Figuring out rel 'me' vs. 'author' for Google Authorship

Question

Regarding http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1229920 to scrolled down section ''Examples'' to the point ''1.'' to the second code line which is:

<a rel="me" href="https://plus.google.com/105240469625818678725/"> <img src="//www.google.com/images/icons/ui/gprofile_button-16.png"></a>

On the page says that I have to add this line to the Contact Me page of own website in order to get Google Profile button. Exact code which one should be copy and pasted I am able to get here: http://www.google.com/webmasters/profilebutton/

Questions:

1) As you can see on the second URL, to make Google Profile button I need to use author tag and not me tag. But the first URL which I showed (the line in this message above) shows that I have to use me tag and even without this: width="32" height="32". I am already aware that I have to type (second URL) my own Google Profile URL. So do I just MANUALLY (!) change this:

<a rel="author" href="https://profiles.google.com/109412257237874861202">
  <img src="http://www.google.com/images/icons/ui/gprofile_button-32.png" width="32" height="32"></a>

to this (note: two changes done):

<a rel="me" href="https://profiles.google.com/109412257237874861202">
  <img src="http://www.google.com/images/icons/ui/gprofile_button-32.png"></a>

Is this correct? I assume that plus.google.com is the same as profiles.google.com (both is URL of Google Profile).

2) If I was wrong with my first question then the second answer probably won't be even useful but still: Where exactly should I paste the code:

<a rel="me" href="https://profiles.google.com/109412257237874861202">
  <img src="http://www.google.com/images/icons/ui/gprofile_button-32.png"></a>

inside Author Page of own website? I think it doesn't matter where. Also: will this icon be for sure enough or do I also have to make such anchor text with rel me in a "shape" of text (for word sentence such as "Look At My Google Profile")? Or is just icon really enough?

3) In the same section ("1.") of the same page (link [first one] provided above) it says that I need to use first author tag to link to Author/Contact Me page of own website in order to later use me tag. But I think in the explanation is little mistake. Shouldn't be instead of:

<a rel="author" href="http://www.cnet.com/profile/iamjaygreene/">Jay Greene</a>

this:

<a rel="author" href="http://www.cnet.com/profile/iamjaygreene.html">Jay Greene</a>

?

Answer 1

Lets say we are on your personal site and the url is http://nekdo.tld which holds a blog. You are an author on this blog and you have an article that shows a common "Posted by: Nekdo" where Nekdo is linked to his profile page http://nekdo.tld/author/Nekdo. You should use rel="author" on this site, an example of the markup:

<p>Posted by: <a href="http://nekdo.tld/author/Nekdo" rel="author">Nekdo</a></p>

On other sites, where you link back to your site, you will use rel="me" on those links. Lets imagine a signature in a forum, it's common to use the signature as an opportunity to create a backlink. An example of the markup in a signature on a forum:

<p><a href="http://nekdo.tld" rel="me">Nekdo</a><br />
Specializing in <a href="http://nekdo.tld">Web Design</a></p>

In order to achieve the best results using the above, you should add http://nekdo.tld to your google+ profile as one of the websites you've contributed on, so that google will link your google+ profile to the rel="author", as well as linking your rel="me" authorship based on the domain.