@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Why AuthorRank is the future of SEOand what you need to do about it today.

About Steven:

✤ VP Marketing, Bloomerang

✤ Published in: Search Engine Journal, Content Marketing Institute, Social Media Today, Business2Community, ExactTarget, Inside INdiana Business, Raven Internet Marketing Tools

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Before we begin:

✤ There is no such thing as AuthorRank.

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Before we begin:

✤ There is no such thing as AuthorRank.

✤ You cannot (currently) “build AuthorRank.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Before we begin:

✤ There is no such thing as AuthorRank.

✤ You cannot (currently) “build AuthorRank.”

✤ “AuthorRank” is a term invented by marketers.

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Before we begin:

✤ There is no such thing as AuthorRank.

✤ You cannot (currently) “build AuthorRank.”

✤ “AuthorRank” is a term invented by marketers.

✤ Google Authorship and AuthorRank are not the same thing.

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Before we begin:

What is AuthorRank?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Then:

Keyword Stuffing | Exact Match Domain | Link Spam | Directories

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Then:

Keyword Stuffing | Exact Match Domain | Link Spam | Directories

Now:

Good Content | Social Signals | Relevant Links

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Then:

Keyword Stuffing | Exact Match Domain | Link Spam | Directories

Now:

Good Content | Social Signals | Relevant Links

Tomorrow:+

AuthorRank@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

How is content currently ranked?

✤ Social

✤ Backlinks

✤ Onpage (Technical)

✤ Onpage (Content)

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

How is content currently ranked?

✤ Social

✤ Backlinks

✤ Onpage (Technical)

✤ Onpage (Content)

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Then:

Keyword Stuffing | Exact Match Domain | Link Spam | Directories

Now:

Good Content | Social Signals | Relevant Links

Tomorrow:+

AuthorRank@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

? ? ?

How does Google know if content is good?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

2005 Google Patent - “Agent Rank”

“The identity of individual agents responsible for content can be used to influence search ratings.”“Assuming that a given agent has a high reputational score, representing an established reputation for authoring valuable content, then additional content authored and signed by that agent will be promoted relative to unsigned content or content from less reputable agents in search results.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Digging in to “Agent Rank”

“Assuming that a given agent has a high reputational score, representing an established reputation for authoring valuable content, then additional content authored and signed by that agent will be promoted relative to unsigned content or content from less reputable agents in search results.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Digging in to “Agent Rank”

“Assuming that a given agent has a high reputational score, representing an established reputation for authoring valuable content, then additional content authored and signed by that agent will be promoted relative to unsigned content or content from less reputable agents in search results.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

1. established reputation

2. high reputational score

3. valuable content

Digging in to “Agent Rank”

“Assuming that a given agent has a high reputational score, representing an established reputation for authoring valuable content, then additional content authored and signed by that agent will be promoted relative to unsigned content or content from less reputable agents in search results.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

1. established reputation (identity)

2. high reputational score (active social graph)

3. valuable content (credible expertise)

Google Wants AuthorRank

“We know that great content comes from great authors, and we’re looking closely at ways this markup could help us highlight authors and rank search results.”

- Othar Hansson (Software Engineer, Google)

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

AuthorRank defined:

Expert content, written by established (non-anonymous) authors will rank higher than anonymous content.

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

✤ One (desired) ranking factor out of many (PageRank, Domain Authority, etc.)

✤ Content quality + author quality (reputation)

✤ Anonymous / ghost-written / outsourced / plagiarized content will suffer

✤ No one outside of Google knows the timetable / how this will manifest

Anonymity / Identity

“Within search results, information tied to verified online profiles will be ranked higher than content without such verification, which will result in most users naturally clicking on the top (verified) results.

The true cost of remaining anonymous, then, might be irrelevance.”

- Eric Schmidt (Executive Chairman, Google)

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Identity: Google Authorship

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

2005 Google Patent - “Agent Rank”

“The identity of individual agents responsible for content can be used to influence search ratings.”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Google Authorship (exists)

AuthorRank (does not exist)

What is Google Authorship?

✤ Google Authorship ties authors to their content

✤ Established Google Authorship is a requisite to building AuthorRank

✤ Implements goals of “Agent Rank” patent through one mechanism

1. established reputation (identity)

2. high reputational score (active social graph)

3. valuable content (credible expertise)

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Meanwhile, on Google+...

Google Authorship begins on Google+

rel=”author”

contributor to

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Establishing Google Authorship has immediate value

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Authorship Rich Snippets

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Authorship Rich Snippets

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Google+ Profile

Author Photo

Other Posts

Trust Factor

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Trust Factor

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Which would you click first?

Which caughtyour eye first?

Authorship Rich Snippets

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

✤ Increased visibility in the SERPs

✤ Instant credibility

✤ Link to other posts by that author

✤ Link to their social profile (G+)

✤ Higher CTR

✤ #1 ranking not as important?

Google Authorship: Instructions

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

1. Add blog / author URL to Google+ “Contributor to” field

2. Add rel=”author” markup that points to author G+ URL

✤ Easy in Wordpress: use Yoast Wordpress SEO plugin

✤ Non-Wordpress: have G+ profile URL somewhere in author bio

Detailed instructions: http://searchengineland.com/the-definitive-guide-to-google-authorship-markup-123218

“Contributor to”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Structured Data Testing Tool

http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Authorship Stats

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Authorship is catching on

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Not just webpages

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When authorship is a bad idea

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http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2286728/Can-Google-Authorship-Really-Cause-a-Huge-Traffic-Drop-Case-Study

Authorship creates content champions

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Authorship creates content champions

✤ Encourages internal/external content production ✤ Helps build author’s personal brand and authority✤ Employers get ongoing benefits from former employees’ content

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

R.I.P. Anonymous Content

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

R.I.P. Anonymous Content

✤ No more “by ‘Guest Blogger’” or “by (company name)”✤ Tough days ahead for ghost-written, outsourced content✤ http://www.wired.com/threatlevel/2012/06/wmw-arvind-narayanan/

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Identity Verification Across All Google Platforms

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Google Authorship will keep Google+ relevant

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Just use Google+

✤ Fill out your profile

✤ Share articles daily

✤ Post comments

✤ Add people to Circles

✤ +1 your articles

✤ Join communities

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What about Brands?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

What about Brands?

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rel=”publisher”

verified URL

rel=”publisher”

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

rel=”publisher” + rel=”author”

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http://www.swellpath.com/2013/01/authorrank-for-brands/

http://www.virante.org/blog/2013/06/14/relauthor-or-relpublisher-which-should-i-use/

What about AuthorRank?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

What about AuthorRank?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Watch your rankings closely.

Pay attention to Google announcements.

Grain of salt: Matt Cutts

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

“Just because a patent issues...doesn’t necessarily mean we are using that patent at the moment.

It just means that mechanism is patented.”

- Matt Cutts (Head of Search Spam, Google)

How to prepare for AuthorRank

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

✤ Establish Google Authorship (ask for rel=”author”)

✤ Build your authority

✤ Publish regularly

✤ Specialize!

✤ Use Google+

✤ Watch your Authorship Stats

Further Reading:

✤ http://raventools.com/blog/ultimate-list-of-relauthor-resources/

✤ http://moz.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-authorrank-and-get-the-jump-on-google

✤ http://www.seobythesea.com/2011/11/agent-rank-or-google-plus-as-an-identity-service-or-digital-signature/

✤ http://www.blindfiveyearold.com/author-rank

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

img via http://www.flickr.com/photos/rankingfuuta

img via http://www.flickr.com/photos/philliecasablanca

Questions?

@StevenShattuck | #MixRank

Slides: http://bit.ly/mix_rank