Many webmasters seem to focus way too much on Google page rank, it was even removed from Google’s webmaster tools to try and compete with this problem. The Google page rank was seen as a sure fire way to monitor exactly how well your site was doing and even see exactly how your competitors were doing. The page rank is not gone completely how ever and does still impact your placing in the Serps and your ability to buy/sell links (if that’s your area of the market). The major problem with the page rank we see is that the version we get to see derives from the Google tool bar and this is only updated every 3 months or so. And of course sites can change in value incredibly quickly and the factors which create your page rank could be changing on a daily basis, so how could you possibly stake all your faith in something which could quite possibly be anything between 2 and four months out of date.
Why Google page rank isn’t important
Google page rank is not important simply because page rank does not equal money by any means, unless you’re a link seller, and even then this is a dying theory as more and more webmasters wise up to the flaws in the page rank system. And assuming your not you don’t need page rank. Page rank doesn’t mean you’ll get instant traffic it doesn’t mean that you’re going to convert well and it certainly doesn’t mean your site will make you lots of money. This theory that page rank is the be all and end all of being a successful webmaster is one that many webmasters still cling to diligently and the sooner you forget about page rank the sooner you can be successful. This is why Google removed the page rank.
So, what are my alternatives to measuring Google page rank?
Well, Alexa rankings are fast becoming the industries standard in how to measure the value of a site, it shows you a sites traffic, reach age and the Alexa ranking gives a reasonable if not definitive ranking even if it is rather frustrating to get to grips with at 1st. And it updates in what is close to real time, unlike page rank. However Google still uses page rank for its own devices we just can’t see the real time version. Or can we? Well there are many schemes which say that you can. And surely one of them must work right?
I’m a fan of actual unique visitors, so the Alexa rank gives you an idea where a site stands!