Have you googled yourself before? Lately?

Hundreds of tweeps are talking about it, and Joe Kraus, Google’s director of product management thinks you have.  Why? “Because people are curious about what other people see when they search for their name.”

To give users a bit more control over search results, Google recently introduced a new feature called “Google profiles.”  What’s the benefit of having one?  After you create a profile, a thumbnail of personal information will appear at the bottom of U.S. name-query search pages. Once a user creates a Google profile, their name, occupation, and location appears in a box on the first page of the search results for their name. Next to the thumbnail info, there’s a link to a full Google profile page.

The Google profile allows you to set up a completely personalized page where you can include links to your blog, Twitter feed, company website, etc.  You control what sites and networks you link to.  Some of the functionality includes:

• Receive messages. Enable the ‘Send a message’ feature to allow anyone with a Google Account to email you without revealing your email address.
• Add photos. Enhance your profile by embedding photos from Flickr or Picasa.
• Create a page about you. Write a short bio in the About me tab, reveal your superpower, and tell people what you still can’t find using Google.
• Add your contact information. Share your information with your friends and family, so they always have the most up-to-date information. You control who sees it.
• Add links to your other profiles and sites. Make it easier for friends to see your other content on the Web. You can link to Google content, including your Blogger blog, public Picasa Web Albums and Google Reader shared items as well as other pages on the Web such as Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
• Show your location. ‘My places’ includes all the cities you’ve entered on your profile. Your current location and where you’ve lived are displayed on a map.

Keep in mind the more information you add to your google profile, the better your page is likely to be ranked on a Google search for your name and any associated keywords.

This is the beginning that likely has teams at social networking and media sites talking.  We’re sure to see new functionality added in the near future.

So, do you have a Google profile?