So, you can imagine my interest in Pew Internet & American Life Project’s update to their 2002 study on how many people plug their own name into Google. Back in 2002, just 22% of Internet users Googled themselves. Today, that number is at 47%.

Still, that leaves a whopping 53% who have never taken the time to see what Google has to say about them. Worse, 60% of those polled don’t even care!

Well, they should! Studies have shown that potential employers, business partners, and romantic dates, are among those that will type your name into Google and see what’s returned.

BTW, Googling yourself is not new. I wrote about it back in 2003, and at the time coined the phrase “Search Engine Vanity.” I even registered the domain name: SearchEngineVanity.com.

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