Top Rank, Page Rank, Ad Rank and search engine optimization (SEO) was a subject evoked untill very recently only in cult terms by internet marketing insiders. The knowledge about and success with the application of these factors has secured lucrative incomes for a select few insiders.
This mystification of page ranking factors was unfortunately also boosted by the secrecy surrounding the 128 mysterious search engine placement factors constituting the algorithm determining the order in which web pages are presented in response to a search query.
This has thankfully changed as Google which accounts approximately for 60% of search traffic has now officially embarked on a campaign to debunk the myth about supposed “insider secrets” and “seo loopholes” which magically secure page rank increase and top search engine placements.
google thus levels the playing field and allows anybody owning a Blog or website to now have recourse to the same official reference sources regarding the most pertinent search engine marketing (sem) considerations for excellent site and authority rank. The list of non-exhaustive Google Webmaster resources include:
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Starter Guide (PDF)
- Web Master Central
- Google Trends
- Google Analytics
- Google Maps and Local Business Center
- Google’s Official Anti-Spam Ayatollah’s Blog
This new welcome trend is in keeping with Google, MSN, Yahoo and the other search engine’s quest for greater openness and transparency to foster a conducive environment for greater trust and confidence in the world wide web.
Does this mean that we no longer need seo teachers, mentors, tutors or mastermind groups?
Absolutely not.
Just like the fact that everyone has access to the Bible, the Koran, the Bhagavad-Gita, the Constitution or Einstein’s Theory of Relativity does not mean that we no longer need priests, imams, rabbi’s or teachers – access to these great Google Webmaster Resources cannot be construed to mean that we no longer need SEO Guidance.
We should take the queu from top professionals like Tiger Woods and Kobe Bryant who still see value in having a coach and a mentor, notwithstanding the fact that are more at the top of their game than anyone else. Owning a good swimming manual does not make you a good swimmer.
The virtue of a good teacher, mentor, coach or tutor is that they help us gain a deeper understanding of the intent of search engine algorithms in the context of the dynamic and constantly evolving digital as well as social media landscape.
The emergence seo master mind groups like Social Media Science, accessible to anyone, facilitate open and mutually beneficial exchanges between experts and beginners alike on what founders Charles Hefflin and Thomas Rozof characterize as the cardinal issues underlying the “new seo” and the Number One New Job Opportunity in Corporate America for the Next 10 Years.
The bottom line in this “new seo” and “new SEM” is that search engines as brokers between content publishers and web site end-users are determined to return the most relevant web content to an end-user search query by rewarding those who play by the rules and penalizing those trying to game the system.
They do so by attributing weighted values based on a set assumptions regarding a cocktail of ON- and OFF-Page ranking factors. No one really knows the exact weight (quantitative value) attributed by search bots to each seo factor or consideration. But Google officials provide sufficient hints about the philosophy underpinning the system as in the video below explaining how ad rank works:
The prudent advice to any site owner therefore is to try to get the big picture of the Google Page Rank System and to progressively apply as many of these SEO Leverage Points as possible. The goal of site owners should be to increase the overall quality and relevancy of their site content in order to pass the scrutiny of the Google Anti-Spam Ayatollahs doing quality checks to validate the trust and relevancy synnergy attributed by the search bots.
ON-Page Ranking Factors attribute a score to the site content in relation to a search query on the basis of:
(1) Content Theming inferred from the coherence and focus of site categories/posts expressed through keywords which zoom in and describe content in verbiage to be expected from an expert in that field.
(2) Content Quality deducted according to Charles Heflin from the extend to which the site content (a) educates, (b) enlightens and (c) entertains its users.
(3) Content Presentation inferred from the seo best practices adhered to such as title tags, meta tags, site description, content categorization, content lay-out, loading speed and site navigability or internal link bouyancy etc.as illustrated in the 11 Best Kept SEO Secrets by Vishen Lakhiani and Reinig.
(4) The Trust and confidence invoked by the site in the mind of its users.
OFF-Page seo factors by contrast attribute a score to the web content in relation to a search query on the basis of:
(a) Site Association judged by the outbound links revealing whom the page links with – like good parents search engines do not like like their kids hanging around with certain types of associations;
(b) Site Popularity with Peers judged by inbound backlinks from authority sites and
(c) Site Popularity with Users inferred from inbound user-generated links in the form of comments, votes, recurrent visits and interaction amongst the site community etc.
In the 2nd out of the planned 9 top ranking factor essays we will present the complimentary approaches of four leading SEO experts on Content Theming. The first is Richard Dennis, Ezine Article Expert and author of Net Traffic Machine. The second is Dr. Andy Williams, creator of FatContentCreator and author of EZSEO Ezine. The last group is composed of Sue Bell and Russel Wright authors of the KRAKKEN software and the highly respected Themezoom Blog.
In the remaining 7 essays we will illustrate the approaches of other experts on the remaining and ON- and OFF-Page SEO Leverage Points to hopefully remove any confusion about the distinction between the “top rank”, “page rank”, “ad rank”, “authority rank” and “search engine optimization”. Sign-up for the RSS feed to ensure that you do not miss any one of the 9 top ranking factor essays.
The quest for top rank is not an end in itself, but a means to an end – which is to attract targeted visitors interested in engaging and interacting with the content being presented. Engaging and interacting in terms of participating in the conversation either through a comment, bookmarking it, voting it up or down, sharing it with friends, recommending it and buying or voting for it with the wallet.
PS. Do not hesitate to let us know if you wish your website or Blog url to benefit from the critique of our expert guests in order to gain invaluable advice for a better ranking score of your site.
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