Google Bourbon Whiplash

by Sapphire (June 14, 2005)

Anybody else getting tipsy from all the back and forth on Google’s latest pagerank update, Bourbon? Actually, it’s the little post-bourbon mini-update that only seemed to affect a few sites that’s here today, gone tomorrow, back again, oops you just missed it.

One of my domains was too new to score in Bourbon, but a few weeks later, suddenly reported a buncha backlinks and a nice PR 3. Then it had no backlinks and PR 0. It’s gone back and forth at least 3 times that I’m aware of - I eventually just quit checking.

Word on the street is, Google’s still tweaking stuff. What’s clear to me is that Google is working from two distinct sets of numbers. Mine keep switching back and forth between two numbers, not varying all over the place from day to day.

Whatever’s going on, it’s Google’s pet number, so just strap in, keep your hands inside the car at all times, and enjoy your roller coaster ride. And remember this stuff the next time you think it’s so terribly important to screen a potential link partner by their PR.