Building Online Presence: Spilling the Beans

Part 1

Someone I was helping out in Alberta last month told me he’d researched Nellie Jacobs on Google before calling, and was astonished that more than 11 million sites came up. Since I wasn’t in the habit of checking my own name, I was surprised to hear it, too.

Instead, for years since signing onto Google Alerts, I’ve clicked on links whenever I’m emailed notifications that my name, website and “grading the teacher” were mentioned online.

That’s how I found out that an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teacher working in Thailand has used elements of  the report card in my book Grading the Teacher (published in 1996 by Penguin Books) to  improve his teaching.

To read his September 2011 blog post  “A quest to become a better teacher: A blog challenge PART 1″,  click here.

So, after the call with the Albertan businessman was done, I entered my name on Google-search, and this is what I found:

Click on image to Google-search yourself

Not all the sites are related to me.

Sometimes, the spelling of my name is changed. Other times, my first and last names are separated. Some sites are obituaries for a few dead Nellie Jacobs-oh, my!

There’s an award-winning horse-rider Nellie Jacobs who rounds up cattle.  See her doing just that in this video.

Another is a sometimes reviled character in books about the Civil War written by Harry Turtledove. Read about her in his Southern Victory Series.

There’s even one site that offers gold and silver mining stocks, which I think is an appropriate metaphor for the “Mining Your Resources” series of books I’m writing and publishing:

Click on image to go to site.

And yet, many of the 11,700,000 (as of today) sites are linked to me.

These are the result of years spent in the development and cultivating my name, brand, products and services online. Based on my personal research, experiences, and information paid for to “experts”, in this and next posts I’m happy to stimulate ideas and reveal ways that might help you build your own online presence.

I’ve done it by pursuing my different interests. Here’s a visual depiction of those interests-based on my Twitter posts, followers and following-posted on Mirror.me website:

Click on image to see how you are depicted.

Yes, I twitter and tweet (and twirl and swirl).

I’ve learned a lot through my followers and those I follow. Their links have led me to all kinds of knowledge. I’ve connected with fascinating people around the world. I’ve re-tweeted their postings, and they have mine. I’ve supported and promoted their events and products, and they have mine.

There’s a special challenge to getting new followers, and I refuse to pay for it. My aim? To get to a million followers within a year. Ha!!! Only 999,064 to go, as of today.

What are the chances?

For past and future events and their links: go here.

Click here to contact me with questions about becoming an agent for any of my products and services, ordering books for bulk discounts for your organization/business, or to book me for interviews or as a speaker for your group.

A portion of all proceeds will be donated for Kidney Transplantation and Research.

You are welcome to share your experiences, viewpoints, and suggestions in the comment section below.

All the best!

Creatively Yours,

Nellie

Next Post: Building Online Presence: Spilling the Beans 2

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LINKS:

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