You're likely no stranger to the importance of search engine optimization (SEO), especially for your business.

But did you know that the reputation and authority of the person creating your content can impact your website's relevancy and ranking on Google?

In this article, we explore author authority, why you should care about it, and the benefits of having a human create content for your business. We also provide tips on how to establish authority and reputation online.

Authorship and Authority: The Key to Relevancy

Google and other search engines are constantly working to improve user experience. Their commitment to users’ needs has established the importance of author authority in SEO.

Author authority means a person's control over a specific case or subject and the right they have to claim their expertise as the author. For example, if you feel unwell and search for medical advice online, you might not trust the information as much if the person who wrote the article is not a health professional (because the writer isn't an expert on that topic).

In other words, author authority is a way to measure a content creator's credibility and influence. It shows how much trust Google has in an author based on their history of creating high-quality, relevant content.

While it's not an official Google metric, author authority is a concept that SEO professionals use to understand Google's focus on prioritizing reliable and accurate content from knowledgeable sources.

This means that if you have a well-established and reputable author creating content for your website, it can significantly boost the website's relevancy and ranking. On the other hand, unknown or untrustworthy source can negatively impact your website's credibility and visibility.

Why Should You Care About Author Authority

When authors consistently create high-quality content, their authority grows. This tells search engines that their content is trustworthy and valuable.

Search engines often reward this authority with better visibility in search results. High author authority can also boost a website's credibility with users and industry professionals.

Advantages of Developing Strong Author Authority

• Increased Organic Traffic: Strong author authority can drive more organic traffic to a website as search engines rank its content higher due to its credibility and trustworthiness.

• User Trust and Engagement: Continuously providing valuable and reliable content builds user trust, leading to increased engagement, more return visits, and even brand loyalty.

• Established Expertise: Strong author authority signals to users, peers, and competitors that authors are recognized experts in their field, making your website a go-to source of information.

• Enhanced Brand Reputation: Author authority boosts a brand's reputation and increases a website's credibility. Strong author authority sets a website apart from its competitors.

• Long-term Relationships: Strong author authority can lead to long-term relationships with users, who are more likely to return to the website for information and guidance.

• Increased Conversions: The trust and credibility established through strong author authority can lead to increased conversions, as users are more likely to take action based on the recommendations of trusted experts.

Adapting to the AI-Centered SEO Landscape

SEO has changed significantly over the years. Now, the focus is on understanding search queries at a deeper level to create content that meets user needs rather than just using common keywords.

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a major role in this shift. AI algorithms like Google’s RankBrain are constantly learning and adapting, making SEO more dynamic. This all the more highlights the need for content creators to produce high-quality and adaptable content to keep up with these evolving algorithms.

However, understanding these AI algorithms and their impact is only the first step in adapting to an AI-centered SEO landscape. These algorithms assess the quality, relevance, and value of content based on various factors. Therefore, it's more important than ever to ensure your content meets all the criteria.

User intent in search queries is also crucial. It's not enough to focus on what people are searching for; you need to understand why they are searching for it. This requires creating easy-to-understand content that fully addresses users' queries.

User Intent Example

Let’s say you run a bakery.

When someone searches for "best birthday cake near me," they probably want to find a local bakery that can provide a delicious and beautifully decorated cake for a birthday celebration.

Understanding the user intent behind search queries allows you to better meet potential customers' needs and attract relevant traffic to your bakery.

Since you know that the user isn't just looking for any cake, but specifically a cake for a birthday event, you can tailor your website content and local SEO efforts so they are visible to potential customers searching for birthday cakes in their area. This could involve creating landing pages for birthday cakes, optimizing for local search terms, and providing information about customization options for birthday celebrations.

If you need assistance navigating the complex and ever-changing world of SEO, don't hesitate to reach out. We can partner with you to ensure that your website not only ranks well in search results but also provides valuable and relevant content to your audience. Our SEO professionals can help you understand user intent, optimize content, and keep a competitive edge for your business.

The Benefits of Human Content Creation

As a busy entrepreneur, you might have considered jumping on the AI trend and letting these powerful tools take care of your content.

While this may seem like an enticing solution, it can't replicate the authority and reputation of having a human create content for your business.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m not against using AI for content creation and other marketing tasks. Here at LOJO, we encourage it. However, I believe these tools are only as good as the humans using them, so utilizing AI (and technology, for that matter) should be coupled with critical thinking and creativity.

Take a look at the following benefits:

• Builds Trust: High-quality content from a reputable author builds trust with your audience and helps establish your business as an authority in your industry.

• Increases Relevancy: Content created by a human is more likely to be relevant and useful to your audience because humans have the ability to understand emotions, cultural nuances, and context. This human touch often results in more relatable, engaging content that resonates with the audience on a deeper level.

• Unique Perspective: Humans bring a unique perspective and voice to your content, setting you apart from the competition.

• Adaptable: Human creativity and adaptability to changing trends and topics keep your content relevant and up-to-date.

Tips for Establishing Authority and Reputation Online

Wondering how you can add author authority to your SEO strategy? Here are a few tips:

• Publish High-Quality Content: Regularly publish well-researched and engaging content to help your audience. You can start by doing it once a month and eventually increase the frequency as you grow more comfortable with the process (and as your schedule permits).

• Establish a Consistent Online Presence: Keep your website, social media, and other online assets—including author profiles—consistent, up-to-date, and well-optimized.

• Engage With Your Audience: Interact with comments and connect with influencers in your industry. Use your social platforms to build relationships, and your author authority will increase as your social signals grow.

• Build Backlinks: This process involves getting other reputable websites to link back to your site, which signals to search engines that your content is valuable and trustworthy.

• Use Author Markup: Use author markup to establish yourself as the author of your content.

Adapt Your SEO and Content Strategy to the Ever-Evolving Algorithm Updates

Search engines, particularly Google, are getting better at finding and offering users high-quality, relevant content. It only shows that author authority will be even more important.

So don’t fall behind — it’s time to start building or improving your website’s author authority.

Do you need help establishing your business as an authority in your industry? LOJO Marketing can help create high-quality, authoritative content and adapt your SEO strategy to changing trends. Contact us today to discuss how we can help your business grow.