- Add Me to Search, aka Google People Card, was launched by Google in February 2020. At that time, it helped businesses and individuals stay in touch with their new customer base.
- It was easy to create, modify, and remove! It was available in India, South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria, while people from other countries could use a VPN for it.
- Google ended this service in April 2024. They provided time until May 2024 to download the previous data!
Summary
Google has a feature which is called “Add Me On Search” (previously “Add me to Google”), which allows the user to create personal info or a public profile that will be visible whenever people search by name. It consists of a person’s full name, profile picture, job title/location, website or blog URLs, etc. The feature requires the use of a Google account, which either needs to be a Gmail address or a G Suite account, the business version of a Google account often used by companies and other entities.
The profile is essential for the Google People Card and should include the full name of the person, recent headshot portrait(that’s another catch as well), what you do(handoff: job title to this thing called an algorithm), location(links to your online visibility avenues like social profiles(quote me some links eh) and a brief summary of who you are. It is designed to help relationships grow by making it easier to find out more detailed information about others. Ultimately, this is additional work for the user, who has to then manage his/her/their Google People Card and see to it that their info is up-to-date.
Digital cards that would pop up as soon as someone did a related search on Google.
Normally, only a select few had the privilege of showing up on Google, and thus Google’s People Card brought fairness to the digital front and helped in digital marketing!
But Google discontinued this service after four years, in 2024! If you like the sound of a digital visiting card, keep reading the blog, and you will know the relevance of Add Me to Search, Add me to search card, Add me to search 2024 Google, and Google add me to search these all are the same keywords.
A Few Facts
- Google is the most used search engine 95.32% on mobiles and 81.95% on desktop
- Daily search averages at 5 billion
- 5% (desktop) and 34.4% (mobile) searches result in zero clicks or no clicks
- Top CTR (averages): 28% [Ist], 5.82% [IInd], 3.11 [IIIrd]
- 39% of the buyers are influenced by relevant searches
What was a Google People Card?
Google’s People Card, or Add Me To Search, was an amazing initiative by Google that helped anyone who wanted to have their digital visiting card.
It started in February 2020 and stopped in April 2024. So, it served the people for a good four years.
You could add basic information like name, location, and about us, as well as specific information like work, education, hometown, email, social media links, phone number, and more.
The email and phone number were pulled automatically from the connected personal Google account. This is a boon and a blessing even now, had it been available!
Imagine someone searching for your name, and a digital identity of yours pops up. That’s quite sci-fi, right?
To be eligible, you must have the full name, current headshot, job title, location, links to their social presence, and a bio of skills and/or qualifications in the profile. A Google People Card aiming to allow users to quickly probe into useful information concerning people, this way they can easily connect with them. Since Google People Card is maintained and updated by the individual, one can rest assured that you will never be out of date.
Benefits of Add Me To Search
It is important to know and understand the benefits it holds. So that someone big and credible enough can bring it back!
You know who could have benefited from it: students, college graduates, employees, companies, NGOs, freelancers, government officials, and the list goes on.
1. Increased Visibility
Imagine the kind of visibility anyone would have had if they created a Google People card for an SEO expert.
Anyone searching for an SEO expert locally would definitely see their card, which would also have all the important links, be it their website, social media, or work samples, and boom, they will have more visitors!
2. Boosted Professional Presence
This people card can be used as a link on all social media handles, giving the user a professional edge over everyone else.
3. Increased Connectivity
With more visitors able to reach the landing pages that were intended for them, connectivity with the right kind of visitors would increase.
Thus, the CTR, or click-through rate, would increase, transforming into an increased CR, or conversion rate.
4. Value-added searches
Imagine the level of search and the value addition it brings via sharing with you the relevant digital visiting cards.
Comparing it to any other search engine’s results that do not share such information, Google is bound to be the preferred choice of all!
5. Branding Control
The control one garners by creating their Google People card on their branding is immense. Because now you decide what to show, how to show it, and when to show it.
6. Google Certifications
There were options to link Google certifications to the card, making it much more desirable and effective.
7. Potential E-E-A-T boost
Google’s E-E-A-T, or Experience-Expertise-Authoritativeness-Trustworthiness, focuses on building brand or individual credibility.
With a Google People card, you could target them all! In short, the easiest way to do Digital Marketing.
8. SEO Boost
SEO, or search engine optimization would work best with an Add Me to Search or Google People card because perfect content optimisation, keyword usage, images, and linking could be achieved starting right from the search itself!
These eight benefits are all short-term. You could easily imagine its long-term benefits and integrations, be it ARs or VRs like Meta, for example!
Importance Of Add Me to Search in Google
Building a solid online profile through the Google My Business card also comes with many advantages which can be very helpful when it comes to appearing in Google search results. The following are the advantages of using the ‘Add me to search 2024’ option in summary:
Create an online information panel that is directly visible to the world each time it is searched for by your name on any search engine.
Be more focused than other people who have the same name as you, including very popular people and celebrities.
Improve the effectiveness of search engine optimization to enable better outreach of the personal brand.
Whether clients or prospective clients, users are provided with the immediately available means of contacting you through the supplied number or email.
With the help of online search, such people may seek your brand, company, or work without major search efforts.
Showcase your social media accounts and website offering the searchers additional options in finding out about you and your contacts’ interests.
Get some leads from organic SERPs directly. All of this can be enhanced by using the ‘Add to me Google search 2024’ option.
Before creating your Google People Card: Must Knows and Haves
Here are a few things that one must know before creating their Add Me to Search or Google People Card or add me to google
- Whether your Google account is active and logged in.
- Whether your address is accessible by Google via entering your details in the Google Knowledge Panel self service and sending a postcard to yourselves.
- Patience is the key because postcards can take some time!
Patience is the key because postcards can take some time!
You must have the following details handy so that you can easily create your Add Me to Search or Google People Card. They are,
- Name and Bio
It’s your time to be creative. Write up a funky bio and even choose a nickname!
- Profile Image
Normally, you can use your Gmail photo, but if you wish to portray a different image or a brand logo ,then this is your chance.
- Work Title
Choosing a creative work title can further convey your professional charm.
- Location
You may have more than one location, and this is how you add them all in one place, i.e., your digital card!
- Links
Gather them all together; whatever you have to show for yourselves, your brand is your digital presence, after all!
- Skills
Round up all your skills and be ready to portray them to the world!
Remember, you are creating your own digital identity, so be as thorough as possible.
How to Create an Add Me to Search or Google People Card?
You just follow the below instructions and create it with ease.
- Open Google Chrome & login to your Gmail account (if not logged in).
- Search “Add Me to Search” or “Google People Card.”
- Click on “Get Started” in the dialogue box named “Add yourself to Google Search” that will appear in the search results.
- Enter your details, like name, address, educational information, work information, and more.
- Connect your links, like social media, portfolios, certifications, work samples, and more.
- Once you have entered your information, double-check it.
- Click on Save and Submit.
- It will take some time—maybe hours or days—as Google verifies the information
You cannot edit your email address and phone number as they are directly populated from your personal information in the Gmail account! If you do not see your Google People Card after a few hours, check your email address;
There might be some suggestions and modifications that you need to make so that your digital visiting card can be live! Make sure to use the Add me to Google search feature to enhance visibility.
Optimizing your Add Me to Search or Google People Card
Your Google People Card must be optimized regularly.
You can populate it with your latest updates to keep it fresh and close to real-time!
What if your Google People Card is not working?
Follow the below steps to rectify it,
- Check if your Google account is working properly.
- Check if your Google People Card contains genuine information.
- Log out of your Google account and then searching for your name on Google.
- If the issue still persists, then contact Google Support.
Editing the Google People Card
Editing the Google People Card is simple too!
- Open Google Chrome on your mobile device.
- Open your Google Account
- Search “Edit My People Card” and click on “Edit” in the top right corner.
- Make the necessary changes and preview them.
- Click on Save and Submit.
To change or remove your email address and mobile number, though, you will have to go to your Google profile.
From there, you have the option to display or hide your contact information.
Things You’ll Need to Make a Google People Card.
To create a profile, you need to link it to an active Google account. This can be a Gmail or G Suite account. If you don’t have one, you can sign up at account.google.com.
Your profile should include your full name, and you can add a nickname if you wish.
To have your Profile visible on Google People Card, you need to upload a Profile photo. Choose a recent picture that clearly shows your face.
It’s important to state your occupation or work title, whether you are employed or self-employed.
To help others find you easily, include the city or town and country where you live.
If your Google People Card isn’t functioning correctly, consider these steps:
1. Verify that your Google account is in good standing and address any issues that may arise.
2. Make sure your Google People Card is fully completed with all necessary details, such as your name, profile picture, and contact information.
3. Allow a few hours or up to a day, then search for your name again on Google. Updates to Google People cards can take some time to appear.
4. If your card still doesn’t show up, try logging out of your Google account and searching for your name while logged out.
5. Should your Google People Card still not work after these steps, reach out to Google support for assistance. You can find the relevant contact information and support resources on the Google People Card website at https://www.google.com.
Deleting your Add Me To Search or Google People Card
You either go into “Edit my People Card” and delete your Google People Card or directly click on “Delete my People Card” after logging into your Google People Account.
But think twice before deleting it because you are throwing away the most effective free SEO tool at your disposal, aka the Google People Card!
Best Practices of Add Me To Search or Google People Card
By following these best practices, you will further polish and sculpt your digital identity.
- Write a compelling bio; it’s your life’s brief after all!
- Add social media links from Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, and more.
- Add the necessary keywords to your Google People card that capture the right user search intents. For example, for a “writer” search, keywords like editing, proofreading, plagiarism-free, AI-free, and more are important and crucial!
- Update your Google People Card as you do your social media because the former brings your business while the latter brings you traction.
This will craft a digital visiting card that knock your competition out of the park!
Future Implications of Add me to search or Google People Card
While announcing the shutdown, Google recognized the positive impact that they made with the Google People Card, but they did not give a reason for such a drastic decision.
In related news, Google shut down Google Pay in the USA on June 4, 2024.
But one person’s garbage can become another’s treasure. Google has left a vacant spot in their Google searches. This vacancy can be filled by a similar or better version of the People card from some other big player.
Because these cards can become the pivot that other search engines, ISPs, social media companies, and more need to hold the centre stage and grow exponentially!
Just like every country has an identification card, maybe a future version of the Google People Card can be used for universal identity. Government ID cards can be linked to them, be they passports, driving licenses, visas, and more.
Thus, the potential that Google People Card holds is infinite, and maybe Google understood it to bring a better and more universal version, helping us all move towards a universal sisterhood and brotherhood.
We, Wildnet Technologies, are maestros of Digital Marketing and Design and Development services with our 17+ years of experience in IT and marketing domains. We can help in building a better version of the Google People card as well.Our Digital Marketing services have helped foreign and domestic clients generate USD 200k in organic revenue by using 25k #1-ranked keywords while decreasing their costs by 60% and 40%, respectively.
If you would like to read more,
> SEO in 2024’s Digital Landscape
> 10 Lead Gens and 5 Lead Magnets in 2024
> Wildnet’s Digital Yum (our weekly newsletter)
Connect with us at info@wildnettechnologies.com and ensure your brand reaches the zenith and above.
FAQs
FAQ 1. What is Add Me to Search?
Ans: Add Me to Search aka Google People Card, was a unique feature provided by Google for some time.
It allowed Google users to create a Digital Visiting Card which can be used for personal and professional purposes.
You could even add your certifications, awards, social media profiles, and website to ease the transition and navigation of your viewers from Google to your digital presence!
FAQ 2. What is the use of Google People Card or Add Me to Search card?
Ans: Imagine you meet someone physically and you don’t have your visiting card handy.
Normally, you would try to jump from one platform to another to showcase your work, but if you had a Google People Card or Add Me To Search profile, then you could simply ask them to search you online.
You know, just do a Google Search!
And this digital visiting card was unavoidable and irresistible in the digital interactions.
FAQ 3. How do I create a Google People card?
Ans: We can sure tell you this again.
But it would be a futile effort since Google took away the People Card.
FAQ 4. How Do I Edit My Google People Card?
Ans: It was as easy as editing your own profile in your Gmail account.
FAQ 5. How do I delete my add me to search in Google People Card?
Ans: This had a slightly different approach,
- You would have to open up Google Search (not your normal Google search).
- Login to your Google account.
- Then delete your Google People account.
FAQ 6. How long does it take for changes to reflect in Google search results?
Ans: It depends upon the value additions this change brings!
If the changes are small, like content-based changes, it can be reflected right away!
While bigger changes like landing page indexing, algorithmic changes, website restructuring, or more might take weeks or even months!
