June 14, 2024

Is Author Authority a Google Ranking Factor or Not?

Is Author Authority a Google search ranking factor? Do you have author authority content? Can Author Authority influence rankings?

Author Authority and its impact on organic search ranking has always been a debatable topic. While many consider author authority to be a ranking signal, some believe that it has nothing to do with the author but with the website authority.

Is Author Authority a Google Ranking Factor or Not?: eAskme
Is Author Authority a Google Ranking Factor or Not?: eAskme

 

Author Authority is about adding credibility to the information.

For example, a dentist can write better articles about tooth problems than a dermatologist.

But does it impact your Google search position? Let's find out.

Let's understand everything about Author Authority and its impact on search.

Author Authority:

Author Authority is all about credibility. Journalists want credible sources, and Google wants credible information. Credibility becomes an issue when every other person starts writing about a topic about which he has zero experience.

Even if you are trying to help others, there is a massive number of posts that have nothing to do with helpful information. Most of the time, wrong content gets published due to misinformation, ignorance, lack of experience, AI writing tools, etc.

This is the reason why even a reader wants to read the article from the author with authority.

But does the Author's authority impact Google rankings? Let's find out.

Claim: Author Authority is a Google Ranking Factor

Google wants to rank pages with E-A-T or E-E-A-T. It wants information that displays expertise, authority, and trustworthiness.

LinkedIn collaborative articles are the best example of content written by subject matter experts.
Even though the experts publish content and rank higher, a lot is going on about author authority. And here is everything.

Evidence: Author Authority Is a Google Search Ranking Factor

Google has never admitted that author authority is a ranking signal. Yet, after reviewing 1000+ websites in 6 months, I am clear about one thing: article authority impacts impact search ranking, even if not directly then indirectly.

Google has been supporting the rel= "author" tag till 2014. Even, if Google is not using the rel=" author" tag to determine the author, then there are other ways for Google to identify who has written the article.

Google Knowledge Graph explains that Google recognizes authors using their content.

An author's reputation is a different parameter than being an expert and authority.

Google is using the Search Quality Raters Guidelines document to determine the reputation of an author. 

Google's patent for "Author Vector" also explains that it can identify the Author based on content quality, style, and expertise.

Author schema also indicates that Google considers authorship.

Conclusion: Author Authority is May or May is not a Google Search Ranking Factor

Google has never officially announced the Author Authority as a ranking signal. Author authority does not impact search ranking directly, but it signals the search engine who has written the article and can indirectly affect the search position.

Note: I also love to read expert tips. Even if you are not an expert, start collaborating with industry experts when publishing new posts.

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