Ten Tips for Improving Your Google PageRank

Google uses various mechanisms to measure the relevance and quality of a Web site. One of the tools used is PageRank – a numerical value from one to 10. Many question the importance of PageRank. Yet, it still generally used as a relevant measure of the quality of a website.

A Web site owner can try several techniques to increase the PageRank.

1. Content
Quality content is of key importance. All articles need to be unique, informative and useful. Do your best to avoid the publication of irrelevant information. Your content should supplement the general theme of the website.

2. Keyowrds
Keywords are the important phrases or single words that describe your business or the main topic of your website. These are the words that users are likely to come up with, when looking for information. Keywords should be selected carefully and should be included mainly in the titles of articles and the first paragraphs.

3. Links
The number of Web sites linking to yours is also important. The more Web sites recommend your content, the better. Yet, keep in mind that the quality of Web sites linking to yours also counts. Links need to be coming from sites having high PageRank.

4. Directories
Directories are major Web sites organized in categories. They function as online catalogs, presenting links to many Web sites. Select the directories that you will submit a link to carefully. They must be well-known and relevant to the topics that you discuss.

5. Forums
You can increase the number of links to your Web site through the participation in relevant forums and discussion boards. Answer the questions of forum members and provide links to relevant information on your Web site. Never overdo it, since forum administrators might penalize you.

6. Less popular keywords
Web sites, discussing similar topics, will include similar keywords. Many Web sites using the same keywords will increase the competition for higher PageRank. Try to find keywords that are still relevant to your topic but that your competitors are unlikely to come up with.

7. Sitemaps
As the name signifies, a sitemap is a detailed listing of all your Web site content. This index, once submitted to Google, makes it easier for the search engine to reach and examine all of your content. You can use one of the many tools available online for that purpose.

8. Cross-links
You are most likely to get PageRank on your homepage first. Once it happens, you need to distribute it evenly to all parts of the Web site. Cross-linking means that in one of your articles you provide a link to another article on your Web site that provides additional information. Cross-linking is useful since it gives readers more information and helps you in distributing PageRank evenly.

9. RSS emission
RSS stands for Really Simple Syndication and is a feed that gives readers access to the Web site categories that you update most often. RSS feeds are counted as additional content, thus helping you in increasing PageRank.

10. Mistakes to avoid
Never get involved in programs that offer links to your Web page against payment. Google recognizes most of these as fraud attempts. Double content is also to be avoided. Double content signifies that you have copied an article from another Web site or that parts of your information already appear elsewhere.