The Importance Of Using Your Name In Social Sites

Should you use your real name on social networking sites, or should you use an alias?

To answer that, think for a moment about how you are growing your business. Are you building up your own expertise? Or are you trying to grow the brand of your business?

If you are a coach, consultant, author, trainer, speaker or other type of solo-preneur, your name is synonymous with your business. Someone may just as easily Google your name, as opposed to your business name, product or service.

Using your real name will allow people to find you easily, no matter what their preferred way of search is. Whether they head to Google and type in your name, or search on a site they are active on like LinkedIn, you’ll show up.

The reason to build up your online profiles – from a business perspective – is to build relationships. If you aren’t willing to share basic information about you, how can you build trust?

So by using your real name in social networking sites, you’re providing a way for people to reach out to you, learn more about you, and choose to connect with you further to establish a relationship.

Let’s take this to another level. loriosterberg

If you haven’t already done so, consider investing in your unique URL (I have LoriOsterberg.com) Creating a website using your name is your ultimate profile. You can link to different products and services, different websites and blogs, and different social networks you’re active in. And because its yours, you have ultimate control. If you change your focus and choose to be active on another social site, change your links. If you change companies, change your information. It will always follow you, and be the most accurate information about who you are and what you offer.

loriosterberg google

Are you searchable by your name as well as your company? Google yourself and find out your results. There are ways of controlling what comes up, it just takes time. Start today.