Wouldn’t it be great to crack the first page of Google results for a search of your name?  Or, if your links already appear on the first page, wouldn’t you like to add yet another result?  Your Google Profile is the simplest, most sure-fire way to add another opportunity for searchers to find you.

Once published, a preview link to your Google Profile will appear at the very bottom of Page 1 search results for your name – which can be extremely beneficial if you have a common name (and others have not yet claimed this space).  Here is an example:

To create a Google Profile, navigate to http://www.google.com/profiles, and come armed with a Google account (Gmail, Google Wave, etc).  From there, updating your profile is an absolute snap.  Follow these 7 steps to create the perfect Google profile that describes you well and encourages searchers to find and contact you elsewhere on the web.

1.  Display your full name and allow others to contact you.

Your Google Profile exists solely so searchers can find you and contact you -  checking these 2 boxes makes perfect sense.  All reward, no risk.

2.  Upload a picture.

Keep in mind that most folks searching for you via Google will likely know something about you, but not everything.  Maybe they met you at a conference, and only remember your name and face?   Including a close-up shot is the easiest way to set you apart from others that share your name.

3.  Include a detailed history.

Same philosophy as above – those searching for you will likely recognize you by a single defining trait.  Did they grow up with you in Omaha, Nebraska?  Do they know you from college or from prior work experience?  Take the time to fill out your past history in full detail, so anyone from your past will recognize that you are you.

4.  Write a killer “What I Do” section.

In the “What I Do” section, Google provides the examples of  “Actor, Engineer, Scientist”.  Boring!  Instead, amp this section up by including a few provocative titles that really describe what you do.  For an excellent example, see the snapshot below from Meg Guiseppi’s profile.

5.  Write a brief, but informative, bio.

Your Google Profile is not a final destination, it is merely a portal.  So, keep your bio brief and to the point.  Include enough information to identify yourself, and to encourage searchers to contact you elsewhere (embedded links work great mixed in with your text).  Note: Others might debate my point about keeping your bio brief, as many have an extremely long description.  Ultimately, it is up to you.

6.  Link, link, link.

Google allows you the opportunity to link to anywhere and everywhere you’d like.  This is your opportunity to send searchers to the real places you want them to connect with you.  Take a look at the Google profile of Robert Scoble, who has linked to over 40 places you can find him on the web.  Wow!  Here is a screen-shot of the pages I’ve linked to.  How many web destinations of your own can you think to link to?

7.  Include common misspellings of your name.

Google realizes that not all web searchers are prolific spellers.  You can include all the potential misspellings of your name so that your Google Profile will appear for all queries.  (Brett Favre, this is your lucky day).

What do you all think?  Do you have a Google Profile?  Share your link in the comments, let’s see those shiny profiles!

Ryan Rancatore can also be found at Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.

Ryan would love to connect with you on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.

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Everyone’s personal brand is different, even if by the tiniest subtlety.  So, there are very few “sins” of personal branding that universally apply to all.  But, I’m confident that the seven personal branding sins listed below can be applied to everyone – including you (but let’s hope they don’t)! 

Without further ado, here are 7 sinful characteristics of a personal brand that you should absolutely aim to avoid. 

1.  Thinking you don’t need a personal brand

Surprise!  You do need a personal brand, and in fact, you have one whether you like it or not.  The experience that occurs when someone Googles you? That is one reflection of your brand (even if nothing shows up).  Your LinkedIn profile, or lack thereof?  Yet another extension of your brand. 

Personal branding is a bit like fashion.  Whether you know it or not, you’ve got a unique sense of style that the whole world can see. 

2.  Misrepresenting yourself

The internet is a glorious place where we all have the freedom to say and do pretty much whatever the hell we like.  Empowering? Yes.  Overly empowering? Maybe.  Artificially pumping up your personal brand by misrepresenting your experience or skill set will only come back to eventually bite you in the ass. 

Specifically, don’t call yourself an expert or a guru unless you really are one.  Those words are utterly meaningless unless you can quickly back them up. 

3.  Making your personal brand ALL about you

Sure, your personal brand is ultimately a reflection of you and you alone.  But, do you want that reflection to be of a self-centered individual that only looks inward? I hope not! 

I love the 90/10 rule put forth by Jack Humphrey.  Make 90% of your communication about others, or how to help others, and save a maximum of 10% for you.  Will this dilute your personal brand, you might be wondering?  Absolutely not.  Instead, you will come across as knowledgeable, truly willing to share the ideas of others, and ready to lead them to success. 

4.  Building a brand you don’t believe in

Admittedly, the personal branding hype machine is screaming at an all-time high right now.  But don’t be confused into thinking you simply must build a brand this instant around your current job or area of study.  If your heart isn’t in it, or you have self-doubt over your current path, take time to sort it all out. 

Consider Ola Rynge’s take on the importance of passion.  If you are lacking passion, your personal brand will lack passion as well. 

5.  Forgetting the “personal” in personal branding

I find it quite interesting that businesses today attempt to humanize their corporate brands, while many individuals are actually doing just the opposite with their personal brands.  Personal branding is not about hiding your unique traits, it is about making them shine bright! 

The one thing that separates you from the rest of us is not your proficiency with Microsoft Excel, or your super slick profile pic.  What separates you is the fact that…I don’t know actually, you tell me.  Would I know it from your outward personal brand? 

6.  Forgetting the “social” in social media

Social networking is a huge part of personal branding today.  It is absolutely the most effective way to connect with others and communicate your unique message.  But, if all you are doing is repetitively shoving your message down the throats of your network, you will soon be all alone, screaming to no one. 

One of the best examples I can give is Scott Stratton, @unmarketing.  Scott exemplifies all that is good about social networking, and provides an excellent example to follow.  As he puts it, “Engage, Interact, Build.”  Check him out. 

7.  Never taking a day off

The 24/7, lightning quick world we operate in today is truly amazing.  Sometimes I get the feeling that if I miss an hour on Twitter, something Earth-shattering will happen without me.  I’ve got to get over that, and I bet you do too.  So you don’t tweet for a day – will you lose followers? Or your blog goes stagnant for a week.  Will your subscribers panic and unsubscribe? No and no. 

While it is true that your personal brand is publicly viewable on the web 24/7, don’t think that your personal branding efforts must follow the same time schedule.  Taking time off just might be the catalyst you need for a more inspired brand. 

What do you think?  Do you agree or disagree with the 7 “sins” listed above?  Any universal no-no’s that I’ve left off the list?  I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments section below. 

Ryan Rancatore can also be found at Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.  

Ryan would love to connect with you on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.

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Love her or hate her, you must admit that Lady Gaga has an incredibly strong personal brand.  By sight, sound, or the mere mention of her name, Lady Gaga is instantly recognized by fans and critics alike.  Think you can’t achieve similar success with your personal brand?  Think again.  Here are a few of Lady Gaga’s branding techniques that anyone can utilize.

(Yes, I am a 26 year old male, and I happen to like Lady Gaga.  Whew, the secret is out…)

Be Unique, But Make it Sincere

Lady Gaga has a one-of-a kind style that falls somewhere between insanely unique and just insane.  But, her style isn’t an act put on just for the sake of shock value, it is truly her being “herself”.  Some folks today mistake personal branding for a robotic exercise that leaves no wiggle room for personality.  Ignore that.  Today’s working world allows for individuals to be just that, individuals.

So, what about you?  Do you have unique traits or attributes that you regularly showcase?  Here are a few tests:

• Does your Twitter stream strike the right balance between personal and professional?  Mixing in personal tweets allows your followers to connect with you more personally – meaning they will also notice your professional tweets/blog posts more often as well.
• Think of your favorite hobbies away from your work/career.  Are those passions represented in the “About Me” page of your personal website?  (Note: Mine are not, something I need to work on.)

So much advice out there today tells us to hide our true selves in order to create a “proper” image.  I couldn’t disagree more.  As Lady Gaga points out, “This is really who I am, and it took a long time to be okay with that”.

Be Controversial

Various controversies have swirled around Lady Gaga recently.  One particular controversy is beyond ludicrous, yet managed to circulate across the web like wildfire.  The subsequent discussion and water cooler chat only added to the interest and fervor over Lady Gaga.  How can you replicate this controversy-inspired fervor for your personal brand, with a tad less ludicrousness?  Here are a few ways:

• Set up Google alerts for keywords relevant to your field, and scan for blog posts on topics of interest.  Find a viewpoint you wholeheartedly disagree with?  Prepare a thoughtful comment, provide a link to your own blog, and reach out to the original blogger to engage in further discussion.
• Do you have a particular opinion that is not shared by everyone in your niche?  Write a blog post expressing your opinion in full detail, and don’t hold back.  A recent example is Ms. Career Girl’s article on Penelope Trunk, which was both controversial and thought-provoking.

There is no need to actively seek controversial behavior – but when the timing is right, a good controversy can inspire interest and help build a personal brand that is uniquely yours.

Embrace Change

A common (incorrect) sentiment about personal brands is that they are formed once and adhered to rigidly forever.  No way.  Corporate brands change with the times, why can’t personal brands?  Stefani Germonatta, a brunette singer from New York, is a great example of a personal brand that changed its tune midstream.  Have you heard of her? (Hint: This post is about her!)

How can your determine if your personal brand might require some tweaking?  By pitting the vision of your personal brand against the way others perceive it.  One unique way to “read the mind” of your network is by scanning the Twitter lists in which you appear.  Are you aiming to build a brand as an expert accountant, but all of your Twitter lists are entitled “Gardening Goddess”?  Maybe that’s a sign that you aren’t building a brand that matches your true passion and it is time for a drastic change.

What do you think?  Do you agree with the points above, or is Lady Gaga too extreme an example to pattern a business-oriented personal brand around?

Ryan Rancatore can also be found at Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.

Ryan would go “gaga” if you’d connect with him on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.

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Blog readers really are an amazing group.  They provide constructive criticism, detailed feedback, pats on the back – all great things to help you and your blog improve.  But, you know what?  You can write a highly successful blog without having a single reader today, tomorrow, or for the next year.  Don’t believe me?  Here are three “secret” reasons that I guarantee will change your mind.

1.   Writing a blog forces you to constantly research your given niche.

Until I started writing a blog on the subject, personal branding was just a thought stuck in the back of my mind that would only occasionally pop to the front.  Now, the game has changed entirely.  I constantly seek relevant articles, search Twitter, and think out loud about what my next blog post might be.

For you current bloggers out there, I am certain the same is true.  Whatever your given subject, you will approach it with more focus and passion if you dedicate a few hours every week to write about it.

Now consider a situation in which you don’t know, or more importantly don’t care, how many readers you have (if any).  Simply out of the necessity and passion to write, your day-to-day interest on your subject would still be amplified.  Constant research and knowledge building will surely help you in your endeavors, even if a set of eyes never reads the words you’ve written.

2. Writing a blog provides an unparalleled outlet to hone your writing skills.

Past Technorati data estimated the total number of bloggers worldwide at 184 million.  That may seem like a big number, but given that there are 6.7 billion people out there, bloggers represent only a small fraction of the population.  If you’re among them, you are one of the few people that actually practices writing on a regular basis.

The ability to write well is a skill that is dying out quickly.  This next generation will think 141 characters is far too long to write on any one subject.  By writing a blog, you exercise a muscle that most never use (past the moment that college diploma hits their fingertips).  Like anything else, writing takes practice, practice, and more practice – something a blog provides, readers or no readers.

3. A blog can be used down the road as proof of authority.

Imagine a situation in which you regularly write kick-ass blog posts for an entire year without ever attaining a single reader.  You see a listing for your dream job, and the role just so happens to mesh perfectly with your blog’s subject.    You submit your resume with a link to your blog, the hiring manager reads it, and she is blown away by your brilliance – you get the job with ease.  Did she care that you never amassed a following? No.  Did she even know?  Probably not.

It is funny that blogs are so closely tied to readership figures.  When I read the newspaper, or a book, I care not how many other folks have read the same piece – I only care about the words on the paper.

Use your blog first as a tool to grow, refine, and exude your authority.  Yes, the more readers the better.  Yes, blog readers may  potentially turn into long-lasting connections.  But, I hope I’ve proven that your blog can be a huge success no matter how many site visitors you happen to attain.

Ryan Rancatore can also be found on his own website, Personal Branding 101, discussing the tools and tactics that will help you build a killer personal brand in 2010 and beyond.

Ryan would love nothing more than to connect with you on Twitter at @RyanRancatore, or on Linkedin, Facebook, or Brazen Careerist.

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