Google People Cards: Your Personalized Virtual Visiting Card

Google People Cards: Your Personalized Virtual Visiting Card

Most of us turn to Google whenever we need to get more information about absolutely anything in the world (or even beyond it). Be it different travel destinations, classroom subjects, or even people of interest, Google seems to have a plethora of knowledge about pretty much everything.

When you look up famous people like movie stars, celebrities, and even politicians,the search engine usually brings up a knowledge panel with all the information about them obtained from trusted resources and neatly organized in one place. From their birthdate and life history to their spouses, careers, and everything in the middle – it is all compiled together in an easy-to-digest manner.

But what happens when you look up your name?Or even people who aren’t technical “famous”?

Chances are, you will end up with vague information and social media accounts of a bunch of random people who either share the same name as you or have some other similarities. Disappointing, right?

With the immense population of the world, it isn’t always easy to find details of the exact person you’re looking for. This can hinder the progress of individuals trying to create a solid digital presence for themselves.

To counter this issue, Google has released an amazing new feature called “People Cards”.

People cards are your very own virtual visiting card which lets you take matters into your own hands and build your identity the way you wish to be presented to the online community.

What are People Cards?

Searching for specific people o Google just got a whole lot easier

With Google’s new feature i.e. People Cards, individuals can easily create their digital presence, with as much or as little information as they’d like. It's completely their own choice!

Google People Cards can be seen as digital business cards, made for young entrepreneurs, influencers, and freelances to solidify their work identity and be easier to reach.

A Google blogpost statement says,” For the millions of influencers, entrepreneurs, prospective employees, self-employed individuals, freelancers, or anyone else out there who wants to be discovered, we hope this new search feature will help the world find them.”

This feature mainly aims to give newly starting professionals the means to create a trust-worthy destination for all the important information thatpotential clients could be looking for before signing on. Since the information is directly set by the individual, it allows increased credibility and gives people a polished and professional look that is well-respected in the corporate world.

The best part is that you can add your social media profiles, Behance portfolios, and highlight any other websites to showcase your work and start building your business empire. This also gives clients an easy way to view samples and decide whether you’d be the right fit for their task.

Steps to Create your People Card

Now that you what they are and how they can help in your professional life, let’s go over the steps on how to create your own People Card. Not only are they beneficial for your online presence, but they are also super simple to create.

Step 1

Open the web browser on your smartphone and go to the Google sign-in page. Add your required details to log in to your account. If you’re a new user, you will need to sign up and create a Google account before proceeding.

Step 2

Go to the main “Search” page (or Google’s homepage) and either type in your username or type “add me to search” in the search box. Upon pressing enter, you will get the option to create a Google People Card on the top of your screen. Click on the “Get started” prompt to begin designing your card.

Step 3

You will be required to fill out the following information:

·      Full name

·      Location

·      About me

·      Profession

Add it in with accurate information then tap the button.

Below the main fields, you will also find spaces to add in any additional information that you find relevant including; hometown, education, website, social profiles, email, and contact numbers.

These fields aren’t labeled “required” and you can add in whatever you’re comfortable with presenting to the digital community.

Google allows you to add social profiles of the following platforms:

·      Facebook

·      Youtube

·      Instagram

·      Twitter

·      LinkedIn (our preferred choice for building a professional network!)

·      Pinterest

·      Soundcloud

Step 4

Add a profile image from your Google album to increase your credibility and click “preview”. Go over your People Card and make sure everything is exactly how you want it to be.

Double-check the information. Once you’re satisfied with it, it’s time to save and voila – your virtual visiting card is live!

Step 5

To make sure you are properly indexed in Google’s search results, just look up your full name and see if your card is appearing properly.

Extra Measures Taken by Google

As reported in a Google blog post by Lauren Clar; product manager for Search at Google,

” We have a number of mechanisms to protect against abusive or spammy content, and if you come across low-quality information or a card that you believe was created by an impersonator, you can tap the feedback link to let us know. If you no longer want your people card to appear in Search, you can delete it at any time.”

Google encourages users to add in the maximum amount of information to make it easier for people to look them up. Moreover, only one People Card is allowed per Google account and several other strict measures have been taken to ensure relevant and accurate information is added to the cards.

In similar efforts, the mobile number and email address you add to the card are pre-selected by Google based on the details on your account. Furthermore, low-quality information and impersonators are quickly flagged by Google and removed.