Google+ Pages and "Authorship"

1. 96

   EricDockettposted 11 years ago

   I use several pen names in different niches online.  Of course I have a real name too and a G+ profile under that real name.  I really don't use it, but I'm reading more and more about how important it is to establish authorship through Google+.   
   
   Apparently it's against TOS to have more than one G+ account.  It's also against TOS to have a fake name as your G+ name.  The solution is to have a G+ page for each pen name, but that really doesn't do anything to establish authorship.
   
   I don't want my real name associated with my niche articles, and I don't want my niche articles associated with each other.  Honestly, I don't want to have anything to do with G+ at all, but it seems like writers who don't play the game are going to be left behind.  This really seems unfair, and like G is forcing writers to use their services or suffer the consequences.   
   
   I can't image I'm the only HP writer with this issue.  What's the solution? Is there some other way G establishes authorship and authority, or are those who write under pen names basically going to be left out in the cold as Google continues to put weight on this "authorship" thing?
   
   Or, is the whole authorship thing blown out of proportion?

   replyreport
2. 60

   swordsbaneposted 11 years ago

   It all depends on what Google authorship really does for you as a writer.  What are you getting out of it?

   replyreport
   1. 96

      EricDockettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Well, that's really the crux of it.  Authorship seems to be moving from a cool way to get your search results distinguished by having a pretty picture of your smiling face next to them, to the "standard" by which G is going to determine how good your content is. 
      
      I'd prefer not to get anything out of it, as long as the playing field is even.  My content ought to be judged on its own merits, not by whether or not I linked it to a social network.

      replyreport
3. 76

   Greekgeekposted 11 years ago

   It's a dilemma many of us face. i'v been on the internet since long before Google existed, and I refuse to cede ownership of my online identity to Google or Facebook.
   
   This comes at a price. It means that sooner or later, my content may sink in the SERPs because Google is going to use Google authorship as a bludgeon to force people play its game -- give your identity to us for safekeeping, or we'll rank your content lower, even if it dexerves to be ranked higher!
   
   but no, that just makes me want ro dig my heels in and create better content to overcome the ranking disadvantage (it's not here yet, but Google's co-founder said in an interview that it's coming sooner or later),
   
   I've actually written a hub on why Google's Real Names Policy is a bed of Procrustes so I won't belabor it here. But anyway, yeah, it's a problem, and I haven't found a solution. (Lucikily, I had one Google profile from a very old account that does NOT force me to participate in Google Plus, but I'm assuming that sooner or later it'll stop working for authorship. Plus it IS my real name, and I have a lot of other material associated with an online handle I've had since 2002 that is kept separate. Before Facebook started the "platforms owning and monetizing your identity" war, usernames used to be the way to maintain online privacy, by having one username for each subculture/interest/ommunity where you were active, thereby letting you be Trekkie, for example, without having to share every detail of your life with all fellow Trekkies -- only the details relevant to Trek fandom.)

   replyreport
   1. 96

      EricDockettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm with you on the digging in the heels thing. I actually read your Hub earlier this morning as I was trying to work all of this out.   
      
      Just to clarify: Did you suggest you established your authorship with an old (non-G+) Google profile?  I wasn't aware that was possible.

      replyreport
4. 60

   swordsbaneposted 11 years ago

   Well, for writing, as for celebrity, there isn't really any kind of BAD exposure.  Your writing WILL be judged on it's merits, never mind what Google says.  If you're looking to make money off your writing, then the only thing you can do is try to get what you write in front of the largest number of people.  That... unfortunately means social networks and forums.  Just be sure you read all the license agreements that deal with copyright infringement and whether they will claim ownership of your writing.  Everything else is really just personal preference.

   replyreport
5. 95

   SmartAndFunposted 11 years ago

   I'm in the same situation as EricDockett. I'd really rather keep things separate and somewhat anonymous. Other than a little-used Pinterest account for this HP account only, I've never used social media or promoted my work in any way, and it has done just fine organically.
   
   However, it sounds like Google may toss us aside if we don't play their game with their rules. I also wonder if this is the direction HP is heading, meaning at some point anyone without Google+ authorship will not get featured.

   replyreport
   1. 96

      EricDockettposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Yikes.  I didn't even think of that. I really hope HP doesn't move in that direction. I don't know how they would do it though.  Many of us have several accounts with significant content on them.  Would any account under a pen name suddenly be junked?  I can't imagine them doing that.  At least I hope not.  It would be a catastrophe.
      
      No point worrying about I guess,.

      replyreport
      1. 95

         SmartAndFunposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Sorry, I don't mean to alarm. I probably should have kept that to myself. I'm just nervous about that possibility, I guess.

         replyreport
6. 84

   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   You can have a Google profile for you pen name if you want.  I mean my other pen name is the "author" of my books. And this pen name is the "author" of my content online....

   replyreport
   1. 85

      rebekahELLEposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Don't you have to fill in a first and last name?  I've thought about using it, but stopped when I saw you have to use your real name.  My pen name is my real name without my last name.
      I don't really want to add another social site to be involved with, but it does look like authorship is the next big thing with SERPS.

      replyreport