What is PageRank

Have you ever wondered how Google decides which website to show first when you search something?

Why does one blog come at the top, and another gets buried on page 5?

The Mater Mind behind is a brilliant algorithm created by Google’s founders called PageRank.

Developer of PageRank

In this blog post, let’s break it down in the simplest possible way — using real-life examples and analogies — so that even a beginner can understand and remember it.

What is PageRank?

PageRank is an algorithm developed by Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google, during their time at Stanford University.

It is designed to rank web pages based on their importance and popularity, using the idea of links between pages.

So whenever you search something on Google, PageRank helps decide which pages should come first based on how “trustworthy” and “popular” they are.

Simple Definition

PageRank assigns a score to each web page based on the number and quality of links it receives from other pages.

Real-Life Analogy: “Who’s the Most Trusted Student?”

Imagine you're in a classroom with 4 students:

• Alice
• Bob
• Charlie
• Diana

Alice Bob Charlie Diana

Everyone is asked, “Who do you trust the most for study notes?”

Each student writes down the names of students they trust.

Here’s what it looks like:

Student and Trust Relation

Now, let’s ask:

Who is the most trusted student overall?

That’s exactly what PageRank tries to figure out for web pages!

Key Insight

• The more people trust (link to) you, the higher your importance.
• Being trusted by already trusted people increases your rank even more!

How PageRank Works (Step-by-Step)

• 1.All pages start with equal rank.
• 2.Each page gives its rank to the pages it links to.
• 3.Pages that receive more links from important pages get more score.
• 4.This process repeats in loops (called iterations) until the scores settle.

Simple Example (Round 1 Calculation)

Let’s assume each student starts with a score of 1.

Then they “share” their trust equally among those they voted for.

Now, total scores:

• Charlie: 0.5 (from Alice) + 1 (from Bob) + 0.5 (from Diana) = 2.0
• Alice: 1 (from Charlie) + 0.5 (from Diana) = 1.5
• Bob: 0.5 (from Alice) = 0.5
• Diana: 0 (no one trusts her) = 0

Carlie Win.

Why It’s Important in Real Life?

In Search Engines:

Helps decide which website should appear on top of Google search.

In Social Media:

• Can help find the most influential person in a network.
• Platforms like Twitter or LinkedIn use similar logic to detect influencers and trusted voices.

Key Terms to Remember

Think of the web like a college classroom, and PageRank is the system that finds out who everyone trusts the most — so we know who deserves to be at the top!