier. Specifically, in late summer Google went after the directories and earlier this week Google penalized a number of sites who sell links or engage in some sort of activity that impacts PageRank.

Looking Forward, Not Back

I won’t rehash all that has taken place the past few months simply because it is common knowledge and I am not interested in looking at what has been. Even as I write this article my focus is partially on the most recent update, with the bulk of my attention given to planning for the future.

PageRank Is Dispensed To Various Articles And Blog Entries

As far as this web address is concerned, the home page and this blog managed to hold steady at PR4 while The Auto Writer, my second blog, fell one notch to PR3. Importantly, specific blog posts and articles I wrote picked up PageRank, with some of the heavier trafficked URLs notching a PR3. Oddly, PageRank seems to have been dished out for blog posts made in August and September while various heavily trafficked articles written in May, June and July show no changes (the previous PageRank export took place on April 27th).

SERPS Trumps PageRank

One thing that has held consistent throughout 2007 is PageRank as The Article Writer has held steady at PR4. Traffic, however, has increased four-fold since January resulting in new business opportunities for me. I rank very well for certain keywords and keyword phrases which has opened up several windows of opportunities for me. Clearly, PageRank isn’t all that important to me as the site’s performance with the search engine results pages (SERPs) is what triggers the work that pays my bills.

Planning Ahead With A New Strategy

Although I don’t want to kill the golden goose, some of my new strategy will change the way that I blog. Specifically:

• I eventually will be blogging an average of three days per week here and two days per week on The Auto Writer. I cannot maintain my current pace if I am to provide material that is interesting and compelling.

• The work I am providing for customers is on the increase. I blog regularly on SayEducate, I’m providing content for a jewelry site, and I recently started a monthly automotive column for a Midwest US magazine (more about that in December). I have a few other irons in the fire I am ready to pull out too.

Finally, I plan on activating at least three new sites over the next two months. I own several domains (dropped, forwarded or dormant) that I plan on developing into full sites. Two sites I plan on keeping while the third I will likely flip. The strategy I have employed with CabinManagers (niche site targeting a specific audience) is paying off and I will employ that strategy in the development of the new sites.

PageRank, Just A Google Tool

PageRank is nothing but a Google tool to measure a site, blog or web page. You can’t do anything about PageRank, but you can bring customers to your site through superior SERPs positioning. By developing web pages which cause visitors to take an important action (click on an ad, fill out a form, buy a product) money can be made, whereas with PageRank you have no control over the process. Besides, it appears Google has devalued this product, perhaps because it has been “gamed” to death.

Now, can we put the PageRank cares behind us once and for all?

Please, Can We Stop The Google Whining Now?!

I’m feeling pain migrating through my stomach this morning. No, it isn’t indigestion — at least of the food kind — rather, it is all of the articles I have been taking in these past few days which are discussing Google and their massive PageRank penalty pogrom.

Some of the articles are informative and I can sympathize with those bloggers/webmasters who have been hit for no apparent reason. I am not defending Google, obviously some sort of explanation by Matt Cutts would be helpful when the smoke clears (i.e., when a full export to the Google toolbar of PageRank takes place).

PageRank Doesn’t Matter — Or Does It?

What bothers me is that there is a segment of the SEO world who is crying foul when they clearly have no reason for them to do so. After all, these are the same people who have told us over and over again that PageRank doesn’t matter. Really?! Then why are you objecting so strongly now? Have you had a change of heart?

My thinking is that we would all be better served if we were to take a step back and look at certain facts and respond intelligently to what has taken place:

Fact: Google is a public company and they can do what they want. Google answers to shareholders and they are in business to make money. As a customer, you are free to go elsewhere.

Fact: We have known for months that this day was coming. Google warned us and we talked about the upcoming changes. Sure, no one saw things unfolding the way that they have, but here we are. Now what will you do?

Fact: Google doesn’t own the internet. Yes, their influence easily outstrips the influence of any other company, but they do not own the world wide web. If Google offends you that much, then find other products to use (just like when you rejected Microsoft). Maybe it was a big mistake for you to build your business model on Google’s back in the first place.

Fact: The rise and fall of so many companies over time proves that Google’s popularity can easily be eclipsed by an unknown, future start up. Bill Gates thought that he was king way back when and a few years back Facebook was just a fun project for a Harvard student. The internet is in constant flux.

Fact: Google’s actions will make you a better business person. You knew that putting all of your eggs in one basket was dangerous, but you took the risk and are now paying for it. Let this be a lesson to you: businesses are built on the foundation of mistakes made and the lessons learned from those mistakes. If you are unable to learn from this experience, then perhaps being in business isn’t right for you.

Okay, this rant is officially over. Can we get on with what we were doing and find a way to do what we were doing better?