Search Me, it’s Ok!
Yes I am Searchable!
Google Yourself with a Search, What will you Find?
To test out how “searchable” my personal brand is I was tasked with Google–ing it and I liked it! The results of my Google search solidly represent me both as a USPS Spokesperson and just as little ole’ me. This week’s study delved into Reputation Management and Customer Relationship Management and to conclude this week’s lesson we were to Google ourselves.
I was happy to see there was nothing cringe-worthy for Darleen Reid, Darleen Reid-DeMeo or either of my frequently used email addresses, darleen.a.reid-demoe@usps.gov for business or darleenlove4learning@gmail.com for school.
I was pleased with Google results for Darleen Reid, the name I most commonly use rather than my married name. Darleen Reid yielded my LinkedIn profile and my Google+ profile. Happy with the first two results these results followed:
Images for Darleen Reid—(Only one picture is actually me, an old picture I had up when I first posted my Google account last year)
My WordPress Blog
My personal Facebook Page
My Facebook page I created for University of Florida studies.
My Twitter Account
Some “other” Darleen Reid’s Pinterest Account.
My Pinterest Account
A Daily News Article from Aug 8, 2011 in which I am quoted regarding a USPS matter.
None of this content would be considered unprofessional, except perhaps for some of the content on my personal Facebook page. Like most, my personal Facebook page is just that, “personal” and has family photos and content that inspires me. There are no embarrassing photos or curse words, at least not of me or by me. I think I am safe!
I don’t think my employer would have any issues with my content as I rarely combine my professional and personal profiles. That being said there are rare times when I do, just the other day I shared USPS Facebook content on my personal page. It was the Priority Mail Pup, which melded nicely with my personal overall animal loving theme on my Facebook.
Then I proceeded to the next search of Darleen Reid-DeMeo and found pretty much the same results except these results reflected more work related material. Often times I put my full legal name and email address on Press Releases. Again my LinkedIn profile came up and both Facebook profiles. Sixth on the list shows Media Contacts on USPS.com, followed by a Press Release I created and then an article I was quoted in back in July of 2013.
There were a few oddities that popped up such as “cute baby names” and Advertisements for “Dish-TV,” “Vegas World,” “Escape on a Luxury Cruise” and how I can update my “Video player.”
A Google search of my work email address yields eight USPS Press Releases I created and was the contact for. I was happy with these and found no problem there. Finally I Googled my Gmail address which I created for the University of Florida. That search had no results? Not even my WordPress? That result was a little surprising.
All in all, no harm done regarding my reputation. I happy to report it does not need much management at this point, just continued oversight.
On a final note: My only concern is that my personal Facebook pops up in searches for Darleen Reid and Darleen Reid-DeMeo. Currently, the USPS is in the midst of drafting official guidelines of what is acceptable social media behavior for employees. Not sure how the final guideline will overlap onto my personal on-line space and I am not quite sure what my employer will think of all those cat pictures.
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It's Nice to Share
Posted on February 26, 2014, in Web Research Methods and tagged Social media, United States Postal Service. Bookmark the permalink. 8 Comments.
DarleenLove4learning 
I don’t think you have any reason to worry about what the USPS thinks of your cat pictures. Unless upper management is full of dog people, that is. Don’t be too surprised or hurt if your UF email address and blog aren’t showing up. They probably haven’t been around long enough and don’t have enough content and links to be on the radar. Just keep cranking out good and meaningful content and you’ll get up there.
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Got to love those cats and dogs! Actually I am happy to report the official USPS Facebook page posted a little Boston Terrier in front of a Priority Mail Box for Show your Pet some Love day…Maybe they are coming around after all. For me I will continue to try and post good and meaningful content. Thanks for reading.
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Hi Darleen- Your analysis seems similar to mine! I really didn’t find anything too crazy during my search. Unlike you, I do often mesh personal with professional. I don’t really filter myself on my personal Facebook page, but I also don’t post or do anything that would look bad to clients, coworkers, or bosses. All of my social media sites are on public because I feel I really have nothing to hide. I thought it was really interesting that your company is creating guidelines for what is acceptable and not acceptable on social. I am not sure how I would feel if my company did that. It would probably make me worry just incase I had something on there that didn’t meet the guidelines.
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The USPS has decided that anything we post or say or a party to is completely legal. Its a tall order. I have not see the guidelines yet, but expect them to be published soon. I realize that our legal team is just trying to protect our organization and I respect that. However, legal ease and creativity are not exactly the same thing. I will keep doing just as I am, until I am told otherwise. In all things I post I always try and represent the USPS as professionally as I can.
Thanks for reading.
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Hi Darleen,
That was a good idea searching for your work email addresses! I don’t know if my current work email would show up as I am more “behind the scenes” as a web producer. However, at my former employer, I had my byline published by name more often so that email may show up more. I also did not search my maiden name, as I haven’t used it since 2008. Probably most of the content under that search would be old bylines and such. It’s very interesting how different we all approach searching for ourselves!
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I was thinking that my work email would have gotten more hits than the one I created for this social media class. Since we are all producing a lot of content for the class we become more searchable every week. My work persona, still out weighs my personal for the most part. Going forward I am not sure If I want to blend my personal brand with my professional. Food for thought. Thanks for reading and you should search you maiden name just to see what pops up.
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Darleen,
Like you I did not find any cringe worthy material when I did a Google search on myself. I didn’t even think to search using my UF email address because I have everything forwarded to my gmail so I’m never signing into it. I’m sure if I searched using an old email address articles and press releases I wrote for an old job would have come up, but it has been years since I worked there so I didn’t even think to include that email address in a search. I’m interested to see how, if at all USPS social media guidelines will affect employees personal pages.
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You and me both Emily. I am betting that for most USPS employees the guidelines will not affect them. For me, being a spokesperson and a member of out social media team, I am thinking some of the content on my page may not be suitable. That being said the personal Facebook page has less than 200 followers so in the scheme of social media I am not exactly an influencer! We shall see how the guidelines play out. I shall keep everyone informed.
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