PageRank
PageRank is an algorithm used by Google to measure the importance and quality of a page to help rank it within search results. As a key element to Google’s algorithm, it is important to understand how PageRank is determined and how it is used. We cover this within our SEO Office Hours takeaways below, along with further insights from Google.
To learn more about search engines, read our introductory guide: How Do Search Engines Work?
It can take months for Google to reassess site quality
Google essentially has no memory when it comes to technical issues and there should be no lasting impact once a cause has been resolved. However, it can take Google weeks or even months to determine the quality of a site and establish how it fits into the wider context of the web. Therefore, improvements to site quality can take a lot longer to make a significant impact.
There is no negative SEO effect from 302 redirects
A question was asked about whether 302 redirects pass link equity, or if there are any other issues which mean they should be avoided. John said there is no negative SEO effect from 302 redirects. He explained there is no hidden SEO benefit of one redirect type over the other, but they serve different purposes. With a 301 redirect, you want Google systems to pick up the destination page. With a 302, you want Google to keep the original URL as it is only a temporary change. If it’s purely about tracking the ranking of individual URLs, then a 301 will cause the destination page to be indexed and ranking, and a 302 will keep the original indexed and ranking.
SEO improvements based on CWV metrics take about a month to show results
Google’s Core Web Vitals look at data that is delayed by around 28 days. This means that any significant page speed improvements you make on your website will typically take about a month to show up in the search results.
Core Web Vitals are weighted equally across all industries and website types
Neither the type of website nor industry vertical will alter how much weight is given to Google’s Core Web Vitals metrics.
Web Stories on AMP still require textual content for ranking purposes
Despite being built on AMP, Web Stories are essentially normal web pages. They should therefore be linked internally in the same way as any other content. Text is also required on these pages for Google to be able to rank them accordingly.
Social media metrics typically don’t factor into search rankings
Social media pages are typically viewed in the same way as regular web pages. For the most part, Google doesn’t take into account metrics such as likes or follower counts when it comes to ranking these URLs.
Blocking Crawling of Parametered URLs in GSC Will Mean PageRank Will be Lost
Google sees links between two canonical URLs and if there is no canonical destination URL then it will be seen as going nowhere and won’t be used. Practically this isn’t an issue as links aren’t usually to a specific parameter variation, so it is unlikely to be driving a lot of the site’s PageRank.
Jump Links Are Used to Further Understand Page Structure Not Pass PageRank
Jump links, where you link from one part of a page to another part of that same page, are not something that Google will use to pass signals such as PageRank. Instead, they are used to further understand the structure of the page and can be shown in search results to link to a particularly relevant part of the page for a user’s query.
Value of Backlinks Changes Over Time as Sites Grow in Size & Adds More Links
Backlinks don’t lose their value directly because of their age, but PageRank is distributed more broadly over time as the linking site publishes pages and increases the volume of links.
Unlinked Brand Mentions Don’t Pass Any Value
If a web page mentions your brand, but doesn’t link to your site, it won’t pass any value.