Owning Your Search

Back when I was an immature 21 years old (a whole 3 years ago), I made the mistake of writing a letter to the editor that was a tongue-in-cheek critique of an article that had run a few days earlier. Several people in the community took my letter the wrong way and responded to the paper with some pretty nasty words, calling me names and claiming I never should have made it this far in college.

All of the name-calling and misunderstanding of my letter didn’t bother so much. What really bothered me was what happened when “Ryan Sawrie” was searched for in Google. The SERP (Search Engine Results Page) contained almost nothing but response articles to my misinterpreted letter. I’m convinced that SERP may have cost me a few job offers that year in college.

Which brings me to my point in writing this. In today’s world of Web 2.0, where users are able to control content, there’s absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t be controlling your personal SERP. When top Google results are things like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter profiles, people should be finding true and relevant information about you each time they Google your name. I realize I don’t have much competition for my name on the web, but here are some quick tips for controlling your own personal brand online:

Make a Google profile. With a Google profile, you’re sure to show up when your name is “Googled”.

Make your profile public on LinkedIn. It’s very simple and helps you represent yourself professionally in search results.

Consider purchasing your domain. This is something I did very recently and what inspired me to write this post. You can purchase it very cheap through WordPress or other domain-hosting sites like GoDaddy. Otherwise, someone else snatches up NickClark.com

These simple tips, as well as many other things, can help you to start to control your name, brand, and personality on the web. Because if you don’t control it, then somebody else will.

Death of the Facebook Group

Several weeks back, Facebook went through yet another massive overhaul of their site. Facebook has been no stranger to change (anyone remember when you had to type in www.thefacebook.com?), but this most recent metamorphosis killed off one of the original features: Groups. Yes, Groups still exist on Facebook’s network, but let’s examine how useless they have become.

1.) I’m looking at my FB landing page right now and see nothing about groups. I see Twitter-like real time status updates from several of my friends. I see pictures they have posted, and even some trivia games they have played, but absolutely nothing about groups. That could be because there has been no activity in the groups I’m in, but that leads me to point #2.

2.) Not only is there nothing about activity from a group I’m a member of, but there isn’t even a link for Groups anymore. The fastest way I’ve found to locate the Anti-Jean Shorts Group I’m a member of is to click Profile>Info, then scroll to the bottom. Not just one click, but two! I know that seems critical, but Facebook would not place something they thought was valuable more than one click away.

3.) Third and most importantly is the evolution of the Fan Page. In it’s inception, Fan Pages were rather boring. You could become a fan of your favorite musician, politician, or movie, but that was where the interaction ended. Today, you have the ability to view Fan Page updates on your main feed and post to the Fan Page’s wall. For someone who owns a Fan Page (this is the part that should make an advertiser salivate), you can view number of page views you’ve had and the demographics of whose viewing your page. On a lighter note, Fan Pages have begun to take on the comical titles that were once reserved for Groups. On my feed today, I see 3 friends have become a fan of “The sound crinkled paper makes when turned in a book.”

For now, it seems the preferred avenue for creating an online presence through Facebook is now the Fan Page, and the Group is dead. So, goodbye Brushing Teeth In Shower=Effective Time Management Group. I hope to see your Fan Page soon.