author

author · Recommended by Google

Appears in

Article

What is it?

author identifies who wrote the article. It accepts a Person or Organization object, linking the content to a specific individual or entity. Google uses this field to build author knowledge panels and establish content authority.

Why this matters for AEO

AI answer engines evaluate source credibility when choosing which content to cite. A well-structured author field with a name and profile URL helps AI systems attribute information to a specific expert. When multiple articles answer the same query, AI engines favor content with clear authorship because it signals accountability and expertise.

What the specs say

Schema.org: Organization or Person. The author of this content or rating. HTML 5 provides a special mechanism for indicating authorship via the rel tag. schema.org/author

Google: Recommended. "The author of the article. To help Google best understand authors across various features, we recommend following the author markup best practices." Google Article docs

Google's author markup best practices specify:

• author.name should contain only the author's name, not the publisher name
• author.url should link to a bio or profile page that uniquely identifies the author
• Multiple authors should use an array

How to find your value

• Blog — The byline under the headline
• News site — Author name in the article header or footer
• Company blog — The staff member who wrote it, or the company name
• Webflow CMS — A "Author" reference field linking to a team/authors collection

Format and code

Type: Person or Organization

Person author (most common):

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Implementing Custom JSON-LD Structured Data",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Doe",
    "url": "https://example.com/authors/jane-doe"
  }
}

Organization author:

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Schema HQ",
    "url": "https://schemahq.com"
  }
}

Multiple authors:

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "author": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Jane Doe",
      "url": "https://example.com/authors/jane-doe"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "John Smith",
      "url": "https://example.com/authors/john-smith"
    }
  ]
}

Invalid examples:

• "author": "Jane Doe" (use a Person object, not a plain string)
• "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Jane Doe at Example News"} (name should contain only the author name, not the publisher)

Webflow implementation

Static pages

In Page Settings > Custom Code > Before </head>:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "Your Article Title",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Your Name",
    "url": "https://yoursite.com/about"
  }
}
</script>

CMS template pages

If your Webflow CMS has an "Authors" collection referenced from blog posts:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "headline": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;name&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;PlainText&quot;} }}",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "{{wf {&quot;path&quot;:&quot;author.name&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;PlainText&quot;} }}"
  }
}
</script>

In Schema HQ

Field mapping pulls CMS author reference fields to the author property automatically. It detects Person vs Organization based on the linked collection type and includes the author's profile URL when available.

Real examples

nystudio107 (nystudio107.com):

{
  "@type": "Article",
  "author": {
    "@id": "https://nystudio107.com/#identity"
  }
}

Uses an @id reference to a Person entity defined elsewhere in the page's structured data graph.

Mocono (mocono.io):

{
  "@type": "NewsArticle",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Jane Doe",
    "url": "https://example.com/authors/jane-doe",
    "image": "https://example.com/images/jane-doe.jpg"
  }
}

Related fields

• publisher
• headline
• datePublished
• mainEntityOfPage

FAQ

What is the difference between author and publisher?

author is the person or organization that wrote the content. publisher is the organization that published it. A freelance journalist (author) may write for The New York Times (publisher). Google's docs show both in the same Article example but treats them as distinct roles.

Should I use a Person or Organization for author?

Use Person when a specific individual wrote the article. Use Organization only when the content is genuinely authored by the company (e.g., an editorial board, a company announcement). Google's best practices favor Person for most blog and news content.

Can author include an image?

Yes. Adding image to the Person object helps Google build richer author panels. It is optional but useful for sites with author profile photos.