Claim Your Name

Claim your name from as many of the Web Tools and sites as you can.  Consider claiming both your personal name and your company name if appropriate.  Twitter would be an example of a Web Tool that you should create an account with your name and also your company name.

Don’t wait on this, add it to your to-do list now.  Claim your Name on every social media and web tool service you can think of.  In my last two corporate training workshops, “Web Tools for Business” and “LinkedIn® Professional Profiles” the same topic has come up consistently.  Your name has already been taken. Even if you do not anticipate using the specific tools, claim your name anyway.  When you learn of a new Web Tool, go claim your space early.    I went so far as to buy .com domain names with my kids names many years ago.  At least they will have the control of their name in the future.

Using LinkedIn® as the example, one of the first actions I recommend and one with immediate and practical benefit is to customize the URL for your profile.  Changing the default URL from http://www.linkedin.com/pub/7/234/3×7 to http://www.linkedIn/in/milesaustin will yield an address that is easy to understand, remember and provides the enhancement of additional search benefits and branding of your name.

Here is a list of the sites that should be high on your list:

1. .Com domain name
2. LinkedIn®
3. Twitter
4. FaceBook
5. WordPress.com
6. Gmail
7. Yahoo
8. YouTube
9. Flicker

I am sure you can think of many more that should be claimed.  Add your recommendations on additional sites and services in the comment section for the rest of us to benefit from.