The Do's and Don'ts of Your Online Presence

Building the Brand of You online is a must in today’s virtual world – especially since it’s now easier then ever and completely free. But what should be included in your professional online presence? How can you ensure you put your best foot forward? Here are a few of the do’s and don’ts of creating and using your presence on the Internet through a free online profile.

The Don’ts

1. Don’t assume you’re listed or easy to find in a search engine without checking first. Google your name to see your search results. If you have a common name, such as Mark Smith, you might be surprised to find over 28 million search results are presented against your name in Google. Which one is the real you?

2. If your name is uncommon, also don’t assume you’re listed in search engines without checking first. An uncommon name may deliver fewer search results, but that won’t guarantee any of the results are you.

3. When building an online profile, don’t include casual photos. Keep it professional. A professional online profile can be used for both professional and personal reasons. But a personal online profile cannot be used for business.

The Do’s

1. Do include a professional photo, background information, contact information and recognitions that lend credibility, such as professional awards, associations you are a member of, or the fact that you completed a marathon. You can do this quickly and easily at Ziggs, where creating a profile is free.

2. Do give your profile top visibility across all major search engines, so prospects and colleagues can find you in search results. Ziggs can manage this for you for the low cost of $4.95 per month. Imagine, just forego one Starbucks Caramel Macchiato per month - and you’re on top of the search universe for that month. Hard to believe? Try a search on my name (Julia Bradley) at Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL and more. You’ll see my name listed at or near the top of search results at every major engine, with a link to my profile and contact information. It's a no-brainer boost for your credibility.

3. Do email your online profile in advance of a meeting or sales call, building trust early. Do email your online profile during phone conversations with prospects or clients, building rapport during the call. And do email your online profile after meeting someone, as a more personal thank you that increases your credibility as well.

Bookmark Ziggs - the fastest-growing people search engine for finding and connecting with professionals.

Fast, Free & More Interesting

As of May 1st, the Ziggs search engine is now significantly faster. We’re still in beta, but we’ve made significant enhancements to the speed of our engine. Now you can quickly conduct even the most complex keyword searches at Ziggs, such as ”international law tax attorney in Buffalo” or "residential mortgage broker in Bethesda.”

In addition to fast, listing or creating a professional profile at Ziggs is now free. As a thank you to our rapidly growing world of happy customers, we now offer all current and future customers the ability to list themselves in Ziggs for free. We think free is good. We hope you agree.

For customers who create a profile using Ziggs’ free profile creation tool, we’ve added a new sleek look and a new level of interest to your online profile. The new “Interests Tab” in your profile allows you to quickly and easily add links from your profile to your favorite websites, blogs, or professional work online. Be as interesting as you can be – add your favorite links to your Ziggs profile today.

Bookmark Ziggs - the fastest-growing people search engine for finding and connecting with professionals.