Blissful ignorance. How should we deal with it?

Selected answers from the Dumb SEO Questions Facebook & G+ community.

• 
  Jim Munro: Blissful ignorance. How should we deal with it?
  
  In this post, Al Remetch is attempting to use Matt Cutts' reference to "Indepth Articles" to fool the gullible into thinking that this also applies to ordinary ranking.
  
  In tonight's Dumb SEO Questions Hangout on Air, I'd like to ask our panel to examine this and related issues in detail.
• 
  Al Remetch: Google's +Amit Singhal - No Author Rank Yet
  or
  Author Rank Does come into play - Matt Cutts
  Looks like Mark Traphagen and the good ol boys club are having a lot of fun at my expense because Amit Singhal said No Author Rank yet.
  It's so interesting that Mark took delight in this since this is incredibly damaging to David Amerland and his book.  ;Below are excerpts from David's book that define author rank or at least an author score that influences the search results.  ;Amerland pins much of his book on the fact that this author rank exists.  ;If it doesn't much of the reasons to buy David's book evaporates.  ;
  
  Fortunately for David, I think the author rank that we talk about does exist.  ;Please look at the Twitter exchange between Matt Cutts and Mark Traphagen.  ;Matt Cutts indicates that Author Rank does play a role.  ;Who are you going to believe, Matt or Mark?
  
  The biggest problem is that the word author rank is such a charged word.  ;It seems like Mark has a more elaborate picture in his mind of what it should be instead of looking at what is actually happening.
  Google doesn't use the word author rank so it is easy for Amit to say it isn't in play.  ;However the concept of author rank of identifying subject experts and giving their content a boost probably is.  ;Don't forget, Matt Cutts said at Pubcon they are getting better at doing this. ;
  So I think instead of focusing on the word author rank, we should look at the concept behind it, and that is identifying quality authors and giving them a boost.  ;And it seems to be happening.
  
  
  Page 60
  The intention, by Google, to take content that is placed on websites and rank it according to who placed it there (or created it) and who they are.
  
  P65
  But before we get to the nitty-gritty of what Google offered let’s take one small step back and look at the bigger picture that contains the beast called Author Rank. Author Rank is the natural outcome of Google’s patent 20070033168. It assigns a specific value to a content creator and then uses that value to further rank, or not, the page that this person has created.
  
  p66
  Trust matters because it governs search rankings in SERPs. More than that, it matters because it governs how frequently and how prominently your website is served in Google’s semantic
  search results as an “answer” to a need.
  
  p68
  Semantic search, with its introduction of the range of assessed activities that are loosely grouped under the “Author Rank”
  label, changes both how search query-dependent and search query-independent signals work by filtering everything through the content creator.
  
  p70
  Now, instead of keyword density (an on-page search engine optimization technique) and PageRank (an off-page search engine optimization technique) determining the ranking of websites in search, we have the reputation, perceived trust, and authority on a particular subject of the content creator influencing both
  search query-dependent signals (how trusted the content is and how relevant to the search query) and search query-independent signals (the perceived trust, authority, and validity of the website containing the content).
  **
  The rationale here is that if an algorithmically calculated reputation score is hard to attain and relatively easy to lose, then it begins to acquire value worth safeguarding. This happens through the judicious creation and sharing of content on the Web. In other words, people suddenly have the ability to influence ranking by the
  quality of their digital presence and association with particular content. If search is marketing as I stated in Chapter 1 of this book, then content marketing is how you get found in search.
  
  P72
  The ranking of websites based on their association with content creators and the way they, in turn, interact with web pages is radically different from anything we have had until now. Successful preparation for the semantic web requires a number
  of steps related directly to “Author Rank”
  
  ping +Eric Enge ;+Jim Munro ;+Klaus Bandisch ;+Blair Warner ;+Craig Long ;+Joshua Berg ;+John Dietrich ;+Bill Gassett ;+David Kutcher ;+Adrienne Hollis ;+MaAnna Stephenson ;+Randy Wilson ;
  
  #authorrank
• 
  Dewaldt Huysamen: I have a lot to say about this which I am sure would shine some light +Jim Cramer what time is the hangout in CAT?
• 
  W.E. Jonk: +Dewaldt Huysamen ;please join, but the host is +Jim Munro ;;-)
• 
  Jim Munro: I'm Jim Cramer now? :)
  
  Here is a world time link. Remember that the first hour is green room for us to have a chat, Dewaldt.
  http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20140313T22&p1=240&ah=4
• 
  Dewaldt Huysamen: Dammit I have a meeting at 14:00 with new client.
  
  Look how it has flooded here in Pretoria and Johannesburg
  
  http://m.jacarandafm.com/post/gauteng-under-water-flooding-pics/
  
  +Tim Capper hectic hey?
• 
  W.E. Jonk: The HOA does run for a couple of hours.
• 
  Al Remetch: Be sure to read the excerpts from  ;David Amerland's book and see if they define author rank or not.  ;My position is the same as David's.
  Also notice in depth articles was only one example. That's not saying there aren't other possibilities.
  Also analyze what Matt Cutts meant when he said they are getting better at identifying authorities in a topic and boosting their content in the search results.
  Finally ask yourself why Jim Munro didn't invite me to this hangout to explain my position.
  And be sure to lawyer up if you plan on doing any character assassination.  ;You will be on video
• 
  Al Remetch: Also, note, I just asked a question and pointed out +David Amerland's statements on author rank.  ;I have the same position as he does.
  Try to be logical.
• 
  W.E. Jonk: +Al Remetch ;I am sure Jim will invite you. To me you are a very savy SEO and I would like to hear your comments.
• 
  Jim Munro: I think Al Remetch is ignorant and clueless but that's just my personal opinion. I won't let my own opinion interfere with the balance of our discussion.
  
  Besides, his own post displays his gormlessness for all the world to see. There is no nexus between Indepth Articles and ordinary search ranking. ;
  
  ============================
  
  You are welcome to join us, +Al Remetch ;. You will be given the respect that you do not accord to others.
  
  Be aware, though, that I will be using previous recordings and public statements you have made to point out that you continually contradict yourself.
  
   ;You have attacked the character of others to bolster your own notoriety. It's unconscionable behaviour.
• 
  Tony McCreath: Sounds like I'll have to watch this hangout. How much are ring side seats?
• 
  Jim Munro: RE: Al Remetch's statement earlier in this thread. "Finally ask yourself why Jim Munro didn't invite me to this hangout to explain my position.
  And be sure to lawyer up if you plan on doing any character assassination.  ;You will be on video" ;
  
  You are a liar, +Al Remetch. You were invited in the thread linked below. ;
  
  https://plus.google.com/103399952890582254099/posts/JyeMBHsDodP
• 
  Al Remetch: +Jim Munro I didn't see it. Did you invite me on the panel by tagging me. No notifications showed up. I notice you mentioned me in this thread but didn't tag me, which leads me to believe you didn't want me to see it. Also your statement is contrary to an earlier statement that you weren't interested in anything I had to say. 
• 
  Jim Munro: I'm not interested in anything you have to say, Al, but that doesn't mean that you will not be treated with courtesy. You will be allowed full latitude to state your views if you choose to participate in the DSQ HOA.
• 
  W.E. Jonk: Normally one gets noticed on a share (maybe there are some specific settings...). The share does mention your name in the post. Therefore to me it is okay to share without plussing the original poster because it is already mentioned within the share.
• 
  Al Remetch: +Jim Munro send me the details. 
• 
  Jim Munro: A notification is sent out at this time. A non-public green room is open for an hour before the public broadcast. I will need to circle you to add you to the invitation list and I think you need to circle me back to receive the notification.
  
  http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?iso=20140313T22&p1=240&ah=4
• 
  Al Remetch: I already have you in a circle. 
• 
  Al Remetch: +W.E. Jonk ;and +Jim Munro ;unfortunately I will not be able to attend the hangout.  ;My day started at 5AM and to stay awake until your conference would be  ;23 hours without sleep since it will be 4AM my time.
  However, I hope a few objective people read this to know my actual position.
  
  First, is to accurately state my definition of author rank.  ;It is identical to what David Amerland describes in his book and that is in the page excerpts included in the original post above.  ;From the beginning that is how I've defined what I'm talking about.  ;So if you guys don't think  ;what David describes is actually happening, than both David Amerland and I are wrong about this.  ;Be sure to tell David that he is wrong with the same kindess you have bestowed on me.
  
  Now for the essence of this post that riled Jim which is Matt Cutts telling Mark Traphagen that to be fair Author Rank is in play.  ;He gives one example which I admit isn't what we are talking about when we talk about author rank.
  However, this may be the first outright confirmation from Google for author rank. And Matt just gave in depth articles as one example.  ;There could feasibly be more.  ;It will probably be awhile before we know.  ;
  
  However, in building a case for author rank this adds to the ;preponderance of evidence.  ;And if we think back to Matt's statements at Pubcon the image of author rank, which David Amerland describes so well in the excerpts begins to take shape.  ;
  
  At Pubcon, Matt Cutts says they are getting better at identifying authorities in topic and giving them a boost.  ;That is exactly what author rank is supposed to do and this isn't the first time Matt Cutts has mentioned this.
  So if he isn't talking about an author score that boosts rankings in the search results what is he talking about.
  
  Also, consider the Rand Fishkin incident in which there was a post that was at position 9 thru 12, for several months.  ;However, when Rand's authorship markup was added to the post, it quickly went to the top position.  ;Now we all know that authorship in and of itself isn't a ranking factor, so it must have been something about Rand Fishkin.  ;The most obvious answer it an author score that gave Google the reliability factor that in needs to put content in the top slot.
• 
  Al Remetch: +Jim Munro ;maybe you could schedule a hangout at a time that is  ;more conducive to both the US and Australia.
• 
  Al Remetch: Jim, also, if you get a chance search ;
  Matt Cutts author rank
• 
  Tony McCreath: Damn, Not going to watch anymore.
• 
  Jim Munro: +Al Remetch ;- I think the problem stems from your apparent inability to grasp the basics of SEO causing you to use terms literally without understanding their meaning. I don't care about that, you are welcome to think and say anything you like.
  
  What I do care about is your stalking of David Amerland and your incessant abusive posts and comments, but especially your Amazon Review of David's book. In my mind, this was one of the lowest acts I've ever seen carried out by a human being.
  
  You either refuse or are simply unable to take on board good advice. You don't budge, even in the face of all evidence.
  
  Good luck to you. Enjoy yourself, but the only people you are fooling are a bunch of gullibles who would not know which way is up if handed a helium balloon.
• 
  Al Remetch: Jim, in America here, writing a review is perfectly ok.  ;I stand by every word in that review.  ;Amerland misrepresents the book with his promises on the cover and doesn't deliver.
  Also, since you think there is no author rank how do you cope with Amerland defining it from pages 65 to 72,  ;I was much more charitable to David than you have been to me.
  Are you possibly trying to score brownie points with David?
  If you do talk to him, suggest an hoa for the three of us.
• 
  Jim Munro: That Amazon review was an act of bastardry. I think there might be something wrong with your head, mate.
• 
  Michael Bird: Something that blew my mind was seeing that my blog post with no links currently ranks on the first page in Australia for 'seo companies'...power of G+ already
• 
  Jim Munro: Aaah yes, but does it rank for 'seo questions', Michael? :)
• 
  Michael Bird: haha it does not..but it's still pretty cool to see a zero link page get up there in competitive SERP's like that :)