These days consumers’ first impression of you is likely shaped by Google results. A recent article on Forbes looked at the importance of Google in terms of giving yourself and your brand a strong identity.
Read more: Fall in Love With Google Again
If you want to analyze your Google identity, the first thing you need to do is Google yourself. (e.g. “Your name” with quote marks around the search term). That will offer up an image of how others are seeing you. It can offer a look at who you are and how visible you are – both critical pieces to personal branding.
Not finding too much? “Don’t worry … there are many options available to you that will take your personal brand from digitally doomed to digitally dazzling,” writes Forbes contributor William Arruda. “All you need to do is build and act on your online personal branding plan.”
Arruda urges exercises in framing your Google presence, such as first identifying your differentiator in your business and finding ways to link the personal with the professional among your online content (“strive for 70-80 percent professional text and 20-30% personal text, he notes).
Page 1 of the Google results is all you mostly need to be concerned about, he notes.Eighty-seven percent of all clicks occur from page 1 results; 62 percent go to the top three links.
Arruda suggests a few ways to amp up your Google appeal, including:
Write a better, more engaging bio. Let people know more about who you are. Here are some tips on crafting a more dynamic online real estate bio.
Update your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn profiles often appear in one of the top three spots in Google result pages when searching for a name. Make sure your headline, headshot, and summary are up to date. Also, take the time to fill out your skills/endorsements, experience, and education. Check out more tips: The Ultimate Guide to Maximizing LinkedIn for Career Success
Secure vanity URLs on all the social media that is helpful in reaching your target market. “Namechk can help you determine the sites on which your name is available,” Arruda notes. “If yours is not available, for SEO purposes, add something to the end of your name rather than putting something between your first and last name.”
Source: “Is Your Google Identity Helping or Hurting Your Career?” Forbes.com (July 24, 2016)