Blogging and the answer to the ultimate question

Hello friends of KnowledgeOrb. This post is a little off topic from the normal space and science topics we usually bring to you. I have been blogging here on KnowledgeOrb.com for a few years now…about 5 to be exact. I started KnowledgeOrb with my son a few years ago as away for him to develop computer and internet skills (so he could get a job someday) and to give us something to do together. We started a few little web sites, KnowledgeOrb.com being the prime one. In the last few years KnowledgeOrb has turned it’s focus towards Space and Science. Taking a clue from other blogers who recommend write about what you know, I decided to craft the blog to my work occupation. I work at NASA and have received several medals and awards for my work, including a Public Service Medal (the second highest medal NASA can give to a non-civil servant) and the Robert H. Goddard award. I enjoy my work and am very fortunate in that respect. I also think I have a unique perspective on the space and science topics so this seemed like a good direction to take the blog.

That being said I used the “build it and they will come” blogging philosophy.  I figured if I was interested in a topic, others would be as well, and perhaps I could offer some thought they would appreciate. I also wanted to understand the magic (or black magic) of how SOE, and the internet works. Being a rocket scientist and all I figured I could do this, and I love a challenge. (Ok, I am not an actual rocket scientist. I build and fly satellites, but I figure that is close enough).

In some respects I have succeeded, the site gets more and more hits, but now that I have a site that does have somewhat of a following I am trying to make it even better, and more popular. I did some research and based on what I read I started social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter, I used SOE as much as I can understand of it, tuned the site so it is fast, use a great blogging platform, WordPress, and think I have a fairly decent website. In general rating services like Alexa.com agree. My rankings there have gone up. On Facebook I am getting likes etc. Unfortunately Google pagerank seems to elude me. For some reason my little blog here still has a page rank of zero. I cannot figure out why.

So while the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy answer to the ultimate question is 42, I have not mastered the ultimate blogging question in making Google page rank like me. Many of my pages such as the Live Solar Images have done well and I have “owned” the search terms (ranked #1 in Google). This tells me Google does respect my site. I know the new Google algorithm does not weigh page rank as heavily but I still have a little pride and want something other than a zero. So ….. now that my site has an audience I am sure one or two of you are experts and may be able to help me with this…what is the answer? Help a poor rocket scientist out. I am not interested in paying for some SOE company so don’t waste my time or yours trying to get me to do something which may get me blacklisted like paying for back links etc. I have worked to hard to get where I am to let it be messed up by some company.

If you find it in your heart to take a look at my site and perhaps offer a comment with some guidance I would be grateful. I am sure there are other bloggers out there who will benefit as well.