Recently Google announced they were piloting a program to start presenting author information in organic search results. As this feature is beginning to gradually roll out, I’m struck by what a huge opportunity this could be for real estate practitioners. Imagine having your quality content displaying to locals via search, with your avatar included directly to the right.
Here is an example of what we’re talking about:
Authorship Markup is essentially a way for Google to connect authors with the content they create and then show what I’m calling Visual Search Cues in the organic results. This is all done by using HTML5 microformats such as the rel=”me” and rel=”author” tags to identify your content.
How do I setup Authorship Markup with my Blog?
The first thing you’ll need is a Google Profile, which is already a good thing to have based on the fact it’s highly search optimized and Google lets you link directly from the profile to your website, blog, external social profiles and more.
TIP: Make sure that your avatar is “a good, clear headshot of yourself” and does not include a logo. If it does, Google has said that they will not show it in the results.
To establish authorship of your content, you’ll need to complete two steps:
(1) Link the blog to your Google Profile
(2) Link your Google Profile to your blog or blog’s author page
Step 1 – Linking your blog to your Google Profile
You may have noticed, with WordPress v3.2, on your individual post pages the link from your name to the author page includes the rel=”Author” parameter. That’s awesome, and exactly what we need. All you’ll need to do is add a link from the Author page on your blog, to your Google profile. The link should be in this format:
<a href=”[profile_url]?rel=author”>Google+</a>.
Replace [profile_url] with your actual Google Profile URL, which will look similar to this: http://plus.google.com/107461963711346948468. Also make sure not to delete the ?rel=author parameter
If you prefer to use a button, use the Google profile button generator
Step 2 – Linking your Google Profile to your blog’s Author page
Next you’ll need to create a link from your Google profile to your blog or blog’s author page. Do that by visiting your Google Profile and selecting “Edit Profile”. Next click on the “Links” area located on the right-side of the screen and include a link to your blogs homepage, or if you are writing on a multi-author blog you can link directly to your Author page. Now check the box that reads “This page is specifically about me.”
One last thing…Google also recommends that after you’ve completed these steps you should complete this form.
MyTechOpinion
I can see this feature being a huge hit with content creators and even searchers, especially as search and social seem to be converging. We’ll be able to spot our favorite authors easier, and with that we’ll also be able to reach out and connect from a search results set. It’s still unclear how quickly newcomers will be added to this new index, but I would highly recommend getting things setup from your end.
Here’s to seeing you in the search results!
Wow, I could see a benefit for search in our industry. I think sometime people are more willing to connect and ask questions if they feel comfortable with the person on the other end. I will give it a shot to add it to my Loan Squawk site!
Cool stuff! I agree with you Brian. People particularly interested home buyers and even those who wants to learn more about RE would be more at ease getting in touch with RE people confident enough to show their real photos. It’s one way to be sure that you are not dealing with a scammer!
Thanks for this tool!
Thanks for the great info Reggie! Would I follow the same steps to link to an ActiveRain blog?
Hi Rosi! I don't believe that Activerain has implemented the "rel=author" at the post level. When I have a moment I'll take a look and get back to you.
Ok, I'm lost on the blog end. Where do you put this info in WordPress? Is there one place and it's there? Please tell me I don't have to do for every post I write? I've got enough to remember already! Yikes!
Hey Thom,
As of WordPress v3.2 you'll notice that on a detail post pages the author name links to an author page and includes includes “rel=author” and thus will automatically take care of identifying each post with your Author page.
So you must add one link back to your Google profile. Here is what Google says on the placement of that link:
You can add your Google Profile link in several places; choose the option that works best for your site.
(1) A common footer, header, or navigation page that appears on every page. This is ideal if you manage a single-author blog.
(2) The bottom or top of each individual post or article. This works well for blogs and sites with content from multiple authors.
(3) An author profile page on your site. For example, many multiple-author sites have profile pages for each contributor; in this case, every article should link to its author's profile page using rel="author". In this case, update each author profile page with a link to that author’s Google Profile.
See their help desk on the subject here: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answ…
I recently published a post on Google's new Authorship Markup and I see this as the beginning of what I'm calling Visual Search Cues. One thing is for sure….content creators here is your chance to stand out in the organic search results set. http://www.mytechopinion.com/2011/08/google-autho…
Are you using Visual Search Cues? http://www.mytechopinion.com/2011/08/google-autho…
Hi Reggie!
I've been playing with this for hours and give up! I have the Childpress theme (Genesis) and can't, for the life of me, figure it out! Any suggestions?
Hi Debe, not sure of the exact steps you have already done, but you should know that your avatar will not instatly appear to the right of your posts. Since this is new to Google they are rolling it out slowly. Here is their quote:
"This feature is being rolled out gradually, and ranking will be implemented algorithmically, so author information will not always display in search results. "
But from my prospective by setting things up from your end now, you'll be ready to be implemented.
Hope this helps!
Hi Reggie! Thanks for your response. A couple of other agents and I were working on this last night. Theirs is working but, they use different themes than I do (Genesis Childpress for me). Here are he error messages that I'm getting…this is just the beginning of a long list of errors! (Can you tell, this is making me crazy b/c I can't figure it out! HA!)
From Rich Snippets…
The following errors were found during preview generation:
This page does not contain authorship or rich snippet markup.
Extracted Author for this page
Page does not contain authorship information (learn more)
Extracted rich snippet data from the page
hfeed
hentry
Warning: At least one field must be set for HatomEntry.
Warning: Missing required field "entry-title".
Warning: Missing required field "updated".
Warning: Missing required hCard "author".
hentry
Warning: At least one field must be set for HatomEntry.
Warning: Missing required field "entry-title".
Warning: Missing required field "updated".
Warning: Missing required hCard "author".
hentry
Warning: At least one field must be set for HatomEntry.
Warning: Missing required field "entry-title".
Warning: Missing required field "updated".
Warning: Missing required hCard "author".
hentry
Hi Debe,
You're close! I noticed on your blog (www.icharlotterealestate.com) that your content pages all include your author name. Those links all point to the author page with the rel="author"…that's perfect! Your Author page is here:
http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/author/debe/
Although I noticed that your Google+ profile link is on the "About Us" page. These two pages are different. Try including your Google+ profile link on the Author page I listed above. I notice you have a little custom content at the top of that page. Include your profile link there.
<code>
Debe Maxwell
</code>
If you're not sure how to edit that page directly, you could add the function I created below to your child themes functions.php file…we just may need to work on placement after you verify it works from Google's Rich Snippets Testing Tool .
For Genesis it could be done using a function like this:
<code>
// Add Google+ Profile Link to Author Page for Genesis Framework
add_filter('genesis_before_loop', 'mto_google_authorship');
function mto_google_authorship() {
if ( is_author('debe') )
echo 'Debe Maxwell';
}
</code>
Did this help? Any progress?
I don't know about her but that helped me. Thanks Reggie.
RT @nik_nik: Content creators just scored a bonus from Google, learn how to gain more exposure w/ visual search cues: http://ow.ly/5X7kH
Excellent Post! Thanks very useful. RT @nik_nik A bonus from Google,learn how 2 gain more exposure w/ visual search cues: http://ow.ly/5X7kH
Thanks for contacting me, Reggie! I'm just now getting back to this–here is my problem. When I get to the author page that you linked to above, there is no 'editing' on that page. The custom text is what is found on my Genesis SEO and options settings and I believe I can only enter WYSIWYG in those blanks. So, I'm off to try adding your code to the functions.php file and will be back to tell you how it goes!
Do I need to remove the code that I have on my about us page also?
Thanks again for your help!
Shoot! I got the errors again! I'm determined to figure this thing out–I do believe that it has something to do with the theme. Prior to tonight, it was deleting the rel=me so, I'm thinking that could still have something to do with it??
Google search preview
The following errors were found during preview generation:
This page does not contain authorship or rich snippet markup.
Extracted Author for this page
Page does not contain authorship information (learn more)
Extracted rich snippet data from the page
hfeed
hentry
Warning: At least one field must be set for HatomEntry.
Warning: Missing required field "entry-title".
Warning: Missing required field "updated".
Warning: Missing required hCard "author".
hentry
Ok, so to confirm…did you add this function to your themes functions.php file? Did it properly add the text link to your author page? It should have added a clickable version of your name, that links to your profile.
<code>
// Add Google+ Profile Link to Author Page called Debe – for Genesis Framework
add_filter('genesis_before_loop', 'mto_google_authorship');
function mto_google_authorship() {
if ( is_author('debe') )
echo 'Debe Maxwell';
}
</code>
ah, also I think I see the problem. You have the SEO settings for the Author page page set to "noindex"…change that from the Genesis options.
Perhaps I've confused the situation by having the rel=me in the about us menu section instead of the author area? I do have the Google+ code that you gave me above in the theme functions.php area, the noindex is unchecked now and the error is the same!
I am still unable to add this to my author page–there's no place to insert html on that particular page: Debe Maxwell
Rich Snippets…
The following errors were found during preview generation:
This page does not contain authorship or rich snippet markup.
Extracted Author for this page
Page does not contain authorship information (learn more)
Extracted rich snippet data from the page
hfeed
hentry
Warning: At least one field must be set for HatomEntry.
Warning: Missing required field "entry-title".
Warning: Missing required field "updated".
Warning: Missing required hCard "author".
hentry
Hey, you just tell me when you're tired of me hounding you!! I SO appreciate your help though; really I do!!
-Debe
I've been waiting for Google to roll this out; glad to finally see it in action. I'm going to try implementing this on my own WordPress themed blog later today – hopefully I'll have fewer problems than Debe!
Google Authorship Markup and the Beginning of Visual Search Cues http://ow.ly/5Z87E
This another great news and move from Google! Realtors can definitely make use of this, this is very beneficial. And yes, the photo should be clear!
RT @SusieBlackmon: Google Authorship Markup and the Beginning of Visual Search Cues – MyTechOpinion.com http://bit.ly/qHfPpv #horsebiz
Google Authorship Markup and the Beginning of Visual Search Cues – MyTechOpinion.com http://bit.ly/ojrwUL
This is a great idea. It's a shame that they don't allow logos though, even so, it certainly makes your search result stand out.
Great post Reggie. A couple of totally basic things it took me a while to figure out and thought I'd mention. The first is that your 21-digit Google Plus ID can be found in the address bar of your profile page. I spent so much time hunting around my profile page before I Googled it and found a reference to it buried on someone's blog post. Second is that for anyone using WP Twenty-Eleven or another "generic" Theme, you can find a Plugin to make this work. Just search the Plugins for the term "Google+" or "Google Plus." I found "Google Plus Widget" and added it to the footer of my blog posts. Now my Google Profile shows up with the option for someone to add me to their circle. Separately, I also found "Google +1" that adds the Google +1 to each post. Sorta cool. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
I find this helpful not only for Google but also for business owners and professionals. As I'd read, though Google Plus has grown tremendously after only a few months, only a small percentage really takes advantage of it, especially its unique features. So with the introduction of this option, hopefully, more business owners and professionals will be active in Google Plus and find it a great–and perhaps safer and/or better–alternative to Facebook.
Someone needs to turn this into a WP plugin
Just curious if you had any updated info on this subject?
this is great as this would make it quicker and more convenient for search engine users to find the right and credible information they are looking for by just looking at the visual cues such as the author’s photo. also, people will not have problems interacting with the author if they are already familiar with them.
Hi Reggie,
I have this warning from the snippet tool I’ve been trying to fix since yesterday: Warning: Missing required field “updated”.
I use Genesis so how do you implement the function
// Add Google+ Profile Link to Author Page for Genesis Framework
add_filter(‘genesis_before_loop’, ‘mto_google_authorship’);
function mto_google_authorship() {
if ( is_author(‘debe’) )
echo ‘Debe Maxwell’;
}
Thanks. Your help is appreciated.
WOW! I finally understand! Thanks for the information!