Google Authorship Changes
Google made the decision to remove Google Plus profile images and circle metadata from Authorship-enabled search results. This change sent online authors reeling because, as we previously wrote about, the enhanced search result was thought to increase search visibility and online authority.
The “New” Authorship – streamlined design, retained authorship value
Google constantly innovates their product design and function to deliver a better online experience. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up with (anyone trying to optimize SEO can commiserate!), but these changes ultimately help create a more useful web.
The core functionality and value of authorship is still there. To break it down, here’s an overview of how the “new” Google Authorship has-or hasn’t- changed:
- Design streamlined across desktop and mobile devices by eliminating photos from search result.
- Click-through rate not negatively affected by removal of images. Google claims their experiments did not indicate any change in click-through behavior.
- Profile image will be included if post is listed in Google News.
- You are still regocnized as an author. Search result still links to your Google Plus profile, albeit more subtle.
- Authorship continues to help protect against plagiarism by attaching your byline to your work.
High-quality, relevant content will prevail
It’s impossible to stay ahead of the changes search engine "G"iants dictate on the web. But good content naturally evolves with these changes. Build and maintain your online authority by consistently writing content that:
- includes relevant keywords (no keyword stuffing!)
- links to helpful related resources
- is genuinely helpful and interesting (more views and shares boost your search ranking!)
Google's streamlined search results reinforce their mission to make the web a more helpful, well designed world. As web designers and content creators, we can't argue with that!