The Purpose of PageRank?

I am sure the first thought provoking question that popped into your head would be: what exactly is PageRank? Well PageRank can be summed up as how vital Google considers a particular webpage. Pagerank is a value from 0-10, zero being the least significant and ten of which few obtain being the most note-worthy. PageRank is often abbreviated as PR and Google determines this PR bye evaluating how many websites link to yours, even though many of these links are missed.

Who says Google gets to play the role of big brother? Google may be the leader that people praise and follow, yet why do webmasters allow themselves to be caught up in this publicity stunt? Sure it is a BASIC measurement of how much publicity a website is getting, but what is its real purpose?

As Pagerank gains ground webmasters loose sight of what they originally intended to accomplish. By writing this article I hope to give webmasters the foresight to distinguish that in the end PageRank won't be what makes your website a success. Even though hard work and determination may help you achieve this success; skill, luck, and good timing play a bigger roll.

Many a-days I am sifting through my vast amount of spam mail and occasionally receive an email entitled "link exchange." As I am always intrigued by possible link partners I typically read these emails.

When I come to an email that looks generic and has 100 mailers on the list I still give them a chance and then take a look at there website. Upon opening the website I am disgusted by the huge fonts and banners trying to sell me something, as a habit I look up at my toolbar and see that this website has a Pagerank of 6! What a possibility according to many website owners. The only opportunity I see in these types of links are purely PageRank building. On the other hand?

On a rare occurrence I come across an email titled "our partnership" as this email is already more intriguing I open it urgently and see a nice layout for this email that is directed towards me and my website. Anyways on with my point, I go to this website and see a terrific design plus they offer a unique service. According to habit and maybe a bit of my obsessive compulsive side I check the Pagerank. Humm, this website hasn't even been indexed by Google yet? Should I exchange links with this website? I am sure most of you are thinking of course not, it would benefit my website in no way. On the contrary this website has the most potential to flourish and send you quality targeted unique's!

What I am trying to prove is that because of this "higher power" aka Google PageRank people turn down websites that can provoke there own success! Why not put Google PageRank in a state of anarchy and let websites again be judged by there quality content and superior design!

Directly PageRank cannot be bought, though often I see links being sold at outrageous monthly costs on pages with a pr of 6 and up. Many times they will provide minimal traffic. Purchasing one of these links will not bring you any targeted traffic, or any traffic at all for that matter. A site wide link on a high pr website can and will boost your pr, but will it help promote and brand your website?

I am not trying to say boycott Google PageRank and start a protest, just merely use PR as a reference but not enough to influence you're linking decisions and how much time you spend on link exchanges. I hope you walk away from reading this article with a more open mind towards linking with new websites. Understand that every website has potential there are just different degrees to this. You can't earn a clients respect my running up to there door and desperately offering them your product, instead let them find you. Your approach to search engines shouldn't be any different.

Concerned about the next PR update as attempting to get those last minute link partners up and running? Invest this time instead on building up quality content pages and the Google will find you!

Written by: Michael McLaughlin at http://www.webmastershed.com - webmaster forum, for more articles by this author please visit: http://www.webmastershed.com/articles