From a client email inquiry earlier, advice was requested for how to evaluate their web design and specifically their sitemap URLs listed versus indexed by Google. Changes should not be alarming, especially when a custom integrated blog is included in the design. Here was the explanation for the benefit of readers.

Perhaps some of the previous URLs were archive files for the blog. That is duplicate content and not penalized but no reason for Google to index into their directory, so no worries about your overall ranking. Continue to post to the blog and I expect the PR to remain positive. I do caution, however, that PageRank fluctuations are no indication of how well your site will perform in search results. It is only one indicator of the value you provide.

The PR of my key pages “bounce” up or down year to year and recently down, yet traffic from Google continues to rise. Long term your traffic and certainly conversions despite the economy from month to month and year to year remains the key trend to analyze. Short term fluctuations should be studied for reference only unless something nose dives.

Strategy is a long term look at results whereas tactical tracking is day to day. My advice to all small business website owners is view your stats strategically. PageRank is not the cureall, and certainly losing sleep over one aspect of overall online success needs to be avoided. Changes in URLs indexed by Google are likewise normal, so be aware all site pages may not be indexed and don’t panic.