pagerank algorithm google

What is Google PageRank?

Google PageRank is an algorithm that evaluates the importance of web pages and ranks them in search results based on the quality and number of backlinks.

The philosophy behind PageRank is quite simple:

When a page has incoming links, some of those links are high quality, and some are not.
The more high-quality links point to your page, the more valuable it appears to Google.
Google believes that more important sites receive more links.
The result? Google prefers your page and ranks it higher in search results.

Google PageRank (which used to be displayed in the Google Toolbar) assigned a logarithmic score ranging from 0 (PR0) for low-value pages to 10 (PR10) for the highest-quality pages.

Since PageRank was logarithmic, even a small increase in score could have a significant impact on a site's credibility. For example, moving from PR4 to PR6 could increase a site’s authority by nearly 25 times!

It might seem complicated at first, but don’t worry! We'll break down everything in detail in this article.

History and Evolution of PageRank

The story of PageRank began in the late 1990s at Stanford University, where Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, were trying to improve web search.

At that time, search engines struggled to rank pages properly, so Page and Brin came up with a new idea:
"Let’s use links to measure the importance of web pages."

This idea became the foundation of PageRank, an algorithm that set Google apart from other search engines. They published their findings in a research paper ("The Anatomy of a Large-Scale Hypertextual Web Search Engine"), which transformed the chaotic web into a structured search system—exactly what users needed!

In 1998, Page and Brin patented PageRank, marking the beginning of a new era in search technology.

Key Milestones of PageRank

1. March 15, 2000: Google starts displaying page rankings publicly in search results (removed in 2011).
2. December 11, 2000: Google introduces the Google Toolbar, making PageRank a visible metric.
3. June 17, 2004: Google patents a new method to weigh links based on click probability.
4. January 18, 2005: Introduction of the nofollow attribute to fight spam in comments.
5. November 17, 2005: PageRank is added to Google Sitemaps (now Google Search Console) and displayed as high, medium, low, or N/A.
6. April 24, 2012: Google launches the Penguin algorithm to combat spam and improve search quality.
7. October 16, 2012: Google introduces the Disavow Tool, allowing webmasters to remove spammy backlinks.
8. December 6, 2013: Google releases the last Toolbar PageRank update.
9. March 7, 2016: Google removes PageRank from browser toolbars, but continues using it internally.
10. January 9, 2019: The PageRank patent expires.
11. September 10, 2019: Google introduces rel="ugc" and rel="sponsored" to better understand link types.
12. June 23, 2021: Google rolls out a link spam update to prevent ranking manipulation.
13. April 21, 2022: Google increases the use of SpamBrain, its AI-based anti-spam system.
14. October 4, 2023: Google upgrades its spam detection to combat automated, hacked, and cloaked content.
15. March 5, 2024: A core update reduces clickbait and prioritizes useful content while improving spam prevention policies.

PageRank has come a long way, but it remains a part of Google's algorithms, even though it is no longer publicly available.

Google Toolbar

The Google Toolbar was a browser extension launched in December 2000 that allowed users to access various search features directly from their browser.

At the time, it was a big change because it combined features like popup blocking, autocomplete, and quick access to Google Search in one place.

How Did It Work?
Once installed, a new toolbar appeared below the browser’s address bar, featuring:

A Google search box

1. Quick access buttons for Google services
2. A PageRank indicator showing the rank of any webpage
3. Why Was Google Toolbar Important?

Faster and easier searches: No need to visit Google first to perform a search.
PageRank display: SEOs could instantly see a page’s ranking.
Popup blocker: Removed annoying ads.
However, as browsers improved and included these features by default, Google discontinued the Toolbar in December 2021.

The End of Google Toolbar: Goodbye After 21 Years
After 21 years, Google officially shut down the Toolbar on December 12, 2021.
Now, visiting the official site simply redirects users to a support page suggesting they install Google Chrome instead.

Interestingly, Google quietly abandoned the project without any formal announcement!

Why Were Google Toolbar and PageRank Removed?
One of the main reasons for discontinuing PageRank and the Toolbar was SEO manipulation.
Black-hat SEOs exploited the system, artificially boosting rankings through spammy link-building strategies.

How?
They planted backlinks everywhere—from blog comments to forums.
This led to lower search quality, prompting Google to eliminate PageRank and Google Toolbar to prevent manipulation.
The New PageRank Algorithm
2016: PageRank Removed from Toolbars
In March 2016, Google removed PageRank from browser toolbars, making it a private metric.

2017: Internal Use Confirmed
In 2017, Gary Illyes (Google analyst) confirmed that PageRank was still used internally but was no longer a primary ranking factor.

2019: PageRank Patent Expires
In 2019, Google’s patent for the original PageRank algorithm expired, but this didn’t mean Google stopped using it.
In fact, Google had already replaced the original algorithm with an updated version in 2006.

2020: PageRank Still Exists Internally
In 2020, John Mueller (Google Search Advocate) posted (and later deleted) tweets confirming that PageRank still exists but is now just one of many ranking factors.

2024: Google Removes PageRank References from SEO Guidelines
In 2024, Google updated its SEO guidelines, removing the statement that confirmed PageRank as a ranking factor.

This shocked many SEO experts, signaling that Google is shifting focus from link-building to content quality, user experience, and behavioral signals.

Does PageRank Still Impact SEO?

Yes, but not like before!

PageRank remains one of hundreds of ranking factors, but it’s no longer dominant.

Link-building still matters, but today, Google prioritizes valuable content, user experience, AI, and user behavior.
So, focusing only on link-building is the wrong approach! Instead, prioritize high-quality content, great user experience, and a holistic SEO strategy.

Why Is Google PageRank Important?

Google PageRank fundamentally changed SEO by providing a way to measure the importance of web pages based on backlinks.

It played a crucial role in:
✔ Website Ranking – Pages with higher PageRank had better visibility in search results.
✔ Crawl Budget – Google allocated more resources to high-PageRank pages.
✔ Canonical Page Selection – PageRank influenced which version of a duplicated page was indexed.

Even though PageRank is no longer public, it laid the foundation for modern SEO strategies and Google's ranking systems.