Claim Google Authorship for Your WordPress Website

Hopefully you’ve already caught the importance of Google Authorship, the mechanism by which Google’s search engine rankings can be influenced byAuthor Rank.

If you haven’t, Google Authorship basically amounts to the biggest shakeup in search since the link. It’s Google’s way of identifying the author of a piece of content to factor it as a signal of content quality.

We realize that most writers and online publishers don’t have tons of time to sift through excessively geeky posts involving underlying website code (rel= “author” or rel=”me” anyone?).

Also, the process up until this point has been confusing, to say the least. Now, that tedious code and confusion is not necessary.

Easily Claim Google Authorship with the Genesis Framework for WordPress

It’s a truly exciting time for online writers because high-value content that attracts, entertains, informs, and engages enhances the author’s authority, instead of only page or site authority. This in turn will kick in the Author Rank effect, which are search signals that are directly associated with you.

If you’re using WordPress, you’re hopefully already running the newest version (3.5) on your site. Our StudioPress division just released a new version of the Genesis Framework for WordPress with a similarly streamlined feel.

Now, with the beautiful designs, SEO benefits, and added security of Genesis also comes an effortless connection to Google Authorship.

We’ve made it very easy to get Google to associate your content with your Google+ profile. Here’s how.

How to Setup Google Authorship in 3 Easy Steps 

1. Add Your Google+ Profile Link

Go to the edit user screen (and to your profile, if you have multiple authors) in your WordPress dashboard and scroll down until you see the option box for your Google+ profile link. Copy your Google+ profile link and paste it into the Google+ option box. Here’s my Google+ profile link, to give you the right idea:

https://plus.google.com/+NavnishBhardwaj/

2. Add a Google+ Contributor Link

Now you’ll need to add a reciprocal link back from your Google+ profile to the site(s) you just updated. You can do this by going to your Google+ profile page, and editing the “Contributor To” section.

In the dialog that appears, click “Add custom link”, and then enter your website URL. 

3. Test Your Google Authorship Connection

Finally, you’ll want to test that you accomplished the first two steps properly.

Thankfully, Google has provided a Structured Data Testing Tool to do the checking for you.