Have You Met Your Online Brand?

By Paul | Posted March 25, 2009 | 0 Comment(s) | Filed in: Internet Marketing

“Your brand is what Google says it is.”

I believe Chris Anderson of Wired Magazine and “The Long Tail” first said it, but it has never been more true than today.

Do you know what Google says about you, your company and your employees?

When was the last time you did a vanity search on Google? If it’s been awhile, you might be surprised by the impact social media has on your online brand and reputation.

Here’s mine from March 23, 2009. All 10 results on the first page of Google are social-media related links:

2 = Twitter
1 = PR 20/20 blog
1 = PR 20/20 Media Room post
1 = LinkedIn profile
1 = Social Media Club Cleveland profile
1 – Twitterholic ranking (apparently I’m 13,024th)
1 = Mention in a PR Squared blog post
1 = Presentation on SlideShare
1 = Interview with Rick Burnes of HubSpot

What does Google say about you and your organization? What proactive steps are you taking to manage your online reputation?

Following is a four-part blog series from PR 20/20 consultant Laurel Miltner (@laurelmackenzie) published in July 2008. This is a good place to start.

"By understanding what others are saying, joining the conversation, and actively participating in social media, you can push the most relevant content to the top of Google. Or at least get a word in edgewise. . . ."

Part 1 - Managing Your Online Reputation

Part 2 - Are you listening?

Part 3 - Join the conversation

Part 4 - Web 2.0 is like kindergarten. For people to like you, you have to share.

Paul Roetzer is founder and president of PR 20/20, a Cleveland-based inbound marketing agency and PR firm. He can be found on Twitter @paulroetzer.

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