“Hey, Google! Over here! Look at me!!!” Isn’t this what we’re all trying to do? To get Google’s attention, to look at our blogs? Have you made sure to set up Google Authorship so that Google has some clue who you are?
Google Authorship? Yes. I realize you might not have ever heard of it, but doing this will help you be found online! Plus, as an added bonus? Whenever someone searches for something, it will add your photo and credit to you right next to their search results!
When you’re looking through a long page of search results, the ones with the photos definitely stand out! (This is also why I always recommend using a consistent avatar online – brand YOU!)
Setting Up Google Authorship – A Two Step Process
Setting up Google Authorship is a two-part process. Before you can begin, you will need to make sure you have a profile set up at Google+ if you do not already. You’ll need this URL in a few minutes.
Setting Up Google Authorship on Your WordPress Blog
I’ve found that for setting up the blog portion, using a WordPress Plugin that includes this feature seems to work best. I am currently using both WordPress SEO by Yoast plugin (which also generates sitemaps, another thing that Google loves when it is trying to get to know you) and the Starbox plugin, which is what makes the fancy author box at the end of each of our posts. The management software is perfect for managing all GMB properties, monitoring GMB performance.
Once you have the plugins installed, you need to go to the Users section in your WordPress settings and fill in your Google+ URL. Use the full URL for this – for example, I used https://plus.google.com/+ChristineTremoulet
Now that we have the WordPress Blog portion out of the way, now it is on to step 2! See, that wasn’t hard, was it?
Setting Up Google Authorship on Your Google+ Profile
Time to head back to that Google+ Profile that we were talking about earlier. Just a few quick, easy steps and you’ll have everything ready to go there.
- Click Edit profile.
- Click the “Contributor To” section on the right, and then click Add custom link.
- Type in the URL of your blog.
- If you want, change the visibility of your link, and then click Save.
Testing to Make Sure Google Authorship is Working
Now we are on to my favorite part! Once you’re all done, you can head over to Google’s Webmasters Tools Structured Data Testing Tool. That is a long fancy name for a rather simple page. In the test box, insert the URL for just a single blog post, and choose Preview. The results should look like this if everything is set up correctly.
One More Tip: Be Active on Google+
I know, I know. Most of us aren’t very active on Google+. Take a little time each week to post over there – share articles you are interested in along with sharing your own posts. Add people to your Google+ Circles. All of this will help your sphere of influence on Google+ grow!
Join Us for Social Media Infusion!
Want to learn more about things like this, and how Social Media + your Blog work together hand in hand to help your ideal clients find you? Join us for our Social Media Infusion Workshop where we will get hands on and spend time together and help you shake the dust off your social media accounts and make a working plan to maximize your personal content driven marketing. Yes, a plan by the time you leave the workshop. Come & join us! Promo code SOCIAL50 will get you and your friends $50 off the registration fee!
Sources
For more information, you can read the following:
- Google Support – Link to your Google+ profile using rel=”author”
- Aristotle Buzz – Setting Up Google Authorship
- Google Authorship Markup: How to get your picture in search results
- How To Setup Google’s Verified Authorship in WordPress with Yoast’s WordPress SEO Plugin
Christine Tremoulet
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Hey great article! The place where I found a problem is here: you need to go to the Users section in your WordPress settings. I could not find this users section. Any tips!?
Christine, can you help with this?
Thank you! I will have to try this cuz I set up authorship a while ago and I don’t thinK I did it right.
Susannah Gill, in WordPress there is a section with User information, where you can change your password. It is the same page. (I think you can access it by clicking your avatar on the top navigation bar as well.)
My laptop is packed in the car; when I get it in the morning I can post photos to help if needed.
Hello Vivid & Brave! Thanks for the further info, I was able find the the location to add the info on WordPress. What Im confused about is if I should enter my Google + personal page link or my Google + business page. I entered the business link but Im not sure if my personal is the master of my business page. This is my code: Error: Author name found on the page and Google+ profile name do not match. Sigh…can’t a little Google fairy just come and set it all up for me?
We are glad to hear that you consider StarBox is a must try AuthorBox plugin. – Squirrly Team
Thank you so much for this really useful post! I have followed the steps and set it up, it looks great. However, in the preview of the Structured Data Testing Tool the headline has put my website name in first instead of going straight to the blog post title. So it cuts off characters I want to show up for SEO purposes. Do you know how I can remove the website title from the search result headline? I notice yours doesn’t show up, so hoping it’s just a quick tickbox somewhere that I can’t find? Thank you for your help! Anna