Why would you even need an online presence?

Let’s look at job hunting. Today, it is not simply enough to submit a resume. While it is true that your resume could help to get you in the door (and is still a requirement even in this age of LinkedIn), an online presence will expand your persona, can take advantage of multimedia (podcasts, video, etc) and will give you a leg up over your competitors. On the web, you can generate your own personal PR. If the employer likes what you have to say, you create buy-in before you even walk through the door. Simply put, you can sell yourself by putting your persona online. And, if your perspective employer does not like what he sees, you probably weren’t a goof fit anyway,

That said, let’s get to the meat of this post:

So, how do you do it? where do you start?

Google Profiles: the newest entry into online presence, and possible the most important. Profiles was launched in late April 2009 and it will spread quickly. It is possibly the fastest way for someone to access your information. All they need to do is google your name and any pertinent information (i.e. Bill Smith Musician) . Click on the link above to access Profiles or read more about it here.

My Google Profile

LinkedIn: No doubt you’ve heard of this service, LinkedIn is the professional social networking portal that allows you to connect with co-workers and  present your work history to those who may seek to employ you in the future. If you haven’t set up an account you should definitely do so.

VisualCV: another resume site that lets you present your resume in a very good light. Places for video, recommendation, and portfolio pieces can present you in rockstar fashion.

Twitter: Ah yes, the non-stop rocket that is Twitter. Yes, set up a twitter account. Here’s the key: provide useful links and information and you will paint a pretty picture of yourself. Read this article for more information on using twitter effectively. The short of it is, you don’t need to be tweeting all day to be effective, you just have to bring solid value.

Blogger or Wordpress: Using these blogging services is relatively easy. Creating a blog is essential to getting yourself out there. Blogging can set you up as a thought leader in your field of choice. Doing so conveys a level of expertise to your peers and, ultimately, to your prospective employers. couple this with tweets about your posts on twitter, and you establish your value inherently.

Frequently, I get asked “How should I get started in search engine optimization, and what do I need to know?” In truth, there’s no straight set of rules. SEO is a dynamic creature: the parameters and its shape are constantly in flux. What was true for search engine results  last week could change the week. Google seems to change its search algorithms more than I change my Brita filter, so be sure to research the latest trends every few months if you’d like keep your site at the top of the rankings.

Different types of Search Engine Results

There are 2 types of search results: AdWords and Organic.  AdWords are the PPC links (Pay Per Click) and can cost anywhere from $.02 to $13.02 per click (possibly higher at the time of publication of this article)

Google Organic and PPC results

The most effective search results come from the organic results. These come from natural search engine optimization techniques which I list below. This is the bread and butter, folks. Studies have, again and again, proven organic search results to be the most effective type. More information is available at SEO Tips

Optimize Your Website Structure and Design

The first step is finding  the right keywords. This is crucial for use in your content, navigation, and website pages, as it will define how well search engines catalog your site.  An excellent article for finding keywords is here.

Once you have your keywords established, the next step is creating a site that’s search engine friendly. Using keywords for the naming structure, you can customize your title tags, organize  a simple and effective site architecture, and use absolute links. An excellent article for more detail and information is searchengineguide.com’s  Beginner’s Guide on SEO

If you’re using a open source CMS or blog software, such as Joomla or Wordpress, you may want to consider installing a plugin / module to optimize your site. Wordpress has an excellent plugin called the All-in-one SEO Pack that works beautifully.

Optimize Your Content

Once you have the website structure optimized, your focus should turn to content. Google’s search engine algorithm is a highly guarded secret, but the basics for content revolve around freshness, links, and keywords. These are actually the basics of the recently developed field of inbound marketing.

In the world of SEO, content is king. You should focus your efforts around becoming a thought leader. This means composing articles on the latest trends in your field and establishing yourself as a resource for others. Content should also be appropriately peppered with keywords, though too many will trip an alarm at Google and classify your site as a data manipulator, read more in this great keywords and content article.

Accomplishing all of this keeps content fresh and  results in other sites linking to you. The more content you have, the more sites link to you. The more links you have, the increased likelihood you’ll be listed in search rankings relative to your keywords and field.

More  excellent information can about effective marketing practices can be found at  Hubspot, an online SEO marketing firm out of Boston. They also have a terrific & free utliity called Grader.com. It ranks your site against your competitors in the world of SEO.

Altogether, SEO is not a science but an art. You will, most likely, end up tweaking your keywords and content until you find the correct recipe for success in your chosen field. Combine this with leading edge thinking in the form of fresh content and you’ll be on your way to a site at the top of Google’s list.