Is This the Dawn of a New PageRank Algorithim?

Putting all the recent slaps and toolbar PageRank aside.....In looking at the "verified" PageRank of sites that were updated, I am seeing what may I believe may in fact be a new algorithm (or changed algo) for PageRank computation. Below are my observations...

For reference this is Wiki's definition of PageRank:

PageRank is a link analysis algorithm that assigns a numerical weighting to each element of a hyperlinked set of documents, such as the World Wide Web, with the purpose of "measuring" its relative importance within the set. The algorithm may be applied to any collection of entities with reciprocal quotations and references. The numerical weight that it assigns to any given element E is also called the PageRank of E and denoted by PR(E).

As we can see PageRank has ALWAYS been a link algorithm. But, many of the sites that were updated clearly have been weighed with other factors as well. Mind you this in assuming there is no GLITCH afoot here. So lets have a look at what I have seen...

I used SEOLogs fake PageRank detector, TextLink Advisor's Tool, Live PageRank, Smart PageRank, and Ask Bee PageRank verifier. Even though we know there is some issues with Yahoo's displaying of IBLs...I used it for the links...As it is still fairly accurate if you are signed in. I also snagged the following directions for verifying PageRank from SEORoundtable.

Best way is to check manually on IP which shows updated PR.
info:domain.com
If results are nothing or url(s) which doesn't match original then something is fishy if only 1 url is returned and its same then its 100% ok.

Case #1 YouTube
Smart PageRank-PR3 resolved in all data centers except Google English.
Live PageRank-PR3 on the majority of IPs, 4IPs still showing 8 (belonging to Google English), and 11 showing 0PR, but the IPs do not resolve...Apparently old data center IPs.
SEOLog Fake PR-We can't verify this pagerank. Google says its a PR "8", but an info: check doesn't return any info, which is suspicious.
TextLink Advisor-Sorry, we cant verify the pagerank for this page.
Ask Bee-Page Rank Analysis www.youtube.com/ : 3
Info command-Sorry, no information is available for the URL www.youtube.com.
Yahoo IBL-Domain only IBLs 15,179,790
***EDIT 10/29/2007 6:44AM YouTube's PR appears to have been adjusted back to a verified 8 for it's domain url.

Case #2 OurWeddingForever.com
SmartPageRank-PR3 resolved in all data centers except Google English.
Live PageRank- PR3 on the majority of IPs, 1IPs still showing 2 (belonging to Google English), and 11 showing 0PR, but the IPs do not resolve...Apparently old data center IPs.
SEOLog Fake PR-ourweddingforever.com matches Google results url:ourweddingforever.com This Pagerank is valid PR 3!
TextLink Advisor-Check Url : http://www.ourweddingforever.com Status : Valid Pr!
Ask Bee-Page Rank Analysis www.ourweddingforever.com/ : 3
Info Command-1 url returned www.ourweddingforever.com/ (indicating nothing fishy)
Yahoo IBL-Domain only IBLs 89

Case #3 SEOCog.com
Smart PageRank-PR3 resolved in all data centers except Google English.
Live PageRank- PR3 on the majority of IPs, 4 IPs still showing 0 (belonging to Google English), and 5 showing 0PR, but the IPs do not resolve...Apparently old data center IPs.
SEOLog Fake PR-seocog.com matches Google results url:seocog.com This Pagerank is valid PR 3!
TextLink advisor-Check Url : http://www.seocog.com Status : Valid Pr!
Ask Bee-Page Rank Analysis www.seocog.com/ : 3
Info Command-1 url returned www.seocog.com/ (indicating nothing fishy)
Yahoo IBL-Domain only IBLs 2,244

So as you can see, there are some odd things afoot here. According to the relative chart we have grown accustomed to using, which is only an estimate....These domains above do not match their expected level of PR related to their IBLs.

Case #1 YouTube...We can assume there has been no manual penalty here, yet according to the chart YouTube should be a PR 9. Having said that we clearly have no way to decide what IBLs Google has credited to any site...Their weight or otherwise.

Case #2 OurWedding Forever.....Was a PR2 before the update. According to the chart the site should be sporting a PR 2 still, and that is IF every single link has been credited. This site misses the PR3 mark by almost 100 backlinks.

Case #3 SEOCog.....Was a PR0 before the update, a fairly new site. However, the cut off on the chart for a PR3 is 900 IBLs then onto PR4....SEOCog should be a PR4, by the chart. I would not think that Google has disallowed or devalued over 1300 backlinks, which is what would take it to the top of PR3 range.

So check a few sites if you are curious....Nothing can be said with any certainty at this early point. Hell, the whole update could be flawed and we will see a correction update....Who knows. I do think however, IF Google has re-evaluated and changed the PageRank algorithm...That first of all it is a good move, and secondly it may help them in their efforts to reduce the amount of PageRank manipulation through links that has occurred, and they seem so incredibly sensitive to. So time will tell.......

*****Disclaimer I do NOT pretend to know what is going on with Google's PR, I am only making an observation. The information provided in this post can easily be verified using the tools I provided to be referenced.

Peace and SEO

Melanie Prough
"Baby"


**We Require a Link Back Please.