I can probably be blamed for many things, 

but my name isn’t going to be one of them, Oooooh no, not my name!! 

That's because I wasn’t around to choose it at the time; that was my parent’s fault (so don’t you come running to me about it). And yet, at the same time, don’t get me wrong here because, after living with it for nearly far too many decades to mention, I have gotten rather used to it and these days, I’ve got absolutely nothing against it – I’m quite happy with it in fact. 

But that’s where the real problem lies...

You see a lot of 'other people' are happy with it as well, and as a result, they insist on using my name for their own dastardly purposes. 

For the record, I am not…

 

Andy Robinson the American actor who played probably the most overlooked screen villain of all time as Scorpio in the film Dirty Harry, or the shape-shifting head of security, Odo in Star Trek Deep Space 9. 

Andy Robinson, the English Rugby Union coach and retired player. 

Andy Robinson, the English footballer who primarily plays as a central midfielder. 

Andy Robinson, the English comedian from Off the Kerb Productions. 

Or any of the other 'Andy Robinson' charlatans masquerading as me on line these days.

Now I know what you’re thinking. Some of these people had the name well before I did, but that’s not the point. It’s MY name now, and because of that, I want full exclusive use of it!

But why?

Because with all these other (and perhaps more famous) people using it, it makes it very difficult for me (the one and only Andy Robinson) to stand out on any Internet search.

I mean, who do you think is more likely to get the most prominence on Google if you type in the name Andy Robinson…the villainous shapeshifting actor who played Scorpio or me, a small world bloke from Springwood with an even smaller one man band business to promote?

Now I said at the start that I couldn’t be blamed for my name, but there’s something that perhaps I can be blamed for – and that's for using it! And that's because if you want to stand out online, and take advantage of the undoubted free attention and traffic which Google natural (organic is the term) searches can bring you, an unusual, unique or more offbeat name could certainly help you.

The aforementioned actor Andy Robinson is far more less likely to experience the same internet related Andy Robinson problems I do. Tap his name into Google and you’re not going to get an accountant from Worksop or a miniature lion keeper from Snowdonia (two other impostors who appear before me on a Google search). Neither is he likely to get Andy Robinson the surprisingly appealing and popular but microscopically small time entrepreneur from Springwood. (Actually, at some stage you will but it will likely be on page Goooooooooooooooooooogle, not the front page).

So, to steal a popular football chant that yet another listed Andy Robinson might better relate to… 

There’s only One Andy Robinson!

Well according to Google, there is. Mr Robinson the actor. He started out his career as plain Andrew Jordt, and I suspect he would have faced a lot more competition for search engine attention had things stayed that way without the fame that followed his name change.

And it’s the same story for a lot of other household names too. David Jones would have battled for a lot more attention from plumbers than David Bowie ever has, Reg Dwight would have probably got lost in a sea of Greengrocers whereas Elton John didn’t, and Richard Hall could have been swamped by listings for lawyers, but Moby never was.

Having a unique or unusual name was always important for TV, film and music personalities well before the birth of the internet. But today it’s increasingly important for everyone else too. When you run a business and someone types your name into Google, you want them to find YOU straight away – not some funeral director from Sydney or a cobbler from the Gold Coast (more imposters).

What this means is that you need to give some careful thought these days to the name or names you’re using to front your business or enterprises. And depending on the business you’re in, that may mean changing the name you use personally or what you call your business. And you certainly need to give it a lot more thought than I ever did – which was practically none!

But to jump to my own defence here for a moment, I’m so old now (yes, I really am) that there was no internet let alone any Google (can you believe that?), when I was making these decisions for the first time. But you might not have that excuse, particularly if you’re in the early stages of a new venture or business now.

So let me just ask you this... 

When people type your ‘name’ into Google, what will they find? 

The answer will instantly reveal what changes (if any) it would be wise to make when planning any kind of 'enterprise' (did you see what I did there? Enterprise - Star Trek. Oh never mind). And at the same time, with the onset of the latest and new improved 'personalised search' services, maybe you should look into clearing your browser history too.