Google is primarily driven by linkage data.
The Google Toolbar provides a 0-10 logarithmic scale to mimic the link popularity of pages. PageRank helps provide a quick glance how important Google thinks a page is.
Google would like you to believe that their PageRank algorithm is the core of their search technology, but they also use many other technologies to improve their search relevancy.
Many webmasters exchange links with as many people as they can, but there is an opportunity cost to everything you do. There are algorithms for sorting good links from bad links. Many link schemes increase your risk profile much quicker than they increase your potential rewards. When you link into the wrong circles, you run the risk of being associated with them.
It is important to note that this PageRank value is only one component of the Google search engine algorithm. Many times, a PR 4 site will rank above a PR 6 site because it was optimized better and has a well-defined descriptive inbound link profile, which means better, more natural links from more sites (and more related sites).
Originally posted 2008-03-03 04:35:06.
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