I can see PR Updates. No joke.

[flyerguy]

I recently noticed how strange it was that all the ASP dynamic pages in my storefront hadn't received any PR, even during the last visible update.

The URL's are like this: www. domain.com/default.asp?pg=pagename.

I noticed from my logs visitors hitting the same page, but without the the 'default.asp', so:

www. domain.com/?pg=pagename

It returns the same page.. BUT with pagerank.

Pages I have added in the last five days have visible PR4 (my root site PR) by using this shortened URL method.
I have no idea why this is the way it is but it is definite proof that the backend PR system has not changed.

Anyone wants proof PM and i'll give you some example URL's.

Maybe some bright spark can extrapolate a way to hack the real PR out of any page using this method and I will be a SEO hero.

[creative craig]

This happens because the toolbar only returns the data about the index page. The dynamic string has no PR it is the actual url that is carrying the PR.

Same if you look at:

www.domain.com/default.asp=?1234=1234=id4

www.domain.com/default.asp would be carrying the PR and not the actual string.

This is my interpretation of how it works, it may be a little off.

[trillianjedi]

www. domain.com/?pg=pagename

Is that page in the google index?

TJ

<Edit>Re-phrasing...</edit>

[edited by: trillianjedi at 4:23 pm (utc) on Sep. 3, 2004]

[flyerguy]

lol you are correct.

I just added a /?pg=test and sure enough instant PR4.

I'm still confused about how SE's index such pages.. guess thats why everyone suggests an ISAPI rewrite. Too late for me though don't want to pooch 6 months of seo'ing.

[creative craig]

is probably not in the google index, in which case the toolbar takes a guess

I have not seen the toolbar taking a guess in PR for a while now, I remember when it used to but now all I get is a blank white bar if the page is new.

[trillianjedi]

CG - yes, you're right. It's Friday and I'm tired.

But wasn't life much more fun with toolbar PR guessing and googledances?

TJ

[creative craig]

They are getting better at indexing dynamic strings in the url. I can think of a site that recently had a very large jump in the amount of pages indexed and had some of the worst URLS I have seen for a while, but Google has fully indexed a large portion of the pages.

[creative craig]

True, I used to look forward to the Googledance every month. Now its just the toolbar update and the daily adsense figures that excites me ;)

[flyerguy]

Trillian,

Yes these new pages show up in the G index but with their full string:

www. domain.com/default.asp?pg=pagename&specific=variable

etc.

[Liane]

But wasn't life much more fun with toolbar PR guessing and googledances?

Sigh, I miss the dance. It almost made "Google watching" a monthly sport ... like Monday night Football. Although I kinda like the rolling update, it really took the comraderie out of our "armchair sport"!

I also think the rolling update took the heat off Google to a certain degree. Part of the problem may have been when WebmasterWorld started naming the updates. People were able to readily identify exact time and date things changed and what changed. For instance, I don't think anyone here will ever forget "Florida"! I know I won't.

Now ... with the rolling update, nobody is able to "exactly pinpoint" what happened and when.

[macrost]

Oh Florida, how I remember you! I dropped from a 5 to a 0, but now have recovered very well.