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Google Authorship and You: It’s Not About the Rank

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Google Authorship isn’t a new phenomenon; it was actually announced back in 2011 by Google’s web spam guru, Matt Cutts. Its purpose? To easily attribute and connect authors to the content they create across the web. Since its release, the authorship process has evolved and changed numerous times. If you Google around, you’ll find boatloads of posts sharing the ins and outs of setting up your own authorship, and before you know it, you’ll be able to confidently proclaim, “There is my content, hear it roar!”.

But that’s not what we’re going to talk about today. This week, we’ll discuss how authorship can change both the way you approach content creation as well as how it affects your overall strategy for digital marketing.

First Things First

It’s not all about AuthorRank. There, we said it. It’s neither what this post is about nor authorship itself. Many resources out there have discussed this elusive metric as both the key to a higher search engine ranking and as Google’s sick and twisted way of making the SEO world even more complicated. The real marketing value, both of Google Authorship and your individual AuthorRank, boils down to one thing—valuable content.

You may be wondering what this means, but think about it. Grabbing hold of the notions that a) implementing authorship throughout your business’s marketing will boost your overall search ranking and b) AuthorRank is the only thing about Authorship that matters, sounds like a pretty narrow (and risky) approach to content marketing and SEO.

With these two marketing powerhouses, it’s vitally important to keep in mind that each takes a certain level of devotion and that each is a process. These campaigns evolve and change as your business’s goals do. They reflect the marketing efforts of top competitors, and most of all, they must be able to account for changes and updates from Google.

So, What's the Reward?

So what’s the honest-to-goodness value of Authorship? Let’s break it down:

  • Authorship allows content you’ve authored to be attributed directly to you and sites you’re affiliated with. Generally, this leads to more site traffic, CTR’s, and conversions, not to mention a major boost in your credibility

  • Authorship affords additional link building opportunities and more visibility due to the direct tie it shares with social media
  • Authorship will create major opportunities for more specific measurement tactics and better analytics tools in the future

  • Above all, Authorship can play a huge role in crafting a more effective content marketing strategy and reinforces the connection between all digital marketing campaigns

And, of course, there’s always that SERP ranking and increased organic traffic. But now we know it’s so much more than that, right?

How has your experience with Authorship shaped your marketing strategy? Give us a shout in the comments below!

Content Marketing Resolutions for 2013

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As 2012 continues to wind down and we look forward to what 2013 will bring, a great opportunity presents itself to evaluate our content efforts throughout this year, make improvements, and get a jump on January 1. In the spirit of the holiday season and the New Year, we’ve gathered up a list of some Content Marketing “New Year’s resolutions” to make sure your business is ready to hit the ground running when the ball drops.

Revamp an Existing Content Strategy

Even if you’ve got a content marketing strategy in play, it’s always a good idea to take a step back and seek out areas that performed well vs. those that could use improvement. And this doesn’t just mean your digital content assets. If you’ve spent a big chunk of time optimizing digital content, social media profiles, etc., what does that mean for your tried and tested physical marketing materials, like flyers and brochures? Have these been updated as well, carrying over the same cohesive brand message, look, and feel?

This is just one example to consider when evaluating content as a whole. If you’d like more tips in this area, our team recently wrote an exhaustive white paper on the subject (and did we mention it’s free to download?).

Subscribe to a New Marketing Source / Blog

We all know the value of the Internet when it comes to gathering the latest trends, tactics, and updates from a marketing perspective. With that being said, branching out and finding a new resource can offer up better insights and give your marketing teams more fodder to drive their future actions toward innovation. There are a bunch of resources, blogs, and discussion groups out there that report on what’s “hot” among different audiences.

If your company would rather keep up with industry-specific trends, taking that route also has great advantages. Keeping up and interacting via LinkedIn groups is a great way to find and participate in industry-wide discussions as well as hear different opinions and viewpoints.

Evaluate your Brand and Content as a Tag Team

Nothing in digital marketing operates in isolation. Everything is interconnected, and different campaigns always influence and affect each other. From a content-based standpoint, one of the most direct relationships is between your content and your brand.

For 2013, it may be time to re-evaluate this relationship; does your content reinforce your brand promise and “mission statement“? Is there a solid “brand language” established for all company communications? Do these elements work together across all media and materials? Taking all of these concerns into consideration is a big step toward highlighting what makes your business stand out and carrying those differentiating factors over to the way you market and advertise.

What’s your marketing resolution for 2013? Leave us a comment below!

3 Content Questions for your Next Web Design Project

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For any business owner, the company website is one of the most valuable marketing materials. It is often one of the first points of contact for prospects, and as they say, first impressions are everything. A website’s content, when managed effectively, ultimately contributes to higher conversion rates, increased revenue, and better customer service across the entire business. But before the content creation process begins, there’s a few questions to ask yourself that will save you time and aggravation.

Do I Have All The Materials I Need?

I don’t mean cutting down the amount of work you do by reusing the content of your brochures and data sheets. Instead, gathering and utilizing the context, message, or tone from these established materials can give your brand a kind of “time-honored” consistency. In addition, users and potential customers will often respond and more easily relate to content they feel is familiar. That’s the trick—making sure your content is updated and “fresh,” but reinforcing the same message / values that you’ve established your business around.

Do I Know Who I'm Writing For?

The point above, as you might expect, leads to the issue of your audience. To attract, engage, and ultimately convert customers with a website, it’s important to have a firm grasp on who makes up that audience and what they want to see. Choosing your desired segmentation, identifying their interests, needs, and expectations, and finally aligning your content with those attributes makes for a smoother process and a better, more impactful end result.

What About The Future?

When all is said and done, what happens next? Where do you take your content after your project is complete? The good part about pondering this is that there is a wealth of options for your new web content. For example, you can create an optimization plan to ensure it stays fresh and relevant. You can also use your renewed branding efforts to update your marketing materials, brochures, pamphlets, social media pages, etc. The goal here is to form a solid information architecture with a steady stream of relevant content. No matter how you end up using it, understanding the applications of new content is a big step on the path to better marketing.

Now more than ever, great content is at the heart of all marketing, and taking your efforts online doesn’t change that. Investing the time and work into new web content is something that will have a host of benefits in the long run. Overall, thinking about your company’s history, your target audience, and what lies ahead will greatly contribute to that success.