A few weeks previously, WebProNews wrote an item on the subject of Google deleting PageRank from Webmaster Tools. Susan Moskwa, a Webmaster Trends Analyst at the top search engine said, “We’ve been telling people for a long time they shouldn’t focus on PageRank so much; many site owners seem to think it’s the most important metric for them to track, which is simply not true,” she expounded. “We removed it because we felt it was silly to tell people not to think about it, but then to show them the data, implying that they should look for it.” To date, PageRank is deleted from Google WebMaster Tools  and only appears in the Google Toolbar.

I can’t figure out why Google recommends that we shouldn’t put too much weight on the numbers shown in PageRank when it’s unmistakable to every single one that most of us count on these numbers when gauging the  results of our search engine optimization and marketing strategies and seeing that most of us agree that a high PR results in added traffic for our online business then, Page Rank should not be discounted when evaluating the results of our efforts.

Titus Hoskins, a Search Engine Marketer and author of ‘Does Google Page Rank Count Anymore?’ disclosed in his article that, “For years, Google has been downplaying the importance of Page Rank and states that it’s only one of about 200 ranking factors which determine how Google ranks its index for keywords”, pointed out the effects of  obtaining high PR ratings on  web  establishments, and I  think that  many of  what he wrote  made a lot of sense.

Titus Hoskins argue about the result of a higher page rank saying that,  “Obtaining a high PR7 or PR8 simply means more business and revenues. Placed against a PR1 site, a PR8 will win more respect in the eyes of potential clients and can produce enormous profits for the site owner.”

So where does this prospective client respect come from? It is borne out of their respect of Google of course. Titus Hoskins examined the  credibility and brand recognition Google has by saying, “Google has established an unmatched credibility and brand recognition in the eyes of potential customers visiting your site. Web users trust Google for guidance and direction”, and as an internet marketer, Hoskins is astounded by how Google influences the cyber community. Respecting this he asserted, “I am completely amazed each day at the marketing power Google now commands with web surfers and with the general population.” Hoskins added, “Google is the king of online search and no other search engine even comes close to Google.”

I interpret that to indicate that if Google, gives an online business a high PR, then  expect Google’s influence to have a positive effect on  how many purchase from that site. So how can we stop these  businesses from assigning such a big importance to Google PageRank statistics?

“Regardless of what Google wants to happen,” added Hoskins, “PageRank is still extremely important to anyone marketing on the web, especially if you’re selling SEO services or operating a web business.” He sums up how people see PageRank as something that,  “still wields tremendous influence and power” and  universally,  this understanding  has  stayed valid up until  recently. “By default, PageRank is Google’s opinion of your site,” Hoskins stressed. “Web users can count (at least to 10) and if Google believes people are still not counting when it comes to PageRank, then they are fully mistaken.”

In spite of what Google has said I am still of the opinion that there is some function application of Google’s PageRank feature. I agree with the writers quoted above, and intend to continue to use Google’s PageRank in my evaluation of my own search engine optimization efforts as well as other people’s.

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