Why should you Google yourself?
Simple – other people, most likely, are already putting your name into Google.
If you haven’t tried searching your name in Google, you may be surprised at how much information is publicly available for anyone to take a look at.
An infographic (posted below) was recently published by BackgroundCheck.org that provides some very eye-opening information on why it is important to Google yourself, how to Google yourself and what type of information you may find when Googling yourself.
See also: Facebook Users: Protect Your Facebook Timeline Profile from the Public [Video Tutorial]
If you’re concerned with what you’ve found, your best bet is to try and remove any information that you don’t want people to see but also to publish additional information about yourself that you do want others to see.
Statistics and infographic highlights related to Googling yourself:
- 12% of people say their phone number is visible online.
- 33% of people say their birthday is available online by searching Google.
- 42% of people say a photo of them is available.
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Strategy for Googling Yourself:
- Go to Google.com.
- Type your name in the search box and include quotes for the most accurate results. For example, I would search “Anson Alexander”.
- Check out the results.
- If you aren’t finding much information about yourself, try adding information such as places you’ve lived, schools you’ve attended and organizations you’ve worked for after your name in the search box.
- 70% of internet users with a college degree have googled themselves. 43% of those with a highschool degree or less have search their name in Google.
- 81% of millennials say they have searched the name of their date on either Facebook or Google before going out with them.
- 79% of job recruiters say they screen job candidates by reviewing information about the candidate online.
- 70% of internet users have searched online for information about other people.
Click on the infographic below for the full size version.
