Personal branding is for everyone

It has become synonymous with searching for things on the Internet. It is so commonplace that even my 7-year-old son knows that it is the preferred way to search for things online.

 

When is the last time you had someone Google you? We Google for directions, we Google for phone numbers, we Google for reviews of restaurants, movies and businesses and we Google for fun and entertainment.

 

But when was the last time you Googled yourself? If you haven’t done it, try it and see what you find. You might be unpleasantly surprised. You never know what information is available online about you or someone who shares your unique (or not so unique!) name.

 

When I typed my name into the Google search box, I found a struggling subway street performer in New York City, a starving actor in Minnesota and an engineer in Oregon. Nowhere did I find the real me.

 

That was before I began to work on activating my personal brand.

 

Now, when someone, friend or foe, searches my name on Google, they find the real me and everything that I have to offer. That is so important now that I have my own business and am trying to compete with all of the other writers and editors across the country.

 

When I apply for jobs, I can now tell people to just Google me to find out what I have to offer. Not only does it pique their interest, but it is also a great way to set myself apart from all of the paper and electronic resumes and writing samples.

 

One of the tools I use, Qalias, will push your name to the top of the Google search results page, ahead of all of the other imposters who are trying to get a piece of your pie! You get a bio, a picture, an electronic business card and the peace of mind in knowing that people don’t mistake you with someone with the same name who isn’t nearly as talented or law-abiding.

 

What do you have to lose if you don’t try it? Perhaps your reputation.