“The one thing I want to leave my children is an honorable name.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Google calls it the Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT).
It’s when a consumer is done researching and ready to take action.
Would someone hire you right now based on only one Google search of your name?
BrandYourself can help you control what is seen, and in what order, when the ZMOT happens to you.
Here is why this matters so much, especially in an industry like real estate with well-documented consumer trust issues:
Let’s say you are an agent who is active on Yelp. You maintain a great online presence and reputation there with flattering reviews galore.
When I Google you, Yelp is result No. 5.
On LinkedIn, you have a half-baked profile with no recommendations.
When I Google you, LinkedIn is result No. 1.
Not good.
What should you do when you see your Twitter account at the top of Google and you don’t even use it?
Do you know how to fix any of this on your own? Didn’t think so.
In a ZMOT world, these are huge problems that need to be addressed immediately.
BrandYourself isn’t the normal snake-oil-salesman stuff either. It’s free to optimize three links, easy to set up, and the company is getting major buzz.
As soon as you start your BrandYourself account they grade your current Google Page 1 results for your name. You then have the opportunity to mark the results positive, negative or not me. You can also submit three links that you wish were at the top of Google when someone searches for you.
BrandYourself provides a step-by-step guide that will show you where your name needs to appear more or less often across the most popular social media networks. They call it “boosting” a link.
Think of BrandYourself as legitimate SEO for dummies, training wheels included at every turn.
Additional features:
Easy-to-understand analytics that monitor results for your name in a simple dashboard.
Email alerts when there is movement for your name in Google.
BrandYourself can even tell you where someone who Googled you works!
There is a more advanced, paid option with BrandYourself available. You can optimize and track more than three links by paying $79.99 per year. You also receive more real-time alerts and additional analytics by paying.
Teddy Roosevelt would probably say it’s worth a look.
BrandYourself has gotten much deserved press, including features in Mashable, Fast Company, The Huffington Post and CNET. They also recently closed a round of funding of more than $1 million.
I doubt the sleazy guys who call you and promise front-page Google placement can say the same.
You can get started with a free BrandYourself account here.
