Google Plus Page Results for Big Brands

Google is returning a new result type on the right-hand side of searches for brands with Google Plus accounts.

Brands that have properly linked their website with their Google Plus page can now see their brand pages highlighted to the right of the search results using Rel=Publisher. It is only really happening for the super big brands at the minute but word on the street is that we can expect to see it rolled out across the board for more brands in the not too distance future.

Rich Snippets and Online Marketing

Brands should not only understand the importance where they appear in the search engines, but also how they appear. Rich snippets allow webmasters to control how their site appears in the SERPs to a certain extent.

What is Rel=Author?

Rel=Author rich snippets, or Author snippets, allow users to see a photo of an article’s author next to it. It ties the author’s personal Google+ profile to individual articles. Users can also see other works by the same author and a brief description of who they are. It is particularly useful for bloggers and industry professionals who rely on the internet to promote themselves, putting a face to their online persona.

What is Rel=Publisher?

Rel=Publisher is similar to Rel=Author, in that it allows brands to showcase their published work online much like people do. However, it ties businesses Google+ pages to the whole site instead of individual articles. By correctly connecting to your brand’s Google+ page, companies can have their logo, information and recent social activity appear in the SERPs. However, it appears that currently, not all brand queries result in the display of the Rel=Publisher result. Still in the testing stages, it appears that Google is being selective with their results.

What are the Benefits of using Rel=Publisher?

• Aids businesses in increasing their author rank with Google as they begin to build trustworthy social profiles, relevant content and an authoritative presence that may influence search results.

• Rel=Publisher ensures Google+ brand page is recognised as the official page for that brand and subsequently, gives it preference in the search results.

• Brands more likely to see an increase in +1s as their Google+ page and recent activity is given preference in the search results when searching that particular brand.