Add Me to Search was a Google feature that let people create a small public profile, called a Google People Card, which appeared at the top of search results when someone looked up their name. Google ended the feature in June 2024. New cards can no longer be created, and old ones no longer show up in search.
This piece walks through what the tool did, how it worked, and where things stand today.
What Add Me to Search Was on Google
Google launched Add Me to Search in August 2020. The first rollout went to India, followed by Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa. More regions were added later.
Anyone with a Google account could fill out a short form and publish a card. When someone searched the person’s name, the card showed up near the top of results, similar to how a business profile appears for a company.
The card was meant to act like a digital business card sitting inside Google Search itself.
What the People Card Displayed
| Card Element | What It Showed |
|---|---|
| Name | Full display name |
| Profile photo | A clear, recent image |
| Job or profession | Current role or field |
| Location | City or country |
| Short bio | A brief personal description |
| Social and website links | Optional links to profiles or portfolios |
| Contact details | Optional phone or email |
Why People Used Add Me to Google
The tool solved a real problem. Common names pull up dozens of results, and most of them have nothing to do with the person being searched. A People Card put a verified, self-written summary right at the top.
For freelancers, writers, designers, and small business owners, that meant a free way to shape what new clients saw first. No website needed. No domain to buy.
Setup took less than five minutes. Users picked what to share and what to leave out. Adding a portfolio link without a phone number was fine. Skipping the bio and just listing a job title worked too. People who wanted help managing their broader online footprint often paired the card with browser-level controls, like the ones covered in this guide on Chromebook privacy features.
How to Create a People Card on Google
While the feature was live, the steps were simple:
- Sign in to a Google account on mobile.
- Search for “add me to search” or “edit my people card”.
- Tap the prompt to create a card.
- Add name, location, job, bio, and any links.
- Upload a profile photo.
- Preview and hit publish.
Google had a few rules. One card per account. Real names only. No fake titles, no spam, no impersonation of public figures. Cards that broke the rules were removed.
Once published, the card usually appeared in search within a few hours. Editing followed the same path. Searching “edit my people card” while signed in opened the existing card with an edit button.
When Google Discontinued Add Me to Search
Google shut the feature down in June 2024. The company removed the option to build new cards and stopped showing existing ones in search results. No replacement was announced.
The shutdown caught many small business owners and freelancers off guard, especially in India where the tool had been most popular. Anyone who built personal branding around a People Card had to look elsewhere, often turning to LinkedIn, a personal site, or third-party profile services.
For people figuring out other ways to handle their digital presence on a Chromebook, this list of useful Chromebook apps and extensions is a reasonable starting point.
Geographic Rollout of the Feature
| Region | When Access Was Added |
|---|---|
| India | August 2020 (first launch) |
| Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa | Shortly after India |
| Additional countries | Expanded gradually until shutdown |
India got the feature first because of how often common names overlap there. Millions of people share the same first and last name, which made standard search results hard to sort through. The People Card gave each person a way to claim a small piece of that result page. Users wanting more flexibility on their devices often looked at workarounds like this walkthrough on installing Android apps on a Chromebook to round out their toolkit.
What to Use Instead of Google People Card
With the feature gone, a few options handle similar needs:
- A LinkedIn profile, which already ranks well for most personal name searches.
- A short personal site or about.me page, indexed quickly by Google.
- A Google Business Profile if the person runs a registered business.
- Verified social profiles on platforms Google indexes, like X, GitHub, or Behance.
None of these match the speed or simplicity of the original Add Me to Search card, but together they cover most of what it did. For Chromebook users setting up a workspace around any of these, this overview of current Chromebook picks can help frame the hardware side.
FAQs
Is Add Me to Search still available on Google?
No. Google discontinued the feature in June 2024. New People Cards cannot be created, and existing cards no longer appear in search results.
Why did Google remove the People Card feature?
Google did not give a detailed public reason. The shutdown notice simply confirmed the feature was being retired, with no replacement announced for individual profile cards in search.
Did Add Me to Search work outside India?
Yes. After the August 2020 launch in India, Google rolled it out to Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, and several other regions before the feature was shut down in 2024.
Was the People Card free to create?
Yes. Anyone with a Google account could build a card at no cost. There were no premium tiers, paid placements, or fees for keeping a card live.
Can old People Cards still be seen in Google Search?
No. Once Google ended the feature in June 2024, existing cards stopped appearing in search results. The data tied to those cards is no longer publicly visible.
