Member Avatar for alpha2006

I have read somewhere that Google PR is solely based on the number of backlinks that your website has.

Is that true??

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Short answer: no — PageRank (the original algorithm) is not simply a raw backlink count. The PageRank model frames the web as a link graph and uses a damping/weighting process to score pages, so where links come from and how they sit in the graph matter, not just their number. The public “Toolbar PageRank” many chased was only a visible proxy and Google stopped updating/serving that public value (the toolbar feed was turned off in 2016). (bibsonomy.org)

What matters now: links remain an important signal, but Google combines link signals with hundreds of other signals (content relevance, E‑E‑A‑T, page experience, internal linking, user behavior, etc.). Link value depends on source authority, topical relevance, anchor text and placement (in‑body editorial links versus boilerplate), and how natural the overall profile looks. Google actively devalues/manages manipulative link patterns (Penguin and other systems) and changed how link attributes work (nofollow/sponsored/ugc are treated as hints). Follow Google’s spam/link guidelines — buying links, large exchange networks or automated link farms are risks. ()

Practical checklist (actionable, not theoretical):

  • Audit links in Search Console’s Links report and export suspicious ones.
  • Prioritize earning editorial, topical one‑way links (good advice from ) over mass exchanges.
  • Avoid paid/exchange networks and widget/footer link farms (Google will ignore or penalize those).
  • Use the Disavow tool only after documented removal attempts or if you’ve received a manual action — it’s an advanced, last‑resort step.

See Google’s official guidance on link spam, the Links report and the Disavow tool for the exact workflows. For the thread: was right to warn about confusing toolbar PR with Google’s internal signals; and were right that links are central — but quality, not raw count, is the durable takeaway today. ()

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All 16 Replies

Member Avatar for msaqib

I think its not true. It is based on many other things as well like the domain age, quality contents, out going links. And the back links must be from the relavant site. Like if you have a clothing website then your links must come from clothing websites.

Member Avatar for Dani

Domain age, content, relevancy of backlinks, etc. are all factors that contribute to how well a site ranks in the engines. Google toolbar pagerank is a direct demonstration of backlink count, discounting all other factors.

Member Avatar for ricky0161

There are a number of things you need to look at if you want a good page rank but as cscgal says they are all factors


Google toolbar pagerank is a direct demonstration of backlink count, discounting all other factors.

Member Avatar for pulse

I have read somewhere that Google PR is solely based on the number of backlinks that your website has.

Is that true??

Yes, Pagerank technically depends only on the number of backlinks taking into account those links' quality (like what is the PR of the page on which your link exists).

However, I would not really recommend that you lose your sleep over PR as it is basically useless.

Member Avatar for Nikolas

I will agree with pulse.

Pagerank is about links, don't confuse this with the SERPs.

But I heared that in the latest pagerank update, there were some other factors added for the calculation, like frequency of updates. That make sense because there are many sites with pagerank 3 or higher that do not have one link back to them.

Member Avatar for Dani

Don't confuse the PR value Google lets us see on the toolbar with Google's internal PR algorithm.

Member Avatar for SolePM.com

ha, and don't believe for a minute that page rank does not matter.

MANY advertisers use this as a measuring stick when advertising.

I had a guy email me the other day about advertising, and he said "Normally I only advertise with sites of PR 6 or higher..."

So it does matter, in many cases...

Member Avatar for Avalon24

ha, and don't believe for a minute that page rank does not matter.

MANY advertisers use this as a measuring stick when advertising.

I had a guy email me the other day about advertising, and he said "Normally I only advertise with sites of PR 6 or higher..."

So it does matter, in many cases...

One-way RELEVANT links are by far the best way to increase a very important PR and search engine ranking. I can-not stress enough how important it is to get one-way links. It's not easy, but there are sites out there that will give them out free as long as you add some links to your homepage (how the sytems work).

PR is very very important no matter what anyone tells ya. Also, the higher your PR the more people will look favorably on your site. Anyway, PM me if you want some info on where to sign up for free one-way links. I dont want to spam the site. :)


Avalon

Member Avatar for Dani

I definitely agree that one way targeted links are simply the best. This is especially true if you can get links within body content instead of in the footer or something.

Member Avatar for Avalon24

I definitely agree that one way targeted links are simply the best. This is especially true if you can get links within body content instead of in the footer or something.

Very very true, though it's always difficult to get links coming to you in a "body" text in most cases. People are very stingent (sp?) on giving out homepage links and even more-so in the body of the website. :) Still, I've found even footer links to be most effective for me!

Avalon

Member Avatar for ResaleBroker

One-way RELEVANT links are by far the best way to increase a very important PR and search engine ranking. I can-not stress enough how important it is to get one-way links. It's not easy, but there are sites out there that will give them out free as long as you add some links to your homepage (how the sytems work).

That sounds more like a "reciprocal link" than a "one-way".

Yes, "PageRank" is based on links pointing to a page.

Member Avatar for Avalon24

That sounds more like a "reciprocal link" than a "one-way".

Yes, "PageRank" is based on links pointing to a page.

Actually, you are quite wrong. Reciprocal linking is where SiteA links to SiteB and SiteB links to SiteA. What I am talking about is where SiteA links to SiteB and SiteB links to SiteC and so forth and so on (no sites point to each other). That is one-way linking and is the most effective linking that can take place to increase PR.


Avalon

Member Avatar for ResaleBroker

Actually, you are quite wrong. Reciprocal linking is where SiteA links to SiteB and SiteB links to SiteA. What I am talking about is where SiteA links to SiteB and SiteB links to SiteC and so forth and so on (no sites point to each other). That is one-way linking and is the most effective linking that can take place to increase PR.


Avalon

My misunderstanding. I was under the impression that the homepage link you mentioned was the reciprocal link. ;)

Member Avatar for Avalon24

My misunderstanding. I was under the impression that the homepage link you mentioned was the reciprocal link. ;)

Hehe. :) No problem. Basically the idea was to create some system / network to get one-way links. I have a couple sites that do well, but manual link exchanges were killing me as far as time goes (and often not getting responses back). So... tried to come up with some way to get one-way links. Once I figured it out, it made sense to just put it out as a site for people to use. Free Links Direct isn't for everyone, but I really do see potential in it and think it will be a success! Time will tell, but so far got 3 times the sign up I've expected since opening the site two weeks ago!

Member Avatar for KeyDegree

What if you do a link exchange, and you do that type of a llink exchange where site A link to site B and site B links to site C.

My question is, for myself i am looking for educational backlinks, so I want to get places that can give me nice related links.

However, I wanted to place them on my other site, to get that one way link effect. The thing is the other site is not educational related.

Why would someone agree to it if there site is getting placed on an unrelated site?

Does that make sense? Would this type of linking hurt my other site?

Member Avatar for beamup

PR can be gained with lots of tactics out there. But ethical ways always leads to long term success.

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