Sunday, February 6, 2011

PageRank and SEO


Search Engine Optimization, originally uploaded by KRISHNA SALVI.
Image from Flickr.


Am I the only one who does a happy dance when Google sends traffic my way? I've noticed there are more and more searches that return my posts near the top of the first page. If I Google "Galveston Lost Oaks", "Mokulua Island Seabird Sanctuary", "Lake Livingston State Park Shelter", or "Horatio's Restaurant Hawaii" my blog comes up high in the results, and people do search those keywords. Seeing them in my reports prompted me to check. Google likes my pictures, too! I've been getting a lot of traffic to my Lake Livingston State Park story from people searching images.

The higher your PR (page rank), the more likely your website will show up near the top of a search engine keyword search and/or your pictures in an image search. I'm learning as much as I can and trying to see how high I can get my PR. Right now it's a three. If you've installed the Google Toolbar, click on the blue wrench icon, click the general tab, and check the PageRank box to see how Google "views the importance of" any page you visit.

Why do I care? Besides the fact that I'm competitive that way, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a marketable skill.

12 comments:

Tempo said...

To be quite honest I've got no idea how to check these things and no idea how to improve them.

Brian Miller said...

nice. i dont know much about it but you have explained it rather simply..

Lorraine said...

I'm an introvert, so basically I don't care if anybody visits, but glad when they do, I'm also moody and contrary ;)

Liz Mays said...

That's pretty cool that you're getting all those hits from your blog posts AND images!

Kimberly Franklin said...

Congrats! That's great news!! :)

Jen said...

If your only reason for blogging is to interact with people around the world and you never intend to try to earn any money from blogging, those things are not important - unless you just like a challenge.

Full-On-Forward said...

Great Info! It returns my pages as error 4001-345-789...ur page sux--LOL.

Just kidding--Good stuff Jen.

John

Kelly said...

I'm one of those oddballs that doesn't even have my blog set up for google searches! I guess because I don't figure my "thoughts and ramblings" would interest that many folks.

sage said...

Okay, I can't find it... but that's not why I blog anyway, but I am competitive and want a higher rating that say, you! :)

Jen said...

@sage: Yours is a 4, so you're beating me.


If you have the Google toolbar, there is a blue wrench on the far right. That's the icon you're looking for.

Claire said...

Haha this made me smile! I havent the foggiest about these things, but we all like people to come visit us, dont we!

Rob Strickland said...

I have not checked it in a while, but...I get search engine hits for the weirdest stuff sometimes about which I have blogged...but usually it's some state park, camping area, something in the woods.

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