What to do with a PR7 website?

So Peter was right - Platinax is now PageRank 7.

I’m surprised - firstly because there’s no special link building program in play to try and increase the site’s PR value, and secondly, because I don’t think the site has done anything particular to warrant a PR7.

A couple of years ago I would have been overjoyed - my first thought would have been how to exploit that PageRank by channelling into sites to generate returns.

But I no longer see PageRank as an important ranking factor. In fact, at present, I consider it little better than a score for how well a website is indexed.

I see authority as the key to rankings. And PR7 or not, Platinax at present fails to be an authority.

I can clearly see this in Google’s own results - longtail searches with “Platinax” in the search phrase often throw up third-party sites that reference Platinax. And all too often the “supplemental result” tag appears by the listing.

And even though Peter’s own Teneric forums are “just” PR5 in comparison to Platinax’s PR7, he outranks Platinax on any significant keyword search.

Point is, his site has more authority than Platinax - the PR value is meaningless for search rankings.

Ultimately, Platinax is intended to bring an Open Source mentality to business. Working with the internet is challenging. Many small businesses have problems dealing with it - everything from web hosting to development and marketing issues. Even corporations can’t even understand it.

Platinax is my attempt to try and help. Probably because I’m a poor businessman, and would rather help people first and make money second. It underpins all my business dealings - I’m techie first, salesman last.

That Platinax is a PR7 at present is nice, but I have to admit I find it a somewhat meaningless figure. At best, it’s simply a badge of respectability.

Perhaps in that way, it will help. Perhaps when SME’s visit Platinax with the toolbar, they’ll take extra notice of the site. In which case, I can only be happy.

Because at the end of the day, I feel the UK especially fails to grasp the importance of the internet for business purposes, let alone known how to deal with the myriad of technical challenges.

This situation doesn’t simply fail businesses - it fails the consumers who should be empowered by it.

As a self-styled internet evangelist, I find that an unfortunate situation at best.

So while for a while I may have the chance to say “I admin a PR7 website”, there’s a very pyrrhic taste in my mouth doing so. And the next Google PageRank update may not be so welcoming.

At the end of the day, the web isn’t about PageRank, and it’s not even about rankings - it’s about connecting people to what they really want to find.

Platinax tries to do that, and will continue to try and do so, regardless as to whatever PageRank badge it wears.