Last week, I attended a brilliant workshop on SEO hosted by Search Light’s founder, Dillan Gandhi, and one line really stuck with me: “Search sees everything.”
It made me think about how often people assume they can tidy things up online. Delete a post. Rewrite a bio. Reposition themselves. But once something is out there, it rarely disappears completely.
Which means your online presence is not just what you posted this week. It is the accumulation of everything you have been saying, showing and sounding like over time.
That matters more than people realise, because by the time someone meets you, they have often already formed a view.
Through your content. Through your language. Through what they can find.
By the time you walk into the room, perception is already in motion.
This is where it gets interesting.
Most people think voice and presence only matter once they start speaking. I do not think that is true. The way you show up online and the way you show up in person are deeply connected.
If your message feels hesitant online, people pick up on it. If your positioning is vague, people feel that too. And if you walk into a room already slightly edited, slightly held back, slightly unsure of how you want to land, they feel that as well.
Most people do not realise how they are coming across until it has already cost them something. A missed opportunity. A weaker first impression. A room that does not quite trust them yet.
This is why I care so much about voice and presence. Not in a polished, performative sense, but in a much deeper one. Does your voice match your ambition? Does your message hold together? Do people get the same version of you online as they do in the room?
The truth is, speaking up online and speaking up in person are not two separate things. Both ask the same question: are you willing to be clear about who you are, what you do, and what you want to be known for?
By the time you speak, people are already listening through a lens. Search helps shape that lens. Your words help shape that lens. Your presence does too.
If you are serious about being trusted in bigger rooms, higher-stakes conversations and more visible roles, being intentional about how you show up matters.
In your voice. In your words. In your presence. Everywhere.
If you want a quick, honest snapshot of how your voice and presence are currently landing, you can take my 2-minute assessment here https://speakproud.scoreapp.com/
Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for more info!
Lisa Sheerin, ICF PCC Executive Coach | Transforming Confidence, Communication & Leadership
Lisa works as an executive public speaking coach, actor, and group fitness instructor with over 20 years of experience. A graduate of a three-year drama school program in London, she began her career in theatre and film, where she faced and overcame imposter syndrome. Today, she empowers others to embrace their authenticity and transform self-doubt into confidence, combining her acting expertise, fitness training, and passion for personal growth. Her mission is to guide others toward a life where they can speak and live proudly.
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