How I Earned My Own Google Knowledge Panel: The Stamp of Approval from Google

Since 2005, I’ve immersed myself in the design industry, working across numerous design agencies in NYC and absorbing everything I could about design, UX, advertising, marketing, and business. During my college years, one of my professors assigned me to a lab, not for my own projects, but to assist others in need — other design students struggling with their work. This experience was pivotal, shaping me into the mentor and educator I am today.

Over the past 19 years, I’ve collaborated with dozens of teams and companies, constantly learning and sharing my knowledge. In 2019, encouraged by my wife and a close friend, I ventured into teaching on Instagram. My wife said, “You have all this experience; you should share what you know.” I must admit, I was hesitant. The idea of adapting my teaching to Instagram, learning its algorithms, and navigating the nuances of online education was daunting.

In November 2019, I launched my Instagram account, stepping into an unknown journey. Initially, I stumbled — using repetitive hashtags, unsure of what to post, who my audience was, or even the niche I should focus on. I was navigating blind in this new adventure.

However, I didn’t let these challenges deter me. I dedicated time to understand the platform, identify my audience, and determine the type of content I should create. I asked myself, “If I were following me, what content would I want to see?” This mindset shift was crucial. By infusing my content with educational, informational, and humorous elements, I began to resonate with my audience and see growth.

I committed to posting daily, which sparked a period of exponential growth. My followers increased from 5,000 to over 25,000 in just a few weeks. This hard work led to recognition; I was invited to participate in Instagram Lives, interviews, and even to contribute articles and posts.

This momentum inspired me to further support my design community. I released my first ebook, “What the F*ck is UX Design,” which was downloaded over 13,000 times. Encouraged by its success, I wrote a second ebook, “Conquering UI Design,” which also received acclaim, with over 18,000 downloads.

My role as a design leader continued to grow, leading to collaborations with companies like Adobe, who brought me on as an Adobe Ambassador and later as a host for their online events. Other companies, including Hotjar, Skillshare, Dribbble, 99designs, IDF, Springboard, Dell, Miro, Toptal, and more, reached out for collaborations.

All the hard work — hundreds of hours dedicated to the design community, over 1,400 posts, collaborations with renowned companies, connections with talented individuals worldwide, writing three books, launching a design course, and creating private design communities for mentoring — culminated in recognition from Google with my own Knowledge Panel.

Nearly five years of dedication to building a strong design community, filled with failures, doubts, learning, and incredible opportunities, have led to this moment. This year, I received the ultimate acknowledgment from the world’s leading search engine. It’s a testament to the fact that hard work truly pays off.

Thank you, 谷歌 , and to everyone who has supported me over these five years.

Discover more UX and design insights! ?? Follow me on Instagram @uiuxcreative for tips and fun, or explore deeper at my website rubencespedes.com. Join the design adventure!