Search Bot Gots: What’s in My Name?
I just finished an article and handed it off to the editor. While I do have a few other pitches out, I await clarification about which idea that publisher wants and by which deadline. This kind of lull usually causes me to go on an inbox tidying frenzy, which I did earlier this week. Thanksgiving is tomorrow and the search bots gots nuthin’ but Black Friday sales promos for me today.
I like this somewhat silly idea enough that I decided to take a look at the alerts I have. Four are what I’d classify as “vanity” searches. I mean, if you’re going to use such tools to keep an eye out for new information, why not keep watch on who’s publishing your name.
Clicking on that alert, I see that there are more than 20 of us Jen, Jenny, or Jennifer Neills on LinkedIn. Of those who share a name publicly, only one other is a Jenny and she has an “O” before her last name. Aside from that, I’m not turning up anything all that exciting because I’m signed in to Google. (Google is clearly smart enough to show lots of me to me.)
I cast about in a few other search engines and again turn up little of excitement. I guess I lead a relatively quiet life. Unless you are looking for me in a Russian search engine, where it seems you might confuse me with a Brazilian-born actress and model cum conservative inspirational speaker. Or maybe with a concert photographer. Or a visual artist whose recent works were inspired by fortune tellers.
I may not have much else in common with these other Jennys. But I do like finding myself in “name company” with passionate, creative, and artistic women.
