PageRank

Why It Matters

PageRank's core logic-that links from authoritative pages confer more authority than links from low-authority pages-remains central to how Google evaluates trustworthiness and ranking potential. Building high-quality inbound links from authoritative domains builds PageRank-equivalent authority that benefits both traditional search rankings and AI system trust evaluations, which use similar authority signals.

How It Works

PageRank is calculated iteratively: each page distributes its PageRank score equally among all pages it links to (following links only). This creates a system where pages linked to by many high-PageRank pages receive high PageRank themselves. The algorithm converges to a stable distribution reflecting the link graph's structure. Google's actual ranking system layers hundreds of additional signals on top of this PageRank foundation.

Use Cases

• Link building campaigns prioritizing links from established domains with strong backlink profiles
• Internal link audits ensuring highest-priority pages receive link equity from high-PageRank internal pages
• Competitive analysis identifying why competitors rank despite lower content quality-often superior link authority
• Domain acquisition evaluating whether target domains have strong historical PageRank accumulated through quality links
• Content creation strategy focusing on link-earning formats to build PageRank-equivalent domain authority

Best Practices

• Prioritize acquiring links from domains with high domain authority (DA/DR as PageRank proxies) in your topic space
• Focus on relevance alongside authority-a link from a highly relevant mid-authority domain often outperforms an irrelevant high-authority link
• Use internal linking to channel external PageRank to your most important commercial pages
• Build a diverse, natural-looking link profile rather than concentrating links from single domains
• Track domain authority trends using Ahrefs DR, Moz DA, or Semrush AS as PageRank proxies
• Create linkable assets (data, tools, original research) that naturally earn high-authority inbound links