These days, after the latest changes in the Google algorithm and SERP, the quality of your content has never been more important. As search engines become more sophisticated, they emphasise the credibility and authority of content creators. This brings us to the concept of author authority, a critical factor in content credibility and search engine rankings.
If you are wondering how to create authoritative content for google our 6 Tips to create authoritative content can be of interest to you, but, do you know how Google identifies and scores authors? We think it’s important to understand how an author can build authority and get a high-quality score from Google, which offers all of the relevant information that positively impacts the authorship score accessible.
Recommended reading: Six tips to create authoritative content
What is author authority?
In the past, Google assessed author authority through the Google Authorship program, which linked content to authors’ Google+ profiles. Despite the program being discontinued in 2014, the underlying principles still influence how Google evaluates content. While Google no longer explicitly states they evaluate author authority in the same way, the focus on E-E-A-T in their guidelines indicates that the credibility of content creators remains vital in search rankings.
Author authority in the context of SEO refers to the level of trust and credibility an author commands within a specific industry or field. Author authority is different to general site authority. Site authority refers to the overall credibility of a website, while author authority focuses on the individual content creator.
Components of author authority (E-E-A-T)
- Experience: The extent of first-hand or life experience for the topic.
- Expertise: The depth of knowledge and qualifications of the author.
- Authoritativeness: Recognition and reputation within the industry.
- Trustworthiness: The extent to which the page is accurate, honest, safe, and reliable.
Why is it important to build authority?
Google’s perspective now
Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines offer insights into how the search engine assesses content creators. According to these guidelines, the credibility and background of authors are critical in evaluating page quality. Authors with demonstrated expertise and a strong reputation contribute positively to content evaluation.
Online personal profiles assist Google in contextualising authors and linking them to their social media profiles and associated domains. Including author boxes or collections within these profiles helps Google attribute content to the correct authors. Using an author’s name isn’t always enough because of potential ambiguities.
Pay attention to your author’s descriptions and keep them consistent, as Google can use this to check the validity of the entity compared to similar names.
Content and author vectors can be compared in vector spaces, where the distance between them indicates the probability of authorship.
Three dimensions of Google ranking include document-level, domain-level and entity-level. At the domain level and entity level, assessment involves a comprehensive evaluation of the author’s overall quality. E-E-A-T is primarily related to thematic areas and functions as an evaluation layer that examines collections of content and off-page signals concerning entities like companies, organisations, individuals, and their domains. This gives a complete picture of the author’s experience, expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) affecting your rankings.
Who qualifies as a high authority?
According to Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, qualifying as a high authority depends on the topic and context of the content. For example:
- For health, finance, or science-related articles, biographical information, professional qualifications, and online discussions are good sources of reputation information.
- For non-academic or non-science creators, such as influencers and content creators on social media platforms, biographical details, news articles, and even comments by other influencers in their field are used to validate the author’s reputation.
Why does it matter for SEO?
Impact on search rankings
There is a direct correlation between high-authority authors and improved search engine rankings. Pages are more likely to be favoured by search engines and given more visibility if the content is created by credible authors. Real-world examples show that authoritative authors can significantly impact site performance.
User trust and engagement
Content that’s written by credible experts leads to higher user trust and engagement, which means they spend more time on the pages and there are fewer bounce rates because users will interact more with content from trusted sources.
Content differentiation
Author authority helps to elevate content and differentiate it from less trusted sources thanks to unique insights and well-researched information by recognised experts.
Google’s 2023 helpful content update
The Helpful Content Update from Google in 2023 emphasises content that provides genuine value to users. This update is closely tied to author authority, as it reinforces the need for content created by knowledgeable and credible authors. The update highlights the importance of authoritative content, helpful, user-centric content often produced by authoritative authors.
Does adding author bio pages help SEO?
Importance of author bio pages
Author bio pages are important for establishing author authority and highlighting quality content. They provide a platform to highlight the author’s credentials, expertise, and contributions, so search engines and users can recognise the author’s credibility.
Benefits for SEO
According to Google’s Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines, each website and web page should clearly state who wrote the content. Understanding the reputation of the website and the content creator is an important part of page quality rating. Adding author bio pages can:
- Enhance credibility: Detailed author bios can enhance the perceived credibility of the content.
- Improve search rankings: Author bio pages can help improve search rankings by aligning with Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T.
- Increase user engagement: Users are more likely to trust and engage with content from authors that have transparent and accessible credentials.
Best practices for creating effective author bio pages
Comprehensive author bios
Include detailed information about the author’s background, qualifications, and experience. Highlight relevant certifications, degrees, and industry-specific training.
Use of schema markup
Implement the author schema markup best practices to help search engines recognise and show author information effectively..
Here’s an example that applies the author markup best practices:
“author”:
[
{
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Willow Lane”,
“jobTitle”: “Journalist”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com/staff/willow-lane”
},
{
“@type”: “Person”,
“name”: “Echidna Jones”,
“jobTitle”: “Editor in Chief”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com/staff/echidna-jones”
}
],
“publisher”:
{
“name”: “The Daily Bug”,
“url”: “https://www.example.com”
},
// + Other fields related to the article…
}
Regular updates
Keep author bio pages updated with the latest achievements, publications, and credentials so they remain current and relevant.
Visual elements
Add professional photos and links to social media profiles for a more engaging and trustworthy bio.
Links to published works
Add links to other articles and content pieces authored by the individual to show their expertise and body of work.
6 steps to implement and improve author authority
- Building author expertise
- Encourage authors to gain relevant certifications, degrees, and industry-specific training, and to promote continuous learning where possible to improve their credibility and expertise.
- Guest posting and speaking engagements
- Encourage authors to contribute to reputable industry publications and participate in webinars, conferences, and other speaking engagements to expand their reach and improve recognition
- Leveraging social proof
- Providing testimonials, reviews, and endorsements from recognised industry figures is another way to improve authority and trustworthiness.
- Consistent content creation
- Regularly publish high-quality, well-researched content under the author’s name, focusing on creating comprehensive, long-form content that offers value to highlight the author’s authority.
- Engaging with the community
- Actively participate in industry forums, social media, and discussion groups to build connections with the audience, which also improves credibility and recognition.
- Monitoring and measuring author authority
- Use tools like Google Analytics and social listening tools to track the performance and impact of author content and regularly review and update profiles and credentials to stay relevant and provide up-to-date information.
Author authority is pivotal in SEO success. By building and showing expertise, engaging with the community, and consistently creating high-quality content, authors canimprove their authority significantly and positively impact their site’s search engine rankings. Embracing these strategies aligns with Google’s guidelines while making sure content stands out in a digital landscape that’s becoming more and more competitive.
Find out how our premium writers at Key Content, with high authority in various topics and niches including travel, health, finance, and more, can elevate your content strategy. Contact us today to get started!
