# PageRank PageRank is Google’s 1998 algorithm that scores a page by the importance of pages linking to it, shared across their links, with a damping factor. Google retired the public 0 to 10 toolbar in 2016, but PageRank in some form still feeds ranking as of 2026. This page shows what that means for a small site and what you can do. Updated 2026-09-14 · Source: https://porteur.ai/glossary/pagerank ## What PageRank means for a small site Treat PageRank as link value flowing through the web and your own site. Links from important pages pass more value. A page linked from nowhere has none. You cannot see a Google PageRank score. You can see effects: which pages earn links, which pages you link to from navigation, and which are orphaned. - A few good backlinks can lift a small site more than many weak ones. - Your internal links decide where earned value ends up: pricing, features, docs or a post no one needs. - Orphan pages, like /guides/new-feature with zero links, will not rank, even if the content is strong. ## How to read or infer PageRank today There is no live Google checker. Use signals you do have to infer where link value sits and how it flows. 1. **List pages with backlinks** Export referring pages to your site from a reputable link index. Note which URLs get the strongest links, for example /blog/compare-x-vs-y. 2. **Map internal links** Crawl your site. Count links in header, footer and body to key targets like /pricing and /guides/getting-started. Check for orphan pages. 3. **Check click paths** In product analytics, see which navigation links users click. The 2010 ‘reasonable surfer’ idea weights links by likelihood of click, so placement matters. 4. **Compare rankings** Pages that rank broadly tend to sit on stronger link value. If /features/automation ranks on many queries, it likely receives and passes more value. A practical reading, as of 2026: links from important pages count more, a page linked from nowhere has none, and internal linking distributes what a site has. ## What to do on a small site - Route value to money pages: add clear body links from strong posts to /pricing and /features. - Tighten navigation: ensure your top categories and best guides are one click from the homepage. - Fix orphan pages: link each new page from at least one indexed page, for example add it to /guides and a related post. - Consolidate duplicates: if /blog/guide and /guides/guide target the same query, 301 one to the better page and update internal links. - Earn a few right links: publish one guide worth citing, for example “/guides/how-we-compare-to-X”, and pitch it to three relevant sites. A fixed page looks like this: /blog/state-of-industry links in the intro to /pricing with a descriptive anchor, for example “pricing for teams”. ## Internal linking and distribution Internal links divide and direct what you have already earned. Sitewide links pass value too, but body links in context likely matter more to users. - Use descriptive anchors, for example “compare plans” not “click here”. - Link up the hierarchy: posts link to categories, categories link to core pages. - Avoid long link lists: dozens of low value links from the footer dilute focus. - Update old winners: add a fresh link from /blog/2022-winner to your 2026 target page. ## Traps and dead ends > Do not chase “PageRank checker” scores. The public toolbar number, 0 to 10, was retired in 2016. - Buying bulk links risks penalties and rarely sends real value. - Nofollow links do not pass PageRank. They can still send users and awareness. - JavaScript-only links may be missed if not rendered or crawlable. Use proper anchors for important links. - Excessive cross-linking unrelated pages wastes crawl and user focus. ## Questions ### Is Google still using PageRank? Yes, Google has said PageRank in some form remains one of its signals as of 2026. You cannot see a score, so focus on earning and routing link value that helps users. ### Is PageRank named after Larry Page? Yes. PageRank was introduced by Larry Page and Sergey Brin in 1998. It models importance flowing through links with a damping factor. ### What happened to the Google toolbar PageRank? Google retired the public 0 to 10 toolbar number in 2016. Any tools claiming to show that exact value now are not reading a Google metric. ### How does the ‘reasonable surfer’ idea change links? It suggests links are weighted by the chance a user will click. Prominent, contextual links likely carry more weight than buried or boilerplate links. ### Can internal links improve PageRank? Yes. Internal links decide how your site distributes the value it has. Add relevant, crawlable links to push value toward pages that matter to your business. ## Read next - [Internal link](https://porteur.ai/glossary/internal-link): An internal link is a link between two pages on the same site. Use them to show which pages matter, pass context with anchor text, and lift rankings. - [Backlink](https://porteur.ai/glossary/backlink): A backlink is a link from another site to yours. See what counts, how to check links, dofollow vs nofollow, and what a small site can expect. - [Internal linking for a small site: which pages link to which](https://porteur.ai/guides/internal-linking-for-seo): Decide which pages rank. Build hubs, write clear anchors, fix orphans, and crawl your site to map links you control. - [Orphan pages: finding the pages nothing links to](https://porteur.ai/guides/orphan-pages): Find orphan pages on your site, why they happen, how to compare crawl, sitemap and Search Console, and what to do: link, merge, redirect or remove. - [The Links report in Search Console: what it shows and what it hides](https://porteur.ai/guides/search-console-links-report): What Google’s Links report really shows, why counts differ from Ahrefs or Semrush, and two jobs it is good at on a small site. - [How to get backlinks for a small product site](https://porteur.ai/guides/how-to-get-backlinks-for-a-small-site): What to build, who to ask and how to measure. A founder’s plan to earn backlinks without spam or spend, with examples and a checklist. Want to see where your link value likely sits today and which pages to link next, from a URL, in about thirty seconds, free, with three full findings? Try Porteur. Free check: https://porteur.ai/