Getting rid of negative content on the internet can be tricky. Luckily, there are steps you can take to clean up your search results and repair your online reputation.
This guide will walk you through how to remove negative info from the internet and restore your good name.
Make a List of Negative Data Sources.
The first step in your digital makeover is to identify all of the sources of negative information active on the internet. Make a list of any websites, social media profiles, or search engine results associated with your name that contain incorrect or outdated content.
Doing this allows you to pinpoint exactly where the damage needs to be repaired and determine a proper plan of attack.
Determine Your Best Course of Action.
Once you’ve tracked down the sources of your negative digital footprint, it’s time to figure out what action to take. Depending on how the negative content was created and by whom, you may have different options. You can choose to contact the website owners or use legal remedies, such as a cease-and-desist letter or lawsuit if appropriate.
In other cases, reputation management services may be able to assist you in removing the offending content from search engine results.
Inform the Relevant Parties of Your Intention to Delete or Update Content.
If you choose to contact the website owners and inform them of your intention to delete or update negative content, be sure to document your requests in writing. Include a brief description of why the content is incorrect or damaging, but don’t go into detail.
Provide evidence that the information presented is false and provide any records or documentation if needed.
Make sure you have proof of receipt of any correspondence and a record that shows exactly what action was taken.
Use Paid Services to Remove Unwanted Information from the Web.
There are now a variety of companies that specialize in online reputation management and have special tools to scrub the web for negative posts, images, and other content. These services can be expensive but can be well worth the money if you need an aggressive approach to removing bad reviews or news articles about yourself from the web.
They typically specialize in identifying confidential sources, getting search engine ranking push-downs for pages with negative information, and actively monitoring social media channels for derogatory content.
Monitor Your Results and Keep Up with Regular Maintenance of Web-Based Profiles and Reviews.
Not only is it important to remove or mitigate the negative content you see online, but also to monitor what remains. Keeping up with your web-based profiles and reviews on a weekly basis can help to ensure that no new offensive photos or articles are posted.
Additionally, monitoring sites like consumer complaint lists, review board postings and other sources of user-generated content can keep you informed of any additional issues that may arise.
This proactive approach to clearing your name from the web will give you more control over how you appear in search engine results.
Start managing your online reputation today
The online reputation management company allows you to track your online reputation across every digital platform that matters most to your brand. To learn more about online reputation management, contact us today for a free consultation.