Get Your Google Profile Tidied Up

December 2, 2008 · Comments

Google Profile Earlier, I Googled the local gyms in my town. I found the place I wanted, and just before I made the phone call, I realized that Google had something that said “write a review.” I did, and immediately after submitting it, there was suddenly a little review, with a “chrisbrogan.com” prominently displayed beside it. When I clicked the link, it went to my Google Profile. Whoa, I thought. Matrix “whoa.” Because, hey, that’s like, free advertising. Non?

You can find your profile here

But I tell you what: I’d get that profile really pretty, and I’d start thinking strategically about which Google results you might want to seed with your own perspective. Now, this might only work on Google “Local” searches, which is what I did, but hey. If that’s a starting point, it might roll out everywhere. And if that’s the case, again, allow me to “whoa.” Because that means my contact info and bio is on every review that someone *might* see every time they Google.

I’ll take some, thanks.

What say you?

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  • You have such an enormous footprint, digitally speaking. If I search myself, I get very little. I see the link to your result and there are photos of your kids in your TV room! That would make me feel... kinda weird. How do you feel about that?

    Fascinated,
    Levi

    @levimcconnell
  • Very, very interesting! I went to find mine, and it has some old info on it, related to when I comment on blogspot blogs. It always surprises me to find old content I've left behind to rot..
  • um... whoa.
  • Hey Chris, thanks for the tip. We're still waiting for Google SearchWiki here in Australia. I've seen it once but then it disappeared again and I don't know how to get it back.
  • I had just finished the first round of edits on mine when I saw this post come across your twitter. Oddly I do not see the "review" function in Google though...

    Pulling together a good step by step for people to help them find and edit it now that its available.

    (feedback always welcome, mine is at http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/1112748222433... )
  • Chris,
    Do you know how to verify your profile on Google? I've tried going to Knol, but have no idea how to do so. If you learn how to do it, you should write a blog on it.

    Great Post btw
  • THANK you for sharing this. I think it could be a useful tool. It's also something peeps should be (but may not have been) cognizant of when writing reviews. Our "personal brand" is probably more places than we think about - a good dose of awareness is always healthy!
  • Wow, I knew it was there somewhere, kind of an alienated link for no one to see. But now I know this is not true. Time to do some cleaning and polishing. Thanks Chris for giving me more work! (it's worth it though -- so keep this kind of posts coming!)
  • Do you ever feel as if the internet is getting watered down by Google? I think back to the days of dial-up AOL when our computers used to proclaim "You've Got Mail." All our internet needs were in a tidy destination referred to as channels. Are we just reverting to a a evolved version of that with Google spreading its tools across each and every function? Maybe I'm over thinking it, but I like the variety. I have always felt that one entity specializing in one thing does a much better job than another trying to do everything (in this case by leveraging its brand name to gain users).
  • Here's what I think: data is micro. content is micro. we are all micronizing our info. Essentially, Google just gave us another way to open a switch, start a new conversation. Take every opportunity.
  • ~Angela
    Looks like all you have to do to get to your profile is:

    1. Go to Google.com

    2. In the upper right corner click Sign In (and then do so) or click My Account if you're already signed in. In any case, once you're signed in, click the My Account link.

    3. You should see a My Products heading which has a Profile link. Click the Profile link.

    Hope that helps!
  • @ Len Kendall.

    I think Google does everything better than most who specialize do. That's the sad part. But hey, I like it.
  • Judy Rey Wasserman
    Chris,
    Thanks again. I watch for your tips and check your blogs. Your tips are very helpful!
    Judy Rey
  • I wonder if Google is rolling this out to different services. I can access it the way you mentioned in Reader, but it's just sitting in the top right for me on Google Maps (but nothing else)..
  • Thanks, Chris, for pointing this out and telling us how to find the profile. I tried to backward-engineer from yours, but I couldn't quite get there!

    I didn't have a profile set up, but I do now! I like it.
  • To access your elusive profile edit page: after you are signed into your google account use this link:

    http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/me/editprofile

    If not signed in it will revert to sign in page and then forward to profile edit.

    @shorespeak
  • Good idea Batman, here's my start http://culld.us/l3704048
  • Very interesting Chris, I hadn't seen that myself before but I just filled out my Lee Odden Google profile. ORM people will love this.
  • If you are logged into your Google account, this link should take you directly to your profile (or to an edit/create page if none exists):

    http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/me?hl=en
  • I can't remember who advised me to get mine set up recently - but I tweaked mine several weeks back - I think I might do even more to it after reading this.
    It doesn't matter if 99 out of 100 people never see it - if that one out of 100 is the one that should see it. :)
  • Remember - it's not the profile. It's what you do with it NEXT. : )
  • What would we do without you, Mr. Chris Brogan?

    I'm tweaking. You can see mine by clicking my name above...
  • Wow! I checked mine and was surprised to find there was NO information about me other than my name, photo and location. I frequently share items in Google Reader too, so I'm surprised I didn't know about this little gem. I'll definitely be updating my profile and maybe going out and doing some reviews....
  • Wow - Thanks Chris - I had no idea about this. With Google's new search wiki feature, comments are easy to make on any search result when you're logged in and all the comments are public. Great way to get your thoughts about a particular search result out there as well as links to your URL.
  • Kind of like the same 'Whoa' I get whenever I leave blog comment and there's a link back to my music blog. I guess you should just comment on everything then, it never hurts, right?
  • Funny that you posted this today ... i just updated my Google profile about 5 hours ago!
  • Brilliant.
  • @chris ...

    Maybe we can encourage Google to get a friendly URL system in the works.

    Here is what my URL looks like:
    http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/1003607795722...

    If anyone has a sec to provide feedback i'm appreciate it. and would love to return the favor.


    --
    http://twitter.com/franswaa
  • I say, I've edited my Google Profile!!! Go check it out. Hey chris, thanks for the great tip! And he's right. Free advertising!
  • Thanks, Chris. This is an excellent tool for personal branding. In addition to what people learn from your profile, through brand association, people will learn a little about you (like you are into fitness because you go to the gym, or you like Italian food). This is a great way to add some dimension to your online personality.
  • Great tip on one of the few profiles I had set up but sadly neglected...now rectified...
  • I think this is fabulous! And from the resultee's perspective too. It means people with good online profiles can help excellent small companies start getting more attention. (as well as our own excellent small companies who are doing the reviews of course!)
  • Chris:

    I did not know about this at all. THANK YOU! However, when I went out to write a review for my local gym, nothing popped up after I wrote it. I wonder why?

    Thanks for your great information. If I had not been on Twitter and seen your tweet, I would never have known that this great resource existed. To me, the more conversations you can have, the better!

    Leslie
  • That is a cool "whoa." I've not stumbled upon it within my own vast Google account settings and features. Definitely something to leverage, 'cause every little bit helps! Especially if you're just starting out......

    Thanks for the tip, Chris!
  • Wow, there it is a blank page starring right at me, thanks for pointing this out. Could turn out to be very important and beneficial in the future, crafting mine right now. Hey, I'll take the attention from wherever I can get it!
  • Thanks for that Chris. I've been, seen and revised my profile now.
  • Thank you for the awesome tip. My profile already had a few things on it that Google seemed to have gathered automatically off the Web (kinda creepy actually, hehe) but I added some things and tidied it up. I also like your new site design!
  • Jenny Cromie
    Wow. Thanks Chris for this great information!

    -Jenny Cromie
    (http://www.thegoldenpencil.com)
  • Once again, thanks, Chris! When I started diving into reading blogs, checking out social media and its potential uses for marketing, I had no idea how many new concepts I would learn. Reading your blog is a lesson a day. I've struggled with the concept of personal branding and I don't know that I am there yet, but I just rewrote my profile for Google, then copied it to LinkedIn and Facebook. I feel like I am constantly learning, growing, and changing... but that's not a bad thing!
  • Cool. Thanks Chris. Profile created.
  • Absolutely brilliant. Leave pithy comments on competing web listings once your profile is tight. I'm sure to try some new tactics based on this post. Sort of like commenting on blogs isn't it?
  • Thanks, Chris - as always full of incredible info...you are like an opportunity funnel!
  • I popped in to see your new site design with Thesis and read this article as well. GREAT IDEA! Thank you for it! And your website looks great!!!! I, too, use Thesis and love it. I had tried several other themes and kept getting lost in the CSS maze. Thanks to your great advice, among others, I gave Thesis a try and have never looked back. I love how Chris keeps it updated regularly and the great advice I get from him and Rick and the rest of the forum. It's taken a big load off my shoulders by enabling me to focus on the writing and marketing and not worry about the design. My design is rather simple right now but as they add more goodies, I'm looking forward to adding to that as well :) Thanks again for your great advice!
  • Chris, you've discussed google profiles and google reading shared pages, and the need to keep them updated, thanks for the reminder again. As for the search-wiki feature in google, it is tough to find buried at the bottom of a search page ... at least the public version.

    I know those in RE.net are furiously posting comments on hyperlocal links this week, and if they're not they'll wish they had.
  • Chris- WooHoo! Great job on pointing out a not so obvious feature of Google. Having my profile updated and "prettied up" is bound to help me drive more traffic to my blogs as well as help me continue the branding of the services that I offer.

    Thanks for this post.

    Best regards,

    Jerry
  • Wow - really useful tip. Thanks for sharing it.
  • Awesome idea! Very useful! Thanks for sharing!
  • Thank you very much for this interesting post; i checked my profile and I found out that it was really not updated (... forgotten in the back of the closet!)
    Thanks again!
  • Chris, Have you seen http://www.extendr.com ? Similar concept. Better in some ways... still being developed in others.
  • Thanks Chris! I went to check this out, and then remembered Kanter's post a few days back about the comment feature as well. So I dutifully logged in, set up my profile and posted a comment on your google search result, but not clear to me how it shows up if at all to others.
  • Thanks for the great info Chris!! I have been procrastinating to update my profile and fill in the blanks however reading your post gave me the push and shove i needed! I didn’t' realize how useful the profile would be.
    Great resource I will be Blogging about your post within the next few days. Great information to share. I will be sure to trackback.
    Serena Carcasole
    Virtual Assistant / Internet Marketing Specialist
    www.vbsondemand.com
    Your 1 STOP Business Service Shop
    Outsource your way to success!
  • Very nice clean site! I think I will be using my Google profile as a landing page for everything I do now!
  • Thanks for the tip, Chris. just added some info on my profile. Didn't know I had one 'till you mentioned it. Thanks
  • Chris- This is great. Thanks for the tip! This was news to me, as well and I'm willing to take full advantage of it.
  • I just got your Profile info after checking a Twitter reply you are all over the place!
  • Wow.....it frightens me a little. I mean, I feel like I have NO control over my information anymore. I feel like Google is tracking my every move!
  • Somehow, someway I missed filling in a Google profile. Use AdWords, AdSense, Analytics, Earth, maps, and probably a few more G functions I can't recall. Still, this is the first time I've run across it. Remedied now. Thanks, Chris!
  • Laura
    Wow...and I thought I was way on top of all things Google (being the Google Gal that I am) but I missed this one. Thanks Chris! Since it was a bit confusing to get to, I made these notes as I went along.

    1.) While logged into Google, pull down the tab that says more and then select Reader.
    2.)On the left you will see Your Stuff- click there.

    3.)Your stuff will include your bio info in the center and below your location you will see a link to
    View or edit full profile click there

    This will take you into your Full profile. Just under the place where you can add Picasa Web Allbums you will see a tab that says About me and to the right of that is a link that says Edit Profile.
    4.) Click the edit profile link.
    This takes you to the creation page for the profile which has prompts w/boxes to fill in, along with space for a short bio. Further down the page is the Links section where Google locates and presents any blogs that you have which can be added by clicking the link to the right that says add. You can also add custom URL's to whatever you would like by adding the url and giving a link name.
    When you are done, simply click Save changes and wha-la....spiffy new Google profile!
  • This is especially timely with the Google SearchWiki coming out. Your post referred specifically to the review section of Google local which has been up and running for a while but now (if you're signed in) you can write comments on any search result which will then be visibile on the SearchWiki page with your public name. Although right now I'm not sure if those comments link to your profile directly...does anyone else know about that? Either way, definitely a good time to give the profile a makeover.
  • Question: what does Google Profile do that LinkedIn, Facebook, or any of the other numerous social networking sites not do? If I Google myself now, I get way more press off my Naymz profile, which I keep to a bare minimum because there's just too many ways to put the same information about me out on the web.

    It seems that the Google Profile is only of use if you post on Google Local.

    I tend to post on Yahoo local, so I should probably watch my profile there, eh?
  • Nice post and i have fullfill my profile

    Best Regards
  • Great tip, thanks. Another idea that I just saw today was somebody bidding on the Google Adwords text string of their full name and buying/presenting an Google Adwords ad for themselves with the search results.
  • wow how "not" my profile was and I didn't even know. So many ways to connect ...
  • I think the map of your address next to profile and the fact that you are putting yourself out there to unfiltered audience is a little creepy. I actually put a fake location on my profile because I couldn't find a way to hide the map - probably didn't futz with it long enough. So, gets to strategically thinking about how you want to leave bread crumbs in the form of comments on google results ... or there is no where to run, nowhere to hide - hmm. might make some good lyrics for a pop song.
  • @kanter ... I just put in the city like other tools allow - not my entire address.
  • @Beth & frank... I just put in my time zone (GMT-6). Kind of like when I tell Brightkite what state I'm in, it shows a central point.
  • Thanks for the tip. I love tinkering with this stuff.
  • Thanks for this tip! I didn't know about Google's Profiles, and they could be a really important tool in creating social media strategies. I just updated mine now.
  • Chris, thanks for posting this information. For whatever reason Google has never presented their Profile page well. In my Gmail, it is a different profile than on the profile page, and now, different on the Google Friend Connect as well. For such an integrated company there is a lot to still do. Now at least I am aware of what I need to manually update on a frequent basis.
  • Great idea. I'm always looking for low or no-cost ways to get the word out. My friend just turned me on to your site and I must say, I find it quite helpful. I'm feeling a little schizo with two different sites and splitting my time between the two. Any advice for people with multiple (and very different) online businesses?
  • nice find. I just set mine up here: http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/1093724723242...

    Hopefully it helps in the long run. And as far as I can see, the links are do-follow :)
  • paul
    Thanks page was really helpful
  • I set up my Google profile a couple of months ago. I think every little thing helps and it's free. You can check out my profile here, http://tr.im/1tqa

    - Cal
  • Thanks for the heads up man! I use almost everything else on Google, it was weird that I hadn't filled this profile out.
  • Thanks for the post - good information. I will finish updating later today! Just trying to figure all the search options out so that we can be found!
  • Interesting. I just asked the question on Twitter the other day about how many profiles is too many profiles? Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, Yahoo, Twitter - the list is, or could be endless.

    I know you talk about picking your tools, but I what fascinates me most is how you always seem to pick the "right tools."

    Pretty impressive.
  • I have so much to learn... but this is so much more than an A-ha! Whoa it truly is; I'm off to clean up my profile.
  • another reason to get your google profile up to date.
    Sure it's great for getting click thrus for comments from http://www.google.com/maps

    But Google's Friend Connect also distributes your Google profile across blogs that you are a member of. I just added this Google Friend Connect widget to my blog in a few minutes - have a peak http://www.tourismkeys.ca/blog
    It's easy to be seen by other members of the blog and generate a few more relevant links.

    Chris, are you going to add the widget to this blog?

    It's pretty easy to customize to fit colour schemes and column widths.
    More and more I get the feeling that the google brand has cache.
  • Google just announced "google friend connect" which will be a cool feature to add to the google review thing. The way I see it going is that they would prioritize search results based on your networks feedback on the sites, and even further extend it several degrees.

    http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/12/google-f...
  • Wow, I am reeling. Now this is GOOD stuff. I put my profile on google and several other blog links and my personal website popped up. Thanks so much for explaining it all in PLAIN ENGLISH to a "tech saavy wannabe realtor." Gina
  • I would say: What a great new (?) google feature! Thanks for pointing it out & excuse me, I've some work to do ;)
  • Thanks for this tip. I had no idea that such a thing even existed!
  • This is great info, I'd never noticed a Google profile, I went directly to my profile and it was there, but all it had was my name. Not that way anymore though!

    thanks Chris
  • Thanks Chris. I never paid much attention to my profile but I took your advise, updated my page, added some articles to the Note Reader and now I'm off to do a review.
  • Thanks Chris:

    My Google profile's in good shape; I reworked it recently.Your post inspired me to kill a few birds with one stone (figuratively!). First, as a chamber of commerce member, I want more local exposure. Second, I just had a good experience with a local auto repair I've tried a few times, which confirmed my gut feelings. Third, I want to promote community businesses that I believe in. Fourth, I wanted to recreate your experiment.

    So I wrote a review of the above-mentioned garage on Google, and sure enough there's my credible-sounding review and a link to my profile. Perfect! I'll be recommending this concept at my next chamber meeting. Thanks for making me look smart!
  • Om Choudhary
    Hi
    this is Om Choudhary working with GLOBAL VANTEDGE as a Operation manager.
  • One potentially harmful thing about Google profiles I noticed is that they don't encode email addresses. Not to be too hypersensitive, but since they're just listed as mailto: links they are easily harvested by spambots. Other than that, this is a great idea, thanks Chris!
  • Cheers,

    in this day and age we can't always control what is online about us so it it becomes even more important to keep the stuff we can control correct and up to date.

    -- Lee
  • I found this RT'd on Twitter. Thanks for this info, it's made me update my profile :)

    Manoj,
    SeekBroadband.com, Compare Broadband and Mobile Broadband
  • I feel behind the curve on this one as I just recently created my Google profile:

    http://www.google.com/s2/profiles/1034323870180...

    I agree that this is a great marketing opportunity for people who understand the direction that the Internet in general, and Google in particular, are heading. And Chris, the pirate, is leading the way into these uncharted waters. Thanks for the great tip.

    Pat O'Brien
    St. Louis Internet Marketer
  • Chris,

    3 things that are way powerful:

    Google Friend Connect in full release on YouTube.

    The new events widget that Google just released. Real slick, think webinars and BlogTalkRadio or better live local MeetUps.

    AND Google does not want to be a social site, they are a browser OS and I have been running it for 6 months. I just generated 30,000 YouTube views using my GFC contacts.

    All on my site, check it out, I would like to know what you think....
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