Online Branding: Get Found, Get Known, Get Out There

 The Quickest Way to Get Known: Get Found On Google!

What do people see when they
Google YOU?The internet has changed everything. Social Media has changed everybody. We don’t go to the Yellow Pages for phone number, we Google. We don’t go to the library reference desk, we Google. Even when we’re looking up more information about an author or ministry, we use Google.

 Google is pretty much running things.  I always tell my clients, “If you’re not on Google, you don’t exist.” Not really – but you are invisible to millions online.

So, are you a ministry, gospel artist or author wanting to “get out there” and be known? What’s the quickest way to index on Google?

 Here are five ways to quickly and easily get known and build up friends, fans and followers:

Since we want to index fast in Google, you need to set up a Google account.  Set up your gmail account, youtube account and EVEN a blogger blog. It’s all done in Google because they own it all. Try not to leave anything blank.

1. Set up your “Google Profile” and Google + in your Google account. Make sure you include a photo, a short bio and your website links and all your social media URLs. Put in keywords that relate to your expertise.
2. Upload a video. This is the quickest way to get indexed. Youtube (remember it  is owned by Google) is the most visited website on the internet  – so the Google “spiders” are always crawling in there. Make sure you name your video with good “key words” and tags that people would look up when looking for you. This is critical. You want to be found by people looking for your expertise – they may not know your name – but you want them to know what you do. Put it in a “key word or key phrase.”
3. Blog. If you are not blogging, you are missing out. It’s more than just an “online diary,” the blog is your personality of your online presence.  You can add video, photos, reviews, articles from other sources (long as you get permission). You can also add things like your facebook badge and your other social sites streams from Twitter. Study THIS blog closer.
4. The big three social media to be active in to get indexed fast:  Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Guaranteed Googleness! Facebook is a powerful place to build your brand and garner fans and friends. On Twitter, you can get tons of followers. So the goal is to have your friends, fans, and followers – meet you at your blog to really get to know you.  All three of these social networking sites will rank you high in Google if you are active.

The whole social media experience is just plain old networking on steroids. People do business with people they know, like and trust.  Be transparent and authentic online is key.  The more you share and show you care – the more of the friends, fans and followers you’ll get.

Final tip: Don’t sell in social media. Don’t yell on social media. The key thing to remember is that it’s about listening first – and engaging. I see so many people on social media just yelling about themselves and selling their wares.  No one wants to be friends with a salesperson.

The way to engage on social media and build relationships:

1. Comment on blogs and videos. Give the author of the creator some encouragement or thank them for the post and let them know what you got out of their content.
2. Retweet someone else’s twitter and “like” someone’s comment on Facebook.
3. Call in to a teleconference or blogtalk showand ask questions.

 Bottom line – in order to get friends, you have to show yourself friendly. When social networking and participating in online marketing, people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.  Keep the emphasis on SOCIAL, when using social media and you’ll do fine. It’s really just all about building relationships with people – not numbers.

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Ministry marketing pioneer and PR Coach Pam Perry helps African American Christian authors garner publicity and leverage online strategies. As a 20-year PR veteran, she is also the co-author of “Synergy Energy: How to Use the Power of Partnerships to Market Your Book, Grow Your Business and Brand Your Ministry.” She has a brand new program, The Ultimate Author PR 2.0 Platform Building Bootcamp.