Stop what you are doing and get or update your Google Profile now

What happens when you enter your name into Google? Do you come up number one? If not, are you on the first page? And if you do appear, is it something valuable? Or is the listing a photo of you as attending your ten-year high school graduation party (or worse)?

You need to be found on Google. Personal branding is essential in today's world.

1) If you're looking for a job, potential employers will search your name.
2) If you're a lawyer, consultant, or real estate broker, your clients will search your name.
3) If you're a salesperson, your potential customers will search your name.
4) If you're single, potential significant others will search your name.

There are several strategies to make the first page.

If you have a unique name, congratulations, you will be found. If you don't, and your name is something shared by many people like "David Scott," you could use your middle name professionally like I do. When you make yourself unique, you own the results for your name.

You can blog prolifically and post other valuable information on the Web like my friend Chris Brogan and rise in the search results.

Or you can get a Google profile.

I wrote about Google Profiles a few weeks ago, but since then there have been some enhancements that effect how your profile appears.

Your Google profile can now be a simple URL using your Google ID. Mine is google.com/profiles/davidmeermanscott. This makes it easy to remember and share.

Google now shows Google profile results at the bottom of U.S. name-query search pages. These results offer abbreviated information from user-created Google profiles and a link to the full profiles. Read more about it on the Google blog.

Even if you already appear in the search results for your name, you should have a Google profile and keep it up to date.

Stop what you’re doing and create or update your Google profile now.

Comments

[seamus walsh]

Another actionable, must do tip!

[Eugenie Verney]

Just been there, done that! Thanks for another useful one!

[Joseph Ratliff]

David,

I have read 3 of your books...good stuff...glad to see you blogging about the importance of being found in Google.

It just makes things easier.

[Beth Bridges]

David,

Thank you, excellent advice and really simple for even newbies on the internet to follow and take advantage of.

Even if your name is somewhat common (like mine) it doesn't take TOO much to brand yourself.

In response to your post, I Googled myself (hadn't done it in a while). To my very pleasant surprise, EVERY result but one on the first page is me! http://is.gd/u9zL

They're all different sources, so all those various profiles (Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter) add up.

Guess the question isn't "What is the use of this one socMedia outlet?" but "What is the benefit of being many places?"

[John Gibson]

I created a google profile (http://tr.im/jzIf) but it doesn't turn up when I search for it. Could I be doing something wrong?

[David Meerman Scott]

John,

I too looked you up on Google and did not find you. Perhaps it takes Google some time to index the listing. But I will ask my contact at Google to explain.

David

[Tony Darrick Baker]

Google works in it's own schedule... the moment you think you have them figured out... they've changed the way they do it.

Thank You David. I've just set up my personal profile for Tony Darrick Baker at Google.

I'm going to add this to my list of recommended social media profiles.

[Ayako]

Not sure why I have not done this yet! I've just set up my profile page and thanks for sharing this info.

[Designsbykimberly]

David, While searching for employment someone suggested your book New Rules of Marketing. You have opened my eyes! I'm excited to explore this new world.
I want to thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge.
Kimberly

[John Gibson]

David,

Thank you very much for following up on my post. I'll keep tweaking my profile and will see if that helps.

Best,
John

[Walter Paul Bebirian]

I am in the process in reading your book (slowly) about these new rules for marketing and pr - but I cannot seem to find any blogs where anyone has either written about me on their blogs - nor does anyone comment on blogs - Am I doing things that incorrectly?

[Marbellis Castillo]

Muchas gracias.. Acabo de crear my profile.

[Tony Faustino]

David,
I created my Google Profile immediately after reading your March 10th blog post referencing the benefits of a Google Profile (especially if you don't have a personal blog).

After only a few short weeks of creating my Google Profile here's the bottom line or perhaps a non-traditional form of ROI measurement: 90% of the front page SERPs for my name actually reference me. Even more gratifying is the 3rd ranking result -- it is my post on WebInkNow thanking you for sharing your insights from your original March 10th blog entry. How cool is that!

I hope people who read your blog and Dan Schawbel's Personal Branding Blog understand how important it is to claim one's online identity NOW. In the past week, both you and Dan generously shared insights on the importance of establishing and creating a Google Profile. For me, it's a critical first step towards ensuring that my buyers have access to my online professional portfolio content (i.e., LinkedIn, Twitter, and Amazon.com Book Reviews) at the time that he/she wants it.

Until I establish and create my own personal blog (which I will), this is how I make my online professional portfolio easily available at the-point-of sale.

All the best to you David,

Tony Faustino
http://www.google.com/profiles/Tony.Faustino