How to Set Up Your Author Information for Top Google Search Results

How to Set Up Your Author Information to Display in Google Search Results

By on July 2, 2012

Google Authorship Rich Snippet

Have you seen Google displaying people’s author information in your search engine results and want to have yours displayed as well?

So many people have been asking me about Google’s authorship and how they can get their blog content to link with an author profile found through the search engine results page. Although it is really a great feature, it doesn’t always work the way you would expect it seeing as Google doesn’t guarantee to show author information in Google Web Search or Google News results. However, I’m of the mind that, when Google offers you something for free that connects your content to their search engine algorithm, you don’t turn a blind eye.

Google gives you 2 options to set up linking from your online content, such as blog posts and articles, to your Google+ profile. They are:

  • Option 1: Link your Google+ profile to your content using a verified e-mail address.
  • Option 2: Link your content to your Google+ profile through authorship.

Seeing as copying and pasting their directions on my own blog would be unethical, you can follow the directions on Google’s website to set up author information in search results.

If Google decides to play nice and show your author information in their search engine results, your authorship would look similar to this one for Matt Cutts:

Matt Cutts Authorship SERP

Before you do implement this connection, you will want to verify that you have a good Google+ profile head-shot, which can be easily recognizable. This will help increase authority, branding and human engagement.

Best of luck and happy SEO linking!

Shannon Steffen

Shannon Steffen

Founder & Human SEO at Excira Media
Shannon Steffen is a business inbound marketing consultant who helps Fortune 500s and small businesses around the world to Stand Out and Get Results by creating solid online strategies. She speaks widely on the science and art of online long-term success through strategic and creative thinking known as Human SEO™.
Shannon Steffen

@ShannonKSteffen

Wife, dog mom, Human SEO, philosopher, upcoming author, speaker, entrepreneur. Love coffee, tea, books, wisdom and helping others succeed.
It may be raining and there may be frost but I've put my mojo into full speed and there's no stopping me today! - 3 mins ago
Shannon Steffen
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