Have you kept up with your personal brand?
You don’t have one? Sure you do; we all have a brand whether we’re aware of it or not. That’s because anyone doing a Google search of your name will be able to form a profile of you from your digital presence. In essence, your “resume” is always available to find.
Here are a few steps you can take to evaluate your online persona and make sure you have control of it for the New Year.
Audit yourself
Do a Google search of yourself, but conduct it in the private mode for the browser you’re using. By searching in the private mode, you are removing all the cookies (stored data about yourself) that the browser has for you. The result is that what you see will mimic the search results that will actually come up for a stranger who does the same search. In Chrome, look for “Incognito” to do this. It’s called “Private” in Firefox and Safari.
After you search your name, review what appears on the first page. Also, look at the Images, News, and Videos tabs for the search. There can be some unwanted surprises in there!
If you have a common name, try a few different variations of it. For example, you may try Mary Smith Hartford to associate you with the city you live or work in. Another example is if you have a name that can be shortened (Michael vs. Mike).
Clean up the dead weight
You may have been shocked at how much zombie content there is of you on the web. It’s time to get it removed.
Delete that Twitter account you never use but is the second result that comes up for you. Contact that former employer who still has your old bio page on their site and ask that it be deleted.
It also may be that you’re not easy to find, especially if you have a common name. If that’s the case, take control where you can. For example, if your name is Michael Smith, make sure you are consistent across all your digital properties. Does your LinkedIn say Michael Smith while your company bio page says Mike Smith? Pick one version of your name and uniform it across all your digital accounts.
You can also add a qualifier to your name. If you work in Hartford, make sure that tag appears in your LinkedIn header, your website homepage, and your company bio. By always having that Hartford (or whatever qualifier you use) displayed near your name on all your digital properties, search engines will have an easier time finding all your relevant content.
Taking control
After you’ve removed what shouldn’t be there, now it’s time to add what should. Make it a priority to focus on keeping a digital property updated. LinkedIn is a good default, but you can also create a simple website for yourself using Wordpress or Wix.
The key is to keep it updated. By frequently adding content or being active on it, search engines are more likely to give the page preference in a search.
Your online presence is a double edged sword. While outdated and irrelevant content can give you a poor image, a thoughtful approach to crafting your digital presence can give you a personal brand that you’re proud of.