Inbound Internet Marketing Blog

SEO, Blogging, Social Media, Landing Pages, Lead Generation and Analytics

SUBSCRIBE

The HubSpot Inbound Internet Marketing blog covers all of inbound marketing - SEO, blogging, social media, lead generation, email marketing, lead nurturing & management, and analytics. Join 57,702 others and subscribe now!

Subscribe to RSS feed Add us on Facebook! Follow us on Twitter

Get Free Marketing Info!

Get the world's best marketing resources right to your inbox! Join more than 817,000 inbound marketers!

Subscribe by email

Your email:

HubSpot's Inbound Internet Marketing Blog

Current Articles | RSS Feed RSS Feed

BREAKING: Google+ Profile Images Now Appearing Beside Search Listings

 

.

Google+ has only been out for a few weeks and it is already having major impact on search engine optimization. We shared earlier this week general ideas about how Google+ will impact search, but today we have our first major example. Google has begun to roll out a change to its search engine results page in which an author profile image and name appears at the far right of the individual search listing. Additionally the image and name links directly to the author's Google+ profile page.


Google Plus Rel Me resized 600

This is a dramtic change to Google's classic results page. It completely changes the visual weight of the results. Even though the mashable article is ranked fourth in this search, the addition of the image and name guide your eye to that link. This could have a significant impact on click-through rates for results that include an author image.

How Does This Work?

Thanks to the keen eye of HubSpot resident SEO genius Brian Whalley, we have dicovered that is change works for sites using the "rel=me" tag. Currently these sites include TechCrunch, Mashable, and GigaOm, but this list could soon include your site as well. The "rel=me" tag is a simple tag that a person can use across the web to tell Google that what may appear to be separate pages, are actually all about the same person.

Basically it is a three step process to get this to work for your website:

1. Have a link that includes rel="author me" in your blog article. Such as <a href="http://mashable.com/author/jennifer-van-grove/" rel="author me"> like Jennifer's does.

2. On the linked page (http://mashable.com/author/jennifer-van-grove/), link to the Google+ profile for the author. Include the tag, <a href="https://plus.google.com/100834378485895409468" rel="external nofollow me">AnchorText</a>  

3. Now google knows that the author of that article has a specific page.
On her Google+ profile she links back to her Mashable profile in the "Links" area, and indicated that the link was about her via the checkbox when adding a link, so that it's established that both profiles are the same person and reciprocal.

These three steps explain how Google knows to show a certain profile images along side a specific result. To learn more about "rel=me" check out this post on Google's Webmaster Forum.

Marketing Takeaway

Google+ is new but already having a major impact on Google Search. Including profile images of authors along site search listings is a major change to what had traditionally been a non-visual page. If you have a blog you should start using "rel=me" tags right away to have your Google+ profile image appear next to your resutls in an effort to make them more social and better stand out on the page. Keep an eye out for future cahnges to google's search to make it more social.

How to Use Google+ for Business

How to Use Google+ for Business

Google+ is the new social network on the block. Have you built your Google+ business page yet?

Download the free guide for tips to start leveraging the power of Google+ pages to drive more traffic for your business.

Posted by Kipp Bodnar on Fri, Jul 22, 2011 @ 06:00 AM

COMMENTS

Tried to see that search result and there was no profile image next the the result when using google.fi. But when I tried google.com it showed me the results with profile image. So not yet implemented on localised versions (at least finnish) of google site.

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 6:08 AM by T-J Panttila


Breaking news? It's already 3 weeks old... And you know that's a long time ago in the Internet industry ;) <a href:"http://yoast.com/highlighting-wordpress-authors-search/">Joost de Valk wrote about it and how to do that in WordPress.

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:17 AM by Simon Vreeman


So what about businesses that have a very visual component - like a Bed and Breakfast? How does this translate for business use when I really don't have a pretty face?

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:22 AM by Marv Eggert


@Marv Eggert - I guess do what every small business do on their site - borrow a face from Istock photo. 
 
I wonder how this goes with using a logo for example, hmm.

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:30 AM by David Redmond


This is why I take blood pressure medicine. It's impossible to keep up with all these changes. And when a person is essentially a non-tech person, and they work alone, it is overwhelming. Google+ is the new shining social media platform, but maybe they should have titled it, "social security for webmasters."

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 7:43 AM by Mary E. Ulrich


I'm with you on the visual component and its possible effect on click-likeliness. It truly makes sense. Next thing you know, there Will be a tiny video.... You heard it here first, folks, because it's actually going to happen :)

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 8:33 AM by Chris @webmindset


Hard to believe the general community is ok with this. Popularity over relevance is a bad choice for search result not to mention privacy issues. Many people already ignore the first three results now because they are paid.

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 10:22 AM by Marc Potter


Interesting! Wonder if Google will integrate profile pictures for Blogger writers next to their search results, or will authors need to tweak the blog itself?

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 1:11 PM by Matthew Glidden


The google +1 is really catching on in our area. I'm not sure it will actually last after people catch on but you never know? 
 
 
 
thanks, Will

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 2:29 PM by google +1 in Ohio marketing catching on


Very interesting, I wonder how I can use this with my e-commerce store.

posted on Friday, July 22, 2011 at 6:41 PM by Glenys


So we await the tests and verdicts. Should it be a face or your logo? If it's a face then who is the face of your business and what if they leave? 
 
Hard to call at this stage. If you are setting yourself up as the expert then your face is fine but if you are part of a team then the logo will be best. mmmm

posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 4:40 AM by colin stevens


I'm actually looking forward to being able to click someones listing in a SERP and go to other things that they have posted. That, I think, will be very cool.

posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 1:31 PM by Glenn Palmer


Seems like a great way to help Google+ hijack my search results to a click to Google+ instead of a click to my blog. Am I missing something here?

posted on Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 2:06 PM by Donna Svei


some great points brought up here. will Google favor their Blogger platform over our own domains? who is the face of your biz and what if they leave? 
 
i really don't like that search is turning into a popularity contest and 'ballot stuffing' happens everywhere...what about these sham contests that giveaway a trip if you 'like' something? great point Marc! 
 
Mary, it's time to raise your dosage!

posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 8:56 AM by Rick Rys


Lemme get this straight. I'm seeing a screenshot of a Google search result, with a listing boxed with exact HubSpot orange. That's not the HubSpot editor's highlight? I'm confused.

posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 9:26 AM by Rick Wolff


Rick, 
 
This important aspect is the photo and name at the right of the result. The orange box is only to highlight that listing.  
 
Thank you, 
Kipp

posted on Monday, July 25, 2011 at 9:29 AM by Kipp Bodnar


I followed the instructions - but so far it is not coming up with my photo in the search results. have i dont something wrong here?

posted on Thursday, July 28, 2011 at 1:23 AM by Jade Johnston


Why the "external nofollow" on a link to your own G+ or FB page. I'm missing something.

posted on Sunday, July 31, 2011 at 7:56 PM by Linda Abraham


I'm also looking forward to being able to click someones listing in a SERP and go to other things that they have posted. That, I think, will be very cool. 

posted on Thursday, August 11, 2011 at 12:25 AM by Harmeen


Any idea how long it will take for the profile image to appear in the search results after making the change?

posted on Saturday, August 20, 2011 at 3:42 AM by John Phung


Comments have been closed for this article.