Page Rank and 301 Redirects
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/301-redirect-pagerank/275503/
This article discusses how Google assigns Page Rank to pages that are accessed through 301 redirects. For some background, 301 redirects are used to redirect one URL to another. If a company decides to change its name, or move its domain for whatever reason, it makes sense to set up a 301 redirect so the user will be automatically sent to the new URL. It is important to use this redirect for a few reasons, including to maximize domain authority, to rebrand, or to direct traffic. This article discusses instances when 301 redirects pass 100% Page Rank, and when they do not.
In class we’ve discussed Page Rank, which is an algorithm that Google uses to rank websites in their search engine. It makes sense why domain owners care about Page Rank, because they would like to maximize their domain authority to perform well in searches. It is therefore noteworthy that the article discusses instances when 301 redirects do not transfer 100% Page Rank. This is important, because as Page Rank is an important search feature, people are always looking to manipulate their score to their advantage. An example of the way this could be done, would be a publisher linking its homepage to all its inner pages with 301 redirects. Due to situations like this, Google explains why 301 redirects cannot always transfer 100% Page Rank.
This article about Page Rank is very enlightening. It addresses the issue of Page Rank decay, and possible manipulation by publishers. With PageRank being a notable tool for Google to rank websites, it is comforting to know Google is solving potential issues with the system.