Add Rich Snippet Support in WordPress and Dominate Your Personal Brand
What Are Rich Snippets?
Normally, HTML markup is used for displaying content in a web browser. “Rich snippets” are a format of HTML that allow you to carefully define pieces of information within a web page so that search engines and other programs know what the heck the data is good for. Here’s an example of how you might normally introduce yourself:<p>Hi there! My name is Tara Hornor! Nice to meet you.</p>
Using Rich Snippets, we can tell search engines who I am using code like this:
<p>Hi there! My name is <span itemprop="name">Tara Hornor</span>! Nice to meet you.</p>
You can define scores of items like logos, birthdays, product IDs, and much, much more. But, today I’m really only interested in me…or at least my standing as an author, so that my picture shows up prominently in Google search results.
For much more information on rich snippets, here’s everything you ever wanted to know:
Getting Started
For you non-web developer types out there, don’t worry about getting your hands a little dirty with some coding. I’ll walk you through it in baby steps. Note: You will need access to the “Appearance” -> “Editor” area of WordPress, which means you’ll need to be an Admin for the site. You can still complete Steps 1-3 on your own and refer your admin to Steps 4-5 if you are not an admin yourself.Step 1: Your Google+ Page

Step 2: Contributor To…
To tell Google that you’re officially a contributor (author) for a site, you have to update the “Contributor to” field on your About page. Log in to your G+ page and click on the “About” tab:




Step 3: WordPress Profile
Log in to your WordPress website, go to the “Users” -> “Profile” section, and paste your G+ URL into the “Website” field:
Step 4: WordPress Editor
Next, we need to update your WordPress blog so that it automagically connects your G+ profile to your blog. If you don’t have admin access to your blog, then you’ll have to stop here. You will need to be able to access the “Appearance” -> “Editor” options within WordPress to complete this feature. Sign into your WordPress blog as an admin, and cruise on over to the “Appearance” -> “Editor” option (I’m using WordPress 3.3.1 for this tutorial):

<a href="<?php the_author_url(); ?>" rel="author"><?php the_author('display_name'); ?></a>
This calls your author website (updated in Step 3), and makes your name the link to your profile page. Most importantly, the href has the rel=”author” code, that tells Google that you are the author of the page.
For the rest of us, using the default Twenty Ten theme in WordPress, here’s where the content I want to edit is displayed:




get_author_post_url( get_the_author_meta( 'ID' ) ),
To the code for grabbing the Author’s website:
get_the_author_url( get_the_author_meta( 'ID' ) ),
Once those updates are completed, save the file and you’re done!
Step 5: Testing The Results
To test the results, you can go to Google’s Rich Snippet Test page: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/richsnippets Paste the URL of a post with the author’s name on it, and hit the “Preview” button:
Frequently Asked Questions about Adding Rich Snippet Support in WordPress
What are rich snippets and why are they important for my WordPress site?
Rich snippets are structured data markup that site operators can add to their existing HTML, which in turn allow search engines to better understand what information is contained on each web page. They are important for your WordPress site because they can make your web pages appear more prominently in search results, thus improving click-through rates and driving more traffic.
How can I add rich snippets to my WordPress site?
You can add rich snippets to your WordPress site by using plugins like All in One Schema Rich Snippets or Schema Pro. These plugins allow you to add different types of schema markup to your website without needing to code.
What types of rich snippets can I add to my WordPress site?
There are several types of rich snippets you can add to your WordPress site, including reviews, products, recipes, events, and more. The type of rich snippet you should add depends on the content of your website.
How can I test if my rich snippets are working correctly?
You can test if your rich snippets are working correctly by using Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool. Simply enter the URL of your webpage and the tool will show you if there are any errors in your markup.
Can rich snippets improve my website’s SEO?
Yes, rich snippets can improve your website’s SEO by making your web pages appear more prominently in search results. This can improve click-through rates and drive more traffic to your website.
How long does it take for rich snippets to appear in search results?
It can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks for rich snippets to appear in search results after you’ve added them to your website. This depends on when Google crawls your website.
Can I add rich snippets to my website without a plugin?
Yes, you can add rich snippets to your website without a plugin by adding the necessary structured data markup to your website’s HTML. However, this requires a good understanding of both HTML and structured data markup.
What is schema markup and how is it related to rich snippets?
Schema markup is a form of microdata that makes it easier for search engines to parse and interpret the information on your webpages more effectively. It is related to rich snippets because rich snippets are the visual representation of what schema markup adds to your website.
Can I use rich snippets for e-commerce products on my WordPress site?
Yes, you can use rich snippets for e-commerce products on your WordPress site. This can help display useful information like price, availability, and review ratings in search results.
Are there any downsides to using rich snippets on my WordPress site?
There are no major downsides to using rich snippets on your WordPress site. However, it’s important to ensure that your markup is correct and that it accurately represents your content, as misleading markup can result in penalties from search engines.
Tara Hornor has a degree in English and has found her niche writing about marketing, advertising, branding, graphic design, and desktop publishing. She is a Senior Editor for Creative Content Experts, a company that specializes in guest blogging and building backlinks. In addition to her writing career, Tara also enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.

Published in
·Canvas & SVG·Design·Design & UX·HTML & CSS·Illustration·Sketch·UI Design·Web·October 10, 2016