Here are two quick gulps, mixed up fresh from Google:

Verify Your Google Profile

You know how those social media big-shots and Celebs have “Verified Twitter Accounts”?

Well, Google gives you a tool to “Verify Your Google Profile”… without the need for a million Followers.

(WARNING: You will need to give up your Social Security Number or Credit Card Number to prove it is you.)

Setting aside Privacy concerns, if you’re looking to build a Buzz Following, a Verified Profile probably makes sense.

(click to enlarge)

Here’s the complete “How to Verify Your Google Profile”:

Are You Buzzing? Get Your Google Profile Verified

Oh, yeah… here’s another warning:

If you decide NOT to drink the Google Buzz Kool-Aid and want to deep-six Buzz, seems that Google wipes your Profile off the face of the Earth.

“Ouch, Baby, Ouch”

Ok, moving on…

More from the “Do No Evil” Gang.

Google Local Listing Enhancements

Available currently in San Jose and Houston, for 25 bucks a month, local businesses in those cities can highlight links to Photos, Videos, Coupons, and More:

(click on image to Enlarge)

For more on Google’s Enhanced Listing Experiment:

Google Local Listing Enhancements

Google Testing Enhancements to Local Listings

Even if Listing Enhancements are not currently available in your area, the one thing you MUST-DO is Claim Your Google Local Business Listing.

Make sure you add Photos, Videos, Coupons, Driving Directions, Menus, etc., and begin testing click-throughs and responses to these items on your Listing. When Enhanced Listings hit your area, you’ll then be ready to jump on the opportunity to distinguish your business from your competition.

Now before you click away and go …

Let me ask you a question.

While I like and appreciate all the Google tools and innovation…

How concerned are you about Google’s dominance and access to your private information?

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Related Google Buzz articles:

• Google Buzz Makes Your Profile Searchable (thaibrother.com)
• Your Google Profile Is The New Resume (timelliott.us)
• Using Buzz and a Google Profile (sharedcreation.com)
• Google Buzz (techhotspot.com)
• Speaking Of Creepy Location Features: Google’s Opt-Out Latitude Alerts (techcrunch.com)
• A simple way for local businesses to enhance their listing (google-latlong.blogspot.com)

Photo Credit: Flickr lowereastside

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