When people consider doing business with you, they usually look you up online. A Google search often follows, even if they were referred to you or met you in person. A first impression is important, but so is a second impression.
Do you know how and where you show up when people look you up online?
46% of all Google searches are looking for local information. 97% of people say they learn more about a local company online than anywhere else. And 92% of searchers will pick a business on the first page of Google.
Given those statistics, how you show up on the first page of Google when people search for you makes an impact!
What do you see when you search for your company name? What about your own name? We recently did a test search. Here’s what we found.
Business name
Here’s what showed up when searching for a specific business name of someone who is active online.
- Their website
- Corporate website (it’s a franchise)
- Facebook Company Page
- LinkedIn Company Page
- Owner’s LinkedIn Profile
- YouTube Channel
- Google Maps
Some of those showed up more than once. Except for the corporate website, that business owner has a lot of control over those platforms. He can control how active he is there and even ensure the branding is consistent, so people know they’ve found the right organization.
Personal name
Here’s what showed up when searching for that business’s owner’s name.
- LinkedIn Profile
- His website
- An online magazine he writes for
- An association website that has a member directory
- An association he spoke for
- All the people with his name on Facebook
- His Twitter account
Again, some of those showed up more than once on the first page. This particular business owner’s name is not that uncommon. Yet all the results—except Facebook—are him!
Many of us invest in how we look after people show up. We dress nicely for meetings, buy swag, and even invest in our lobby or physical location. But how much are you investing in how you look before people show up? Are you investing in your online presence on an ongoing basis?
How and where you’re active online makes a huge difference in people’s perceptions of you. Spend your time, money, and energy in the right areas, and you can impact those perceptions.
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Mike Crandall
Sandler Custom Growth Solutions
Mike Crandall is a Speaker, Consultant, Coach and Trainer focused on Sales, Management, and Leadership Development.
He's also the owner of Sandler Custom Growth Solutions, a world leader in innovative sales, management, and leadership training. They offer consulting, coaching, and training for individuals and organizations serious about professional development and growth.
Mike is the author of "Motivational Management The Sandler Way" and has written a sales column for several years.
Tim Priebe
Tim Priebe is a public speaker, author, columnist, and the owner of T&S Online Marketing. He helps businesses that are worried they don’t have the expertise or time required to invest in doing their own digital marketing. He helps them plan where and how much to invest and often helps execute the plan.
Tim’s company helps with websites, social media, blogging, email newsletters, Google rankings, and online video. Tim is the author of several online marketing books, including "102 Tweets," "Blog a Week," and "Online Marketing Mindshift."
