In today's information-saturated world, Google prioritizes content that users can trust. This is where the concept of author attribution comes into play. While content written by corporate entities can be informative, Google generally favors content attributed to individual human authors. Let's explore the reasons behind this preference and how it aligns with Google's core principles of providing a high-quality search experience.
The Power of Personal Expertise:
Demonstrating Deep Knowledge: Human authors can showcase their unique understanding of a topic through their writing. They can draw from personal experiences, research, and specialized knowledge, offering valuable insights beyond a company's broad marketing message.
Passion and Individual Voice: Human authors can inject passion and a unique voice into their writing, making it more engaging and relatable for readers. This personalized approach fosters trust and allows readers to connect with the author's perspective.
Building a Reputation: Individual authors can build a reputation for expertise within a specific field. Over time, a consistent track record of producing high-quality content establishes them as thought leaders, which search engines value.
Challenges with Corporate Authorship:
Lack of Individual Voice: Company-written content can often lack a distinct voice or personality. This can make it less engaging and hinder reader connection.
Potential for Bias: Corporate content may be perceived as biased toward promoting the company's products or services, impacting its perceived objectivity.
Difficulty Establishing Expertise: Attributing content to a generic "company author" doesn't allow for showcasing individual expertise or experience within the organization.
Aligning with Google's E-E-A-T Framework:
Google's E-E-A-T framework, which stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, plays a crucial role in content ranking. Here's how human authorship strengthens E-E-A-T:
Expertise and Experience: As mentioned earlier, an individual author can effectively demonstrate their expertise and experience through their writing.
Authoritativeness: By consistently producing high-quality content, an author can establish themself as a trusted authority within their niche.
Trustworthiness: Personal accountability associated with an author's name fosters a sense of trust with readers.
Supporting Evidence:
Here are some resources that discuss Google's preference for human authorship:
Search Engine Journal - The Ultimate Guide to Google's E-E-A-T: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/ (This article explores the E-E-A-T framework in detail and highlights the importance of the author's expertise.)
Moz - The Beginner's Guide to SEO: https://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/quick-start-guide (While not directly addressing authorship, this Moz guide emphasizes the importance of content quality and user trust, both of which are fostered by human authorship.)
Need Help?
If you need help properly setting up and formatting your author page with schema markup, contact Jeff Foreman at jeff@interactivelimited.com.
You can feature an author on your blog posts on the ERP/CRM Software Blogs. Learn how.
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