Add Me to Search: Google Launches Virtual Business Cards

In a limited launch, Google is testing virtual business cards in search results that show up when a person's name is searched for.

Now rolling out in India, Google's new ‘people cards' let individuals highlight themselves in search results like never before.

Gaining a presence in search results as an individual can prove to be challenging, especially for those who aren't famous or share the same name with many other people.

For searchers, it can be challenging to find information about specific people if they don't have a strong online presence.

Google aims to address these challenges with people cards:

“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.”

People cards are designed for business professionals, performers, influencers, entrepreneurs, job hunters, freelancers, or anyone looking to grow their presence online.

A people card can include a website link, links to social profiles, and any other information you want people to know about you.

When you search for someone's name, and they have a people card, you'll see a module with their name, profession and location. The module can be tapped on to see the full card.

For people who share the same name, multiple modules will appear. Searchers can use the provided information to distinguish between the different individuals.

How to Create a People Card

Those who are able to create their own people card can do so by either searching their name, or entering the query “add me to Search.”

Before you do that, make sure you're signed into the Google account which contains the information you wish to add.

After entering “add me to Search” click on the prompt that appears.

From there you'll be able to add the following details to your people card:

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

You can decide how much of the above information you want to include in your people card.

Although, as Google notes: “The more information you provide, the easier it is for people to find you.”

People are not required to display their phone number, but Google does require it for authentication purposes.

Google aims to ensure people cards contain reliable information by implementing strict quality control measures.

“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.”

These measures will prevent others from setting up a people card on your behalf and filling it with spam, for example.

People cards are rolling out in English starting today for people in India searching on mobile phones.

Not located in India?

People located outside of India have managed to set up their own people card through the use of a VPN.

Aleyda Solis shared a screenshot on Twitter of her people card being successfully added to search results:

Got my People Card on Google… funnily, when specifying my social presence in Twitter or Facebook I got an error saying to try something more specific ? pic.twitter.com/1QGkyggdtb

— Aleyda Solis (@aleyda) August 11, 2020

Solis notes that she was able to do this by visiting the mobile version of Google through a VPN.

Go to the mobile version! ?

— Aleyda Solis (@aleyda) August 11, 2020

However, your mileage may very. Replies to Solis' original tweet indicate that many people are having trouble setting one up.

If you do manage to set one up, keep in mind that it will only be visible to searchers in India.

There was no mention in Google's announcement of when, or if, this feature will make its way stateside.