How To Bury Bad Search Results and Restore Your Reputation

Are you wondering how to bury bad search results? If negative content is damaging your digital reputation, read on.

When was the last time you Googled yourself? What appeared in the Google search results?

You might be surprised by what you find. Or, if you’re like many people, horrified. Plus, if you’ve ever been arrested, that incident may be the first thing that pops up in search results.

That’s not all.

Your private pictures may be on harmful websites thanks to a jilted ex-spouse. Your business could be listed on “don’t work for” websites if you’ve ever had a problem employee. Or, if you’ve ever had an unhappy customer, your brand could be suffering due to negative reviews online — including fake Google reviews.

Google and other search engines are all-powerful in our digital age. First page search results determine the success or failure of businesses and employees alike. In the online environment, a bad link, article, or arrest record can destroy your reputation. In fact, Google’s first page is now considered just as important as your resume or business card.

The good news is that you can learn how to clean up negative Google search results and negative articles to take control of your online image. 

We can help you create a positive online reputation by burying negative search results and promoting positive content. Call us at 941-259-4554 for more information.

Negative Search Results Can Hurt Your Personal or Business Reputation

Google allows users to search for your name from any place and at any time. And there are many ways that negative content and bad search results can hurt your reputation or your brand.

If a coworker, employer, landlord, or loved one ever checks your background on Google, what would they see? Would it make a good impression and strengthen your relationship? Or would it fill their head with doubt?

Take this example: Many hiring managers are now required to Google job candidates before offering a position. In other words, your potential employer may search for your name online before taking the next step. If they find negative search results, like a scathing news article or an arrest record, they may completely take you out of the running for the job.

Is There Anything You Can Do About Negative Results?

If there’s harmful information and negative articles about you on the internet, you’re not alone. What’s more: You’re not powerless. In fact, you have the power to change your search results for the better.

Before we move forward, know that you can remove harmful and negative search results from Google, Bing, and Yahoo. It’s possible to improve your online presence and get the digital reputation you deserve.

It’s time to clean up negative Google search results and take control of your reputation for good.

Where Are Negative Search Results Coming From?

There are several types of websites on which you never want your name, face, or business information. Let’s discuss some of them.

People-Search Sites

People-search sites like MyLife and Whitepages allow anyone to access your personal information, including your home address, telephone number, email address, and more. When your personal information is on the internet, marketers, spammers and criminals can find it instantly. Most importantly, when your personal data is exposed online, you’re at higher risk of identity theft, credit card fraud, and more.

Monitoring your name and removing your information from people-search sites allows you to protect your family and your privacy.

Background Check Sites

If you’ve ever been in legal trouble or have a negative public record, you want to remove yourself from background check sites immediately. These sites generate a great deal of traffic, as employers, landlords and lenders check them regularly. If a bad record pops up, your application will likely get thrown to the bottom of the pile.

Ex Revenge Sites

Have you ever seen revenge sites allowing exes to post negative content about past partners? These sites continue to grow in popularity, leaving countless reputations and careers in ruin.

These sites exist solely to make money. They’re notorious extortion rackets, offering negative content removal for hefty fees. Plus, they also give angry exes ample opportunity to damage or destroy your good name on the web.

Fortunately, you can beat them at their own game and remove the information yourself with a search engine optimization and content strategy.

Our clients come to us when they need to hide negative search results on Google. Call us at 941-259-4554 to learn more about improving your Google results.

Mugshot Sites

Mugshot sites are very popular and valued highly by Google. Moreover, since mugshots are considered part of the public record, any mugshot you’ve ever had taken can appear on these sites at any time.

Mugshot sites get a crazy amount of traffic, bumping up their Google rankings and thrusting embarrassing images into the online spotlight.

Of course, this can be extremely damaging to your image, and you’ll want to remove those images as soon as possible.

Complaint Sites

Complaint sites are common problems for businesses and business owners, and they can cause big issues down the line.

According to over 45% of internet users, one of their top reasons for going online is to research brands and products. And on social media, over 76% of users are there for the same purpose. If your brand shows up on a complaint site, it can spell bad news for your bottom line. 

Most surprisingly, complaint sites don’t have to feature truthful information. In fact, a competitor might try to hurt your business by posting fake reviews on a complaint site, which can influence Google results and harm your reputation.

InternetReputation.com provides the information and services you need to protect your digital presence and push negative search results off page one. Get started with a free online reputation analysis by calling 941-259-4554 today.

How Can You Get Negative Content Off the Internet?

If you’ve found negative content online related to your personal or brand name, you have a few options to remove or push negative search results down.

Website Privacy Policies and Removal Requests

One way to erase negative search results or personal information from the internet is to ask site owners to take it down.

Of course, the website you’re working with has to be receptive and cooperative. Asking a revenge site owner to remove negative articles will likely result in a request for money, for example, if they agree to remove the negative content at all.

Another way to remove information is to flag it as a violation of the site’s privacy policy. Unfortunately, privacy policies are often vague, and you could have trouble getting the webmaster to take your request seriously.

However, it’s still smart to start with this approach in case you get lucky and find a website owner willing to work with you.

Google’s Refresh Outdated Content Tool

In some cases, you’ll have luck with the Refresh Updated Content tool from Google. If the content no longer exists or is in violation of Google’s guidelines, you could have negative results removed from the SERP.

Note that Google’s removal policies tend to be complicated, and your outcome depends on your particular situation. In short, Google will remove certain items and leave others alone. 

Due to Google’s policies on information removal, you may need other methods to remove and bury negative results online.

Removing Negative Results From Other Search Engines

Google is the heavy-hitter in the world of search engines. Yet, Bing and other search engines also have a significant amount of users, giving them influence on how people see and feel about your online image. 

The majority of search engine removal request processes operate the same way. There will be a way for users to reach out and request information removal. From there, the search engine will decide whether or not to delete or update the search result.

Third-Party Removal Services

These days, companies offering to remove harmful information from the internet are everywhere.

But to get the fastest results, an experienced, award-winning ORM firm is your best bet for quality and reliability.

Our team has decades of combined content removal experience, and we understand how to remove damaging information from the web fast.

Our third-party removal services offer the best way to clean up negative results and help you build a better reputation online. This way, your reputation no longer depends on Google’s rules or the goodwill of a webmaster.

In short, we offer customized internet and reputation management service solutions designed to maximize your online success.

Content Suppression To Push Negative Links Down

When you’re not able to completely remove negative information from the internet, content suppression is your next best option.

With this strategy, neutral and positive content is created to purposely push negative search results farther down. Once links appear lower on the search engine results page (SERP), fewer people are bound to see them. Instead, they’ll pay attention to what’s risen to the top: positive content about you or your business.

Backlinko found that the top organic search result on Google gets an average CTR of over 27%. Plus, the top 3 search results on Google get a majority of all clicks — over 54 percent. 

It gets better: DataReportal found that less than 1% of internet users don’t make it past the first SERP. That means that if you can push negative search results to page two or later, most people won’t ever find that content.

Do you need to speak with an expert about search engine optimization, online reputation management and burying negative search results? Get in touch with us by calling 941-259-4554 today.

3 Social Media Tips To Protect Your Digital Reputation

Once you’re able to push negative search results off page one of Google, your job isn’t done regarding your online reputation. It takes a lot of work to maintain a positive online presence once you’ve achieved it, especially if you’re active on social media. Keep these three tips in mind.

Keep Your Social Media Profiles Clean

If you’re not careful, your social media profiles can erode your reputation in a hurry. The good news is you have several options to protect your reputation on social media without involving a third party or contacting Google.

Be thoughtful about what you post to your social media accounts, as well as the comments and likes you leave on other content. Err on the side of caution when it comes to social media usage — assume that your content is going to be found and judged, and act accordingly.

Additionally, regularly go through your social accounts and prune past content. Remove anything that’s outdated or could be problematic.

Adjust Privacy Settings

Adjust the privacy settings on your Facebook, Instagram, and other social media accounts. Avoid setting your profiles to public, particularly if you engage in activities often seen as controversial or unprofessional.

Everything on the internet carries a risk. For example, any picture from your Facebook account can quickly be inserted onto a revenge site for everyone to see. You can reduce this risk by protecting your information.

Be Careful About What You Share

It’s easier to prevent a digital reputation problem than to fix one after it occurs. If you don’t want controversial images to be used against you, don’t share them in the first place. 

Sharing the wrong type of information can ruin a good reputation in the blink of an eye. On the other hand, a properly managed social media profile can do wonders for a personal or professional online reputation.

One More Tip: If social networking sites have caused you problems in the past, consider taking a break from social media. You don’t want to make things worse while you’re rebuilding your online reputation.

Start Rebuilding Your Online Reputation Today

Once you’ve cleaned up your name on Google, other search engines and social media, you’ll want to make sure that it stays that way. Just as a plant will die if you forget to water it, your reputation will wither if you forget to maintain it.

At InternetReputation.com, we provide online reputation management information to individuals and businesses who need to promote positive content and suppress negative search results. Whether you’re prioritizing your personal or professional online reputation, our advice, services and team of experts can help.

Your personal and professional success matters. We offer a range of ORM services to hide negative results on search engines. 

Contact our online reputation management team by calling 941-259-4554 today.