Seven ways to make yourself more ‘Google-able’

So, why on earth would you want to be found on Google?

 

You might be looking for a job, you might be looking for your voice to be heard, or maybe you just w

So, why on earth would you want to be found on Google?

 

You might be looking for a job, you might be looking for your voice to be heard, or maybe you just want to feel important by being ‘Google-able’. After all, if you’re on Google it means you’re relevant, right?

 

There was a time when you’d rarely find a picture of me anywhere, let alone on the internet for the world to see. Now however, you can quite easily find my face, my thoughts and even my friends.

How did this happen? How did I become ‘Google-able’?

 

 

One of the first results when you search ‘Aysh Banaysh’ on Google is my blog. I’ve been blogging for years and I guess that is when I first became ‘Google-able’. Also learn about SEO to get your blog/website etc. ranking high up on Google. You may have a blog, but if it’s completely irrelevant to everything no one will ever find it.

 

 

The next few results are my social media profiles. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google Plus. Use keywords in your profiles too, so relevant people can find you.

 

 

You know what else comes up when you Google me? Guest posts I’ve written. Guest posts are a great way to expand your audience. Just make sure it’s set up for Google+ authorship. Google+ goodness will make you more ‘Google-able’. Content doesn’t have to be in the written form though, whether it’s a great video, an awesome tweet, or even just a hilarious vine – it all counts as great content. Great content will get views naturally, and this will nudge Google to tell them it’s great, and if it’s linked with your name it’ll spread your name around and come up when people search for you. Then they’ll also see how awesome you are! On the other hand, if your content matches the description of something someone’s looking for, they’ll find it in Google, find your name and then Google you. Win-Win.

 

 

If you don’t update your blog regularly the likelihood is it won’t appear very high up in Google searches, and no one will ever find you. 

 

 

Whether you’re a journalist or a bungee-jumping stunt clown, show off what you do. This can help you to find work and be found by employers.

 

 

If you post a picture of yourself, make sure the file is named after you. This will help Google associate the picture with your name. If you’ve got the option, put your name in the alt text too!

 

 

If you haven’t already realised by the fact that it rhymes, Aysh Banaysh is not my real name, but it’s the name I use everywhere apart from on official documents. If you’ve got a common name, there’s a very small chance that Google will return relevant results when someone searches for you, so a pen name will allow you to distinguish and brand yourself and make yourself more ‘Google-able’.

 

Warning: we all know to be wary about what we post on the internet, right? Yep, so don’t tweet those drunk pictures, because your future boss might be looking at them…