What Do People Find When They Google Your Name? (A 5-Minute Check)
What Do People Find When They Google Your Name? (A 5-Minute Check)
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Quick answer: When someone Googles your name, they usually see your LinkedIn profile, any social accounts, news mentions, and sometimes someone else with the same name. If you have no website of your own, you don't control what appears first. You can check this in five minutes, and fix it with a single professional page you own.
Written by: Hannah Anthony
6th October, 2026
Why do people Google you before they contact you?
Why do people Google you before they contact you?
Before a meeting, an interview, a partnership or a purchase, most people search the other party's name first. It takes seconds, and it costs nothing. What they find (or don't) shapes their first impression before you've said a word.
You rarely hear about the cost. A prospect who finds nothing doesn't tell you. They just choose someone else.
How to Google your name: the 5-minute check
Step 1: Open a private window.
Step 1: Open a private window.
Use an incognito or private browser window so your own history doesn't skew the results.
Step 2: Search your full name in quotation marks.
Step 2: Search your full name in quotation marks.
Type "Your Full Name" and read the first two pages. Most people never look past page one, so page one is what counts.
Step 3: Add your profession or city.
Step 3: Add your profession or city.
Try "Your Name + your profession" and "Your Name + your city." This shows what people see when they know a little about you.
Step 4: Check the Images and News tabs.
Step 4: Check the Images and News tabs.
Old photos, mismatched profile pictures and unrelated mentions often hide here.
Step 5: Score what you found.
Step 5: Score what you found.
Ask yourself:
Does the first result belong to me?
Does it show my current role and best work?
Is there a clear way to contact me?
Do the results agree with each other?
If you answered "no" to two or more, your online presence is costing you trust.
What you might find and what it means
Nothing relevant: You're invisible. Prospects can't verify you.
Only social profiles: You rely on platforms you don't control.
An outdated LinkedIn photo: Your credibility drops before the conversation starts.
Someone else with your name: You can be confused with a stranger.
Scattered mentions: Your achievements are hard to piece together.
Why LinkedIn alone isn't enough
Why LinkedIn alone isn't enough
LinkedIn is a useful starting point, but it has limits:
You follow its layout, so every profile looks alike.
You can't fully control how your page ranks.
Your credentials stay buried inside one platform.
Your profile sits next to every competitor's.
A website on your own domain gives you a page that's yours, with your name in the address, your best work in one place, and a direct line to contact you.
The fix: one professional page you own
The fix: one professional page you own
You don't need a large website. A single polished page that covers who you are, your experience, your achievements, your key projects and how to reach you is enough to change what people find.
It should have:
Your own domain (yourname.com.ng or yourname.com)
A mobile-friendly design
A short professional bio
Your achievements and certifications
A contact button, such as WhatsApp
A link you can share on LinkedIn, WhatsApp, your email signature and your CV
One honest note: No one can promise a Google ranking. Google decides when and where a page appears, and a new site typically takes days to a few weeks to be discovered. But a site on your own domain, submitted to Google Search Console, gives you the best chance of controlling your first impression.
Get your professional page in 48-72 hours
Get your professional page in 48-72 hours
At Louis Lucas Publishing, we build one-page professional portfolio websites for consultants, executives, authors, lawyers, marketers, journalists and other professionals.
What's included for ₦60,000 (first year):
Custom one-page portfolio design
Your .com.ng domain and 1 year of hosting
Mobile-friendly layout
Sections for profile, career, projects and achievements
WhatsApp contact button
Submission to Google Search Console
Delivery in 48-72 hours
You pay ₦42,000 to start and ₦18,000 only after you approve your live preview. Domain and hosting renew at ₦60,000 per year after the first year.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
How do I see what people find when they Google me?
How do I see what people find when they Google me?
Open a private browser window, search your full name in quotation marks, then add your profession and city. Check the Images and News tabs too.
Why should I Google myself?
Why should I Google myself?
Clients, employers and partners often search your name before contacting you. Checking first shows you what they see.
Do I need a personal website if I have LinkedIn?
Do I need a personal website if I have LinkedIn?
LinkedIn helps, but you don't control its layout or ranking. A personal website on your own domain gives you one page you fully control.
How long does it take for a new website to show on Google?
How long does it take for a new website to show on Google?
Usually days to a few weeks after you submit it to Google Search Console. No one can guarantee a specific ranking.
How much does a professional portfolio website cost?
How much does a professional portfolio website cost?
At Louis Lucas Publishing, a one-page portfolio with domain, hosting and WhatsApp contact is ₦60,000 for the first year.
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