Do You Know What I Found When I Googled You?
Jeff Geoghan smartly reminds us to check what comes up in a google search of your name, and/or your info. It is good to do this fairly often to make sure your search engine optimization is strong.
Most of us in business have heard this said in their presence at least once in the last year - perhaps in the last couple of days. This is the new normal.
Do you know what someone found when they Googled you? The front page of a Google search on a person can be very enlightening. It displays the items of most relevance to that person or business name, whether they are flattering or not. Now, most of us don't have too many skeletons in our closets but we still need to pay attention to what Google's front page is saying (or not saying) about us.
So, start with the obvious; Google yourself! For many just starting out, you may need to add some modifying terms like "Realtor" or your business location.
So, what did you find? Did you website or blog rank first? How does the Meta data connected with your site work in your favor? What does the summary description beneath your search results say about you? You're starting to see how you may need to go back to your website and be more intentional about manipulating the text Google is pulling. And those header Meta tags that are nonexistent, out-of-date or just plain inaccurate.
Grab a screen shot of the first page of Google for your search - it's your snapshot for progress. Which of your blog posts are ranking high? Do any of your competitors show up alongside you? What social media profiles of yours are showing up? If I Googled you, would I see the website you want me to see in the first couple of responses?
These are just some sample thoughts to get you started. I bet now that you're actually looking at your Google results you have even more ideas on how to improve things. One key strategy is to take what Google is highlighting and work with it - go with the Google Flow, if you will. Does your Twitter profile come up first? Go and tweak that with links to your preferred site. LinkedIn? You have even more room to maneuver with LinkedIn's profile - add more content and links to you other sites. You get the idea...
Lastly, your Google results will yield up any negativity our there about you or your business that may need to be addresses - bad reviews or comments out there that are getting traction. You can be assured that if they've risen to the level of the first couple of pages of Google about you they need addressing!
Save your screenshot and come back in a couple of weeks - yes, this is an ongoing process. Online search and reputation management is a moving target, but take heart! By making small changes here and there you can vastly improve your presentation on Google.
Read more of Jeff's marketing articles at www.jeffg.me
