Google Me

Google has become more than the brand name of a search engine. It has made its way into the dictionary, a documentary and even a low-budget hip-hop video. It has come to mean more than the mere act of looking something up on Google--it has come to mean the act of searching for information on a given person, place or thing on the Internet.

Service providers and businesses should take note. It is likely that prospects are searching for you before and/or after meeting you.

Anytime I receive an e-mail or am introduced to a new contact, the first thing I do is type their name into Google. This usually turns up link requests, interviews, content partnerships, etc., most of which are relatively benign. Yet that’s not always true: I’ve found notices from the SEC, information on campaign contributions, provocative personal pages on MySpace and even essays written by an individual when they were in high school.

It has become more important than ever for service providers to be accessible through the Web. It has also become more important to manage one’s identity and perceived identity through the Web.

You will be Googled.

For you’re reading enjoyment, here’s an excerpt from the “About Me” page from the number one result when searching for my name, “Jeremy Ames.” From JeremyAmes.com:

Ok, if you have not figured it out, my name is Jeremy Ames. You are visiting my personal web site. Good stuff, right? Just kidding. Some of you may know me as Fizch. That has been my nick name for years and I use it as my gamertag as well as many other forum id's and online identities.

I am from Arlington, TX. I have lived here most of my life. I like it here, and I will probably live here the rest of my life. I have seen other parts of the world, just not as many as I would like. I would still love to visit Europe, Australia, and even South America. It had just better be warm.

I was born and raised a metal head. I grew up listening to Black Sabbath's paranoid. My dad would wake us up on the weekends blaring his old 8-track copy all the time. I have to say obviously I did not mind as it turned me into the metal head that I am today. Thanks dad! I play thrash metal guitar and I have played the guitar for 15+ years. It is a passion that I developed in my teen years and I have always stayed in practice. It was not until recently that I felt comfortable enough with my playing to really pursue a position in a band though. When I learned to play, I was all about playing in a band, but believe me, it sounded like complete crap. I recognize that fact, thus I have held out until my playing ability was up to par with the type of music that I wanted to play.

You’ve been warned. Reserve the URL for your name today.