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Rel=author has been a success, hasn’t it? Not only is it easy to set up, but users have also seen a higher CTR via the SERPs. New findings have been released that suggests Google may be using company photos just like they’ve been using author markup. Some of the examples I share below have used the rel=author tag, while others just have a strong presence on their Google + page.
Let’s examine some of these examples.
Example #1 – Progressive/No rel=publisher
Progressive started showing up in the SERPs along with their company picture. The interesting thing about this example is that they are not using the rel=publisher tag. However, they do have a strong presence on Google +. Sounds like this is what Matt Cutts was talking about when he said that they were getting better at “detecting when someone is sort of an authority in a specific space…”
Lesson learned? Start creating a serious presence on Google +.
Example #2 – PEA/using rel=publisher
This example threw me through a loop, as PEA is not an authority in their niche. They are, however, making full use of the rel=publisher markup as well as beginning to create a presence on Google +.
Lesson learned? Make sure your company is taking advantage of the rel=author markup.
Conclusion
These new findings are rather interesting, but they don’t give us a clear idea of what to expect this summer. Play it safe by creating a strong presence on Google + and using rel=publisher markup. It’s your turn – have you noticed similar activity in the SERPs?
