WIGS – The EGOT for Online Entities

If only I could be the Mel Brooks of digital creators…

Yes, I would love to be hilarious and a comedy icon, but that’s not the reason I want to be like Mel Brooks.

I would be okay with being Elton John, James Earl Jones, Whoopi Goldberg….and even Barbra Streisand.

I can see that you are confused. And if you are not, you are certainly a fan of award shows.

That’s right. The thing all of these entertainers have in common is they all hold the coveted title of EGOT.

What is an EGOT?

The term EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony) was coined by actor Philip Michael Thomas. For those unfamiliar, he was in Miami Vice. This term would later creep up in episodes of 30 Rock when Tracy Morgan’s character became obsessed with winning all four awards. It’s used commonly enough today that a simple EGOT search in Google will give you a featured snippet of all of the winners.

So is getting an EGOT a big deal? I would say.

• An Emmy is an award recognizing excellence in the television industry.
• A Grammy is an award celebrating excellence in the music industry.
• An Oscar is an award honoring achievements in the film industry.
• A Tony is an award recognizing outstanding work in Broadway theater.

Not only do you have to diversify and find the time to participate in all of these arts, you have to be really good.

For this reason, some of the best in entertainment never acquire this status.

The EGOT for Online Entities

As much as I consider myself an entertainment writer, I’m not. I’ll leave this to my podcast co-host Jim Hill. Instead, I’m your SEO nerd that worries more about terms like online entity instead of Academy Awards.

What’s an Online Entity?

I wouldn’t go as far as saying an online entity is like a noun – (people, place, thing) – but it’s pretty darn close.

An online entity is a digital presence that represents a person, business, organization, or concept on the internet. It can include websites, social media profiles, online businesses, or digital personas that interact in the online world.

• StrongMindedAgency.com is an online entity that represents a business.
• @StrongMindedAgency on Instagram is an online entity that represents a business social channel
• Meeting of the (Strong) Minds on Apple Podcasts is an online entity that represents a podcast by Strong Minded Agency.

So we have a website, social account, and a podcast all representing online entities. You can do the same with people.

• Eric Hersey has a profile page on StrongMindedAgency.com
• Eric Hersey has a personal Facebook page.
• Eric Hersey has an IMDb page as a producer, podcast host, and editor.

As fun as it would be to continue this process, I think you get the point.

Why Should We Care About Online Entities?

The better search engines understand the entities associated with you or your business, the more likely they can rank you when appropriate.

The entire goal of a search engine like Google is to provide you the best results. If you click and are happy with the result(s), you will come back. If you trust them and find out the result did not live up to the rank, you will find another source and they will lose that valuable advertising money (those sponsored ads).

Our goal is always to rank the highest. Over time, we’ve found that the more search engines know about you, your business, and things associated with your business, the better chance of you ranking for the terms you’ve earned.

Google tries to connect these entities so they have a better understanding of – well – everything.

• Eric Hersey is listed as the owner on StrongMindedAgency.com.
• Jenny Snyder is listed as a web designer on StrongMindedAgency.com
• Jenny Snyder is the owner of Wild Fringe Leatherworks.
• WildFringeLeatherworks.com has a website credits page that links to StrongMindedAgency.com

It’s pretty darn likely that Google and all of their Search Engine buddies think Eric and Jenny built Wild Fringe’s website.

If we would Google Jenny Snyder or ask ChatGPT about Jenny Snyder, her entities would show that she is a badass web designer and also a heck of a designer…when it comes to leather and jewelry.

The more entities you can create and optimize, the more search engines understand you. And if you are good, they will reward you with rankings.

Easy to Create Online Entities

You are feeling a little small right now. You don’t have nearly enough online entities about yourself. Do not fear. Here’s some easy ways to increase your online entities right away:

• Website or Personal Portfolio – A simple WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace site showcasing your work, bio, and services. (Example: EricHersey.com)
• Social Media Profiles – Platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook act as digital identities. (Example: @StrongMindedAgency on Instagram)
• Google Business Profile – Essential for local businesses, allowing people to find your business on Google Maps and search results.
• YouTube Channel – Even if you don’t create full videos, uploading shorts, interviews, or tutorials builds an online entity. (Example: Miles the Terror)
• Medium or Substack Blog – Writing about your expertise in a blogging platform can solidify your digital footprint.
• Podcast or Podcast Guest Appearances – Even if you don’t launch your own podcast, being a guest builds credibility and links back to your expertise.
• Quora & Reddit Contributions – Answering questions in your niche (marketing, web design, etc.) makes you more searchable.

And every time you post, the internet learns a little more about you.

But…knowing you…the person who made it all the way to this part of this article….you want more. You want the EGOT of online entities….you want the WIGS!

Earn Your WIGS

WIGS was established as a funny little conversation on The TodCast PodCast (the long running podcast I do with my brother Todd). We were excited to find out that you could get an IMDb listing if you hosted a podcast. There was just something special about typing your name in the IMDb search bar and having your profile show up in the results.

But it wasn’t just “cool”, it’s pretty powerful. A website like IMDb is pretty reputable. Eric Hersey showing up as a podcast host and producer, well, that makes Strong Minded Agency’s Creative Services page get a little boost in clout.

What other online entities would be helpful to get for an online creator? More importantly, what entities would be difficult to get…much like someone trying to win an EGOT.

Wikipedia

Oh, Wikipedia – the website that dominates search and is the Moby Dick for so many online marketers. With a domain authority in the highest of 90s, not just anyone can get a Wikipedia page. Now, it’s not impossible. If you end up on a reality show or turn into a MEME, you might find yourself with a Wikipedia page.

Yes, getting a link or a reference on a Wikipedia page is also a nice little “get”, but having a page dedicated to you, your company, or your brand – that’s how you earn your W.

IMDb

As we discussed, IMDb is pretty prominent for anyone in the entertainment business. Actors, Directors, and Producers all find themselves eligible for the Internet Movie Database. Over the years, it turns out that podcasts are eligible – so if you are a host or a guest, you can get yourself a coveted entry and earn an I.

Goodreads

Goodreads is certainly lesser known compared to IMDb and Wikipedia – but could be very valuable. Goodreads is a database for authors and books. In order to get on this website, you need to have a published book. Granted, it might not be as hard these days with self-publishing, but let’s be real, you still have to write a freakin’ book.

We also accept being on Amazon in place of Goodreads – but we preferred having a G in our acroynm.

Spotify

Spotify is the Grammy in our online entity award hunt. This was slightly controversial because podcasts are now on Spotify – but the entity you want is having your name (or band) to have it’s own profile. This will require you to create music (and likely pay whatever fee is necessary to have it listed on the app). We also accept Apple Music, but once again, we preferred the acronym WIGS instead of WIGA.

Why Would You Want WIGS?

As you can tell, these are not easy entities to earn. You would have to write a book, write a song, act in a show/host a podcast, and become important enough to earn a Wikipedia page. You really would have to be multifaceted and pretty driven. Many business owners would not necessarily benefit from these entities. If you are a plumber and manage to write a Samba album, I’m not sure if that will translate to sales (but it would make some great background music while you fix that leak).

But, some of you might find the chase worth it.

Become a thought leader by writing a book about your profession.

Generate impressions and a community by creating a podcast about your industry.

Create something big and find yourself the focus of a Wikipedia page dedicated to you or your brand.

WIGS might not be for everyone, but if enough of us nerds put in the effort, someday you could Google “WIGS Winners” and see your name pop up in a featured snippet.