How to Get an Image Beside Your Website in Google Search Results

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*Update – Google is no longer displaying images beside the search results. More information over at Search Engine Land and their post on authorship is dead.

My last post dealt with how to tell the search engines your business is local. It’s part of a series of blog posts where I want to go over some ways you can increase your website visibility.

Todays post will talk about getting your image to show up beside your website. The image to the right is for a new website I just started called Best In Victoria. It’s a way to help my current clients get more backlinks to their website while increasing their exposure.

A nifty idea I think. But enough about that plug!

During a recent search you may have noticed images showing besides website results in Google.

You may have also wondered how to get that image beside your website or blogs search result. Well I will show you how in this post.

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Google Rel=Author

This is known as Google’s rel author. It’s a way to tie your Google + profile to your website or blog.

Jason Acidre wrote about the benefits of Google rel=”author” already.

The biggest benefit I see for local businesses is improved click through rates. Seeing a business owners image before they view the website builds trust before they have visited your website.

Mark Traphagen posted on Google Plus a few studies from website owners. No matter what the increase % is, it will boost your click through rate.

I had a potential lead contact me a few months back. I asked him why he clicked on my website. Keep in mind this was before I was ranking high for SEO Victoria BC. He said it was because I had an image beside my website.

Already the time I spent doing this was well worth it.

Setting up Google Rel=Author

1) Setup a Google + Profile.

If you already have a GMail account, you should have a G + account too.

2) While fully filling out your profile, add your website(s) to your “Contributor To” section.

The “Contributor To” area is located under the “About” tab in your Google + profile and down at the bottom in the “Links” section.

Click here to see on my account. Be sure to scroll down to the bottom where “Links” is located. And while you’re at it, add me to your circles!

Click on “add custom link” and add your website and it’s name.

Jordan J. Caron   Google

3) Add this link somewhere within your website’s main page and or blog page.

http://plus.google.com/u/0/111603875021429654470?rel=author

Obviously replace your profile link where mine is listed in blue.

4) Head over to the rich snippets testing tool and enter your website url. You will find out if your G + profile and website has the link above properly displayed. If not, something has gone wrong. If that’s the case, post below in the comment section and let me know.

Hopefully you know understand how to get an image beside your website in Google search results.