Having an author bio on blog articles can no longer be categorized simply as “nice to have.” In a low-trust world where content can be published online by anyone with a computer and Internet access, users need to know who’s behind the information they’re reading. Even large, credible sites now list the names and credentials of their writers, especially when the subject requires some degree of expertise to write about it intelligently. They can’t expect readers to trust every piece of anonymous information written by their massive teams of writers.
From a marketing perspective, showcasing your writers helps to build a relationship between your readers and your writers, which is ultimately good for your website’s brand. Think about your favorite journalists or sports writers; you probably specifically seek out the websites they write for.
When it comes to SEO, having an author bio pays dividends in a more obvious way. Google’s search engine algorithm and quality raters reward websites that they deem trustworthy. While this is true for all topics, it’s even more important when it comes to content related to health and finance, known by SEO experts as Your Money or Your Life (YMYL). Trustworthiness is judged using a set of criteria that Google calls E-E-A-T, Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
While we don’t need to get into detail about all the factors that help Google determine if an article meets these criteria, it’s apparent that having a detailed author bio that exhibits the expertise of your writer can go a long way toward showing Google that the information in a particular article on your website is authoritative and trustworthy based on the experience and expertise of the writer. It’s one of the few elements on a web page that checks off all 4 boxes of the EEAT criteria. Sites demonstrating strong EEAT signals rank well on Google and other search engines.
Designing an Author Bio
While just having author bios on your site is a smart thing to do, some are better than others at improving your site’s credibility with readers and search engines. Below are some elements you should try to incorporate into your site’s author bio to get the most out of them:
- Author’s name with any relevant educational credentials, job titles, and awards.
- A high-resolution photo of the writer with their face clearly visible (no cartoons or illustrations).
- Three to six-sentence description of educational background and professional experience relevant to the article’s subject. Adding hobbies, personal information about the author, and even a fun fact are all fine unless the blog is extremely professional or serious.
- Links to social media profiles or a personal website.
- Link to an author page with a full list of the author’s articles on your site.
Author Bio Examples
Below are some great examples of author bios from sites across different industries and genres. These examples all help boost their sites’ credibility and EEAT. Some of them meet all the criteria listed above and some only check off a few of the boxes, but they are all helpful for coming up with ideas for the design and layout of the author bio on your website.
1. Car and Driver
Consumers researching cars before they purchase need to feel confident that the writers providing them with advice are true experts. This site lists bios for both the writer and editor that showcase their vast experience writing about cars, but in a casual way that aligns with their brand.
2. Forbes
Forbes lets authors link to their websites and multiple social media accounts. This gives readers the ability to check out the professional background of their writers so they can verify the legitimacy of the writer’s background for themselves.
3. VeryWellHealth.com
Health sites like VeryWellHealth need to go the extra mile in presenting the expertise of their writers. The bios on this site detail the full educational and professional backgrounds of the writers so the readers can decide for themselves if the writers have sufficient medical knowledge when deciding if they should trust the information in an article.
4. Space.com
This is more of a hobby blog for space enthusiasts, so they don’t need to go overboard with the information provided in the bio. But, they are an SEO-conscious site, so they still describe the author’s background along with some fun facts to keep the tone casual.
5. Pinch of Yum
This food blog’s bios are more focused on establishing relationships between the readers and writers than on building credibility. It’s a great way to build up an audience that engages with your brand on your website and social media. That’s why they include an extra-large photo of the writer smiling and 4 ways to reach her on social media.
6. MarieClaire.co.uk
Fashion blogs like MarieClaire do not need an author bio to establish credibility. The quality of the content usually speaks for itself. That said, giving a full, detailed professional history of the writer helps the readers feel like they know the writer and possibly even identify with them. This too can help foster relationships and build a loyal audience.
7. MarketWatch
MarketWatch is all business when it comes to their bios. They provide a concise professional background on the writer and a few options for reaching them. This aligns with their brand as a premium destination for professional market news that readers can trust.
As you can see from the examples above, the options are endless. If you’re in the process of designing an author bio for your website, the most important thing to consider is what your readers want and expect to see. If you use that as your guiding principle, your author bio, as well as your site in general, are more likely to help you achieve your goals.