Last year I posted about my personal branding efforts, and where I ranked in Google and Yahoo for the a search of my name (Dan Perry, no quotes.) I compared my rankings from 2008 to 2007. This is an update on that post, to keep track of the value of my personal branding efforts.
In 2008 in Google, I had 15 of the top 30 rankings. In 2009, I had the same amount in the top 30. The difference is the quality of the links, as well as the number in the top 10 (clearly the most important). Here’s what my current Google results look like:
1 www.danperry.com/
2 www.danperry.com/blog/google-fridge-giveaway/
3 twitter.com/danperry
4 www.flickr.com/photos/golf_pictures/
5 www.flickr.com/people/golf_pictures/
6 www.facebook.com/dan.perry
8 www.linkedin.com/in/danperrydotcom
10 friendfeed.com/danperry
17 www.seomoz.org/marketplace/resumes/view/28156
18 www.mixx.com/users/danperry
20 www.mybloglog.com/buzz/members/dan-perry/
22 www.pubcon.com/bios/dan_perry.htm
23 answers.yahoo.com/my/profile?show=exIBZGF6aa
27 www.pbase.com/topics/danperry
28 www.seo-scoop.com/2009/01/16/dan-perry-search-blogger-of-the-day/
Notice that now I have 8 of the top 10 results, including the first 6. That is a huge leap over last year, where I had 2 of the top 10 (#2 and #3.) In addition, in 2009 I now have a picture at the bottom of the results (Google Images) as well as a link to my Google profile, neither of which were an option in 2008.
Yahoo also showed some improvement. In 2008, I had 8 instances in the top 30 of Yahoo, and 2 in the top 10 (#1 and #6.) In 2009, I have 4 in the top 10 (#1, 2, 9 and 10), as well as 14 in the top 30. Here are the current results for 2009:
1 www.danperry.com
2 www.danperry.com/blog/about
9 www.linkedin.com/in/danperrydotcom
10 danperrydotcom.multiply.com
11 www.pbase.com/danperry/profile
15 twitter.com/danperry
19 digg.com/users/danperry
20 www.google.com/profiles/danperry.com
21 danperry.tumblr.com
23 www.flickr.com/people/golf_pictures
24 www.seomoz.org/marketplace/resumes/view/28156
26 www.twine.com/user/danperry
27 www.squidoo.com/danperry
30 www.pubcon.com/bios/dan_perry.htm
So what stands out this year? Let’s start with Google.
Most of the new links are from social media sites (FriendFeed, Mixx, Yahoo Answers), proving the value of continuing the optimization of these profiles.
In addition, my link from PBase changed from my Profile page to my Topic page. That speaks to the value of not just joining these social media sites, but actually digging deep and using them. I would’ve never guessed that the Topic page would supplant my Profile page, but it did. Without testing, I would have never known.
Yahoo is a different story.
The second listing in my indented result is more relevant than Google’s. I rank #1 on both engines for my blog, but the indented second listing on Google is a very popular post where I gave away a Google Fridge. On Yahoo, it’s my About page, which is much more relevant. Wasn’t expecting this, but glad to see it. Clearly, inbound link still rule Google’s world.
Of course, the Yahoo link may be there because it’s the second link on my site (in the top navigation.) It might be worth testing that; to see if I can essentially choose my indented listing on Yahoo. Hmmm.
My Google profile page shows up in Yahoo. Not a huge deal, but worth noting.
All the rest of the links in Yahoo are from social media sites, except one (my Pubcon speaker page.) In order, the new listings in Yahoo in 2009 as compared to 2008 are from: LinkedIn, Multiply, Twitter, Digg, Google, Tumblr, Flickr, Twine and Squidoo. If that doesn’t show the value of being social, I don’t know what does. 
If you’ve been following my personal branding study over the past 2 years, I hope you are learning and applying items from it; I certainly am. Plan on the next edition in November or December, 2010, and thanks for reading!
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