A book publisher tweeted on Twitter that, when he receives a query from a book author, he first Googles the author’s name before he reads the query.
While he did not explain why he does this (a tweet has a maximum of 140 characters), we can assume because he wants to know if the author is already active on social media. In other words, does the author already have what is called a “platform” of online connections?
How someone appears in a Google search can have the same ramifications for a psychologist, a shoe retailer, or anyone who is in business to sell products or services.
While it is a leg up to be a blogger and thus have lots of articles credited to you or your company, your name in a Google search can return good results without blogging.
Top requirement for most businesses:
- LinkedIn profile with good recommendations (especially for sole proprietorships), followed by a company page on LinkedIn
Subsequent recommendations:
- Twitter account with tweets that share information rather than selling your products or services
- Facebook Page (“likes” — “friends” are for a personal Facebook profile)
- Google+ Page (not the same as a Google+ profile)
- YouTube channel
- Amazon reviewer account (Amazon public profile)
If you have no online presence, now is a very good time to start building one. You do not want to be the business that, when someone checks your name in Google, there is almost nothing to be found.
For consulting help with creating an effective online presence, email me at pzmiller@millermosaicllc.com
P.S. Have you read the post “Why Giving Away Free Content Is a Good Marketing Strategy”? Click here to read this post now.
© 2013 Miller Mosaic LLC
Phyllis Zimbler Miller has an M.B.A. from The Wharton School and is the co-founder of the online marketing company www.MillerMosaicLLC.com
She is also the author of fiction and nonfiction books/ebooks. A new nonfiction ebook of hers is the book publishing and marketing ebook TOP TIPS FOR HOW TO PUBLISH AND MARKET YOUR BOOK IN THE AGE OF AMAZON and her newest fiction ebook is the cozy mystery CAST THE FIRST STONE: A REBECCA STONE MYSTERY.
Click here to visit her Amazon author page at amazon.com/author/phylliszimblermiller
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