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Are You Googleable?

iyazamiyazam subscriber Posts: 33
edited December 2008 in Marketing
The other day I met a website marketing guru, well he claimed to be
a guru. When I came home and "Googled" his name - there were not many
results that showed up. It kind of lead me to the decision not to use
his services.
The bottom line is are you Googleable? Are
you showing up in the search engines? If people are seeking a service
provider in your area - does your name show up on the first pages of
Google? So many people fail to understand this.
Today I
was at the Jeff Pulver breakfast in Jerusalem. There I met someone who
told me that he attends every single networking event he can find..."I
need all of the networking I can get...", so I asked him - how is
business going? `Well not great....the results from these events have
not been that great". I asked him whether he appears in the search
engines...his answer was no. Today it is so natural for us that when we
hear about or meet someone new we will Google their name, especially
when it comes to business.
Focus on writing informative
articles and submitting them to article directories, focus on
optimizing yourself for the search engines. This can be an unbelievable
tool for attracting new customers and clients to your business.
iyazam1/1/2009 7:02 AM
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Comments

  • DavidJacksonDavidJackson subscriber Posts: 143 Silver Level Member
    Does your name show up on the first pages of Google? 
     
     
     
    There are plenty of crooks who appear on the first page of Google. So that really doesn`t prove anything.
     
    Also, there can be a variety of reasons why someone does or doesn`t show up on the first pages of Google. It`s just not a credible litmus test.
     
    For example, I have a very common first and last name. So it would be darn near impossible for me to get on the first page of Google for the search term "David Jackson." There are over 12 million pages of David Jackson.
     
    It`s like being named John Smith. First page ain`t gonna happen!
     
    In addition, search engines are fickle. You can be on the first page today, and the tenth page tomorrow.
     
    That being said, I am on the first page of Google for my main keyword phrase "fundamental marketing." Out of nearly 7 million pages my website ranks #4. Not too shabby.
     
    But like I said, search engines are fickle. I could rank higher or lower tomorrow.
     
    I do agree with you about writing articles, however. It`s an excellent way to promote your business.
     
    David Jackson
    DavidJackson12/23/2008 10:57 AM
  • JmesJmes subscriber Posts: 4
    iyazam,
    I too agree that making sure you appear on google is very important
    I read that most people who look into new products/services/business-partners and even employees google their name prior the meeting
    I think one of the best ways to brand yourself is to create a personal page that will be visible to people searching your name online. Adding relevant and up-to-date information about you and your business will help increasing your visibility and brand your business.
    That way, anyone looking for you or your brand on a search engine will find the essential details at a glance. your skills, your employment information, your brand, your contact details...
    I recommend a tool called LookupPage. it`s fast, easy and it gets the job done
    Jmes
  • iyazamiyazam subscriber Posts: 33
    Jmes - thanks for that great tool!
  • knowonderknowonder subscriber Posts: 0
    iyazam,
    Couldn`t agree more with needing to be "Googleable".  My real estate business relies on those leads.  I`m also getting ready to launch UpdateLane.com also for the real estate industry.  I`ll be ramping that SEO effort very soon to make sure I`m Googleable. 
    I`m not familiar with article directories and would like to make use of that avenue.  I found this link that ranks a bunch of article directories.  Do you have some tips on which article directories are best to use?
  • dotcalmdotcalm subscriber Posts: 0


    I`m so lucky - if you google "Veronika Freeman" there`s only one listing on page 3 (of the first three pages) that`s not me!

     



    I think that one has to combine name in quotes with some piece of info about the person (city, state or qualifier like company name or line of work) to find info about someone with a common name...






     


    A suggestion to those without a site...I just googled a company`s name to find they do not own it... no one does! So, buy your own name and your company name - even if you`re not ready for a site yet - so when you are you have the name! If DavidJackson.com is taken, try it with your middle initial or MrDavidJackson.com or DavidJacksonMarketing (Marketer)  then that site can forward to your other one... I have several domain names pointing to one site, depending on how one would search for my services.
     
    I Google a lot of people - and set up Google Alerts for my competition and my own name, as well as Googling weblinks to see who is linking to my site... nice to know what others are doing and where you are on the web!
     
    Best wishes,
    Veronika

  • iyazamiyazam subscriber Posts: 33
    The other day I got a phone call from someone who was looking for a local website marketer in Israel. So he typed in Google "Website Marketer in Israel" and I showed up on the first page of Google. Then he Googled my name Hillel Porath.... and that was enough for him to learn all about me and what I can do for him.
    As you are planning your web presence you need to think about your local area: How many people in your area do you think are searching for a local web designer? How many are searching for a local business coach? and if you are promoting yourself in your local area - how many people do you think are going to be checking up on you..(google you)?
  • SandyPISandyPI subscriber Posts: 8
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    Sandy
  • LauriesCobaltWorldLauriesCobaltWorld subscriber Posts: 0
    David - if I had a common name,  I would definitely use my initial to reduce the number in the competition.  If that doesn`t help, then try always attaching your name to a phrase.  Like most people, if my first search shows a million sites, I refine my search.  When I googled "David M Jackson" I only found 17,000 or so results.  You can get to the first page of that.
  • iyazamiyazam subscriber Posts: 33

    Here is my advice to become Googleable:
    Register with many different social networks like:
    Gather.com
    Facebook
    Blogcatalog
    LinkedIn
     Xing.com
    - Create a profile on these sites. Fill in all of your information, including your picture and your personal marketing blurb etc... but just create a profile.
    In addition to this go to http://ping.fm/ and register with all of the sites they have there as well, and create profiles.
    That`s not all...
    Check out this incredible resource - http://jobmob.co.il/blog/online-reputat ... rces-tips/  170 resources and Tips for managing your reputation online.
  • DCoachDCoach subscriber Posts: 0
  • reysinenareysinena subscriber Posts: 0
    Good! I learn a lot on how to be a googler!Philippine Top Propertiesreysinena1/21/2009 8:39 PM
  • reysinenareysinena subscriber Posts: 0
    Good! I learn a lot on how to be a googler!
    www.philippinetoproperties.com

    Thanks for the informations, iyazam! I will be applying your tips to improve my visibility on google and hoping to double my sales on 2009!
  • MikeCoMikeCo subscriber Posts: 1






     ...




    For example, I have a very common first and last name. So it would be darn near impossible for me to get on the first page of Google for the search term "David Jackson." There are over 12 million pages of David Jackson.





    It`s like being named John Smith. First page ain`t gonna happen!




     ...








    Hi All!
    For those of you that have popular names and want to show up on Google`s first page - you can always get a sponsored listing for your name with Google



    Adwords



    . Another option is to create a profile on



    Naymz



    or



    LookUpPage



    (would be happy to hear about additional services that offer that?) and opt into the paid service (I think that LookupPage is cheaper).

  • AndgerAndger subscriber Posts: 0

    Thank you for the useful posts - I have recently started a new consulting business so creating and managing professional online identity for my business and myself became high priority. 
    It will be great to get further info on Lookuppage and naymze paid packages if anyone here is using them?   






  • rkstratrkstrat subscriber Posts: 1
    I went on to Google and found out my restaurant was on the top of list for Freestones . Now how can I take advantage of this position. Rk strat
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