Well it seems that Google has quietly gotten rid of PageRank in Webmaster Tools. I ran across this news feed and I felt that I had to express my feelings on it.

Barry Schwartz at Search Engine Roundtable points to a thread featuring an explanation from Google Webmaster Trends Analyst Susan Moskwa. “We’ve been telling people for a long time that they shouldn’t focus on PageRank so much; many site owners seem to think it’s the most important metric for them to track, which is simply not true,” says Moskwa. “We removed it because we felt it was silly to tell people not to think about it, but then to show them the data, implying that they should look at it.” Uh hem…. Bull Crap!

Search marketers are wondering why Google tells people not to focus on PageRank and removes it from Webmaster Tools, but still keeps it in the Google Toolbar. “Back in 2007, Google wanted feedback on removing PageRank from the Toolbar,” says Schwartz. “I felt it was a good idea but the idea died out. Google cannot remove PageRank from the Toolbar, it is too much of their branding. No matter how much Matt Cutts and the Google search quality and webmaster trends team want it removed, I cannot see Google’s executives allowing it.”

Andy Beal of Marketing Pilgrim says the role of PageRank has been reduced to nothing more than a “comfort blanket for SEO Noobs.” He adds, “I say this, with a high degree of confidence that most experienced SEOs pour over the data in Google Webmaster Tools, whereas those new to the industry likely let the toolbar be their only guiding light.”

I think this is just a load of crap. Especially to the automotive space, let me shed some light on how stupid this actually sounds. By saying PageRank isn’t important you’re saying that when a carshopper searches for “2006 toyota camry houston” that it’s not important for a toyota dealership in houston to rank on the first page? Um yeah Ok I wish I would try to tell one of my clients that they don’t need to worry about their PageRank!

True that PageRank is just one of 200 plus ways to measure SEO efforts but it is a major one and Google knows it! Of course they want this whole conspiracy on how to crack their alrgorithm live on in mystery. Way to go  Google keep on your journey of ruling the world LOL!

Yours Truly,

The A.D