Making the Most of Google Author Rank

by Eric Hoppe As the world’s dominant search engine, Google continues to reshape the field of SEO. While algorithmupdatesare here to stay, Google’s Author Rank will impact SEO dramatically. The days of anonymously posting website content are over, and who you are in the Webosphere (or at least in Google+) will influence how your content ranks in Google’s search results. What is Author Rank? Author Rank is an attempt to rank the reputation of content creators. Google recently rolled out its Authorship tool which allows you to link your content with your Google+ profile. Once set up, Google will display your profile picture beside your snippet whenever your content appears in a user’s search engine results. While the picture adds a personal touch, the linked content also allows Google to start grading and ranking the quality of your content. For example, Google will now be able to look at factors such as: *Google+ engagement *How many +1s your content receives *How many shares your content receives *How often your post content *Number of Google+ followers By adding your reputation as the content creator to the mix, your website’s ranking will likely be affected. Fortunately, it’s not too late to start building a Google+ reputation. Start by setting up a Google+ profile and then link your content to your Google+ profile using the Authorship tool. How to Set Up Your Google Authorship Account *Sign up for a Google+ account (if you haven’t already) and create a Google+ profile complete with a recognizable headshot. *Go to the Google Authorship Signup Page. *Enter your email address associated with your domain and follow the prompts to verify it. *Make sure to include your name exactly as it appears in your Google+ profile in your byline of any existing and future articles and blog posts. *After verifying your email address, go to Webmaster Tools’ Structured Data Testing Tool and enter your URL to see a preview of your rich snippet. You may need to enter your Google+ profile URL in the â€Å"author† field in order to see it. What to Do Next Now that Google knows who you are, it’s time to show Google that you’re worthy of a high Author Rank. It’s all about generating well-written, engaging unique content and doing so on a regular basis. In general, your content needs to be relevant, fresh, and shareable. The more your articles and blog posts can generate +1s and prompt users to share links to it, the better you will start to look as an author. As your Author Rank improves, you could see improved search engine results in the future. It’s not a question of if Author Rank will arrive, but when. Prepare for the inevitable by building your online reputation now.