by The Computing Australia Group | Is Google PageRank Still
Relevant for Modern SEO?
Search engine optimisation has evolved dramatically over the last two decades. In the early 2000s, SEO professionals obsessed over a single metric – Google PageRank. Back then, raising your PageRank score felt like unlocking a higher level of online credibility. Websites battled for backlinks primarily to increase their PageRank, and entire industries formed around manipulating it.
So, is Google PageRank still relevant? And if so, how does it influence SEO in 2025 and beyond? This comprehensive guide breaks down everything you need to know-what PageRank is, how it evolved, what factors influence it, and how modern SEO strategies still depend on PageRank principles.
What Is Google PageRank? A Modern Explanation
Google PageRank is one of Google’s earliest and most influential algorithms. Developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the algorithm determines the importance of a webpage based on the quality and quantity of links pointing to it.
PageRank works like a voting system:
- A backlink = a vote
- A vote from a high-authority page = a stronger vote
- A link from a page with many outbound links = a diluted vote
- A link from a spammy site = a harmful vote
In essence, PageRank measures the value of a page based on how other pages “trust” it.
How PageRank Scoring Works
Historically, Google displayed PageRank as a score from 0 to 10 using a browser toolbar:
| Score | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 0–1 | Low trust/authority |
| 2–4 | Normal/average |
| 5–7 | High authority |
| 8–10 | Extremely authoritative (major global websites) |
In 2016, Google officially removed the toolbar. While the visual scoring system disappeared, PageRank continues to exist internally as part of Google’s core ranking algorithms.
Google has confirmed this repeatedly. It’s simply no longer public, and it’s far more advanced today – no longer a simple 0–10 value but a complex mathematical calculation integrated with hundreds of other ranking factors.
Why PageRank Still Matters Today
Even though PageRank is hidden, it remains critically important for SEO. Here’s why:
1. Backlinks are still one of Google’s top ranking signals
Every major ranking study (Ahrefs, SEMrush, Moz, Backlinko) consistently concludes the same thing:
Websites with strong backlink profiles almost always outrank websites with weak backlink profiles.
That’s PageRank in action.
2. Google still uses link equity to understand importance
Google’s John Mueller has repeatedly confirmed that PageRank flows through links:
- Internal links pass value
- External links pass value
- Anchor text influences the context of that value
- Link placement matters
- Spam links can create negative signals
So even if PageRank is invisible, its effects are not.
3. PageRank connects with E-E-A-T
PageRank supports Google’s assessment of:
- Authoritativeness
- Trustworthiness
- Topical relevance
Strong backlinks from credible sites significantly enhance perceived authority.
4. It guides crawling and indexing
Google allocates crawl budget partly based on link authority. Pages with higher PageRank are crawled more frequently and indexed more reliably.
Factors That Influence PageRank in 2025
Although PageRank is more complex now, the core principles remain tied to link relationships. Let’s walk through the primary influences.
1. Backlinks (External Links to Your Website)
What makes a backlink valuable?
A high-quality backlink usually meets several criteria:
1. Authority of the linking domain (government, universities, media, industry leaders)
2. Relevance (same topic or closely related)
3. Natural editorial placement
4. Unique domain (multiple links from the same site offer diminishing returns)
5. Good neighbourhood (no spam, adult, or harmful sites)
6. Indexable and crawlable pages
7. Strong anchor text
8. Link placement within meaningful content
What reduces backlink value?
- Links from pages with too many outbound links
- Links placed in footers or sidebars
- Paid or sponsored links without rel="nofollow" or rel="sponsored"
- Spam links from link farms
- Links from penalised websites
- Hidden links
Modern strategies to earn high-value backlinks
- Publish original research, surveys, or industry reports
- Create share-worthy infographics
- Produce expert guides that outrank competitors
- Host webinars or collaborate with influencers
- Write guest posts for respected industry publications
- Build digital PR campaigns
- Use linkable assets like templates, calculators or quizzes
- Offer expert quotes to media outlets (HARO, SourceBottle)
2. Internal Linking
- Understand website structure
- Discover new pages
- Distribute PageRank evenly
- Identify pillar pages
- Build topic clusters
Why internal linking boosts PageRank
Best practices for PageRank-boosting internal links
- Link from high-traffic pages to high-conversion or important content
- Use descriptive, keyword-rich anchor text
- Avoid orphan pages (pages with no internal links)
- Maintain shallow architecture (3 clicks to important pages)
- Link related blog posts together to form silos
- Include internal links in the first 100 words of content
- Regularly audit and update internal links
Common internal linking mistakes
- Overusing exact-match anchors
- Linking to irrelevant content
- Creating circular linking loops
- Forgetting to link from old content to new articles
- Using JavaScript links that Google may not easily crawl
3. External Linking
Google has made it clear:
Linking to relevant, authoritative sources can strengthen trust signals-not weaken them.
Why external links help PageRank indirectly
- They demonstrate research and trustworthiness
- They help Google understand your content's topical relevance
- They improve user experience by offering helpful references
- They reduce thin-content signals
- They encourage reciprocal links when your content is cited
Best practices for external linking
- Link only to reputable, authoritative sources
- Avoid spammy, outdated websites
- Use external links sparingly but strategically
- Update or remove broken outbound links
- Prefer linking to official publications, studies, or industry experts
When to use “nofollow”, “sponsored”, or “UGC”
| Attribute | When to Use |
|---|---|
| rel=”nofollow” | Untrusted links or general references |
| rel=”sponsored” | Paid links, sponsored posts, advertisements |
| rel=”ugc” | User-generated content such as comments or forum posts |
The Evolution of Google PageRank
Although PageRank still exists today, it has undergone decades of improvements.
Early PageRank (2000–2010)
- Numerical 0–10 toolbar score
- Easily manipulated by link farms
- Quantity mattered more than quality
Modern PageRank (2016–2025)
- Millions of unique scoring values rather than 0–10
- Deeply integrated with AI systems like RankBrain and BERT
- Quality of links far outweighs quantity
- Penalises unnatural link patterns
- Factors in user behaviour, text relevance, and content quality
- Includes improved damping factors and link context recognition
PageRank no longer works in isolation. Today, it is one component among hundreds of ranking signals—but still one of the most powerful.
Is Google PageRank Still Relevant Today? (Short Answer: Yes)
Even though Google no longer displays PageRank:
- It still exists
- It still influences rankings
- It still powers link equity
- It still determines crawl priority
- It still shapes topical authority
However, PageRank is not something you “optimise directly” anymore. You indirectly improve it by building:
- high-quality backlinks
- smart internal link architecture
- authoritative content
- strong topical clusters
- excellent user experience
PageRank matters-but only as part of a broader SEO strategy.
How to Improve Your PageRank in 2025 (Practical Checklist)
1. Create high-quality, link-worthy content
- Long-form guides
- Tutorials
- Industry research
- Toolkits/templates
2. Build strong backlinks
- PR campaigns
- Guest posts
- Influencer collaborations
3. Improve internal linking
- Add contextual links in every post
- Link from high-authority pages
- Structure content with pillars and clusters
4. Remove toxic backlinks
- Use Google Search Console
- Disavow spam links
5. Use thoughtful outbound linking
- Link to trustworthy sources
- Update broken links
6. Keep your website technically healthy
- Ensure all pages are crawlable
- Fix site errors
- Improve Core Web Vitals
While it is almost treated as a phantom in the SEO world, Google PageRank is still relevant in 2021. Most SEOs don’t give a second thought or devise optimisation strategies for PageRank anymore. But the factors affecting it – backlinks, internal and external linking – are vital in website ranking. If you work on improving those factors, your PageRank will also be favourable. PR is a complex concept, and you may find it a bit hard to digest. If you have any queries on this, you can contact us or email us at sales@computingaustralia.group. Our experts in Perth will always be happy to guide you.
Jargon Buster
Backlink– A link in a website that directs you to another website when you click on it.
Nofollow link– Links with nofollow HTML tag which tells search engines to ignore the link.
FAQ
What is Google PageRank?
Google PageRank is an algorithm that evaluates the importance of a webpage based on the quality and quantity of backlinks pointing to it. Although the public toolbar score was removed in 2016, PageRank still exists internally as part of Google’s ranking signals.
Is PageRank still used by Google today?
Yes. While PageRank is no longer visible to users, Google continues to use it behind the scenes to assess link authority, evaluate content trustworthiness, and determine crawl priority.
How does PageRank affect SEO?
PageRank influences SEO by helping determine how much “link equity” a page receives. High-quality backlinks and effective internal linking can boost PageRank, improving your website’s visibility and ability to rank for competitive keywords.
Can you check your PageRank score today?
No. Google discontinued the public PageRank toolbar in 2016. Although the score still exists internally, it is not accessible to the public. SEO tools now use their own metrics such as Domain Authority (Moz), Domain Rating (Ahrefs), and Page Authority to estimate link strength.
