Let me start by saying there is no definitive guide to gaining PageRank™ or high search engine rankings – no matter what you hear. Why? Because search engines are CONSTANTLY CHANGING the algorithms (or formulas) by which they rank sites. They do this to level the playing field. No one can monopolize search engine rankings since the rules are always changing.
That being said, there are several clear cut ways to HELP your website gain PageRank™and high search rankings. Let’s start off by first familiarizing you with the concept of PageRank™. Following are general guidelines retrieved from Google’s Help Center:
Introduction:
Google runs on a unique combination of advanced hardware and software. The speed you experience can be attributed in part to the efficiency of our search algorithm and partly to the thousands of low cost PC’s we’ve networked together to create a superfast search engine.
The heart of our software is PageRank™, a system for ranking web pages developed by our founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin at Stanford University. And while we have dozens of engineers working to improve every aspect of Google on a daily basis, PageRank™ continues to play a central role in many of our web search tools.
PageRank™ Explained:
PageRank™ relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page’s value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at considerably more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; for example, it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves “important” weigh more heavily and help to make other pages “important.” Using these and other factors, Google provides its views on pages’ relative importance.
Of course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don’t match your query. So, Google combines PageRank™ with sophisticated text-matching techniques to find pages that are both important and relevant to your search. Google goes far beyond the number of times a term appears on a page and examines dozens of aspects of the page’s content (and the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if it’s a good match for your query.
Integrity:
Google’s complex automated methods make human tampering with our search results extremely difficult. And though we may run relevant ads above and next to our results, Google does not sell placement within the results themselves (i.e., no one can buy a particular or higher placement). A Google search provides an easy and effective way to find high-quality websites that contain information relevant to your search.
Vague huh? It’s meant to be that way. Google will not share explicit details on how to achieve PageRank™ in order to maintain the integrity of its search results. While this can be EXTREMELY ANNOYING to us Internet marketers, this is the very thing that makes Google the most popular search engine – its search results are RELEVANT to the search terms used.
Why Are PageRank™ and High Search Results Important?
Search engines like Google, Yahoo!, MSN, and Ask are gold mines when it comes to marketing your company online. They are absolutely free – they don’t charge you a dime for organic rankings (you are ranked by your site’s relevant keywords) – and consumers know and trust them. In fact, approximately 80% of online sales are produced from a consumer finding goods through a search engine. Of course, just being listed doesn’t mean you will get any attention. It won’t help you if your website shows up as number 100 for a search result. You want to get listed on the front page and preferably the number one spot of that page. In order to do this, you have to conduct SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
What We Already Know About SEO
If you have experience in optimizing (SEO) websites, you know the basics to achieving high search rankings and PageRank™. But, just in case, let’s outline them now:
1. On-Page Optimization
On-Page Optimization involves what keywords you have placed in your website’s meta tags, domain name, and content. For example, the more often I use the term “replica designer handbag” in my site’s content, the more Google will be convinced that my page is relevant to that search term. And the more convinced Google becomes, the higher my ranking will be in its search results.
2. Off-Page Optimization
Off-Page Optimization involves how many other web pages (yours and others) are linking(connecting) to your page, what keywords are found in that link, and what the web page that contains the link is about.
3. PageRank™
Google bases PageRank™ on several factors. The factor most often tied to PageRank™ is Off-Page Optimization (links). However, from my experience, links aren’t the only way to obtain high PageRank™ quickly.
My “Super-Duper” Special Formula for Obtaining PageRank™
1.Never Waste Time on Link Exchanges
In my first year running an online business, I spent hours requesting link exchanges from website owners. I was told this was a great and easy way to gain high search engine rankings.The process was slooooooow and the results were minor.
By many webmasters, link exchanges are still considered a fundamental aspect of optimizing a website. I DON’T agree. Here’s why:
Link exchanges are only valuable if:
- The website that’s linking to you is relevant to your website
- The web page that’s linking to you has PageRank™
- The link contains your keywords
- You obtain A LOT of inbound links
- The web page the link is located on DOESN’T have a million other links on it.
2. Obtain Quality Inbound Links
Inbound Links ARE IMPORTANT. Every time a web page links to one of your web pages, it essentially casts a popularity vote for your site. It also shares its PageRank™ with you (which is why a million other links on the same page saturates the value of your link). But, spending hours conducting link exchanges provides very little reward. Just one link from a truly relevant website with high PageRank™ is a million times more valuable than one thousands links from irrelevant websites with low PageRank™.
In terms of generating traffic for your site, spend your time creating relationships with other websites, leaving valuable comments on blogs and forums and paying for good advertising onrelevant and popular websites. And if a website requests a link exchange from you, consider their relevancy and quality of content when choosing to accept.
Also, make sure you optimize your “Internal Links” (links on your website that lead to other pages of your website – i.e. your navigation links). Use your keywords within these links (when relevant). If you have a blog, link to your posts within other posts.
3. Perform On-Page Optimization
You need to perform On-Page Optimization!!! Your Meta Tags (title, description, keywords) and content need to be maintained and updated when necessary. Your Title Tags, Meta Descriptions and Meta Keywords are all places where you get to describe your website to search engines and insert your relevant keywords.
I ensure I sprinkle my relevant keywords into my website’s content. Search engines look for these when determining what your website is all about. Don’t “Keyword Stuff” (list your keywords over and over again). Use them naturally as if you’re talking to someone. A good example of this is in the top of my sidebar where I introduce myself to you.
4. Use WordPress
Ok, WordPress itself does not actually help with PageRank, but Google does seem to LOVE blogs! Even though I launched my Internet Business Blog on May 8th, 2009, Google was made aware of its presence the day I set up my WordPress due to ping notifications, etc. Search engines want to provide their users with FRESH, UPDATED, and QUALITY content. These three characteristics are exactly what blogs are meant to provide.
Whether you own an ecommerce, services, or information website, WordPress offers you an easy way to set up a company blog that the search engines will eat up! For more information on how to set up a WordPress website, check out my article titled “Part 1: Calling ALL Young Entrepreneurs – Your Internet Business is Waiting!”
5. Update Content Often and Consistently (MOST IMPORTANT)
Content is what search engines look at – not flash or images or cool website layouts. They only care about the content of your site. By updating your content AT LEAST once a week (preferably everyday) you entice search engines to visit your site regularly and grab new content you’ve provided. They can then provide your FRESH, UPDATED and QUALITY content to their customers (search engine users).
Do you see the connection here? If a search engine’s main goal is to provide quality and fresh content to its users, it will search for websites that provide just that. If you haven’t updated your website in a year, you train search engines to only visit your site once a year, because that’s when they expect new content from you.
Google is currently visiting my Internet Business Blog once every two days. In time, it may visit daily IF I stay consistent in updating my content daily.
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