31 replies to this topic

[BathGems]

I get happy when a cute girl gives me a double take even if I dont talk to her or otherwise "convert" the moment.

An upward movement in Page Rank is like that.

Steven

[Jill]

An upward movement in Page Rank is like that.

Silly, silly, silly.

[MaryKrysia]

An upward movement in page rank is a thrill for me too, even though it may not change anything else in my life (or my web site).

Here's to high page rank numbers, just for the ego stroking I give myself.

[Scottie]

If you want a real thrill, start looking at your stats on a regular basis. That's where the really exciting stuff shows up!

[BathGems]

I think you guys just forgot how exciting your first time was.

[tempy]

Can I poke my head out and ask what seems like an embarrassingly simple question?

How on earth can a computer algorithm, Google or otherwise, spot the difference between a link that has been paid for and one that is 'natural'?

OK, Google can reduce the influence of Directories and certain well known link trading sites. But if, for example, I left a brown paper bag full of hundred dollar bills at High Ranking's back door and they allowed me to post a link to Tempy's Amazing eCommerce Web Site, how are Google going to know the difference?

Unless Google starts getting access to my credit card transactions, isn't all of this just a non-issue?




[Link removed until I see the bag 'o money. ]

Edited by Jill, 28 January 2006 - 10:46 AM.

[jehochman]

And yet we get people {so sad} because the big evil Google won't pass link pop on their ads.

Advertising can help link popularity indirectly: people see ads, come to the site, and if they like it, they may add a link from their own site.

An upward movement in Page Rank is like that.

Whether you've got 4, 5, 6 or bless you, 7, that doesn't matter nearly so much as your performance.

Edited by jehochman, 28 January 2006 - 10:13 AM.

[Michael Martinez]

How on earth can a computer algorithm, Google or otherwise, spot the difference between a link that has been paid for and one that is 'natural'?

Some of the paid links that have been outed have been clearly marked as paid links.

Of course, one (not so reliable) test would be to take the anchor text of every link and compare it to the anchor text of every other link to the same document.

Another (not so reliable) test would be to compare the link anchor texts to query results.

But whatever Google is doing, they aren't telling people, so no one can really answer your question.

We just know they have found some paid links, and that they value some other paid links, and that they apparently haven't yet passed judgement on still many more.

[MaryKrysia]

If you want a real thrill, start looking at your stats on a regular basis. That's where the really exciting stuff shows up!

Stats are better than a thrill, they are deeply satisfying -- the true reward of hard work and "getting it right."

Rising page rank is just great fun, even if only a superficial one.

Mary

Edited by MaryKrysia, 28 January 2006 - 07:00 AM.

[davidfromraleigh]

what you really want is something else, like more sales, more leads or better conversion rates.

Focus on stuff that really matters, and you will be a lot happier!

I'll have to admit that I ONCE cared about the little green bar But I rarely ever check it anymore for myself or my clients. As projectphp stated above, that's my complete focus for myself and my clients. There are so many factors to consider that priorities have to be set. That's why my total focus is to get more sales, more leads, better conversions for me and my clients. If PR helps fine, if not, forget it. I wouldn't know if it does or doesn't anymore since I don't rarely look at the little green bar. In closing, I know that everyone commenting here either way on PR had rather have more sales, more leads, better conversions regardless or PR.

I'm simply putting my in.

David

[BathGems]

Silly or not, when a cute search engine winks at me it makes my heart skip a beat, even if the two of us dont hook up right then.

MSN is calling me all the time now and Yahoo is coming around my door these days as well.

All you old timers are just jaded to how fun this is and only care about getting the SE in bed. There is more to this on an emotional level when you are young.

[Jill]

How on earth can a computer algorithm, Google or otherwise, spot the difference between a link that has been paid for and one that is 'natural'?

And therein lies the problem for the search engines.

Until they can figure it out (if ever) people will buy and sell links in order to help their rankings, and quite frankly who can blame them?

I don't personally think there's anything wrong with it, but you just need to know that at any time the gig might be up and it will no longer help your ranking. No problem if you didn't pay too much and/or the link brings you traffic.

[tempy]

[Link removed until I see the bag 'o money. ]

Well there go my plans to register that domain.

[meta]

From Google's perspective, anyone who builds a PageRank-based business is deriving income and value from their intellectual property without authorization.  It's just not a defensible or morally justifiable position.

Well, that could come back and bite them down the road. Google derives its income by exploiting the intellectual capital created by others. Today they are the only serious show in town and everyone plays along, but who knows about tomorrow?

[Scottie]

If everyone decided to exclude Google from indexing their site, they'd have no business anymore. But that's not likely to happen since Google gives far more to the webmasters in free promotion than they take by indexing the site.

I certainly wouldn't call it "exploiting" when any webmaster can simply exclude Googlebot from their site if they are feeling taken advantage of. The truth of the matter is more webmasters attempt to exploit Google than the other way around.

People won't exclude Google from indexing their intellectual property because they want the promotion that they get from it.