Google’s Page Rank system is on the outs. I know — people have been saying this for a while now, and I think to some degree they have all been correct. It’s been a much slower process than most people are used to. Marketing trends online usually fade in and out a whole lot faster.

I think Google has done a good job of communicating their own over confidence to the rest of the world. And, we have fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. How asinine is it that instead of saying to someone that they should look something up on a search engine, people say “Google it”? I get the willies if I even overhear someone else saying it.

It’s not Stable
You cannot count on Page Rank. Advertisers cannot count on it. Publishers cannot count on it. Nobody in the industry can make any solid policy regarding Page Rank, because it is bound to change several times a year. And what other reason IS there for a website to reply on ANY ranking system unless it is to boost sales or sell ad space on your site? If your website does not have a financial element, you will care less if your Page Rank is 6. In fact, you may not even be aware.

It’s Blind to Traffic
Sites with only 100 unique visitors a day could have higher page rank than a site with 5000 uniques a day. I know, because I have websites to support that example. If nobody is visiting my site with a high page rank, what REAL good is it to anyone? It’s a hypothetical award for a site that sits there looking pretty. On the other hand, my site with mondo traffic is the darling of many affiliate partners, considered the absolute authority in a niche genre, and generates the majority of my monthly income. It has a Page Rank of 2. It’s not very important in the eyes of Google, yet it is first for every single one of my keywords. I could care less what my PR happens to be for this website. I’m more concerned with traffic.

I heard Darren Rowse use Page Rank and traffic in the same sentence. Take it from me, I get a TON of traffic from Google all without a high Page Rank.

You Can’t Rely on One Source
No wise business person relies on a single source of information to drive all of their business decisions. Why would an online business allow Google and their Page Rank system to assign value to a website without figuring in other factors? If an advertiser buys a site review on a PR6 blog, that article will move to the second page of the blog with days. That individual blog article is more than likely a PR0 now and unless the blog in question has good TRAFFIC, nobody is going to see the review.

Respect is Everything
People, in general, are not charmed by Google as an entity. Any business is only going to thrive if they have support of the people who they purport to serve. As more and more businesses and individuals turn away from Google and use other online products, Google will see their edge slip away. Already, their authority is questionable.

When I have bought my cars in the past, I have obtained my loan the old fashioned way. I walked into my credit union and got my loan approved. Now, my credit union has great rates, pretty much all of the time.

That is not always the case for your typical banking institution. I suppose that’s why so many people are turning to the internet to seek out loans, especially those who are having credit issues. When you go online you can find entire companies who cater to those who have bad credit, or even middling credit. Companies like Auto Loans Mania will check your credit for you after you fill out a simple online form allowing them permission. It can’t get much easier than sitting in your office chair and filling out a few fields.

My credit was phenomenal. After my marriage, I would say I left with credit that is workable, but so very uninspiring. I’m not going to get any lenders to do me any favors, let’s just say. I can hardly wait until enough time has passed that the havoc my Ex wreaked on my credit is just a distant memory. He can keep his money issues. I like my finances nice and tidy, thank you very much.