I rarely link to other sites from any of my sites. Generally I will only link to an authority website or a major PLC, and a public name. Sounds crazy and against everything I believe but #1 When I do this the PR of the page that links to these trusted sources goes up! #2 occasionally but perpahps a co incidence the serps go up Am I crazy or does pr sometimes flow backwards?
This would be worth experimenting. I've heard that linking to similar sites could be helpful. I'm not sure what effect it would have linking to an authority/trusted site.
I have found that linking to sites relevant to the pages content does help PR, or the weight of that page and the rankings. If a user is on page about "topic" isn't it good for the user to give them "topic" realated sites to go to? I think this is a reason why Google really likes blogs.
I've tested this quite a few times. First was around 2003 with the rumour linking to Google will help your SERPs. Tried it on 5 sites, no change. Also tried it on other authority sites, actually one of my pages that referenced a related Wiki page dropped 5 spots which was the only noticeable difference. Also the pages on the same sub-level received the same PR regardless of linking to authority or not. It wont do enough good or harm either way from my testing, so if it improves user experience then why not.
That's my thinking as well. I've been reading through Matt Cutt's blog for verification of this but haven't found much.
Guys what I mean is quite profound. Try it. There are 5 or six of us here, lets experiment. Built a links page max I step from index and link to the highest most trusted pr you can find on your niche, and also to a few similar sites of high pr listed on DMOZ. I wager you $10 dollars the PR of that page will be higher than most other pages on your site.!!!
It defiantly doesn't help your PR but PR doesn't mean anything and certainly doesn't determine your page's rank in the SERPs (i know it means page rank but it only refers to backlinks). My experience in linking to trusted sites has been nothing but good, I drop a link here and there to wikipedia, about etc.. I don't just put them at the bottom of the page but as a reference point in what I am talking about.. Has always helped my pages increase in rank rather quickly.
What you probably heard a few years back guys was a rumour that has originated from a linkbait tactic some larger websites used to gain backlinks. Its was simply "We are an authority website so linking to us will give you higher PR and better SERPs bla bla bla"
I added a new page to a site with natural outgoing links to other sites with page rank. Within two days the new page was showing a PR4 on the toolbar. This only lasted a day or two and the site went back to none. So, what I get from this is that the PR may indeed flow back for some reason or another.
No I heard it and dismissed it. This is the page that origionally made me notice this. http://www.aplaceinthesunlive.com/ourSponsors.htm The site was new a year ago and was PR two This page was PR 5! The links were to banks back then incidentally
Your Contact Us, Overview, Property News, Property Investment etc which are all one click from the Homepage are also PR5 also so why do you think the Sponsors page on the same sub-level with the same PR is any different?
The wheel goes round but the hampster is not home. As I said it was a PR 2 site but the sponsors page was PR 5
I had a PR5 calendar.php page that had no backlinks and was 4 clicks from the PR3 homepage. Actually 80% of my websites have a higher inner page PR despite virtually no backlinks compared to the homepage. It happens and no, PR does not flow backwards from a site you link to.
That normally happen when you change the page title half way through. e.g www.mysite.co.uk then becomes www,mysite.co.uk/home The page is viewed differently and PR is deflected since the destination page is no longer there
The reason most 'links' pages get PR and SERPS is this: They get a sitewide link from your whole site! Every single page on your site gives it a little link juice. (Yes! Even the PR 0 pages.) With all that link juice together, you get a high PR and SERPed page.