What are SERPs?

A Search Engine Result Page (SERP) consists of a list of web pages that are returned to a user based on a specific keyword term/phrase query.  Each individual listing within a SERP page includes a Title Tag, Description Tag and a URL address to that particular location.  How does this relate to you?  As internet users are performing search queries based on a specific product or service related to your industry, they should be able to locate a link to a page on your website.  Mastering the power of organic visibility (known as SEO) takes some time and advanced knowledge of positioning.  Additionally, it’s important that you maintain content on your website relatively fresh in order to increase your chances of being found.

3 Strategies For Dominating the SERPs

The chances of getting to the top of Google overnight are most likely slim to none.  SERPs are driven by an algorithm specifically designed to return the most relevant results to the end user based on their unique search query.  In order to dominate them or at least have a shot at having some visibility you should exercise some of the following tactics.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – a method of on-page and off-page optimization that goes back to the days of Alta Vista, AOL and Yahoo.  In order to ensure proper visibility in the SERPs each individual page of your domain needs to contain fresh and relevant content that pertains to a specific product or service.  Additional advanced methods of optimization consist of Meta Data tweaking, link building and social bookmarking to industry specific websites.

 


2. Social Media – a fairly new trend that has gained some serious momentum over the last few years.  Now it plays a significant role in the association of your domain within the SERPs.  One additional strategy for acquiring organic visibility consists of proactive engagement in social avenues such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and other popular bookmarking sites.  Content from each social platform has a direct connection to your brand and it’s important that your participation in each remains professional and courteous.

 


3. Search Engine Marketing (SEM or PPC) – the sponsored links section of the SERPs is reserved for advertisers that are marketing a product or service.  Typically this type of Pay-Per-Click marketing method can be used to drive targeted traffic back to your domain.  SEM platforms such as Google AdWords and Microsoft Advertising provide a robust solution to internet marketers for reach of their target audience.  The next time you perform a keyword query take a closer look at the sponsored links section located at the far right-hand side of the SERP.  If you’re seeking additional exposure for your brand, SEM may be a cost-effective alternative for generating targeted leads.

There are over 121 million searches performed on Google alone every day.  YouTube has positioned itself as the 2^nd largest search engine in the world therefore providing untapped potential for video marketing.  Twitter’s tweeps contribute towards a whopping 1.6 billion search queries a day.  All of these searches contribute to the untapped potential you can leverage by positioning your brand accordingly in the SERPs.

I had to put in a picture of my alma mater, Washington University in St. Louis

If they Google your name, what will they find? If they hunt you down on Facebook, will they see embarrassing pictures of your hanging out with your friends?

You wouldn’t want to have done all that work to get high test scores, secure awesome recommendations, and write kick-ass essays only to have something stupid online sink your chances. Here are 3 steps you need to take before clicking submit on that college application.

Google Yourself

You need to know what information is out on the Internet about you and the best way to find out is to do a vanity search (aka Googling yourself). If you have a common name and nothing comes up in the first few pages, try searching for your name and your city.

On the Google search results make sure that nothing negative appears in the first few pages. Ideally, some positive entry about you will appear in the first position and there will be multiple positive entries on the first page, but this isn’t always easy for someone that hasn’t started building her online reputation yet.

Review Your Facebook Privacy Settings

Many people think that their Facebook profile is much more private than it really is. You never want to post anything on Facebook that you wouldn’t want a future professor or employer to see. That being said, the reality is that many of us have personal pictures and other content already on our timeline.

Before applying to school, make sure that the admissions officer can’t see those pictures or your late night status updates. Facebook allows you to see how your profile looks to individual friends and to those you haven’t friended. Use this feature frequently to make sure you are putting an image out there that is serious and professional.

Create a LinkedIn Profile

If you have any professional experience or a significant amount of education under your belt, you need a LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn is how people in the professional and academic worlds connect. It isn’t meant to replace Facebook, Twitter, or any other social networks and you likely will use it less frequently than those networks.

Evenso, you need a LinkedIn profile. Your profile will quickly become one of the top search results for your name on Google, which is a very good thing. It helps you position yourself as a professional.

So… Are you applying to college? What are you doing to prepare?

Another great reason to start a blog is to impact your Google search results. Blogs have a tendency to move up in the rankings very quickly. Your name is plastered all over the site. Each blog post includes your name and you also likely have an About Me page that has detailed information including your name and background. Because of this, Google closely associates the blog with your name when they analyze it with their search algorithm.

As proof that this true, I did a Google search for Nick Gilham. Even though this blog has only been online for about a month, A Branded You is already #5 in the search results for my name. The results above are for my name domain, my Twitter feed, my Flickr photostream, and (unfortunately) someone else’s Facebook page. I am not the only Nick Gilham in the world and I do have to share the search results with others that have the same name.

Many of you have this exact same problem. No matter how uncommon your name may seem, there is likely someone else out there that shares it. This can make the task of standing out from the crowd online seem daunting, but don’t give up before you even get started. As I have proved, you can begin to differentiate yourself in just a few short weeks. I was able to quickly surpass many results for these other Nick Gilhams in very little time. All it takes is a little effort.

Recent studies have shown that more employers than ever are searching for applicants’ names online. They are then taking what they find (good, bad, or indifferent) and using that information to make important hiring decisions.

The first thing I am asking my friends is if they have Googled themselves recently. More often than not, they giggle. I have to admit that I still laugh a little when saying it as well. Once they regain their composure, almost everyone I talk to says that they have, but they don’t like what they see and don’t know how to fix it. In most cases, the problem is just a lack of visibility in the search results. They may have a common name and others are dominating the results.

When Googling your name, you want to look at the first three (or so) pages of results. How many of the results pertain to you? Is the first result a link to your home page or your LinkedIn profile? You want to make it as easy as possible for recruiters to find you and make sure they see the information you want them to get about you.

One of the easiest ways to get the top result for your name is to buy your personal domain. This would be www.FirstNameLastName.com. If it is available and you don’t already own it, you need to buy it immediately. Run, don’t walk to a site like GoDaddy.com or 1&1 and secure it. It will only cost you a few dollars a year and you will be glad you spent the money. Domain names that match the terms you are searching for on Google are going to be much higher in the search results than other pages.

Once you own the domain, you have a few choices of what to do with it. You can redirect it so that it forwards to the site or your choosing or you can buy a monthly web-hosting package and host a new site such as a blog on your domain. It’s totally your choice. For starters, I am telling my friends to get their domain and then point it to their LinkedIn profile. This will ensure that the first result employers see is the professional image you are trying to get across.

Next, you want to go to every site you have a profile and put a link back to your named domain. If you have any control of how the link appears on these sites, you want the linked text (which is underlined) to be your full name. This will help it get indexed and show up in the results on Google.

While this is just a first step to start taking control of your search results, it is very important if you are currently in the job market or planning to be in the future (this is basically everyone).