Google Authorship Disappears From Search Results Leaving People Baffled

For the second time in a week the authorship rich snippet has disappeared from search results.  Months ago Google already started limiting  the amount of author rich snippets that show up in search.  A considerable amount which was stated to be 15% earlier this year, but I believe at this point it may be even 40-50 percent more or less so in specific verticals.  Google has come out and said that just because you have your authorship set up correctly does not mean it will necessarily show up in search.  It is up to Google’s to show it or not.  If Google does not feel it is valuable for a search or does not feel the person is a authority figure in the area, then they will not show it.  Another reason that the authorship rich snippet will stop showing is because the person does problematic tactics to build up their Google+ account such as buying fake accounts to add in their dummy circles.  Another reason for the author snippet not showing up is the misuse of the snippet itself.  Like applying it to every page on a site instead of associating specific author generated content in order to gain the system, and still have a rich snippet that is eye catching in search results and has a higher click through rate.  I do not think that Google will ever remove authorship rich snippets all together but they may repurpose it.  If Google ever decides to scrap G+ then author and publisher tags can be determined or verified in a different manner.

Google’s Hand Continues To Be Pushed

Regardless what is launched by Google  that can benefit digital marketing, people will always try to gain the system and manipulate it.  By a lot of  people creating garbage, spam, and misuse of a certain efforts it forces Google’s hand to act.  I personally am not a Google enthusiast because any action it takes on behalf of people you can always track it down to a greater benefit for Google. Google may limit the author rich snippet, but as soon something new is introduced that will be manipulated as well and so the vicious cycle continues again.