Google will be introducing virtual business cards to search which will allow people to grow their online presence. 

What Are ‘People Cards’?

Google has recently announced they will be launching public search profile cards so people can search a person and their contact card will be provided. In this limited launch that has been rolled out in India, users have the ability to highlight themselves in search results to increase their online presence. 

This feature came about to solve the issue of users trying to gain a presence in search results, as it proved challenging especially if the person shared the same name as another person who did not have fame attached to them. ‘People Cards’ solve this issue by allowing people to build a stronger online presence. 

“Today, we are solving these challenges with a new feature called People Cards. It’s like a virtual visiting card, where you can highlight your existing website or social profiles you want people to visit, plus other information about yourself that you want others to know.”

– Lauren Clark Product Manager, Google Search

What does a ‘People Card’ look like?

People Cards can be used by anyone who is looking to grow their online presence such as influencers, job hunters, business professionals, individuals in the creative industry, entrepreneurs etc. 

On these People Cards, the user can include a link to their website, social media profiles and any additional information they want others to know about. 

When someone is searching for another person using Google Search, if this person has created a People Card, there will be a module that appears with their name, location and profession. If the searcher requires more information, they may tap the module to see the full card. 

People who share the same name will have multiple modules that appear when their name is searched. If the searcher does not know what the individual looks like, they can distinguish between the different modules by using the provided additional information. 

How do you create a People Card?

In order for a user to create a People Card, they will need to be signed into their Google Account, and search “add me to search”. From there they can follow the prompts. An example is shown below.

Once that has been done, the user can fill in their details into their People Card, details such as:

• The image from your Google account
• A description of yourself
• A website link
• Links to social profiles
• Phone number
• Email address

Google suggests that a user should add a lot of information about themselves as it will be easier for searchers to find them. A mobile number is not necessary, however, Google does require it for authentication purposes. 

The reason for the authentication is due to Google wanting to ensure the People Cards contain reliable up to date information, and they do this by implementing strict quality controls measure. 

“Our goal with Search is to always make sure people can find helpful and reliable information, so we have a variety of protections and controls in place to maintain the quality of information on People Cards.”

– Lauren Clark Product Manager, Google Search

Who is currently able to set up a People Card?

As previously mentioned, Google launched it in India. However, people outside of India have managed to set up a People Card using a VPN. 

Below is a screenshot shared by Aleyda Solis who has managed to successfully create a People Card. It is to be noted that Solis managed to do this using the mobile version of Google through a VPN. 

If you do manage to successfully create a People Card using a VPN, keep in mind that you will only appear to searchers in India. Google has not announced if or when this feature will be available worldwide. 

Why do we care?

With this new feature, individuals that have created People Cards will be able to increase their visibility for personal branding or a company can increase their visibility to expose their brand more. The information on the People Card can influence the customer journey in a positive way which has the opportunity to result in increased sales.