In a world that's increasingly reliant on digital tools for communication, a person's digital footprint is becoming increasingly important. There are literally companies that offer to scrape the internet clean so that your personal image is protected. Are they a good deal? Are they effective? I have no idea. But, the fact that they exist tells us that the important of an individual's virtual identity is becoming as critical as a real-world identity.

If you're worried about you or your company's digital identity, you can't afford to miss out on these creative tools for taking back your name online!

1.Start Creating Profiles on EVERYTHING!

Okay, this isn't as much a tool as a strategy. But, I mention it first because it's one of the most important steps you can take. You need to reserve your namesake on every online platform as quickly as possible. Here's a list to start with:

• Facebook

• Twitter

• LinkedIn

• Google Plus

• Twitch

• Yahoo

• Instagram

• YouTube

• Pinterest

• Tumblr

• Reddit

• VK

• Flickr

• Vine

• Meetup

• You get the idea....

Seriously, start searching for the profile that your friends and coworkers use. You need a presence there, which can be as simple as a profile photo and a quick profile. No need to actively manage the profiles, just claim them so that you can establish a presence and monitor activity on the networks when needed.

2.Consistent Posting with Positive Information

Before posting, I always run what I'm about to say through the a test:

• How would I feel if my family read this?

• How would I feel if my coworkers saw this?

• How would I feel if a recruiter saw this?

If I feel bad about the potential outcome of any of these scenarios, I shy away from posting. But, definitely don't stop posting! You need to breathe life into your social media presence if you want to achieve a positive image.

Google will serve up whatever's fresh, relevant and established. If you have a strong social media presence, earned over time, you'll be able to beat back the negative information about you on the internet.

According to Jobvite.com, "...data reveals social recruiting has become an essential HR practice, with 92% of U.S. companies using social networks and media to find talent in 2012, up from 78% five years ago." The information you post and share online matters; holding back on risky posts will earn a big thank you from your future self.

3.Own Your Virtual Domain

Social media is a great place to start marking your turf, but the addition of millions of new domain extensions represents a new opportunity. Tools like Domainhuntergatherer and Coderwall allow users to search through all of the available domains in a matter of seconds. Locking down your domain name could cost less than a $1 and pay off huge in the future.

Domains are important. Don't believe me? Just ask Google, which shelled out more than $12,000 to a college student and former employee after he ordered the domain online. While it was a technical glitch, the financial value of that single domain could have cost the world's most valuable company billions of dollars.

From social media to domain extensions, our digital fingerprint is growing exponentially every day. Will you take action to protect your good name?