Does Pagerank matter? Your questions answered
Outwardly it seemed that Google updated their algorithm and over the course of a week slashed the PR of sites that sold text-links. This meant that anyone who was selling text-links on their site as an alternative revenue stream had their Pagerank reduced. I went down from PR5 to PR2 and felt quite hurt, but looking into it a bit more has answered a few questions.
Did my Pagerank just go down?
Actually Google update the PR for sites really really often (and it's more than just a 0-10 valuation). The Pagerank update as we know it happens every quarter where Google updates the data-centres to show some slightly out-of-date figures.
Should I care about Pagerank?
Probably not as much as you do currently. If your PR has gone down recently it's not even worth working out whether you're getting less search engine traffic. It's recommended that you spend more time on keyword analysis and increasing conversions from your site than worrying about a search engine metric. Ultimately, good keyword analysis and use will pay more dividends than worshipping the god of PR.
Can I ask Google to reconsider?
Yes, you can (apparently). In the Google webmaster tools there's the option to ask for a reconsideration - but you need to specify why you're bothering. Basically places like ProBlogger did this after having their PR reduced wrongly for selling text links - something they weren't doing. So logistically you could remove the Text-Links from your site and ask for a do-over.
Is it worth removing my text-links for reconsideration?
That's your call really. If you really care about your Pagerank as a metric (considering it shouldn't really damage your search-engine listings much) then go for it. I would rather keep the extra revenue stream. Although it can be argued that places like ReviewMe value your site on metrics like the PR so it's really a decision for you to make. I'm not going to bother because I don't think it's going to make much difference.
For more information, read Matt Cutt's blog - a worker at Google who has decided to offer some clarity to the latest Pagerank update.
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