True in virtually all professions, but especially for PR people who live and breathe credibility, it is important for us to be perceived and known as experts in our ever-changing field.
We all know that we’ve entered an era where we are who Google says we are. Our contacts and networks support those search results in their own way, but, that’s only part of the equation. It’s also how involved and aware we are with our self-branding.
I don’t think as PR people there is a reason to focus on being #1 on Google or other search engined. I do think it’s important to nourish what is out there to communicate the right message of who you are. For example, if you are media relations expert in healthcare, then start writing bylined articles, offer your opinion on the related blogs, answer questions on social media sites, and begin building a profile that expresses who you are in a way that you’re comfortable with.
The downturn has finally given me the opportunity to take on additional writing. I’m so glad to have been chosen to write on PR and hospitality for Hotel Executive for the past five years. And now this blog is open to discuss specific PR issues and communications topics.
Most recently, I became the Boston Luxury Travel Examiner and I’m learning new skills by writing about suggestions and things to do for travelers to a city I love. All these specialized initiatives I’m undertaking add to my public professional profile.
The point is, whether you know it or not, your name will make it on Google somehow. The question is not whether you want to appear on search engines or not. It’s not on how many pages your name appears either. The big question is: are you in control of what is referenced about you in the search results?