UPDATE: Google Profiles are now part of Google+.
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With the big announcement of Google Buzz, your Google profile has suddenly become very important. I know what you’re thinking: “What, another profile?” Yes my friends, another profile indeed. And a profile you cannot afford to ignore as it’s from Google itself. Having a properly filled out Google Profile will SEO-boost your name and help you get found via organic searches. Personal branding is all about staking your claim online and this one is critical.
Use Google Profiles as your portal
The folks at Google are a pretty clever bunch. They know that we are on tonnes of different platforms already and they have kept it simple. You can fill in as little or as much as you like. You can add your other social networking profiles as clickable links on our Google profile. This means that instead of starting from scratch, you are able to send visitors to different corners of the web where you are mentioned. One could say that your Google profile serves as a personal website, only much simpler and actually much better optimized for search engines.
For jobseekers
Use your Google Profile to link to your online resume/CV, to your blog, to any relevant personal branding tools that will put you in good stead in the eyes of an employer. Make sure you put all your industry buzzwords in the description so that you will come up on recruiter searches. If you have an effective Linkedin profile, you can copy the summary and specialties section.
For recruiters
Link your profile to your company, any relevant sites that you recommend to candidates as well as your Linkedin page and blog if you have one. Again, fill up on buzzwords so potential clients and candidates can find you through searching.
What’s this Google Buzz I’ve been hearing about
Buzz is Google’s answer to Twitter and Facebook status updates. It’s easily switched on from your Gmail account, and it’s going to be huge as 175 million people use Gmail already. Compare that to Linkedin who “only” have 60 million users.
Google profiles and Google Buzz are integrated nicely on your profile so that your visitors can see what you have been buzzing. Compare the Buzz page to your Facebook wall. Although Buzz is only in it’s cradle, it’s fair to say that it will become a serious contender to the big troika that consists of Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.
