More than one in ten Google UK searches now includes new author images and bio info in top 100 results study shows
New study reveals UK publishers, journalists and bloggers losing out to US in battle to generate more Google traffic
London – 30 April, 2012 – A new study suggests that in 13 per cent[1] of Google UK searches at least one of the top 100 results incorporates new author profile information, including an author thumbnail image and links. However the majority of these are from US based sites, meaning UK journalists and publications are missing out on increased visibility, traffic and potential advertising revenue.
The author profile feature, known as authorship markup, is something that Google has been rolling out since last year. It helps news and other online publications and blogs generate more click-throughs while helping searchers find more articles by the same author. These author profile integrations appear in organic search results when a writer has produced an article which Google deems relevant to a searcher’s keyword query.
Currently journalists and bloggers who write about technology, medical and food topics are among those that are most visible in author profile integrations according to the study by search and social analytics company, Searchmetrics, which analysed Google UK search results relating to 1 million popular keywords.
UK writers in Searchmetrics’ list of the top 20 who most frequently appear in Google.co.uk author integrations (see table underneath) include Charles Arthur, the Guardian’s technology editor and Edward Chester, reviews editor at TrustedReviews.com.
“More writers from US based sites are appearing in the top 20 because authors generally need to have a profile on the Google Plus social network to be displayed in author integrations – and we assume more writers for US sites are on Google Plus and also Google has possibly encouraged some US sites to set up their articles for author integrations,” said Marcus Tober, founder and CTO of Searchmetrics.
To appear in the author integrations, the authors’ articles need to be linked (using specific web tags) to the authors’ Google Plus profiles.
“In an increasingly competitive market, author integrations are an opportunity for media sites, blogs and content creators to generate better visibility and traffic because more people click on a result when they see the author’s image in this way. This feature also introduces searchers to more content by the same author and allows them to connect with the author on Google Plus[2],” said Tober.
“It was surprising to see more than one in ten of the results tested are showing author integrations because this is still a new feature – it’s much higher than I expected,” added Tober.
The dominance of writers from US based sites in Google UK author integrations means there is a big opportunity for UK journalists and sites to get onto Google Plus and make themselves more visible using this new type of search entry suggests Tober.
The author integrations feature is part of Google’s ongoing drive to improve searches by eliminating poor and duplicate content according to Tober, as well as being another way that Google is trying to get more users for Google Plus.
[1] In Searchmetrics’ study which examined Google UK search results for 1 million popular keywords, there was at least one author profile integration displayed in the top 100 positions for 133,887 of the results.
[2] When searchers click on the author’s image in an author profile integration, they are taken to a Google page displaying more articles by the same writer. If searchers hover over the author’s byline name in an author profile integration, they are given the opportunity to connect with the author on Google Plus. Searchers need to be logged into their Google accounts.
Further background about the author profile integration can be found at these locations:
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2011/06/authorship-markup-and-web-search.html
http://searchengineland.com/googleplus-slowly-invading-googles-main-search-results-102416
About the Searchmetrics Study
The Searchmetrics study analysed the search results on Google.co.uk for 1 million popular keywords. The data was collated in w/c 23 April 2012.
About Searchmetrics
Searchmetrics is the global expert in search analytics software, empowering marketers to increase visibility and market share on the world’s leading search engines. We create value by providing the best quality data on a global scale. Clients and partners worldwide rely on Searchmetrics to maximize return from search investments with actionable insights that help better manage, improve and scale search marketing campaigns
Searchmetrics’ robust search marketing tool, Searchmetrics Suite, is supported by a unique server infrastructure that offers monitoring of over 100 search engines in over 30 countries worldwide. Searchmetrics Suite is also home to the Searchmetrics Essentials data modules, SEO+SEM and Social, encompassing the largest, fastest databases for search and social media available.
Headquartered in Berlin, with subsidiaries and offices in New York, London and Paris, the company delivers real web intelligence to a growing international customer base. You can follow Searchmetrics on Twitter @Searchmetrics or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Searchmetrics. For more information, please visit: www.searchmetrics.com.
