Earlier today, my husband caught me googling myself. Not just my name, but my business name, my blog name and even then names of a few friends. Oh, and apparently, there's another Julie Ann Cajigas in the Philippines. I don't know much about her, but she's 27 years old. She and I should meet up one day to commiserate. Anyway, he caught me, and pretended to be interested in the fact that I found a church bulletin from three or four months ago on page seven of my google search.
Then, a lightbulb went on - in my husband's head. He excitedly asked me if I had seen Gary Vaynerchuk's latest video post. Don't know who Gary is? Well, if you're a wine connoisseur, a fan of Conan O'Brien or just someone interested in learning more about branding, the Internet and your business, I recommend keeping up with Gary Vaynerchuk's latest (and archived) videos and blog posts (that means you current clients, prospective clients, friends and family). Gary Vaynerchuk is definitely required reading/viewing for any business owner in 2008.
Anyway, I digress. Hubby immediately insisted that I navigate over to the video and educate myself. In Ego Searching or Caring? Vaynerchuk explains the difference between "ego searching" (or searching google for your name because you want to know how important/awesome/interesting you are) and caring (or, well, caring). So, before I continue, I would like you to watch the video now:
Are you searching yourself on google regularly? Do you know what's out there about you and your company? Gary's right, it absolutely takes time, but it's definitely time well-spent. Whether you find a negative comment about your product, an old photo of you spring breaking or a wonderful compliment from your latest client, keeping tabs on the things attached to your name and your business is crucial. Well, I can't say it any better than Gary, so watch the video again, reflect on the message and go forth to protect and monitor your online brand.
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