Is it an act of vanity when you Google yourself, or a strategic technique to ensure your visible online presence is a branded and authentic representation of who you are?
According to the University of Buffalo’s online article today, it is a “shrewd form of personal brand management.”
How important, really, is a branded online presence? In compiling its list of the “50 most influential leaders,” the number of Google results was one of three measures used by Accenture. And according to this author, "People should Google themselves for the same reason corporations do, to help to manage their public face.” I agree.
With more and more professionals Googling people they “might” want to do business with before meeting with them and 87% of recruiters using Google to source and evaluate potential candidates, what your online presence says about you – or does not say about you – could play an important role.
What is it costing you by not having a branded online presence?
Personal branding is as much a function of what one does …. as what others perceive one’s personal branding to be.
Thanks for your comment, Jeff.
My belief is that your brand attributes tell “how” you do what you do. As a result, “how you deliver your message” is really your brand versus simply “what” you do.
Your thoughts?