Google Rank Versus Google Authorship

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You may or may not understand the difference between Google rank and Google authorship. One thing that is for certain is that they are not the same thing. There are differences and they are worth understanding.

The concepts

Google+ has been discussed many times before (the various aspects have been presented in an effort to provide valuable, useful information). As much as this is not a blog post about the fundamentals of Google+, it will be discussed here in relation to the tools that are part of Google+ as well as the features of those tools.

The differences between rank and authorship

As was stated earlier, rank and authorship are related but they are not the same thing.

Authorship: When you are speaking about authorship, you are speaking about the Google tool that supplies a group of approaches that connect your original content with all other places on the Internet. Google Authorship enables you to grab a hold of information about the author when you perform a search. The types of information that you will obtain will be the author’s profile photo, byline, the social communities to which the author is connected, and a link that will enable you to search more deeply for information about that particular author.

Rank: Rank is actually not a reality. It is a supposition of a search result. It is the search engine’s ability to provide a ranking on whichever topics you choose. The more content you supply, the better the rankings. Subsequently, you will be able to trust those results and use them productively to drive your business and your online interactions. Of course, it is very important to remember that rank is virtual and you have an obligation to treat it as such. There is a strong connection between your pursuing ranking information on content and your building relationships and; therefore, trust and credibility. Of the two, authorship and rank, authorship carries much more weight at the present time and you must regard it appropriately. Interestingly, Google Authorship was not created as it exists in its present form. It actually started as rank and subsequently evolved into what it is today.

The history

Several years ago, Google filed papers to let the content of authors who were experts in their particular fields rank at the top of the search engines if their field of expertise were being searched. It certainly makes logical sense that those authors should carry more credibility than someone who was not a proven expert in their niche or industry. This laid the foundation for what is now authorship. If a person does not possess a thorough understanding of what authorship really is, that person may presume that credible authorship criteria are satisfied with a profile photo and a byline, which will readily come up when a person performs a search online. That is definitely part of it but that is certainly not all of it!

It is undoubtedly true that those two elements are an important part of authorship; however it entails much more than that to be complete and comprehensive. There are many different facets of Google Authorship that should be taken into account in order to truly understand what it is and how far-reaching its scope is.

The usefulness of authorship

There is a great deal of value that can be attributed to authorship and there will be a lot of very positive results that will stem from your authorship if you present your content correctly and appropriately.

  • People will pay attention to your byline: If people pay attention to what you are doing, they will begin to form relationships with you and that is exactly what you want to happen.

  • People will be more willing to click through: The more you get your content out there in a positive way, the more successful you will be. You want people to interact with you and to become passionate about your content. If you can achieve that, your business will become more and more successful.

  • Authorship is advantageous to all business owners, including those who own small businesses: You may be surprised at how much of a splash you can make if the content that you write hits the mark consistently.

You may be asking how you obtain Google Authorship

It is really quite simple to obtain Google Authorship. You put in a profile photo (once you have established your Google+ account. It is important that your byline (which will include your name) is on every page. It is also essential that your byline matches whatever Google+ name you have chosen. Finally, you should make sure that your Email address is part of the same domain as the content that you are posting. It all must be connected.

Conclusion

Authorship versus rank is an important concept to grasp. They are both very important but they are certainly not interchangeable. It is very important for you to understand what both of them are and how you can use them for your business in the most effective way possible.

We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let’s have coffee.

Author

  • Michael Cohn

    Michael Cohn is the founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of CompuKol Communications. He has decades of experience in IT and web technologies. Michael founded CompuKol Communications to help small businesses and entrepreneurs increase their visibility and reputation. CompuKol consults, creates, and implements communication strategies for small businesses to monopolize their markets with a unique business voice, vision, and visibility. Mr. Cohn earned a Master’s degree in project management from George Washington University in Washington, DC; and a Master’s degree in computer science and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ.

2 Responses

  1. Michelle Belanger says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Music Industry Network
    Discussion: Are You Taking Advantage of the Various Google Algorithms?

    This article talks about authorship in the context of Google+. I have been underwhelmed, to say the least, with the Google+ network, and I find it about impossible to keep up with too many networks. Consequentially, I have mostly ignored it. I know the principals of engagement and building relationships apply across the board in internet marketing, but do face book or other networks use a system of ranking or affect your search ranking even if you don’t use google+ as a primary network?
    By Michelle Belanger

  2. Robert Henslee says:

    Via LinkedIn Groups
    Group: Marketing Communication
    Discussion: Are You Taking Advantage of the Various Google Algorithms?

    Many here spent a decade building organic content for G only to have them strip off organic search results and attempt leverage us with our own data. No more carrot and stick for G. We’re not falling for it again. Goodbye Google their are new players in town. His name is Mobile
    By Robert Henslee CMC