The right way to Google yourself

Key Takeaways

To Google yourself correctly, use incognito mode and log out of Google accounts for unbiased results.
Try different variations of your name, including common misspellings, as many people share names.
Search beyond the first page of results; check the first five pages and look for images, videos, and news articles.
Understanding your online presence is crucial for managing your personal brand and reputation.
Decide how you are portrayed in search results, and make sure your LinkedIn profile ranks highly.

Wait, what? Really? A blog post about how to Google yourself correctly?

How to Google yourself seems simple. You just type in your name.

Is there a right and wrong way to Google yourself?

Yes.

If you Google yourself regularly, do it once a month. You will notice that what appears changes over time.

As web content ages, Google updates its algorithms to show those changes. New content added impacts your search results.

How do you correctly Google yourself?

Here are three tips to help you do just that.

1. Set your browser to incognito or private mode and log out of your Google accounts

Why is this important? When you use incognito mode when searching via Google, you get results that are not affected by your search history.

Google services you log into, along with other search engine factors, personalize your search results, like your location.

2. Use variations of your name, including misspellings

You must Google yourself in various ways, like using your full first name (e.g., Matthew vs. Matt) and considering how people might misspell your name (e.g., Royce instead of Royse).

There are other people with the same name, so it is critical to manage your personal and online reputation.

3. Search the first five pages of Google and search for images, videos, blogs, and news

You should Google yourself beyond page 1 because you find “buried” information in later pages. You should search at least through 5 pages.

Additionally, you should use Google Image Search and Google Video Search.

Decide what other multimedia assets are available online. These include your headshot or a video in which you.

If you have been quoted in an online publication, check those results. If you have a blog, it’s also important to see those results.

Also, you should use Google Image Search and Google Video Search. See what other multimedia assets are on the web, like your headshot or a video you were in.

If you have been quoted in an online publication, it is important to see those results. If you have a blog, it is also important to see those results.

Use Google News to find out if you are quoted in a news source or publication.

People are Googling you, so you must understand what they see.

This will help you build and manage your personal brand and online reputation.

For example:

Are the search results showing you in a positive light?

Is it true or false, and is it relevant?

Can they easily find the real you?

Have you optimized your LinkedIn profile to make sure it shows up as the first search result?