What pops up when someone googles your name? Your online identity is a strong representation of your personal brand and public reputation. By regularly googling yourself and understanding the implications of online sharing, you can actively manage your digital presence and learn to maintain an online identity that works for you.
“People should Google themselves for the same reason corporations do, to help to manage their public face,” says Alexander Halavais, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of Buffalo. “Given that everyone from potential employers to potential mates is likely to be googling you, you should have a good idea of what they will find.” Do you regularly Google yourself? Consider the following and make self search your new digital habit:
Online Sharing. Over the past few years, people have become more and more comfortable with the Internet and have started revealing more online. One major factor in this is the popularity of social media with nearly 75% of adults now on Facebook. While there’s no harm in maintaining an active social presence, it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect content you choose to share online. A recent study by Background Check reported 12% of individuals having their phone number publicly available online. 42% say a photo of them is available online and 33% report their birthday and age being public content. Regardless of privacy settings, it’s important to share with caution. If it is not something you are comfortable sharing publicly, you are often better off keeping it offline.
Who’s Looking? According to a Pew Internet study, 70% of web users have searched online for information about other individuals. People are looking for information about their family, friends, and often times, complete strangers. Random searches such as these are likely to come from advertisers and marketers seeking business contacts or individuals looking for professional advice or services. Current and potential job employers are known to be extremely active in searching when it comes to prospective candidates. 79% of recruiting managers screen applicants online and 86% of such have admitted to rejecting candidates based on their search results. By actively Googling yourself and managing your online reputation, you can improve your personal brand while ensuring privacy and personal security.
Reputation Management. The Internet is now a major influence for anyone looking to make a decision. Whether it is an employer, friend, or coworker, online results have a great impact in someone’s real world perception of you. Every online action whether it be a simple retweet or page like, now has the potential of being tracked and picked up by online searchers. Be cautious of what you share, how frequently you do so, and what others are posting about you. Even if a photo of you was shared on a friend’s profile, assume that it will be seen and impact your personal brand. Your online presence is visible to the entire Internet so be sure it consists of only content you are comfortable sharing with a public audience.
Now it’s your turn. Launch Google, type your name in the search bar, and scroll through the results of what is currently shaping your online identity. Be sure to try various search phases by incorporating quotes and expanding your keywords to include your city and employer’s name. You can then understand your current digital identity and take action to improve such. Blog entries, an active Linked In profile, and personal websites allow you to manage the content and can play a positive role in shaping your web presence. Google yourself on a regular basis to actively manage your online reputation and make the search results work for you.
