What Google Will Say

I was reading a great post by Heather this morning titled What Does Google say….About YOU? - regarding your brand and online identity. She makes a great point there, if not for any other reason than the fact that Google gives away more and more information -- and more and more people are using it to look at people they may hire or do business with.

On a similar topic, there is a new thread at the forum this morning asking if you use your real name on your niche sites, and whether you should or not. Here's some food for thought on both topics, because it's important to keep in mind what Google will say...

Your Identity & Reputation

If you are branding yourself online as an expert in your niche, what Google says about you will either contribute to that or take away from it. Let's say, just for example, that I am a Search Marketing Consultant. You consider hiring me to optimize your website to rank well in the search engines.

You do a search on Google and find a mini site and several forum posts where I promote and endorse black hat (spam) techniques. Would you still hire me? No - you'd stay as far away from that as you could!

Or lets say you are up for a great job and you are competing with 3 other people for the position. Your potential employer 'Googles you' and finds that you happen to own "the greatest freak site in the world"... Do you think that would influence the decision? You betcha 😉

Personal Information

A name alone wont always give you that much on an initial Google search, but it will lead searchers to information that they can use to revise their search. Let's say for example that you know (or find out) the state that a person lives in...

If you search first and last name along with the state, Google will return phone listings that include your telephone number and billing address. If you have a home office and your telephone number is billed to your home address... one click will give any searcher a map to your front door!

Keep in mind too, that if you use your real name on MySpace or other social networks where people can find anyone in their local area with a simple search function... they can have a map to your home within 30 seconds.

My advice? Have your phone lines billed to a post office box or some other off-site location.

Using Pen Names (aka pseudonym / alias)

Often people will use a pseudonym for affiliate sites or online ventures that they dont want associated with their real name. I actually use a pen name on some of my sites - whether they are affiliate or personal. Anything that doesnt match other things you do publicly or online, shouldnt be associated. Just my opinion.

Not that I have questionable niche sites, but that it just isnt relevant to anyone searching for my name online.

Let's say for example that I am a turtle fanatic (bet you didnt know that about me! lol) and I have an affiliate site ALL about turtles. Who cares?? Unless that's my primary business (which its not), then the association is meaningless. And my turtle crowd doesnt care if my name is Lynn Terry or Jane Doe, so long as I am a good webmaster and personable contributor. Right?

Go ahead - Google yourself as Heather suggested, and see what they say about YOU. Obviously they arent going to say anything about you that you dont specifically publish yourself - or that gets published/said about you online.

Just something to keep in mind 😉

Best,

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