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Creating Your Own Brand

A few years ago, Google started prioritizing the actual content itself as a key factor in determining search rankings. They also began considering the authority of the author as a measure of content quality.

For instance, when it comes to articles about topics like dieting, content written by professionals such as doctors and nutritionists tends to receive higher ratings compared to personal diaries by amateurs. Our clients also achieve high rankings on platforms that feature content from qualified experts like social insurance and labor consultants, as well as tax accountants.

Today, what about articles that don’t necessarily require qualifications or are authored by individuals without any formal credentials?

Even without specific qualifications, it’s evident that content authored by knowledgeable experts holds significant weight. Google tends to favor articles written by individuals who have a robust history in the field—those who have authored numerous articles, published books, or delivered lectures. This preference is especially pronounced if the author has garnered recognition from others.

This shift implies that individuals who remain anonymous or use whimsical pseudonyms may be at a disadvantage. It’s acceptable if they use a well-known pen name, but their content could be perceived as less credible if they choose to remain unidentified and obscure their identity. Conversely, authors who openly and honestly engage under their real name, share photos, showcase their professional background, and have built their personal brand are likely to receive higher ratings.

Consider the realm of food and restaurant reviews as an example. Content written by an author who uses their real name, has authored books, and frequently appears in media features should generally receive higher ratings than content from an aspiring critic who has anonymously penned 5,000 critical articles.

While we haven’t conducted any specific experiments or seen examples firsthand, we believe this scenario is entirely plausible.

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Author:
Shuichi Shimizu
CEO and Founder of Mahana Corporation
Leading Digital Marketing Agency in Tokyo, Japan