Online authoriteit wordt essentieel

I try to tell it to people already for several years but I believe that it is essential to have a good online profile and even authority for the future. Especially when you work in consultancy or in a knowledge branche. For example when you are a consultant online authority will help you get easier new assignments. The survey of PEW Internet tells us that people more often look and search online for someones background. There are even hotels who look for more information about their new customers to improve quality of service. The survey of PEW Internet showed that at the end of 2007, 47 percent of the internetusers searches on their own name. 53 Percent of the internetusers looks online for additional information about their contacts. According to PEW this is a significant increase of compared to 2002. A logical development when we look at the rise of the social web. In 2002 online 22 percent looked online what is said and avilable about him/herself.

Especially adults do not manage the digital footprint. For those who want to just use the webservice ZIKI. The survey also showed that teens do manage their online profiles more.

The cumulative traces of our online activity are more visible in the age of Web 2.0, the more content we voluntarily contribute to the public or semi-public corners of the Web, the more we become not only findable, but knowable. (Mary Madden)

Some facts and figures:
- 60% of the internetusers says not to worry about what is online available about them online
- 38% of the internetusers says to have taken actions against what is online available about them
- 33% of the internet users says that regular contactinformation is online available.
- 25% says that beside regular contactinformation also pictures and online publications are available
- 37% of the internetusers have searched for more information about a person online and his/her social activities

For the people who want to know. When I have a appointment with someone I always Google that person. Again these figures show how important it is to have a good online profile and even, when it is useful for work, online authority.