Subscribe via RSSSurprised PageRank Update in February 2008
March 1, 2008
Did you see the recent PageRank (PR) update? When did it happen? A few days ago my homepage was still at PR 2, now suddently jumped to PR 3 out of thin air without me building any massive amount of links. This is not good. I didn't prepare any new building.
I guess the update just happened because it's end of Febuary in the US, and it's already 1st of March here in Asia. I'm not sure about this, but I'm sure about one thing, my PR increased.
Well, I am so glad to see my homepage is at PR 3. Most my pages and some posts are at PR 3. I still don't know how some post got PR3 for just a few external links to them. Previously, I was so disappointed because most my pages are at PR3 and posts at PR2.
I know it's nothing to brag about because most people have their blog at PR 4+ already. Seriously that's not what I'm bragging about. What I'm really surprise is to see the following blogs are at PR 0 (zero):
- MixedMarketArts.com (previously 4)
- Yeepage.com (estimated 3+)
I'm mentioning those because I'm their frequent reader. I guess those sites got some sort of Google sandbox or PR penalties for involving in selling text links.
Perhaps Collin (MixedMarketArts.com) is too eager to make money online by telling people some black/gray hat SEO tactics and so his PR got busted. Collin and Simon, if what I assume here is wrong please leave a comment on this post, and forgive me. I really hope you guys can get your PR back and grow bigger because I like your works.
Another surprise is that the following blogs have their PR dropped as well (or remain lower tha their potential) :
- Johnchow.com still PR 3 and no where to see in search result for his chosen keyword, even his own name 'John Chow'. Did anyone mention his PR was 4?
- Shoemoney.com still PR 5. Unfortunately for Shoe, the words Skills To Pay The Bills didn't return his blog on first position, but I believe he is happy being at first page. I still don't know what Shoemoney's targeted keyword is, or perhaps he is already too happy with the RSS subscribers.
But hey, there my be some error. The PR data centers might be in the progress of updating. The results for those rediculous low PR for those popular blogs might just be result of some lag?
How did I get all this results? If that's the question, then here is the answer: I use SEOBook's SEO for Firefox.
I used many online PR checker and all disappointed me. They worked for a while and then later on when I come back somehow they break up. I hope this SEO for Firefox tool can remain functioning longer because I really love it. It give me the PR for the pages on Google search results straight away so that I don't have to those lengthy URL again and again.
I'm eager to see your answer to my open questions. Especially I love to see you brag about your own PR here. So go ahead and start commenting 
not sure whats happened to mine, i did PPP before but have removed it. Since then not sure what left to do?
simon » Thanks for your quick response. I wish you good luck in dealing with your PR. Did you try to contact Google through their Webmaster tools to notify them that you already remove the PPP scheme?
I think another thing to check is the outgoing links to 'bad neighborhoods' from your blog to others. Some of the blogs/websites you link to might be banned by Google for black hat SEO or similar reasons.
what? I wasn't expecting the PR update until the end of March? My PR is still a 3.
Interesting find. Someone else emailed me about this earlier. When I look it up on http://pr.blogflux.com it still shows PR4.
At any rate, I am not worried about pagerank as all an increase would do would tempt me to start selling paid links. =)
I'll keep hammering posts away and we will see what happens.
Collin LaHay » Blog flux still show my PR as 2. I think the SEObook tools is more accurate. At the time of checking http://www.digpagerank.com was broken.
" I still don't know what Shoemoney's targeted keyword is, or perhaps he is already too happy with the RSS subscribers"
Theres a lesson be learned in that.
Loads of RSS and newsletters subscribers is better than high PR and position on the SE's.
In my own opinion PR means nothing.
Think about it if everyone is nofollowing their comments. Then having a high PR is pointless.
And I dont beieve that high PR is anyway related to position in the SE's.
make money blogging » I agree with "Loads of RSS and newsletters subscribers is better than high PR and position on the SE's."
However, I can't agree with the later statements:
1. 'PR means nothing'. It stands for Google PageRank and it means the popularity of a web page.
2. 'if everyone is nofollowing their comments. Then having a high PR is pointless.' No, who ever have higher PR benefit from it, the 'nofollow' protects their PR from risks. It only mean the comment left on this blogs have no PR value to your blog.
3. 'I dont beieve that high PR is anyway related to position in the SE's.' PR is too well related to position in the SERP. However, there are other SEO practices need to be implemented to fully utilize the potential of high PR. Look at Johnchow.com PR 3 VS Problogger.net PR 6. When you search for "Make Money Blogging" which blog come to the first page? Does John Chow beats ProBlogger or the other way around?
Just as an update, I guess my lower PR was from a penalty.
I fixed the problem and it is back to a PR4.