Google Speaks about PageRank and Paid Links
There has been much speculation about the recent PageRank loss of several blogs and websites. Several has suggested that the PageRank loss was due to paid links, and it appears they are right as Google posts more information about paid links when it comes to PageRank.
Matt Cutts from Google posts a compelling post about paid links. Paid links that don’t use no follow or use another method to not pass PageRank can cause a search term to be more popular that it naturally is. In his example, he gives a medical example that if someone wants to learn more about a medical condition and the top results are paid links, they won’t find any useful information. Google wants to make sure that those searching for terms find the most relevant and useful information fast and easy.
His analogy might be interesting and tug at the heart strings, but frankly when I have taken information I have learned from the Internet to my doctor I’m quickly given a lesson on you can’t believe everything you read. At it’s core the Internet is entertainment and not necessarily a great source for factual information. I thought the example was in poor taste since it tugs at emotions and not on what Google is really doing when it comes to devaluing very good blogs and websites.
For me personally, Google has their hand in too many virtual cookie jars around the Internet. It would be nice to see a watchdog group do an unbiased PageRank-type system. Sadly, since it would take so many resources, I doubt that will ever happen.
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