In past articles, we’ve discussed Google + Local Pages as a way to help get your page ranking higher in the organic search results, but now let’s discuss Google’s Authorship program and how that can help your marketing efforts. Those of you who read this column on a regular basis know that I’m a firm believer in doing whatever you can to stretch your marketing dollars. I see Authorship as one of those freebies that come your way and all you have to do is take advantage of it. Authorship from Google is one of those things you can use to gain some additional recognition online.
Who can use Google Authorship? What steps must you take to make this occur? Where can you use Authorship? How can you get Google to recognize you as an author? How can authorship help promote your business? Is this something that makes sense for your business? How do you get started with Authorship recognition?
Anybody who writes a blog, content for a website, publishes books, or articles can apply for Google Authorship recognition. When building your digital footprint, anything you can do to make yourself standout and easier to find is a benefit. When you have Authorship and somebody searches for your company online, Google includes your picture along with your listing making you more visible and easier for your customers to identify. In addition, it puts a face with the company name and increases your awareness.
If you write articles for your website, contribute to an online newsletter or write a blog, then you might want to consider applying for Authorship recognition. Even if you only write posts to your business facebook page, it’s just another way to stand out from the crowd. Anything that makes you visible is good for your marketing efforts and worthy of your attention.
Let’s discuss Google Authorship recognition and discover how to apply for it. Authorship is essentially a recognition system that Google uses to promote publishers of content whether it’s on a blog, a website, a book, eBook, or an article. You may have noticed that when you do a Google search for a topic, that you sometimes see links that have a person’s picture located just below the bold headline of the article. This is what Google does to make these content providers more visible. If you Google my name, you will see an example of what I mean.
To apply for Authorship recognition, you must first create a Google + account. If you don’t have a Google +, account go to www.plus.google.com and sign up for an account. Follow the instructions to setup your account and then edit the profile area and scroll down to the bottom of the page to where it says “Contributor to” there you will list the websites to which you provide content. You can also register as a contributor to your company website if you have a company email address. Using an email address is probably one of the quickest ways to establish your Authorship.
As a marketing tool, use Authorship to gain recognition for any contributions that you make to your company website or to a facebook group or page, and any articles you may write. What this does is give you a greater presence on the web and it gives you more credibility. In addition, I think having Authorship makes sense for every business in order to keep increasing its digital footprint. A digital presence is cost effective, and it’s the first place people go when they want information. People search for information either by smart phone, by tablet, or by computer. You must have a major presence online and Authorship can help you get there.
Another feature of Google Authorship is Google Author Rank. Author Rank will protect your content from people that steal it or scrape it from your site in the sense that Google will know that you are the original author of the content. Once introduced, authors with higher Author Rank will have their work more easily found. Google will rate it higher and you will find it listed higher in the organic page rank. Ultimately, if you’ve done a good job providing good content, you’ll receive a higher ranking and it will help you when you promote your business.
Consider setting up a Google + account and connecting to as many people as you can. A Google + account, has additional benefits to increase your online presence. When you publish to your Google + content, Google indexes it very quickly. If you share a post you didn’t write and put key words in the title, Authorship will make sure that the post appears high in the organic search results. If you think about this for a little while, you can see how this can provide you with significant benefits if used strategically.
My website contains links to all the marketing articles I’ve written for the HVAC-Talk Newsletter. If you are interested in pre-purchasing a copy of my new book, Navigating the Marketing Maze, click here. If you need a branding consultation, a complete strategic marketing plan, or help with marketing services, call or send an email to discuss your needs.
Andy Fracica is president and CEO of Fracica Enterprises, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in marketing, and social media strategy. He has over 30 years of sales, marketing, and product management experience in the heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) industry. He concentrates on helping companies deliver their message in an ever increasingly crowded market by helping HVAC dealers market themselves with less ($). Contact him at 260-338-4554, [email protected] or visit the Fracica Enterprises, Inc. website.