Google Ranking System: How Does it Work?

[Monique]

I believe one part of google's ranking system includes how many people link to a certain page, and with what key words right?

 

[imabug]

in simple terms, that's how Google works more or less.

From Google Technology

PageRank Explained

PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value. In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important."

Important, high-quality sites receive a higher PageRank, which Google remembers each time it conducts a search. Of course, important pages mean nothing to you if they don't match your query. So, Google combines PageRank with sophisticated text-matching techniques to find pages that are both important and relevant to your search. Google goes far beyond the number of times a term appears on a page and examines all aspects of the page's content (and the content of the pages linking to it) to determine if it's a good match for your query.

Wikipedia PageRank entry

 

[motai]

Hmm... I remember seeing PF's pagerank by Google a while back, if I remember correctly I saw it at 4/10. Right now though, the main index is getting a rating of 2/10.

Then again, the site traffic (http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?q=&url=physicsforums.com) for this site isn't nearly as large as some other websites, so that will probably explain why PF isn't as "important" as some other sites that Google ranks as being higher.

I find it strange that PF gets a lower pagerank status than http://www.something.com which is completely useless, but yet has a Google pagerank rating of 5/10.

 

[Anttech]

here is how it works:

http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html

;-)

 

[Evo]

here is how it works:

http://www.google.com/technology/pigeonrank.html

;-)

Anttech, I may lose my job from my extremely loud laughing, then choking, coughing and spraying coffee everywhere!

You should have posted a warning! :grumpy:

This is the best explanation I've ever seen, although a bit too technical perhaps for some folks.

 

[Les Sleeth]

All I know is, after 1600 + posts at this PF, and plenty at the old PF, on subjects such as the meaning of life, abiogenesis theory, the nature of consciousness, etc., I was proud to tell my friends and relatives (including my 82 year old mom) to Google my name and see what came up.

Well, right after my best buddy Moonbear (seeking revenge for that running bear story) decided to designate me the author of a masturbation thread, that's what my friends and family discovered I am famous on the net for.

Google's method of deciding importance sucks (even though I love it and use it every day).

 

[Evo]

All I know is, after 1600 + posts at this PF, and plenty at the old PF, on subjects such as the meaning of life, abiogenesis theory, the nature of consciousness, etc., I was proud to tell my friend and relatives (including my mom) to Google my name and see what came up.

Well, right after my best buddy Moonbear (seeking revenge for that running bear story) decided to make me the author of a masturbation thread, that's what my friends and family discovered I am famous on the net for.

That's too funny! I mean, that's a terrible shame. :tongue:

 

[Les Sleeth]

That's too funny! I mean, that's a terrible shame. :tongue:

One of the cruel sisters twists the knife . . . Moonbear's accomplice.