Can Webometrics Predict the Academic Rankings of Institutes?

Webometrics can be used for understanding the quantitative aspects of web resources. The present study investigates the role of webometrics in determining the academic ranking of the institute. The extensive research was conducted on a sample of 59 reputed academic institutes based out of India. The data was analysed using two techniques viz. linear regression and classification and regression tree. From the results of the study, it was found that among all the webometrics parameters, Alexa rank and Semrush rank of the website was found to be the most crucial factor for determining the academic ranking of the institute. The study has insights for policymakers of the institute as the results of the study can be used for devising various ways to improve the webometrics parameters in order to enhance the academic ranking of the institute.