"Google me" business cards

I got a free pack of these after creating a Google Profile and a heads up from Lifehacker.

What do you think - interesting, arrogant, or something else?

Comments

[Mig Pascual]

Good point... although I have do have a Google profile, as I write this blog comment my Google profile doesn't rank on the first page so your name is left to be determined by Google's algorithm (I even edited the vanity URL too). The card is a great conversation starter.

[Chris Ebbesen]

apologies for not being clear on who i was speaking to, which in this case was an earlier commenter, Nathan Gilliatt:
"Interesting and probably a conversation-starter, but it doesn't fulfill the primary use case of a business card, which is to communicate contact information."

ill be more clear in the future

[Jan]

While the concerns on contact information are valid, they can be taken care off on the back.

I think this is a great idea for certain industries. What it says to the educated person - I'm online savvy. I'm so online savvy as it comes to maintaing an effective online presence that I don't have to tell you who I am, I trust that you will find all the appropriate inforamtion about me online. And not only what I choose to tell you, but everything that Google can find out about me.

That is a pretty powerful PR statement.

[Noah Robinson]

It's not mind blowing but it's certainly smart and efficient.

[Malcolm Out Loud]

This did not put me off,just shows that you have a strong web presence. This is not for everyone though...and the truth is that we all look up people we just met anyways...

I recently gave up business cards myself in favor of napkins, would be curious to get your comments

http://www.malcolmoutloud.com/blog_broke.php/2009/05/26/whats-this-where-is-your-business-card-i-love-it/

[Ariane Colenbrander]

Does Google need any more advertising? If you're trying to build your own brand, why marry it to Google's? It just shows their cleverness, not yours. Free Ad Words as an incentive? Why else would someone bother?

[Peter Kim]

Why?

[Alan Chamberlain]

The business card of the future is the .tel domain. --Ax

[Ryan Boyles]

Only useful if you come up as number 1 in search order and that page has obvious contact info front and center. Otherwise, it's at best a gimmick and at worst a redirection that will confuse. Too many possibilities for name collisions. Still it is kind of neat.

[Peter Kim]

What problem is that?

[Peter Kim]

Not my idea, but you may still be able to get them for free from Google. Easy to replicate though.

[DY]

Form following function? Hmmm, not so sure in this case.

[Chris Ebbesen]

adding a Microsoft Tag, which would seem to be a bit out of place on a "Google Card", would solve this problem for you.

[Kami Huyse]

I have a friend who has a similar business card and has done this for awhile. He handed me his "Google Me" business card at SxSW in 2008. I think that it is a put off to many people, but it does make you memorable.

I won't be using cards like this anytime soon though, I like for people to actually be able to reach me. It's a little like publishing links to your Twitter account that take you to a Digg or FriendFeed page before you can get to the actual content. From a business perspective it's a broken model, and the drawbacks more than outweigh the supposed respect you will get for dominating the SERP for your name.

[courtney benson]

What a great idea! Excellent! Do you mind if I copy?

[TwistedSifter]

I concur with Nathan. I think the card requires some basic contact information (maybe on the back or mice type at the bottom).

It definitely would get my attention and stand-out from other business cards though. The Google logo is so bright and recognizable, I couldn't help myself from taking a second look.

Be sure to Google yourself and make sure you're comfortable with the results!

[Olle Ahnve]

Why would you want to push Google when you should be pushing for yourself? Business cards may be somewhat out of date but people still use them to remember you. Digital can go too far and this did.

[gerald gentemann]

I think it is a great idea...I too have never thought of Google as a lifestreaming service but it seems Google is constantly reinventing itself.

[Minter]

Pity the bloke called John Smith. If your name is brandable, then it might have a little more interest. However, I don't find this Google Me idea useful in the brick & mortar practical world. Googling someone is almost standard practice before or after meeting someone... but you typically have to search around for the contact info. I observe that the business card remains customary especially in an international environment. Somehow we cannot get over the follow-on step of needing to copy down the coordinates into electronic address book, etc -- I would much prefer the world take up the mobile tag concept first. That said, what's up with business cards that still carry fax numbers?

[Karen Demerly]

I completely agree with Nathan Gilliatt.

[Allen Blaz]

If I were to create a Facebook Group based on this, it would be categorized as "Just for Fun - Totally Pointless". LOL!

[Ari Herzog]

That's great for people who have access to Google. Unfortunately, some countries around the world block Google. More to the point, your search may yield different results on google.com, google.co.uk, and google.fr.

[Frank]

Small and simple. Marvellous.

[Tajiana]

I think it's a great idea. Espeically perfect for unemployed who are out networking.

[Nathan Gilliatt]

Interesting and probably a conversation-starter, but it doesn't fulfill the primary use case of a business card, which is to communicate contact information. Even if you have a Google profile with your information, it puts the burden of finding it on your new contact, who might not bother. Not to mention the recipients who might search for you on another site and not get the Google profile at all.

[Chris Hall]

I really like the simplicity and think that it definitely makes a statement about lifestreaming services. Never really thought of Google Search as a lifestreaming service and then again, isn't it the only true lifestreaming service? :)

Would need a workaround for having a common name, like Chris Hall, or if someone else with your name is more well known... But that can be handled rather easily with handles or by adding a word in the search box, like Chris Hall, Hallicious.

Thanks for sharing. :)