The term PR0, pronounced ‘PR Zero’, refers to a Google PageRank of zero. PageRank is Google’s system of assigning every page within their database a value, or PageRank number, between 0 and 10. This system is based on the amount of links to a site from other websites (or the amount of inbound links to a site). A higher value, such as a PR 9 or PR10, is a better ranked page with more websites linking to that site.
A site with a PageRank Zero, or PR0, is not the same as a site that is ‘not ranked’. A PR0 is something you want to avoid when it comes to your website as it makes it very difficult to rank well in search engine results. However, PR0s rarely occur under normal conditions and are typically the result of either being penalized by Google or not receiving inbound links after a site has been in existence for three months or longer.
It’s possible for a PR0 site to achieve a higher PR if the problem is a lack of links. The solution is to simply attain some inbound links. The solution is not as simple in cases where a PR0 results as a penalty imposed by Google. Some activities which are believed to result in a PR0 as a penalty include link farming, hidden content, and guest book signing. All three are considered to be a form of spam by Google. Link farming refers to the existence of multiple websites which evolve around a single service or product and are interlinked to one another with the direct purpose of inflating the PR. Hidden content refers to the use of written text which is concealed in the background of a page by using the same or a similar color, thus hiding the text from users but allowing it to be indexed by search engines in order to improve rankings. Guest book signing involves the continual signing and addition of the URL to the signers website on free guest books on third party websites in order to improve PR. Because it’s virtually impossible at this time to recover from a PR0 that has resulted from a penalty imposed by Google, all efforts should be made to avoid Google’s PR0 ban. Always keep this in mind when it comes to your own cosmetic surgery marketing.