Go Google yourself ...

Responding to a conference question about finding his site, Ben Martin answered, then added "or you can Google my name – it comes up first". I thought it remarkable because I don't show up until page 2 on a Google search of my name -- and it's due to two blogs -- one I wrote for six days on the AE perspective of a convention in New Orleans; next because meetings blogger Sue Pelletier mentioned/linked to my posting about Zoomerang tips.

Many share famous or common names; others (like me) with non-common names just share a name with someone doing more that leads to their higher Google placement. There's "another" Cindy Butts (pic) who has a prominent position with a police agency in the UK - and dominates our shared name in searches. She stops crime, is public with opinion, and apparently resigned from a board finding: "lack of any real leadership, proper accountability and a transparent and inclusive way of working." I like her.

Everyone should Google their own name. (Note: put your name in quotation marks in the search so parts of your name aren't in results - like every occurrence of your first name.) Find out your first search appearances and what they're related to - as that's what anyone else who Googles your name is going to find too.