Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for being found online by your prospects. While there are many ways to improve your search engine rankings and conversion rates, using Google Authorship has quickly become one of the most important tactics.
What is Google Authorship?
As we’ve discussed previously, you must consistently create fresh, relevant content to be successful with your online marketing efforts – and blogging is the ideal way to accomplish this.
Google Authorship is, in the simplest terms, a way to add credibility and authority to your blog posts by associating it with you, as an individual.
You may have seen Google Authorship before in the Google results as you’ve been searching for various terms. The search result will feature the author’s name and image next to the summary.
Searchers are more likely to click on this kind of result. We instinctively prefer human faces (especially smiling ones), and the article seems much more credible when the author is willing to connect their identity with it.
As you accumulate more blogs, showcase your specialized area of knowledge, and increase engagement on Google+, Google will begin to rank your content higher and higher against others who are not using Google Authorship.
What You Need to Do to Establish Google Authorship
- A blog that you contribute to; it does not have to be your own, although we would recommend that it is!
- Active personal Google+ account and profile; this is easy to set up if you have a Gmail account
- High quality headshot of your smiling face as your Google+ profile picture; do not use any other types of images (e.g. your logo)
How to Set Google Authorship Up
Everyone: Add the URL of the Blog You Write for to Your Profile
- Go to the “About” tab on your Google+ profile
- Edit the “Links” section
- Add the URL of the blog under “Contributor to”
Blogger Users
- If your blog is on the “Blogger” blogging platform, you’re done! Otherwise, read on.
WordPress Users
- Upgrade your WordPress to the most recent version
- Copy the URL of your Google+ personal profile
- On the WordPress dashboard, scroll to “Users” on the left sidebar
- Select “Your Profile”
- Scroll until you see the Google+ profile link box
- Paste the URL from your Google+ profile in this box
Users on Blogging Platforms without an Automatic Authorship Authentication
- Get an email address with the blog’s domain (e.g. Ben@coreonlinemarketing.com)
- Follow these instructions from Google
>Ensure every piece of content you publish include a byline with your name - If you cannot get an email with the blog’s domain, follow Google’s instructions here (option 2)
Now you should have your Google Authorship set up. The last step is to check if it’s working properly. Google has provided a tool you can use to check, called the Structured Data Testing Tool. Just enter the URL of one of your blog posts and it will tell you whether authorship is working!
The Bottom Line
Google Authorship has become a must-do for blog content that successfully ranks and converts on Google. Don’t wait until all of your competitors are using it to make the transition – by then it will be too late. Stay ahead of the curve and you’ll see the results.
Update: Google Authorship no longer includes a thumbnail headshot in search results. But it’s still important! Read more here.
>> Finding Google Authorship confusing? Need help ranking on Google? We have a team of experts ready to help you succeed online! Attend our free online marketing seminar to learn more, or contact us today.
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