Google launches People Cards to enhance users’ online presence
Google has introduced a new mobile app with feature that makes people more discoverable on Google Search. A development that allows people to create their presence on Search in the form of a card (similar to a Google Search Knowledge Panel) that includes all the details they want other people to have about them.
Google Head of Consumer Apps, Sub Saharan Africa, Olumide Balogun expressed the importance of the People Cards saying it matters not to whom, that the mobile feature could be used by anyone either as a content creator, business professional, or anyone wanting to stand out from the crowd. He emphasised that having an online presence is important.
“For those without a formal website, or for people who share a name with many others, this is an easy way to create or distinguish their presence on Search,” he adds. “Google’s mission has always been to organise information and make it useful and accessible, and we’re now providing a new way – for people who want to be found – to organise information about themselves, right on Search, on their mobile phones.”
He explained that anyone with a Google Account can create a People Card by simply searching for their name and tapping the “add me to Search” prompt. This he said will lead them through a simple process to add a photo, description, links to social profiles and other information that they would like others to know about them.
In addition he said the initial card creation; a unique phone number is required. One profile card is allowed per Google account and phone number. Also, people can report abusive content and impersonation claims through a feedback link directly from the product.
“In the last few years, we have been working with people across the region to better understand how Africans see Search and how we can make it more relevant and work better for the people on the continent. We built this feature for the millions of influencers, content creators, entrepreneurs, self-employed individuals, freelancers, or anyone else out there who wants to be discovered.
“A critical part of creating for Africa means building in line with the insights we are seeing from the region. We see that people in Africa want a search tool that reflects their real environment and also supports them to succeed as they go about their everyday hustle which is why the People Card creator is in full control of their information at all times; they choose what they would like to make public and if they would like to remove it,” Olumide said.
Google’s mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.
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