在2012 Moz大会上出现了这个话题。
近些年SEO开发了很多技巧来控制他们网站在搜索结果的展示。这些包括：
撰写引人注目的标题65-75个字符长度。
十分生动地叙述Meta描述标签
使用NOODP和NOYDIR Meta标签
Url链接中包含关键字
通过控制搜索结果中的摘要信息，我们可以很大程度地提高我们点击率和增加免费的流量。
But times are changing. For better or worse, Google has now stepped up its title tag rewriting algorithm so that webmasters can no longer predict how their title tags will display. This major bummer that is only compensated by the fact that Google has given us something much better in the form of rich snippets.
In particular, Google+ gave us author profile photos.
但是随着时间推移。或好或坏，谷歌现在提高了他在标题重写的算法，所以站长们不能再预测他们标题是如何展示。作为对游民的补偿，谷歌提供了一个更好的形式富媒体摘要。
特别地Google+给我们作者档案头像。
或者我们这么认为这是一个巨大的胜利。
在看到其他作者在谷歌搜索结果中加入了令人垂涎档案照片，我花费了几个月时间来让自己的照片展示出来。在谷歌经常混乱的标记指南导航后，我的照片终于出现在了搜索结果中。
想象一下我的失望，在我流量停留在平地上的时候。我不孤独，我甚至听到站长的故事，那些人看到他们流量下降，就在作者档案标记实施之后。
偷一下懒，我没有考虑为摘要使用实际照片。很不幸地是，我照相很不上镜。特别是早上8:30使用网络摄像头拍出来的照片。
必须面对现实了：我的照片很丑。至少不会有点击的欲望。
谷歌直接把你G+档案图片作为作者照片，可以很方便修改。作为一个SEO，我想为什么不尝试一下呢？
我翻出了一张较好的照片，然后找一个专业的摄影师朋友用更讨人喜欢的光线来给我拍照。
我尝试用不同的颜色和背景。我改变了我的头周围的留白比例。我试了戴眼镜和不戴眼镜。 （如果我拥有了假发，我就会测试带上假发来拍。）
你可以说我有那么一点自恋
玩Photoshop是很危险的事。
然而时间推移，因为我的调整，结果开始显示点击率正在提升。
使用谷歌分析师来跟踪结果
在谷歌分析里面的SEO报告里，你可以跟踪到点击率，从你所有的搜索结果展示中。简单地在网站使用情况下拉菜单中选择CTR。你甚至可以使用“与过去比较”功能来比较2个时间范围。
一个忠告：这并不是一个科学的实验。许多因素影响点击率，特别是排名。你的排名越高，你获得的点击次数就越多。需要特别注意的是在谷歌分析师SEO报告中的“平均排名”。在其他条件都相同的情况下面，CTR的变化很大程度归功于你的档案图片。
最终稳定下来的增加了35%的点击率。那是我以前从谷歌来源流量的35%之多，而且完全免费。想象一下要多久才能通过人工链接建设活动同样的流量增长势头。
另一个效用：我互动指标提升了。跳出率降低，同时网站上的停留时间和页面访问量增加。它就像是在搜索结果中的一张权威性的照片，提升了用户信任度，满足用户对权威结果的期待。
你是否应该使用一个真实的照片？或许用Logo怎么样？
在谷歌G+内容政策里面照片是非常简短宽松的
“你的档案照片不能使用成人或者令人反感的内容。举例，不要使用一个人的臀部或者乳沟的特写照片。
– http://www.google.com/+/policy/content.html
Ann Smarty，一个我尊敬的营销人员不建议使用Logo
有一个令人反感的图片，有一段时间MG Siegler给G一个竖起的中指（Fuck），但是很快就被谷歌打压下来了，这是我唯一知道的案例。
完美图片的规则
对于作者档案是否有一个神奇的规则？没有，你可能是被诱惑地去想你换背景为黄色或红色可能是答案，但是好的照片取决于你的手中和内容。一个作者的照片为内容，目标是针对13岁大，Justin Bieber粉丝，不能使用同样的额照片针对内容是写给退休税务建议的。
你该换
撰写杀手级内容
执行作者来源标记
展示你最好的头像
如果你管理一个站点有多个作者，考虑雇佣专业的摄影师给团队拍照吧。
The author’s posts are entirely his or her own (excluding the unlikely event of hypnosis) and may not always reflect the views of SEOmoz, Inc.
The following topic was presented at MozCon 2012.
Over the years, SEOs have employed many techniques to control how their site appears in search results. These included:
- Writing compelling Title Tags 65-75 characters long
- Descriptive Meta Descriptions
- Use of NOODP and NOYDIR meta tags
- Keyword rich URLs
By controlling how our snippets appear in search results, we could greatly improve our click-through rates and the amount of free traffic we saw.
But times are changing. For better or worse, Google has now stepped up its title tag rewritingalgorithm so that webmasters can no longer predict how their title tags will display. This major bummer that is only compensated by the fact that Google has given us something much better in the form of rich snippets.
In particular, Google+ gave us author profile photos.
This was a huge win. Or so we thought.
After seeing other authors earn the coveted profile pic in Google’s search results, I worked for months trying to get my photo to show up. After navigating Google’s often confusing markup instructions, my photo finally appeared in search results.
Imagine my disappointment when my traffic stayed flat. I wasn’t alone. We even heard stories from webmasters who saw their traffic drop after implementing the author profile markup.
Being lazy, I hadn’t considered the actual photo used for the snippet. Unfortunately, I’m not blessed with photogenic looks, especially when the camera is a webcam at 8:30 in the morning.
Time to face facts: my photo was ugly. At the very least, it didn’t inspire clicks.
For your author photo, Google pulls the picture directly from your G+ profile, which is easy to change. As an SEO, I thought, “Why don’t I test this?”
I dug out better photos and asked a professional photographer/friend to capture me in a more flattering light.
I experimented with different colors and backgrounds. I changed the amount of whitespace visible around my head. I tried glasses and no glasses. (If I owned a wig I would have tested myself with more hair.)
You Could Say I Got a Little Obsessive…
A little Photoshop experience is a dangerous thing.
Yet over time, as I tuned it in, the results started to show a definite improvement in click-through rates.
Use Google Analytics to Track Results
In the Search Engine Optimization reportin Google Analytics, you can track click-through rates for all of your impressions in Google’s search results. Simply select CTR from the site usage drop-down. You can even use the “Compare to past” feature to compare 2 date ranges.
A word of caution: this is not a scientific experiment. Many factors influence click-through rates, especially rankings. The higher up you are, the more clicks you generally receive. Pay particular attention to the “Average Position” number in the Google Analytics SEO report.With all other things being equal, a change in CTR can easily be attributed to a corresponding change in your profile pic.
The final number settled down around a 35% increase in click-through rate. That’s 35% more traffic from Google than what I received before, and it was all free. Imagine how long it would take to gain the same momentum through manual link building.
Another side effect: my engagement metrics improved. Bounce rate dropped while time-on-site and page views increased. It’s as if having an authoritative photo in the search results raised users’ trust in my site and expectations of authority.
Should You Use a Real Photo? What About Logos?
Google’s G+ Content policy regarding photos is pretty slim. It states:
“Your Profile Picture cannot include mature or offensive content. For example, do not use a photo that is a close-up of a person’s buttocks or cleavage.”
– http://www.google.com/+/policy/content.html
Ann Smarty, a marketer whom I respect, advises against using logos.
As for offensive photos, there was an issue awhile back with MG Siegler giving G the middle finger, but that’s the only instance I know where Google cracked down.
Formula for a Perfect Picture
Is there a magic formula for author profiles? No. You might be tempted to think that changing your background to yellow or red might be the answer, but the right photo depends much more on your audience and content. An author photo for content aimed at a 13-year-old Justin Bieber fan is not the same photo that will perform well with content aimed at retirees searching for tax advice.
When you change your Google+ profile pic, Google displays your new photo very quickly. This makes it easy to run many tests in the course of a couple months. A few final tips include:
- Write killer content
- Implement Authorship Markup
- Put your best face forward
If you manage a site with multiple authors, consider hiring a professional photographer to come in for a team day. Distilled does a great jobcreating visually attractive, stand-out photos.
Download my full MozCon deck on Slideshare.
原文地址：http://www.seomoz.org/blog/google-author-photos
原创文章，作者：jessegold，如若转载，请注明出处：https://www.hero4u.cn/blog/2012/08/how-optimizing-my-ugly-google-pic-increased-free-traffic-35/
