The Vanity Search

How to complete The Vanity Search

Recruiters, clients, and dates routinely Google you, and what surfaces is often outdated, unflattering, or a stranger who shares your name. Auditing it yourself lets you fix or bury the worst results before anyone who matters stumbles onto them.

1. Search your full name in an incognito window so results aren't personalized, then repeat with your city or job added.
2. Scan the first two pages for old profiles, embarrassing posts, wrong namesakes, and data-broker listings.
3. Lock down or delete dormant accounts and tighten privacy settings on the ones you keep.
4. Submit opt-out requests to people-search sites like Spokeo and Whitepages.
5. Push the good results up by polishing your LinkedIn and other professional profiles.

Tips

• Check image results too; one old photo can outrank everything else.
• Set a Google Alert on your name to catch new mentions automatically.
• Opt-out removals take weeks, so submit them and recheck later.

What counts as done

You've reviewed the first two pages of results for your name and taken at least one concrete cleanup action on something unwanted.