Changes to Google Authorship Don't Damage the Value
Changes to Google Authorship Don’t Damage the Value
Search results photo or not, authorship still useful.
Google Authorship has proven a powerful tool in boosting the credibility of online content. Because Google verifies the identity of the author and links it to other content produced by that individual, it’s easier for readers to trust they’re reading information from a real person who actually knows what he or she is talking about. The recent decision by Google to remove author photos from search results has some web marketers nervous, but we say there’s nothing to worry about. Here’s why.
The Evolution of Google Authorship
Started in 2011, the Google Authorship program began as a way to tie writers to their work. It allows readers to trust the writer is who he says he is and it creates a way for Google to recognize the traffic value of individuals, not just web pages.
Late in 2013, Google began cutting back on the authorship photos and snippets shown in standard search results. Now, photos are gone altogether and author snippets or bylines link to their Google+ profiles instead of a page with samples of the author’s content, although some small exceptions exist. Finally, Google no longer selectively lists author snippets. Bylines appear for every author using the authorship markup (rel=author), assuming authorship is correctly configured. And Google isn’t done playing with its authorship search results. All this could change tomorrow.
Why Google Dropped Author Photos
Google attributes the elimination of author photos in web search results to a visual design choice. Those images tend to take up a lot of screen space on mobile devices, where Google focuses much attention. Given that the company expects mobile searches to outpace those from desktops by the end of this year, it’s a no-brainer.
In subsequent comments on his Google+ post and elsewhere, Mueller elaborated that images in search results take up lots of bandwidth in mobile search, slowing down delivery of results on many devices. They also take up considerable screen real estate on the smaller screens of mobile devices.
Don’t Panic
There has been a longstanding myth connected to Google Authorship, suggesting author photos increase click-thru rates (CTR) in search results. The logic probably arises from CTR results on images from other types of content. As a result, many SEOs took this news hard. Many expressed shock at the change, which is a bit of an overreaction. Mild surprise seems much more appropriate given that the data simply doesn’t support the premise that authorship improves CTR.
Google Authorship is still a useful method for differentiating your content from the mass-produced sludge we all encounter online. It promotes authority – and people trust individuals more than brands. Plus, you can still tweak author bylines to encourage click-thru. And don’t forget that the program remains part of Google’s extended goal of including Authorship in its overall search algorithm.
Let efelle show you how to implement Google Authorship
As experts in web marketing and design, efelle can show you how to implement Google Authorship on your site so it enhances search results with greater authority and an additional chance to grab the attention of readers. Call us at 206.384.4909 or use our online contact form to set up a free consultation.