And no, I don’t mean that in the way some people with super-sized egos say ‘just Google my name!’ when you ask for their contact details.
The more time you spend online – using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networks – the more of a trail of virtual breadcrumbs you leave on the internet. Add to that any articles, podcasts, videos and blog posts you produce, as well as comments you make on other people’s blogs, and the trail becomes ever more visible.
While it’s the ambition of most businesses for their website to be No. 1 on Google, it can be a little disconcerting the first time you see your own name appear in search results. But you can use this to your advantage if you’re the owner of a small business, indeed you really must!
To start with you want to find out what’s being said about you – is it accurate and up to date? I was researching for a client the other day and found references to a previous business and link to that business’s website. My client had wisely maintained the ‘old’ site and provided a link to her latest website from it. So often people excitedly move on and forget all the benefits gained from a previous web presence.
And do you know where your details appear? I’m often bemused to find myself listed on directories I have no recollection of joining. Links back to your website from most directories are pretty meaningless these days, but references about you on authoritative and respected websites that link to your site are definitely worth cultivating.
Have you Googled yourself lately? What did you find?
