Google+ Authorship

Here is a small step-by-step guide on how to setup authorship with Google+, get your face on the search result pages and start rockin’ the CTR’s.

Step 1

Google+ Page

• You need firstly a Google+ page if you don’t already have one, this ensures that the Authorship feature works
• If you don’t have one, then get yourself a Google+ profile: – https://plus.google.com
• You need to use a clear photo just of your head (it is an important point, use a photo similar to a passport photo)
• Go to edit profile then click on the +1 tab and check “Show this tab on your profile” Now save

• Go to the about section and click on “Contributor to”, now add a link to the blog or website that your articles will appear on

• Copy the URL of your Google+ page, it should look like this;

Our SEO’s Google+ page: https://plus.google.com/117330142983424372845

Step 2

Connect Your Content to Your Google+ Page

You have three possibilities here, you can either use a simple plugin for your WordPress blog (we use Yoast), you can directly link from your Blog or Article to your Google+ page, or can connect your email account to your Google+ page.

Sounds complex but it is a very simple process!

1. WordPress Blog with Yoast

• Install Yoast SEO for WordPress plugin on your WordPress Blog
• Fill in all your personal data in your Profile (add as much as you want here, but you must add your name)
• Under the contact information section add your Google+ page URL and any other contact info

• Google can now see whatever article or blog post the owner of this Google+ page has written

2. Link Direct from your Blog Post or Article

When you don’t want to install a WordPress plugin or you don’t have a wordpress blog, then you can directly link from your blog post or article to your Google+ page.

• You must use this link on your blog post or article that links to your Google+ page:
  <a href=“[Google+ Profile URL]?rel=author“>Google+</a>
• For example here is the link I would use:
  <a href=“https://plus.google.com/117330142983424372845?rel=author“>Google+</a>
• It is very important that the ?rel=author parameter is included
• Google can now connect your content to your Google+ page

3. Connect Your Email Account with Your Google+ Page

• For this way to work you need an email account that is on the same URL as your articles or blog posts will be located
  1. eg: test@rockit-internet.de > rockit-internet.de is the same URL as the email
• You now need to submit your email address to Google – Authorship
• You only need to submit your email address once no matter how many articles or blog posts you write
• Whenever you write an article you must write your name as the author (eg. Written by ……), and make it exact to the name of your Google+ page
• Due to your email address Google can now see what content you have written

Step 3

Test It

You can use this tool to see whether the Authorship feature works or not.

• Go here: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets
• Select Author from the drop down menu
• Add a URL of an article you have written (Sorry Mr Cutts!)
• Click preview
• When everything works you should see a Google SERP example with:
  1. The post or article information
  2. Your photo
  3. Your Google+ link
  4. How many Google+ circles you have
• Here is an example of what you should see;