PageRank sculpting is a search engine optimisation method used to control a webpages PageRank allocation throughout a website. PageRank sculpting is used to be based on a simple logical equation. If a website owner attached a "nofollow" tag to a link that pointed to a specific webpage than you didn't dilute any of your current websites PageRank.

PageRank sculpting helps divide PageRank amongst all the pages that are most beneficial for your website and excludes others. PageRank sculpting is used in search engine optimisation on pages such as shopping baskets, login pages and contact us forms.

In June 2009, Google's Matt Cutts stated that PageRank sculpting wasn't the most effective way to utilize a website PageRank and that he wouldn't recommend this SEO technique. Matt Cutts announced that Google had recently changed its search algorithm and now website owners should let their PageRank flow freely within their website.

He suggested that website owners should instead generate great content that would attract links from other websites and concentrate more on the architecture of your website so that it can be indexed freely by search engines.

These official views from Google on PageRank sculpting have definitely got the SEO community talking, tweeting and rethinking their policies on the use of PageRank sculpting for search engine optimisation (SEO).

Not since the introduction of the canonical URL tag has there been such a dramatic shift in best practice SEO. So "is PageRank sculpting gone the way of the dodo?" I would personally say no but I don't think it should be up there in your top 10 SEO steps you would need to take for your website.

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