Any small business that wants to get more website traffic and exposure should be claiming Google authorship for its content. This is not a difficult process, but it can make a big difference in the way Google ranks your blog, website, images and other online content. Doing this can not only help you get ranked better by Google, but it also gives you more credibility in the eyes of your visitors and customers.
What is Google Authorship?
Google authorship is the process in which you prove to Google that you are the owner of your content. If you’re not familiar with the way the large search engines operate, this may sound strange. However, if you’ve been keeping track of how Google has been making it tougher to rank websites in recent years you know that the rules of SEO are rapidly changing.
Google authorship works in conjunction with Google+, the search engine giant’s own social media platform. If you don’t have a Google+ account, your first step is to sign up for one. This is something that every business and website owner should have. It’s a way for you to network with potential customers and other people in your industry with whom you might want to do business.
When Google is satisfied that you are indeed the author of your content, it will display the thumbnail that you’ve provided them next to your content in the search engine listings. This is a powerful branding tool, as it identifies you before people even reach your website.
How to Establish Google Authorship
Establishing Google authorship is not difficult. Let’s take a look at how it’s done.
First, set Up Your Google+ Profile. This includes verifying your email address, uploading a photo and filling in your name, bio and location. The latter is especially important for physical businesses that want to be found in the search engines.
You can then start linking your content to your Google+ account. When you write blog posts, make sure you link them to Google+. If you have a WordPress blog, you might want to get a plugin such as Author Box Reloaded. This makes it simple to link your posts to Google+ as well as other social media accounts such as Facebook, LinkIn and others.
The Benefits of Google Authorship
Google authorship helps to make you and your business more recognizable on the internet. It makes it easier for you to rank your content. People are also more likely to click on your content when they see a snippet of you. This is Google’s way of telling the world that your content is important.
This gives people a chance to find more of your content. When they click on your name or picture, they will immediately see other content that you’ve published. While people initially are looking at one particular post, they may eventually check out other things you’ve done. This helps you get more exposure for your content. It also reassures people that you have a strong presence online and that Google recognizes your content.
Like it or not, Google is currently the most powerful authority on the web. Whether you are trying to get more customers to your local business or more visitors from around the world to your website, search engine traffic is vital. Establishing Google authorship is a way to get better rankings for your content and build your brand and credibility online.
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