How Google Ranks Websites with Math: The PageRank Story

How Google Ranks Websites with Math: The PageRank Story
Have you ever searched for something on Google and wondered, “Why is this website on top?” It’s not magic — it’s math.

Welcome to another adventure with Namal Travels, where today we’re not packing bags or booking flights but traveling deep into the digital world to uncover how Google uses math to decide what shows up first in your search results.

And at the heart of it all is something called PageRank.

Setting the Route: What is PageRank?
Back in the 1990s, two Stanford students Larry Page and Sergey Brin came up with a brilliant idea: what if you could rank websites based on how many other websites link to them?

They saw the internet like a web of cities (websites), and each link was like a road connecting one city to another. The more roads leading to a city, the more important it must be. That idea turned into PageRank and it helped launch Google into what it is today.

The Map of the Web: How PageRank Works
Think of the internet as one giant city map, with every website being a location. When one site links to another, it’s like a recommendation saying, “Hey, check this place out!”

But not all recommendations are equal.

A link from a famous website (like Wikipedia or The New York Times) is more powerful than one from an unknown blog.

PageRank adds up all these “votes” and scores every page accordingly.

Pages with high scores get shown higher in search results, like top-rated tourist spots on a travel app.

Breaking Down the Math (Without Getting Too Nerdy)
At its core, PageRank uses this formula:

PR(A) = (1 – d) + d × (PR(B)/L(B) + PR(C)/L(C) + …)

Don’t panic — here’s what it means in simple terms:

PR(A) is the PageRank score of your site.

d is a damping factor (usually 0.85), which simulates a random user occasionally jumping to a new site.

PR(B)/L(B) means the score a linking site shares, divided by how many links it gives out.

So, every site shares a portion of its own “popularity” through its outbound links. And the more quality backlinks you have, the more credible your site looks to Google.

Why Does This Matter for You?
Whether you run a blog, travel agency, or e-commerce store, PageRank still influences your visibility online.

Yes, Google now uses over 200 ranking factors, but links and the math behind them still play a big role.

Here’s what you can do:

Do This Avoid This
Earn links from high-authority websites Don’t buy links or join shady link schemes
Write valuable, shareable content Avoid spammy or clickbait content
Use smart internal linking between your pages Don’t overload with unnecessary links
Collaborate with other sites and blogs Don’t focus only on quantity over quality
Think of Google Like a Travel Guidebook
Imagine Google as the ultimate guidebook for the internet. PageRank is the algorithm that chooses which places to feature based on recommendations, reviews (links), and overall reputation.

If your website is recommended by trusted sources, you’re more likely to get on the front page just like a hidden gem making it into a top-10 travel list.

PageRank in the Real World
Even though Google has advanced a lot since its early days, PageRank is still baked into the way the web works. It helped Google build a smarter, more relevant way to navigate billions of pages — and that foundation still supports today’s search engine results.

For creators, bloggers, and business owners, understanding how it works is like learning how to show up on the world map of the web.

Final Thoughts
PageRank is a beautiful example of how math isn’t just about numbers — it shapes our online experience. It’s proof that mathematical thinking can transform how we find and share information around the world.

So if you want your site to be seen, appreciated, and trusted let math (and smart strategy) guide your path.

Your Turn!
Have you ever worked on improving your site’s SEO or backlinks? Or do you have a favorite tool for tracking website rankings?

Drop your thoughts in the comments let’s keep exploring the world of tech and travel together