What Google’s AuthorRank Means for Your Website in 2013

Google is continuously looking for new ways to protect hard-working authors who provide informative, valuable and relevant content to their audience, and “punish” bloggers and webmasters who use improper SEO techniques by manipulating keyword density in their text, buying links or spam-commenting on other blogs.

For many years, the main method of ranking websites on SERP (Search Engine Results Page) was implemented through PageRank, which involves classifications based on “old” SEO techniques that are vulnerable to manipulation and “fraud.”

Google has updated their search algorithm numerous times through small-scale improvements, but for 2013 they decided to implement a major one, which may change completely the way online marketing and website ranking is achieved.

Google is ready to implement AuthorRank in 2013 as a measure of relevance, authority and information quality of a blog or website. It is a combination of traditional PageRank techniques combined with social media metrics that reflect the reputation, presence and visibility of authors on major social platforms. The entire definition of Search Engine Optimization will be modified through major improvements that are aimed at protecting both relevant authors and Internet users from black-hat SEO techniques and webmasters who use spam to create more links to their websites.

Why Would Authors Care About Google Authorship In 2013? 

Google is the company that leads the Internet search market, with over 80 percent market share. If you are serious about online marketing and building a solid online reputation and presence, then you may want to implement what Google decides is best for a healthy search market, otherwise you may be left behind and experience a substantial loss of website traffic and online visibility. If you have a consistent organic traffic, a “clean,” interactive and diverse social media presence and produce high-quality content, then Google will help you rank higher in search engine listing through AuthorRank. In fact, AuthorRank will only “hurt” webmasters and bloggers who use unhealthy SEO “magic,” spam comments on other blogs and other negative manipulation, which is why relevant and hard-working authors are advised by Google to embrace Google Authorship without hesitation.

How Will Google Authorship Benefit Your Blog or Website? 

Google Authorship will be implemented by coupling your blog with your Google+ account. It does not mean, however, that Google will favor strictly Google+ users and ignore authors who are highly active on Facebook or Twitter. Nonetheless, you need to have a Google+ account, and it is recommended that you become more active on this social media platform to achieve a higher ranking in search engine listings.

The major breakthrough in terms of SEO improvement is that in 2013 Google will start paying close attention to social media signals and authors’ social media activity and reputation. It means that webmasters and bloggers who are implementing unhealthy SEO techniques and provide poor-quality content will become irrelevant and unattractive, which may translate into a lower search engine ranking.

If you are conducting a healthy and dynamic activity on the major social media platforms, such as Google+, Facebook and Twitter, then you don’t need to change much in terms of complying with AuthorRank requirements, because you will be classified as an author with a solid social reputation.

All you may need to enhance is your PageRank through better SEO techniques, and a higher relevance, attractiveness and utility of your content. Sharing, commenting, liking, recommending and interacting on major social media platforms will send valid and solid signals to Google through Google Authorship, which will translate into a higher ranking and more organic website traffic.

How Will Google AuthorRank Be Applied And Calculated? 

Google will use several complex metrics to determine the authority, quality and relevance of your blog or website to Internet users. PageRank techniques remain valid, so you still need to be concerned with keywords, basic SEO tools, comments and link creation. However, social media signals will play a crucial role in determining the social reputation, quality of information and relevance of an author to his or her audience.

The main factors that will be used to calculate AuthorRank will be:

•  The PageRank of a blog or website, which requires the usage of basic SEO techniques.
• Post frequency and the number of comments on each post.
• Number of Google+ shares of a post or content, which reflects the importance of a dynamic activity on Google+ for an author.
• The number of Google+ Circles in which the author is included.
• The number of social media users that follow your content through Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms.
• Comments and connections made with other highly ranked authors on their blogs.

How Exactly Can One Achieve A Higher AuthorRank? 

To achieve a higher ranking in search engine listings through Google AuthorRank you basically need to implement healthy SEO techniques and become highly active and present on major social media platforms, especially Google+.

Here are a few recommendations that you may want to implement to become more visible and relevant, and enhance your online marketing efforts in 2013 through AuthorRank:

• Increase your interaction and communication with other highly ranked bloggers or webmasters.
• Use social media platforms to connect with other authors through comments, shares, likes or recommendations.
• Share your posts and content on social media platforms once you published them on your blog or website
• Increase your presence on Google+ and become a member of more Google+ Circles.
• Make informative and relevant comments on highly ranked, reputable websites or blogs.

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Written By Charles Dearing

Charles Dearing is an search engine researcher with extensive experience in the SEO field. His article mainly appear on website marketing strategy blogs. If you are looking for a complete link building software solution for your business, visit the link to learn more about a unique link builder tool.[/box]