How To Be Number One On Google

In this article you will learn how to be number one on Google moving forward.

First, a little bit of background…. In my last blog post I mentioned that Google is shifting towards Brand SEO, and I recommend that you do everything covered in that post.

In this posts I want to take it to the next level for Google Authority in Ranking.

In the early days of Google, co-founder Larry Page set up a link analysis algorithm to determine how a web page ranks in the search engine, from where we get the term “PageRank.” While the exact formula is Google’s closely guarded secret, SEOs estimate that the quality and quantity of backlinks make up about 70% of this ranking factor. Other metrics mainly focus on on-page seo factors.

Google is getting tough on SEOs who produce web content simply to spam the search engines with backlinks. Recently they announced on Twitter their recent Panda refresh. This was just the beginning.

Panda refresh rolling out now. Only ~1.6% of queries noticeably affected. Background on Panda: goo.gl/mTKCH

— A Googler (@google) March 23, 2012

Like a FBI raid, with one broad stroke, Google de-indexed millions of websites. Blog Networks such as Build My Rank and Brad Callen’s SEO Link Monster blog network got de-indexed. Many EMD’s (Exact Match Domains) with no content got de-indexed or penalized. Google Bombing (having all your links come from one domain) is history. Anything and everything un-natural has been targeted.

The Google FBI team has expanded its sweep as webmasters worldwide recently received warnings of ‘unnatural’ or ‘artificial’ inbound links, and there has been countless blog posts on how to deal with that.

The question moving forward is: “How will Google determine if a backlink coming to your webpage is trustworthy?” Even social signals (tweets, fb likes, G+, etc.) can be manipulated. While it is hard for Google to penalize a webmaster for bad links (otherwise you could destroy your enemies…LOL), what they have done in the last year is set up a new ranking system that filters link authority.

How to be Number One on Google:

1. Write powerfully unique content that readers will love (more on this with my next post. Stay tuned!).

You want to attract an active readership and be a person of web influence. You are heading in the right direction if your web content is being chatted about (Gchat), Tweeted, FB liked and shared, mentioned in Discussions and Forums, linked to in the Blogosphere, and written about in the News sites. Your website surely is getting Google’s attention as an authority in its niche if this is the case.

2. Follow the steps in my Brand SEO post and follow Google’s Search Engine Optimization Guidelines, including Google friendly sites.

3. Become a Author On Google Search using Google+ Authorship Markup

The question SEOs will need to be asking is not WHERE are my links coming from, but from WHOM are my links coming from?

• GPlus WP Plugin Download Free – does the job, simple and used in my video above.
• Authorsure – Free WP Plugin (more features) – more features
• Do a Google search on rel author wp plugin, etc.. There are many.

True Story – I saw a promotional email on a Author plugin a couple weeks ago on the Warrior Forum using Mike Lantz Warriorplus system selling for $10 or more. I posted on the thread saying, “What the heck, these are free on the wordpress.org plugin repository.” And I posted links giving the free sources. I was banned for 3 days for putting links on the wso thread of free links for the same thing. LOL

Simply install the plugin. Add your Google Profile URL. Add your website to your Google Profile to verify.

Authorship Markup is Google’s answer for determining what is a high trustworthy backlink. A Google Author is verified by Google+. The website they contribute to is verified by Google+. If a Google+ verified author links to your website using one of their Google+ verified websites, their backlink will flow a tremendous amount of link juice to your website because of their ‘trust factor’ as a Google+ verified author.

Additionally, the larger social connections an Author has,  the more link juice you will get. Hence, you will get a lot more link juice having Gary Kawasaki who has 1.7 million Google+ followers link to you website, than John Doe with no brand recognition and with only 3 followers.

As SEOs we are used to thinking that a good backlink comes from a webpage that has a high PageRank. This is no longer the case as Google rolls out its new criteria. Google is moving away from Pagerank (too easy to manipulate) as a key determining factor and moving towards AuthorRank using the Google+ Authorship Markup.

You want to be Number One on Google?

Increase your AuthorRank.

Here is an example of a search query where I have used the Google+ Authorship Markup on my blog below. Notice the additional markups highlighted in red:

Everything you need to know about Google Authorship Markup is here:

• http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1408986
• http://support.google.com/plus/bin/topic.py?hl=en&topic=1257354&rd=2

4. Approach Authors on Google who have a lot of social connections and ask them if you can be a guest Author on their blog or website.

Now that we know that Google is giving a lot of credibility to links given by verified Google authors on Google verified websites, the best approach is to approach these authors and ask if you can write a guest article on their blog or website. Show them your blog and the quality of your content. Show them that you are a verified Author on Google. Give them a sampling of an article topic you have in mind. Make it highly relevant to his/her readership.

If you do this correctly, you will have incredible AuthorRank juice flowing to your websites.

You can connect with them via Google+, or their contact page on their website, or if they have a support desk, etc..

5. Measure your success by the size of your readership, not by your Google ranking in the search engines.

[note]Two Quick Tips – Open up Google Free Keyword Tool and do a search on your brand name. If the results are zero monthly searches, you are in trouble. Seek to raise this number. Next, open up Twitter search and do a “@username” to find out if people are tweeting about you. If not, your brand needs some nurturing.[/note]

Your goal is to have an active readership who listen to your voice. Google proof your business by getting them on your list. I know many people who focus on rankings, as though it is an end to itself. Our goal as SEOs is to help people get free organic traffic for the purposes that people will take action, and come back again. If you have a website that is ‘one product’ shop, I encourage you redo your online business planning.

Be a Author on Google mover and shaker, a powerful force to be reakoned with.

In doing so, you will Be Number One On Google.

Please, share your comments, I read them all.

Tagged as: author on Google, google author, how to be number one on Google

About Mark Dulisse
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