My friend asked me once a while back, how did I manage my SEO strategy in order to rank high, and basically dominate the first page of Google results for “Greg de Lima”?

Quite simply, it all boils down to patience.

I have never really managed my self in a way of SEO to intentionally try to become the lead results of my own search results. When I began my blog in Early 2008, I couldn’t have told you what Search Engine Optimization was. But now, with a little bit of understanding and a couple of WordPress plugins achieving and maintaining the results is just a matter or patience.

Here are my tips:

• Keep consistent – The name you use in one place should be the name you use everywhere else. I branded myself since the beginning as Greg de Lima (@gregdelima, Facebook.com/gregdelima, gregdelima.posterous.com, gregdelima.tumblr.com etc.) If you change it, make sure you change them all, unless you want a different association with each.
• Post Often – If you are not keeping updated or posting something at least once every two weeks (I have found) can lead to lower results, or less accurate results. Keeping fresh news coming from your consistent names gives search engines something to keep posted.
• All-in-One SEO Pack – Get it. Use it, considering you’re running on WordPress. Download here.
• Link Out/Link In – If you mention external sources, link to it. Whether these posts are within your own blog, someone else’s, a news article, etc. Hit up a small link, and make sure the link title reflects what it is. Ex; Greg de Lima on Twitter (@gregdelima) the html should look something like this:<a title=”Twitter – Greg de Lima” href=”http//twitter.com/gregdelima>@gregdelima</a>
• Be Patient – Rome wasn’t built in a day.

From a students point of view, especially for young entrepreneurs, this will definitely help with new and upcoming personal brands. Getting yourself known and building up your network never hurt anyone!

Downside – don’t do anything you wouldn’t want your mother to see. You get one bad rep on your name, and it will definitely hurt your reputation.

Disagree? Extra tips? Leave a comment!

Have you ever felt like with all this new media and social networking, that we are losing the key interest?
Where has the social aspect gone, and where is it going?
Not too long ago, I was on the phone with a potential client when I was referred to as being very “text-book” with my social media and branding strategies. Now, on one hand I can definitely understand this, but on the other hand, quite simply, it’s because it works.

The rigidity of being able to stick around and actually interact on many social networks is what builds the strong relationships that I have within my social networks. Whether or not they are people that I know directly, or people I have never met, there is a strength that trumps over many other methods.

I am not the only person who believes this. A few days ago Mitch Joel(@mitchjoel) wrote a piece titled, Personal Branding R.I.P. and I must agree with him whole heartedly. But this lack of personality and interaction not only has to do with Personal Branding, but many presences on Twitter and Facebook and extending to the social aspect of social media.

We are losing this social interaction that started and continues to strengthen the purpose of social media. This social meaning that we have is the one thing that allows us as businesses and individuals to market ourselves and build the long-lasting relationships that eventually prove fruitful. Being on a social network and merely pushing out links or press-releases is not the way to go. Sure, you might see click-through rates go up, maybe even some turn around. Take the @DellOutlet for example; people understand that this is a mostly automated service. However, if you’re setting up a service to cater to people and build your network with the end of having attendees or worth-while connections, you’re not going to get anywhere.

Build these conversations and make them into something that you will always benefit from. Relationships are the key to understanding sales, marketing, and overall the Social and Personal in Social Media and Personal Branding.

Disagree? Agree? Let me know!

Image by Sjany