Top Web Sites by PageRank
Top Web Sites by PageRank
Internet gurus employ the Page Rank metric to qualify web sites. Internet giant Google computes a numeric value for nearly every site in cyberspace. Precise details of the computation are closely protected, but were you successful in sneaking past the guard dogs, dodging the roving security squads, and passing yourself off as a Google employee, you might learn that the Page Rank of a given site is closely tied to the number (and respective PageRank) of other web sites that link to it. Certainly nothing is as simple as it seems, but Search Engine Optimization geniuses lust for higher Page Ranks for themselves and their customers. Evidently a page with a higher rank is more likely to appear in the top 10 search results returned by a Google query.
We present a few of the sites that are extremely well liked by Google. PageRank assignments will ebb and flow, but these sites have consistently achieved a Page Rank of 10. The list tends to be short, which is evidence of how difficult is truly is to rise to the top of the Google heap.
Google.com
Google loves itself, which may be egocentric or merely confident. Google's own web site, Google.com achieves a solid Page Rank of 10, for better or worse. We've all heard of Google, we all endeavor to be searched and indexed by Google (it only tickles a little), and we certainly can't begrudge the Google corporation a little self-publicity.
USA.gov
As much free stuff as the United States Government gives away, it's hardly surprising that oodles of other web sites reach out with backlinks. Somewhere in a tiny cubicle in a massive office block on a nondescript street in Washington DC sits an extremely satisfied web master.
Adobe.com
There's not much content on the web these days that isn't encoded as a "PDF" (Portable Document Format) file. In order to read those files, Internet users are obligated to download the so-called "adobe reader" from the Adobe Corporation. The reader costs nothing, but the writer doesn't come cheap. Abobe has demonstrated an effective web-based business model where many others have crashed and burned.
India.gov.in
India produces more computer geeks, computer scientists, and computer engineers than all other countries where Indians live, combined. The official web site of the Indian government has a built-in population of web developers: of course they will all link back to their alma-mater, so to speak.
AddThis.com
What? You haven't heard of AddThis.com? You've probably got a link to it on your own site. These folks provide the link posting services that have become ubiquitous in the footers of so many web pages. All those little Twitter, FaceBook, and MySpace icons require links back to the mothership web site. AddThis.com may have found the only legitimate strategy for backdooring Google's Page Rank calculation algorithms. Their site isn't well known, but it's become part of the Internet fabric.
CNN.com
Some disgruntled web surfers refer to CNN as the "Clinton News Network", a not-so-subtle nod to the perceived liberal bias of the news provider. Other folks who are more gruntled simply link back to CNN.com news stories, polls, photos, and editorials. Regardless of the prevailing political bent of CNN's web masters, this site garners a coveted Page Rank of 10.
TheEuropeanLibrary.org
As the old saying goes: "If you publish it, they will link to it.". At least we think that's how it should go. The European Library provides a portal to major libraries across Europe. It's one-stop shopping for sophisticated web surfers around the world. Book repositories from Albania to the United Kingdom can be browsed from the comfort of your wireless connection. Feel free to travel to Europe to visit the library in person should you find visiting Europe in the near future.
Conclusion
Developing a web site with a Page Rank of 10 is the dream of many Internet entrepreneurs. For the rest of us, A PR of 9 would not be a bad thing. Keep the dream alive!