How to Make a Name for Yourself on Google

Posted on June 5, 2009 by Laura Christianson

Need a quick and easy way to enhance your brand?Traffic Jam

Ensure that your name appears in Google searches by creating a Google Profile.

  1. First, you need a Google account.
  2. Once you’ve got that set up, edit your profile.
  3. Enter your first and last name and check the box, “Display my full name so I can be found in search.”
  4. If you have a decent photo of yourself, upload it, because it’ll appear next to your listing (see image of my Google profile below):

google-profile-lc

You can include lots of other info about yourself:

  • The places you’ve lived
  • Schools attended
  • Companies worked for
  • Contact info
  • An extended bio, packed with keywords
  • Links to your Web site(s) and social media
  • …and more!

Normally, it takes a while for Google to begin indexing a site. Not so with your Google profile. As soon as I updated my profile, it immediately appeared as the #10 listing for the search term, Laura Christianson. I’m going to monitor it over the next few days to see whether it moves up in the rankings.

You should also create a profile for yourself at Microsoft’s new search engine, Bing and at Yahoo, so you cover the major search engines.

Related articles:

And in the June issue of Bright Ideas Blogzine:

  • Dos and Don’ts for creating your social media profiles
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  • http://www.the-freelance-editor.com/ Stephen, the-freelance-editor

    Hi, Laura. Thanks for this push. I’ve been trying to create my Google profile for several months, now, and always ended up frustrated because I would update one piece of information, and some other piece would disappear! or revert back to a former state! I *finally* today, after reading your post went in to try again– and, again, had the same problems . . .

    BUT, today, I stumbled across a solution that may come in handy for other readers: USE INTERNET EXPLORER TO CREATE YOUR PROFILE !! As a “professional surfer” who practically lives on the Web, I never use IE. But, evidently Google (and a few other entities, which is what prompted me, at last, to experiment) doesn’t know a better world exists beyond Microsoft.

    Anyway, if anyone else has issues with building a Google profile and any other browser, switch to IE just for this one mission– it worked like a dream (I’m not necessarily finished, but at least I could add and edit)! Too bad I didn’t think to try that months ago . . .

  • http://www.the-freelance-editor.com Stephen, the-freelance-editor

    Hi, Laura. Thanks for this push. I’ve been trying to create my Google profile for several months, now, and always ended up frustrated because I would update one piece of information, and some other piece would disappear! or revert back to a former state! I *finally* today, after reading your post went in to try again– and, again, had the same problems . . .

    BUT, today, I stumbled across a solution that may come in handy for other readers: USE INTERNET EXPLORER TO CREATE YOUR PROFILE !! As a “professional surfer” who practically lives on the Web, I never use IE. But, evidently Google (and a few other entities, which is what prompted me, at last, to experiment) doesn’t know a better world exists beyond Microsoft.

    Anyway, if anyone else has issues with building a Google profile and any other browser, switch to IE just for this one mission– it worked like a dream (I’m not necessarily finished, but at least I could add and edit)! Too bad I didn’t think to try that months ago . . .

  • Laura

    Thanks for the tip about using IE, Stephen. I created my profile using Firefox and didn’t have any trouble. I have heard from others that there are glitches in the system; hopefully, Google is getting the kinks worked out.

  • Laura

    Thanks for the tip about using IE, Stephen. I created my profile using Firefox and didn’t have any trouble. I have heard from others that there are glitches in the system; hopefully, Google is getting the kinks worked out.

  • http://www.the-freelance-editor.com/ Stephen, the-freelance-editor

    > Hope you’ll comment again with the URL to your Google profile, so we can check it out.

    Sorry– I forgot to leave my link:

    > > http://www.google.com/profiles/ImYourEditor

    I still need to locate an online photo (or post one to my Web site that I can link to), and I want to tweak the text a bit to be more searchable, but at least it’s live! Thanks for asking.

  • http://www.the-freelance-editor.com Stephen, the-freelance-editor

    > Hope you’ll comment again with the URL to your Google profile, so we can check it out.

    Sorry– I forgot to leave my link:

    > > http://www.google.com/profiles/ImYourEditor

    I still need to locate an online photo (or post one to my Web site that I can link to), and I want to tweak the text a bit to be more searchable, but at least it’s live! Thanks for asking.

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com/ Laura Christianson

    Stephen,

    Nice profile. The Google eyes image is cute, but you’re right; you do need to find a decent mugshot of yourself to pop into your profile. Our minds are geared to connect emotionally with people’s faces.

    Since you’re promoting your services, it’s important that prospective clients see you; it helps them feel as if they know you.

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com Laura Christianson

    Stephen,

    Nice profile. The Google eyes image is cute, but you’re right; you do need to find a decent mugshot of yourself to pop into your profile. Our minds are geared to connect emotionally with people’s faces.

    Since you’re promoting your services, it’s important that prospective clients see you; it helps them feel as if they know you.

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com/ Laura Christianson

    Forgot to mention one thing in my previous comment. While you’re adding your smiling face to your Google profile, you might want to create a Gravatar, as well (that’s the universal avatar that accompanies comments you make on people’s blogs — so you don’t get stuck with the default “mystery man.”)

    I wrote a blog post about how to create your own gravatar:
    http://www.bloggingbistro.com/how-to-set-up-a-gravatar/

  • http://www.bloggingbistro.com Laura Christianson

    Forgot to mention one thing in my previous comment. While you’re adding your smiling face to your Google profile, you might want to create a Gravatar, as well (that’s the universal avatar that accompanies comments you make on people’s blogs — so you don’t get stuck with the default “mystery man.”)

    I wrote a blog post about how to create your own gravatar:
    http://www.bloggingbistro.com/how-to-set-up-a-gravatar/

  • Ron Holland, SWAT Fitness

    Great post, Laura. I know it’s dated, but topic still very relevant on creating a google profile. So simple – and yet I hadn’t even though of that.
    Thanks for the pointers.
    Ron Holland

  • http://bloggingbistro.com/ Laura Christianson

    You’re very welcome, Ron. And even though the post was published a while back, creating a Google Profile is still one of the best, easiest things you can do to put yourself on the virtual map. I’m always surprised at how few people create a Google Profile.

  • Nessrine

    Nessrine