Recently I read a great post in the SEMrush Blog discussing the end of the Google Authorship and possible alternatives to building authority (or getting credit for the content you create) and the possible improved SEO Rankings authority brings.
Google has done away with Google Authorship completely. Initially, they were just going to remove author images from the search results, but ultimately decided to scrap the entire thing.
Personally, I was a fan of GA, and I’m sure a lot of you were too. Google created a way to give credit to content creators for the work they produced around the web. This was a great concept because it:
- Allowed people to build their authority within an industry;
- Made pages with authorship markup stand out more in search results;
- Made it easier to organize content from certain authors directly from the search results page;
- Pushed traffic to your Google+ page;
- Let you see how well the content you produced on other sites performed via Webmaster Tools; and
- Spread your mug all across the internet!
The benefits of GA for content creators, marketers, and businesses were plentiful. But what it did for building authority and credibility was probably one of the top benefits. Now that authorship is gone, how in the world are you supposed to establish yourself (or your clients) as an authority in your industry?
Keep reading to find out.
Get Social Media Blazing
We’ve been hearing about how important social media is going to be for the future of search. Even though Google hasn’t come flat out and said it, industry experts like Josh Bachynski have said that social shares and mentions of your company on social media are factors in search rankings.
Google Authorship Is Gone: How Do You Establish Authority Now? – SEMrush Blog
It’s a great read and something every WordPress blog marketer should consider when they post any type of content.
Dominque Jackson who wrote the article at the end points out that Blogging is still key to building your authority.
Are You Blogging Yet?
Company blogs have gone from being a nice little addition on a website, to becoming the norm for a lot of companies. Ironically, the introduction of GA is actually what motivated some companies to include a blog on their websites.
With the loss of GA, you might feel discouraged to do a company blog. But it actually makes more sense than ever to start blogging right now. Inbound marketing and content marketing are the future of the way companies will market their products and services. A blog is one of the first steps you can take toward going inbound and gaining authority.
However, just making posts about discounts you’re offering or doing self-promotional blog posts isn’t going to get people reading your blog. Instead, you need to focus on using your blog to educate, inform and entertain your target audience. Whether you’re a lawyer, doctor, plumber, carpenter or software company, you have in-depth knowledge of your industry. Your blog is your platform to share some of that helpful information you have with the public.
It comes back to compelling content with valuable information shared on key social networks – stuff you should always be doing as you market your WordPress Powered Business! These are the basic building blocks that create a solid foundation for content marketing your business.
Think long term content value.
Think about sharing your story.
Think about how what you learned affects your clients.
Be real and have fun, there’s no better authority on you than you.
