Today’s guest post is by John Millen.

During the holidays, most of us take some time to reflect on where we’ve been and where we’re going.

This year, why not consider a new tradition: Manage your online reputation.

After all, a strong online reputation is truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Your online digital footprint is now your digital life resume.

What people read on the first page of search results is who you are.

If you don’t show up online, you don’t exist. Worse, if you have bad search results, people have a negative perception of you. As you know, in a digital world perception is truly reality.

That’s why all of us have to be proactive in our personal online reputation management. (I’m looking at you, too, communications professionals. Sometimes we know this stuff but don’t practice what we preach.)

Think about it. When you meet someone and you’re interested in being involved for business, or, um, personal reasons, what’s the first thing you do?

That’s right, you Google them. What makes the first page of Google results critically important is that only about six percent of people will go to the second page of results. (more…)