• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
321 Web Marketing logo dark
321 Web Marketing logo light

321 Web Marketing

Inbound Lead Generation Company

  • Inbound Lead Strategy
    • Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
    • Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
    • Google Ads
    • WordPress Optimization

    Would you like a free market research workshop?

    Schedule Conversation

    Ready To Turn Website Traffic Into Real Leads?

    Explore the inbound marketing services that drive measurable results.

    Build Your Lead Pipeline
  • 321 Software
    • 321leadtracker.io
    • Content Portal
    • Real-Time Metrics
    • 321 WordPress Tools

    Would you like a free market research workshop?

    Schedule Conversation

    View Our Past, To See Your Future.

    Explore the strategies, websites, and systems we’ve built for clients across industries.

    View Portfolio
  • Free Tools
    • ROAS Calculator
    • Lead Gen Benchmarks
    • Website Checklist

    Would you like a free market research workshop?

    Schedule Conversation

    Real Campaigns. Real Results.

    See how we’ve helped real clients increase visibility, lower cost-per-lead, and generate consistent inbound leads.

    Explore Case Studies
  • Industries

    • Contractors
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT
    • Healthcare
    • Legal
  • Who We Are

    • About
      • Awards
      • Portfolio
      • Community
      • Careers
      • Case Studies
      • Team
    • Blog
      • Articles
      • Guides
      • News

    Would you like a free market research workshop?

    Schedule Conversation
Free Consultation
Home › Blog › Search Engine Optimization › Algorithms Everywhere: How Google’s PageRank Works & How Algorithms Shape Our Lives

Algorithms Everywhere: How Google’s PageRank Works & How Algorithms Shape Our Lives

Oct 30, 2024 · 4 min read

jonathan-gessert-headshot

Jonathan Gessert

Looking at Googles pagerank algorithm

Man creating an algorithmGoogle’s PageRank algorithm is one of the most powerful modern-day examples of how important algorithms are in our daily lives. Created more than 25 years ago, it’s the main reason why Google has catapulted to the top of the search engine share and is now so powerful, it’s facing antitrust litigation.

Here’s a look at how PageRank, one of the world’s most important and powerful algorithms, works, as well as how other types of algorithms impact our daily lives.

What Is the PageRank Algorithm?

In 1998, two Stanford University Ph.D. students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, were on a mission to improve the way people found information online. From a garage in Menlo Park, CA, Google was born.

The lifeblood of the search engine was PageRank, named after founder Larry Page. This new and unique algorithm determined the importance of web pages based on the links between them. Previous search engines mainly relied on keyword matching and didn’t consider link structure. PageRank by Google introduced a game-changing search results delivery approach compared to earlier search engines.

By using PageRank, Google provided users with more relevant and accurate search results, quickly making it the preferred search engine by as early as 2000. PageRank by Google revolutionized how users found information online and set the standard for search algorithms, going beyond matching up queries with keywords, and looking at factors like relevance, trust and authority to provide results.

PageRank continues to be in use today, constantly becoming smarter and more sophisticated to help Google maintain its top spot among search engines.

How Exactly Does PageRank Work?

screen full of 1s and 0sPage ranking is based on the idea that the more links a web page has from other pages, the more important it is. One way to visualize it is by comparing it to a voting system. The more sites that link back to your web page, the more likely it may be seen as a valuable resource.

However, not all links are equal. A link from a reputable site, such as a well-known news outlet, is likely to be considered as more valuable than a link from a small, more unknown site. Google’s PageRank algorithm looks at both the number and the quality of links a site has linking back to it when determining page rankings.

While association with other reputable sites is important, Google also considers how relevant a page is to the search query. It analyzes keywords and content to make sure the page matches what users are looking for.

Machine learning capabilities, which involve training machines like computers on elements to look for in order to make recommendations, are constantly becoming more sophisticated to provide us humans with better services. This means, PageRank continues to evolve and is constantly improving to deliver results that focus on Google’s E-E-A-T principle: sites that demonstrate experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.

Algorithms Continue to Evolve

As the documentary “The Secret Rules of Modern Living Algorithms”, presented by mathematician and professor Marcus du Sautoy, explains, algorithms impact so much of our daily lives, they’ve become ubiquitous parts of our existence.

At their root, algorithms are little more than a series of step-by-step instructions that help provide solutions for problems. While they were first created by mathematicians, for mathematicians, they’re perfect for computers.

Du Sautoy calls algorithms “strangely beautiful, tapping into the mathematical order that underpins how the universe works”. He says PageRank is his favorite algorithm of all-time, and we can’t help but agree about how vital this algorithm has been in the spread of information that has transformed the globe’s evolution.

Do you have a favorite algorithm? Probably not unless you run in some of my data scientist circles, but if you do, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the discussion on our LinkedIn page.

Share this post

Copy to clipboard

Related Articles

Jul 3, 2025 · 27 min read

seo campaign data

Everything You Need To Know When Planning An SEO Campaign

Master SEO campaign planning with our complete guide. Learn proven on-page, technical, & off-page strategies to improve your search rankings. Read More

Elijah Millard Headshot

Elijah Millard

Jun 24, 2025 · 8 min read

SEO or GEO Infographic

SEO or GEO? Hint: You Need Both

Generative Engine Optimization helps your content appear in AI-generated answers. See why it’s the new must-have layer in your SEO strategy. Read More

Jon-Mikel Bailey headshot

Jon-Mikel Bailey

Jun 9, 2025 · 5 min read

focused businessman interacts with seo interface display

What Is An SEO Consultant & Why Do You Need One?

Stuck in SEO limbo? SEO consultants drive real growth by fixing what internal teams miss and turning traffic into qualified leads. Read More

Elijah Millard Headshot

Elijah Millard

Clutch Top 1000 Companies 2024 Award
Clutch Top Technical SEO 2024 Badge
Google Partner logo

Recognized For Results, Backed By Data

We believe marketing should be measured by performance, not promises.

Schedule Meeting
321 Web Marketing logo light

Virginia Office
1900 Reston Metro Plaza
Suite 600
Reston, VA 20190

Maryland Office
1209 North East St
Ste A #250
Frederick, MD 21701


Contact Us

Link to company Facebook page

Link to company LinkedIn page

Link to company Instagram page

  • Inbound Lead Strategy
    • SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
    • GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
    • Google Ads
    • WordPress Optimization
  • 321 Software
    • 321leadtracker.io
    • Content Portal
    • Real-Time Metrics
    • 321 WordPress Tools
  • Free Tools
    • ROAS Calculator
    • Lead Gen Benchmarks
    • Website Checklist
  • Industries

    • Contractors
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT
    • Healthcare
    • Legal
  • About
    • Our Process
    • Awards
    • Portfolio
    • Community
    • Careers
    • Case Studies
    • Team
  • Blog
    • Articles
    • Guides
    • News

Copyright © 2025 321 Web Marketing·All Rights Reserved·Privacy Policy·Terms of Use·Client Login