Who really cares about PR?

I thought I'd start a thread here to discuss the real importance of PR, as we have all seen web sites with lower PR than us getting higher SERP rankings.

So what is the benefit to people about getting a higher PR? Do you even care about your PR? What is the marginal benefit of getting one more backlink as you go up the PR scale?

I rank higher than many sites with a higher PR. They have not learned how to properly put their keywords into a title tag yet.

Personally alot of hype has developed PR seekers rather than visitor seekers - since they believe developing PR develops the other.

I view PageRank as an added value benefit - a bit like going to the coffee shop with my coupon card - buying 6 coffees and getting the next one free.

I don't buy coffee because I see a free one - I buy coffee because I like coffee - the free one is added value.

Another way - do you go and buy stuff to get "air miles" or do you buy stuff that you need and the air miles again are added value.

Another way - two for one sales - I don't wait to only buy two for one deals, if it occurs "that's great" - if the link makes sense I request it - and get the added value benefit of PageRank, but think it's under-productive to request PageRank no matter the cost.

PR can be very helpfull, if a competitor copies youre SEO-Tactic. Then PR counts.

Actually firestarter-de I would have agreed but to got word from another SEO that a website belonging to a student of mine - did a text copy from their site.

Their site's page PR6, student sites page PR4 and in almost all instances the PR4 page ranked higher.

Well... it currently does... it won't in the very near future.

i care about my stats to be honest - thats what its about for me.

However, it is very nice to have a means of comparison - some reference point and as an indicator of how you are doing.

Ok - maybe there it will give you a slight edge, but how often does your scenario occur? My sense is that PR has been massively overhyped.

I agree with fraggle. I use it as a means of comparison, a reference point to compare my sites with others, and generally as a reference point to see how my sites are doing.