by Marcus Ledbetter | Jan 16, 2013 | Author Rank, Google, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business
UPDATE JULY 19, 2013: The information below was posted in January 2013. We have since seen a client’s author verification take place in 6 days. We used Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool to make sure the verification was set up correctly and that may have sped the process up. Now back to our previous post . . .
So how long does it take author info to show up in Google results? We’ve seen this take months (example 1 example 2), but our answer is 3 weeks. We would love to think that Google just loves us that much more than the other folks, but it may just be that they are speeding the process up as it becomes more refined.
Leave a comment letting us know the date you set authorship up and your domain/page and we will track how long it takes on an ongoing basis! (That will make this post an even better resource for those who come after you.)
We made the changes on December 21. We’ve checked daily (weekdays) since then and noticed it showing up yesterday, Monday, Jan 14. That’s actually 24 days, but we’ll give Google the benefit of the doubt and say it happened when we weren’t watching over the weekend, which is right at 3 weeks.
Here’s a quick look at how the authorship verification looks in SERPs . . .
NOTE: In Google’s example image of this author display, the author’s name shows up in bright blue. The example author is in over 800,000 Google+ Circles, which may have something to do with his name displaying in a different color than mine. 🙂
Google’s authorship verification system involves linking your Google+ Profile to any content that you write. You can do this adding the site to your “Contributes To” section in Google+, and either verifying a branded email address with site itself or inserting a “rel=author” code snippet to any page with your content. We inserted the code snippet.
[sam id=”10″ codes=”true”]
Why Bother With Author Verification?
Besides being vain and liking having your picture show up on a SERP, what advantage is there to bothering with Author Verification?
There is a lot of strong speculation that “Author Rank” will play heavily into Google’s algorithm very soon (they’ve been working on it for years) and that may make huge waves in the SEO industry.
What we do know is that authorship verification means that Google trusts you and that you should receive more click-thrus because of your picture and profile info showing up in SERPs, regardless of if it actually affects the rankings themselves.
Do your blog a favor and take just a few quick minutes to verify your authorship. And let us know how long it takes in the comments.
by Marcus Ledbetter | Dec 31, 2012 | Blogging Ideas, General, Inbound Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Twitter, Web Marketing
Are you looking to get some momentum with web traffic? Trying to figure out how to build links and bring in more customers? This post is for you.
I’ve been listening to that lavishly written classic on human relations “How To Win Friends And Influence People” while jogging lately. What a powerful book. This is probably my fourth time through the audio version. It will not be my last.
It got me thinking about how building web traffic (link building, SEO, social media) is basically winning friends and influencing people online. So it makes sense that we can take what Dale Carnegie said back in the 30s and tweak and update it some to implement his techniques on the web.
There is a great deal to be learned here for content and inbound marketers. The outline below is verbatim from Dale’s book with his statements in bold and my comments following each. Some of the points deal with winning friends (and getting links), while others deal with influencing people (converting visitors into customers). Parts 1 through 3 of the book relate to content marketing, while Part 4 is about leadership which doesn’t apply here. These comments are through Part 3 only.
How To Build Links And Influence People
Part One
Fundamental Techniques In Handling People
- Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain. In all online interactions, keep on the sunny side. This is especially true with the use of sarcasm, which never plays well in text form. Stay light years away from negativity, whining, and sarcasm. (more…)
by Marcus Ledbetter | Nov 7, 2012 | Consumer Trends, Facebook, Inbound Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Twitter, Web Marketing
My nephew Oliver illustrates the new found power of the consumer.
I am 4 pages into writing a new eBook. We’re working on an accompanying InfoGraphic as well. Stay tuned. I’m having a blast writing it.
In some of my research, I came across what I think is one of the best statements of the tectonic shift away from Outbound and toward Inbound Marketing that I have ever read. And it is not from a company that has anything to benefit from promoting Inbound. Here you go . . .
Shift of Power to the Consumer
Euromonitor International published a study in January titled “Online Travel: Shift of Power to Consumers” with the following synopsis . . .
The online travel revolution which has taken place in the last 10 years has led to substantial changes in the travel industry’s competitive environment. These are so significant to force companies to re-think their business models. In particular, consumers now play a much more central and active role, while technology players have become essential partners for travel companies. Customer knowledge and social interaction are key requirements to compete successfully in this new environment. (emphasis ours)
Those are heavy words. Revolution. Substantial. Significant. Force. Re-think. Essential. (more…)
by Marcus Ledbetter | Aug 24, 2012 | Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business, Web Marketing, Websites, WordPress
At ITD Interactive, the main thing that makes us different from other web companies is that our single focus is helping our customers grow their businesses online. Yes, we build websites, but having a great-looking website is NOT the goal. Having a great-looking website is just expected.
The actual goal of any website design or redesign is to help your business sell more, do more, make your customers happier, etc. Now – with that out of the way, we decided a long time ago to use WordPress almost exclusively for building our client’s websites. Here are 5 reasons we choose to use WordPress for business websites and think that you should too! (more…)
by Marcus Ledbetter | Aug 22, 2012 | Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business, Web Marketing, Websites, WordPress
We have a pretty short list of favorites that we feel are the best WordPress plugins around. As a successful web marketing company, we have tested and tried just about everything that is out there and have based our list on items that we feel not only are fantastic plugins – but that offer the most value to our client’s websites. When we call anything a favorite, it isn’t just because it is cool – it has to offer something really valuable to either make our job easier or make our client’s websites more effective. With that said – here is our Top 5 List of our choices for Best WordPress Plugins! (more…)
by Marcus Ledbetter | Jul 25, 2012 | Inbound Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, SEO for Small Business
You have heard the phrase and are wondering, what is “content marketing”?
New buzzwords come quickly, and marketing has more than most. One of the newest is “Content Marketing.” But what is content marketing and what does it mean to you? Content marketing is a new concept in marketing that uses content to attract potential clients, draw them in and engage them, and request a call-to-action that creates leads or customers.
It Starts with Search
Many inquiries begin with a simple search which returns an overwhelming number of (more…)
