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Do you know what your current digital brand is? Anyone who deals with online content has gone through the process of a content audit at some point. And anyone who has tried any kind of self-help is familiar with the idea of taking stock of yourself. Discovering your personal brand is a combination of these two approaches, essentially taking stock of the online content about you.

A lot of bloggers are great writers, but they would make a lot more money if they a little more time on business and a little less time on writing. That’s why I’m sharing a few ways that bloggers, and other people, can improve their personal brand:

Your brand according to Google

Have you ever searched for yourself on Google? The first time you do this, you may be amazed. On one hand, there is a wealth of information readily available about you that you may not have realized was out there. On the other hand, you may find yourself wondering where all the good stuff is! It’s a great opportunity to see yourself the way the Internet presents you as if you were another person searching for you.

How do other people see you when they search for you?

What comes up when you search for yourself on Google? Or any other search engine for that matter? While your resume is still a powerful way to represent your accomplishments to potential employers, the Internet is fast becoming a new sort of resume, and you need to pay attention to how you are presented there. Many potential employers, clients, and job recruiters will look to a Google search to get a quick picture of who you are and what you are doing. That can speak volumes about you and is a big part of what your personal branding efforts look like online.

How can I use what they see to promote a good personal brand?

In 2006, three quarters of employers looked up potential employees online before deciding whether to hire them. This was before most working adults had social media profiles, so now employers can find out even more about you. A lot of people fear potential employers and potential clients seeing their personal profiles, but they’re missing the picture: Facebook profiles are an opportunity convey a brand to potential employers that will help you get hired.

Search engine branding to-do list

1. Search your name (in all of its forms) in Google and other search engines.
2. Click through to everything that comes up on Page 1.
3. Read everything.
4. Make note of what you like and think is accurate, as well as what you’d rather not have out there or would like to change.
5. Save this list with your notes.

Don’t stop there!

The Internet and online bookstores are full of information about marketing and how you can both build a better brand and use this brand to your advantage. Some of the best information is free on blogs like this one, but if you’re serious about building your personal brand and using it to move forward in your professional world then research personal branding books and pick up a few of the best ones.

One of the most well-known books that can help you build your personal brand is How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. Written in the 1930′s, this book isn’t directly about personal branding, but it’s a good place to start reading about how to change and influence what other people think about you. I also made a video and wrote a book with a few more tips about how to improve your personal brand:

What is Personal Branding?
by Jim Kukral & Murray Newlands

This is a guest post by Murray Newlands. Murray is the CEO and Founder of
Influence People, a San Francisco-based online marketing and blogger outreach
consulting firm. Jim Kukral and Murray Newlands recently wrote What is Personal Branding? How to Create a Memorable & Powerful Brand that Sells YOU! to help people learn how to market themselves.