Executive Branding Online: Write Book Reviews on Amazon

Volume and diversity of search results are two of the keys to building a strong online presence to attract your target employers, if you’re job hunting, or your target audience, when you’re doing business.

The probability that these people assessing you will connect with you greatly improves if, when they Google “your name”, the search results include more than one or two entries — like just your LinkedIn profile and perhaps another online profile.

When they find plenty of diverse information, in different kinds of locations, that are relevant to your brand, they’re more likely to contact you over your competitors who have little or no online presence.

Writing book reviews on Amazon or Barnes and Noble (or other sites with very strong link weight, which translates to higher-landing search results) packs many benefits:

The branded personal profile you created on the booksellers’ sites represents one valuable search result.
Any book review you write becomes another powerful search result.
If you carefully craft your reviews, your subject matter expertise and thought leadership will be abundantly evident.
Reading the right books can only improve your breadth of knowledge, and possibly strengthen your skill set.

Best tips to write book reviews:

Choose books relevant to your areas of expertise, so your reviews will demonstrate your subject matter expertise.
Choose books your target employers’ decision makers are probably reading.
Look for books written by people whose radar you want to get on. They’ll probably notice you, if you post a review.
Make sure your reviews include the relevant keyword phrases that your target employers’ decision makers search to find candidates like you.
Be sure to get your relevant keyword phrases in your profile, too, especially towards the top, which search engines pay more attention to.
Link to your reviews in LinkedIn updates, tweets, Facebook updates, and other social media.
Without being too self-promotional, mention in the review if you’re an authority on the subject. “As an XXX executive with more than 20 years’ experience in XYZ, . . .”

10 Keys to Amplify Your Executive Brand Online

Online Reputation Management: Do You Self-Google?

Blog Comments: Part of Your Online Executive Brand Communications Plan

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