With recent updates of search algorithms by major search engines such as Google, and Bing, the rel=author feature is all set to assume greater importance in coming times. Just as good inbound links have gained importance in the eyes of trawling robots in recent times, good content too needs to be considered to determine the actual value of each webpage and website.
While recent updates also focus on recent changes done by you in terms of social content, content marketing, etc., rather than only focusing on back links, author authority too is set to gain importance in the coming days. This means that you now need to pay heed to the quality of content on your website, the people that share and comment on that content, and of course, the relevance of your content to search criteria of the visitor.
Anticipating such a move from Google to lay more emphasis on the rel=author tag in the near future, social networking sites have already launched an initiative to weed out fake accounts. However, the figures being revealed seem to be overwhelming and will require some time to ensure that only clean accounts remain operative.
For instance, only 100 million accounts out of 400 million Google+ accounts are actively used. Twitter too seems to be in the same quagmire with only 140 million accounts being used regularly out of 500 million accounts. This indicates the possibility of a massive number of fake and inactive accounts in several social networking sites.
Rather than place importance on mere links, major search engines need to place importance on content, actual authors, and good links in a balanced manner. However, websites too need to acknowledge the rising importance of the rel=author tag and add them while also opting for an efficient and effective content management system. While most marketers have included Facebook and Twitter share buttons to boost organic rankings, an increasing number have opted for improved blog content, which means that more businesses could incorporate the rel=author tag over time.
Most businesses were also keen to implement an effective content marketing strategy in the near future to boost rankings and online presence, which in turn signifies that the rel=author feature could assume significant importance in coming times. SEO experts too need to explain to their clients the significance of incorporating this humble tag on relevant pages to ensure elevated authority and rankings in the future.